Peter Marples' Page

SN2009GD in NGC5967 Peter Marples does it yet again!

Update:
From IAU CBET 1855
The spectra of 2009gd (cf. CBET 1842) shows the supernova is of type Ic
with SNID-determined age of 3 weeks after maximum.

A portion of a telegram from the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION:

"Peter Marples, Loganholme, Queensland, Australia, reports the discovery by Colin Drescher, Greg Bock, Matt Brown, Jeremy Moser, and himself of an apparent supernova (red mag 16.4) on 25-s unfiltered CCD images taken on June 9.42 with a 30-cm f/7 reflector. The new object, which was confirmed at red mag 16.3 on images taken by Marples at Loganholme on June 10.38, was measured by Drescher (using Astrometrica with the USNO-B1.0 catalogue) to be located at R.A. = 15h48m22s.79, Decl. = -75o40'47".8 (equinox 2000.0), which is 25" east and 25" south of the center of the galaxy NGC 5967. Nothing appears at this position on a reference image taken by Marples on 2009 Apr."

Thank you to all who assisted me with this – this is your reward for your help.

Peter

My discovery image taken on June 8th 2009 blue arrow points to it. (Click to enlarge)

Stu Parker (New Zealand) confirming image taken June 11th NZ time with C14. (Click to enlarge)

SN2009J in IC2160 Peter Marples does it again!

Peter Marples made an independent discovery of Supernova 2009J in the galaxy IC2160 located in the far southern constellation Mensa. The galaxy is about 190 Million light years distant from us.

On the night of January 14th Peter took several images of this galaxy and immediately noticed a new object in one of the spiral arms. See, http://www.rochesterastronomy.org/SNIMAGES/

Peter would like to thank the following talented Australian amateur astronomers for their assistance and advices - Greg Bock and Colin Drescher who undertook highly accurate positional and magnitude measurements that were posted on the Yahoo isnchat site, http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/isn_chat/ Steve Quirk and Pat Pearl, who would later provide images of the galaxy. Brendan Downs for his assistance and input. All were willing to assist and take calls etc well late into the night and early the next morning. Peter further acknowledges Gregg Thompson and Bob Evans who gave valuable advices that would later prove to be extremely important. The Supernova was also discovered a day prior by the CHASE supernova search team in Chile, http://www.das.uchile.cl/proyectoCHASE/ At the time of Peter's discovery no announcement had been made so Peter was not aware of their discovery, hence the independent discovery. The Supernova is a type 1a event – a white dwarf star that has blown itself to pieces after drawing too much mass from a much larger companion star or the merging of 2 white dwarf stars.

Extract from CBET 1665 “Peter Marples, Loganholme, Queensland, Australia, reports his independent discovery of SN 2009J on a CCD image takenon Jan. 14.456 UT with a 30-cm reflector (+ Starlight Xpress camera). C. Drescher (Brisbane) measured red mag 17.5 and the following position for 2009J, apparently from Marples' discovery frame: R.A. = 5h55m21s.09, Decl. = -76o55'20".7 (equinox 2000.0).”

3 of Peter’s 25 second images stacked by Greg Bock, the supernova is arrowed.

Pat Pearls image that was obtained around 1am the following morning.

Asteroid named in honour of SAS member Peter Marples: 7527 Marples (1993 BJ)

Dear Members and Friends - 20th November 2008

It is with great pleasure that I wish to inform you that as a result of a process undertaken by Mr Ikufumi Makino in Japan and with the consent of Mr Urata also in Japan an asteroid discovered by Mr Urata has been named for our member Peter Marples. This recognises Peter’s discovery of Supernova 2008fa, which he discovered on the 20th August 2008 in the Spiral Galaxy NGC6722 in the Constellation of PAVO.

The Asteroid is called 7527 Marples (1993 BJ) and you will find the web page at:

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=7527;orb=1

The information on NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory ‘Solar System Dynamics’ web page is as follows:

7527 Marples
Discovered 1993 Jan. 20 by T. Urata at Oohira.
Australian amateur astronomer Peter Marples (b. 1958) discovered the supernova 2008fa in NGC 6722. He lives in Loganholme, Queensland, and is a very active member of the Southern Astronomical Society.
The name was suggested by T. Urata and I. Makino.

