I.A.U.
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Coddenham Astronomical Observatory U.K.
52o 08' 43" N - 01o 07' 43 " E
NAVIGATION
About Coddenham Observatory
The Observatory is managed by Tom Boles and was set up in Coddenham because
of its relatively low light pollution and its increased number of cloudless
nights per year.The observatory is exclusively used for the patrolling,
discovery, imaging and reporting of supernovae. These are catastrophic
explosions that end the lives of stars.
There are two basic types of supernova:
type Ia occurs in a binary system when a companion star steals hydrogen
gas from its neighbour. This type is believed to explode with a fixed
brightness. Measuring the apparent brightness and comparing it with the
brightness expected can allow astronomers to calculate the distance of
the supernova. This type is therefore used to calculate the distances
of the galaxies in which they occur and to help to calculate the size
of the Universe. Type Ia is the brighter type. This is useful, as they
can be seen at greater distances than type II.
Type II (and types 1b & 1c) supernovae occur when massive stars larger
than ten times the mass of our Sun (our nearest star) use up their supply
of hydrogen fuel and die. Without the necessary fuel the star collapses
inward on itself and then bounces outwards when it reaches its iron core.
The force of the explosion blows the star apart with great violence and
can leave behind a pulsar (spinning radio source) or black hole. Type
II supernovae help astrophysicists deduce the processes occurring within
stars and act as huge nuclear laboratories for processes that are impossible
to recreate on Earth.
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LATEST DISCOVERY
Date: 03 May 2014
Last Update: 08 May 2014
apogee, ap7,celestron, paramount, charles frank. Coddenham astronomical observatory managed by Tom Boles and opened by Patrick Moore, searching for supernovae using apogee ap7, celestron and paramount equipment, contributes to astronomy research. Tom Boles searching for SuperNovae at the Coddenham Observatory