The following topics are discussed:
I describe these topics based on the observational experience buitl up together with Denis Bergeron (see also his fine images), using a Meade LX-200 10 inch (25 cm) telescope and SBIG ST4 and ST6 CCD.
Even a single observation on one night is interesting, but it is advised to make at least three observations. Doing so the chance of making errors is smaller, since you will see moving Chiron "through the stars". Between each observation there should be at least five minutes, but Chiron's movement is so slow that one can spread the observations over a whole night using the same telescope settings, and still see the same stars for astrometric reduction.
For photometry too it is advised to make at least three observations, for the same reasons. We experienced that photometry is much more difficult than astrometry: it requires a skillful observer gifted with lots of patience, and sense for correctness and precision.
We use for both astrometrical and photometrical reduction the software package Astrometrica. Integration times are always five minutes. This combination seems to work fine.
The "best evidence" for cometary activity on Chiron is obviously the presence of a coma or a tail. A coma has already been observed (see the literature), but this feature is so faint that only professional telescopes were able to do this, moreover with integration times of 20000 seconds. It will be very hard for amateurs to get a view of Chiron's coma., but it might be possible: remind that Chiron is coming closer and closer to the sun !
An easier way to establish cometary activity on Chiron is to study the magnitude. If there is any cometary activity, Chiron brightens. And that is indeed something within the reach of amateur telescopes. However, do not expect too much: the brightening might be in the order of 0.5 magnitudes, so that careful and repeated observation is required.
For the first time, the undersigned and Denis Bergeron (Quebec, Canada) succeeded in recording signs of Chiron's rotation. I refer to my page dedicated to this subject.
URL of this page is: [http://www.vub.ac.be/STER/www.astro/ccdobser.htm]
Last modified: 1995 October 02. This page is ©1995.