It is not only Peter’s discovery of Supernova 2008fa that he is being honoured with this remarkable merit. It also recognises that through the SAS Peter has spent over 22 years, educating and helping many thousands of people to enjoy the night sky.

Something that I recall very well was his donation of a brand new 8 inch telescope to the Pimpama Junior Astronomy Club at the QLD Astrofest in 2005, just because I said before the tickets were drawn, that if I won, I would chose that telescope for the kids at the astronomy club…well his ticket was drawn and without hesitation, he stood up and donated the scope to me for the astronomy club. It is these kind gestures and many, many more which has opened up many possibilities for other people to explore the heavens.

Peter was also one of the founding members of the Southern Astronomical Society back in 1986 and was also one of the 5 chief founders of the Qld Astrofest and the annual Combined Societies Meeting, instigating the prestigious Achievement/ Discovery award, which is presented at the combined societies meeting each year to deserving Qld astronomers. He also secured a real coup for the SAS in 1988 by inviting Patrick Moore to be our honoured guest speaker at the SAS dinner.

We, your fellow members of the Southern Astronomical Societies and its many friends, congratulate you Peter, on this wonderful recognition…. may your love of the night sky forever fly freely as the Astroid that has been named after you. But please keep your (asteroids) distance away from us here on Earth!

Congratulations from all of us.
Noeleen Lowndes (President)

sn2008fa update.

CBET 1508 reports that spectra taken on Sept 15.06UT on behalf of the Carnegie Supernova Project show sn2008fa to be a type 1a supernova about 3 weeks past maximum. This would now confirm Colin Drescher’s photometry from Peter Marples' follow up images that the Supernova was rising in brightness and correct guess that this would most likely be a type 1a event.

"Today's CBET 1475, from the IAU's Central Bureau, announces the discovery of a magnitude 17.6 supernova in NGC 6722 by Peter Marples of Queensland. The supernova was discovered on CCD images taken on the evening of August 20 (only 3 days past Full Moon) with a 12-inch (30-cm) telescope. Colin Drescher, also from Queensland, measured the brightness.Steve Quirk of NSW was quick to report the accurate position."

Let me say a huge, huge thanks to my great mate Greg Bock for his help last Wednesday night. He helped calm me down a bit while we both put the wheels in motion. He has even made the images into movie that looks great.

A huge, huge thanks to Bob Evans , Colin Drescher and Steve Quirk - Frog Rock Observatory (http://www.my.hwy.com.au/~sjquirk/index.html) who all played significant roles in helping out here and I can’t thank them enough. Even Berto Monard from South Africa – himself a prolific SN discoverer – made observations to help confirm the SN.

Image attached is 5 x25 second images that were acquired by myself and stacked by Greg Bock

Unless otherwise stated: 25 second images taken this year with a 12inch LX200R using a Optec F7 Focal Reducer and Starlight Xpress SXVH9 CCD camera.


NGC 7412	NGC 7123	NGC 7090

NGC 6880	NGC 6753	NGC 6744

NGC 6699	NGC 6215	NGC 5833

NGC 5786	NGC 5643	NGC 5483

NGC 5189	NGC 5128	NGC 4444

NGC 3882	NGC 3059	NGC 2442

NGC 1703	NGC 1566	IC 5244

IC 4837	IC 4754	IC 4721

	IC 4585

Eta Carina Nebula 20 second images with 12inch LX200 Starlight Xpress SXVM7 camera	Jupiter It was taken April 1st using Meade 12inch LX200 and 50 stacked images using a Meade LPI camera with a 2x Barlow. Colin Drescher and I collaborated and Erwin did some after image processing using paint shop pro.	NGC 5128. 12inch Lx200 @F3.3 with the Starlight Xpress SXVM7 - 22seconds.
	Below: SUPERNOVA SEARCH 25 second images 12inch Meade LX200 Optec F5 focal reducer Starlight Xpress SXVM7

NGC 1566	IC 5096	NGC 1448

NGC 1559	NGC 1672	NGC 6810

NGC 7205	IC 1954	NGC 1365

NGC 1433	NGC 4945	NGC 5128

	NGC 6300