Bill's Astro Blog: Eris

-Update-

Added Eris images from Oct 7th 2012.

Same equipment setup as used on Sept. 16th & 24th.

Total integration time of 51 minutes.

Moon Phase: 60.3% approximately 60 Degree separation from Eris

Sky Brightness ~18.2 mag. per sq. arcsec.

Recently over a one week period I acquired 2 sets of star fields in Cetus where the dwarf planet Eris was located. The compressed images show its movement over the course of seven days.

Eris is currently 96.6+ AU from the Sun which is 3 times Pluto's current distance from the Sun.
Eris's magnitude is approximately 18.7 and a few stars of fainter magnitude are visible.
Interesting note, Eris is currently the most distant known object in the Solar System aside from long-period comets and the space probes Voyagers I & II and Pioneer 10 spacecraft (Pioneer 11 is currently 86.5 AU from the Sun) and takes 561 Earth years to complete one orbit.

Dates acquired: Sept.16 & 24, 2012
Camera: Starlight Xpress SXVF-H9 binned 2x2
Guider: Starlight Xpress Exview
Scope: Astrotech AT10RC @ F8 (2000mm)
Mount: Losmandy Titan w/Gemini-II
Filters: Astronomik Clear type 2c, in combination with Idas light pollution suppression.
9/16 image: various exposure lengths for a total 31 minutes total integration time.
9/24 image: 6 x 300 seconds for 30 minutes total time.
Acquired, calibrated, stacked (sum) in Astroart 5
F.O.V. = 15.5' x 11.6' @ 1.32 arc"/Pixel

Eris: Sept. 16th 2012