Subject: Halo images Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2002 15:43:09 -0500 From: Nik Szymanek To: Robert Fosbury Dear Mr Fosbury, I have recently taken a part-time position at the University of Hertfordshire and after a recent lecture there I was asked to contact you regarding atmospheric halo effects. I am a regular visitor to the island of La Palma and in 1998 I was able to photograph some excellent haloes. Please find attached three examples. I hope these are of use to you. Regards, Nik Szymanek Subject: Re: Halo images Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 20:43:54 +0100 From: Bob Fosbury Organization: ST-ECF To: Nik Szymanek References: 1 Dear Nik, sorry for my brief message this morning. I have now looked at and printed the three images you sent and I am very impressed. They are beautifully photographed and well exposed and the phenomena are spectacular. What were you doing on La Palma and what are you doing now at UH? Who put you in touch with me? My interest in Halos started a few years ago* when I realised I had photographed a reletively rare example. I searched the web for expertise and came across the "HALO" simulation programme written by Les Cowley and Michael Schroeder - both of whom have since become good friends. Do you mind if I forward your pictures to them - I'm sure they will be most interested? http://www.sundog.clara.co.uk/halo/halosim.htm I know that Les has simulated coronae as well as halos and will be delighted by your beautiful corona. Do you have the dates and times of your halos so that the solar altitude can be determined? With best regards and thanks again for the pictures! Bob.. * Although I have been a lifelong follower of Minnaert! Subject: Re: Halo images Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 16:15:58 -0500 From: Nik Szymanek To: "INTERNET:rfosbury@eso.org" Hi Bob, Thanks for your detailed reply. Please find attached a few more images taken from La Palma....prety much at the same time as the others (see below). Hope these are of use to you. >>What were you doing on La Palma and what are you doing now at UH? Who put you in touch with me?<< I've been travelling to La Palma as an amateur astronomer for the last 7 years. When I go there I take a lot of astrophotography and CCD equipment but have a 10" telescope permanently located on the island. La Palma is a beautiful location for all kinds of photography. During my visits I've seen quite a few optical effects and have managed to photograph them but my main emphasis is on astronomical photography. Over the years I have built up a good working relationship with the staff at the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes and in return for public relations and publicity pictures and video they give me free reign of the site (quite a privilege for a humble amateur astronomer). I am now working with the professionals there and have been involved with image-processing of pictures taken with the 3 ING telescopes (Jacobus Kapteyn, Isaac Newton and William Herschel). I've been working part-time at UH since last September. My role is to teach observing techniques and general image-processing to the undergraduates. As I mentioned, I gave a lecture for the Institute of Physics at Hatfield, back in December. I showed some of my halo pictures to the audience and afterwards one of the Faculty of Science UH staff members approached me and said that you may be interested in copies of my pictures. Unfortunately, I can't remember her name. I searched the Internet for your name and found your Web site and address. >>My interest in Halos started a few years ago* when I realised I had photographed a reletively rare example. I searched the web for expertise and came across the "HALO" simulation programme written by Les Cowley and Michael Schroeder - both of whom have since become good friends. Do you mind if I forward your pictures to them - I'm sure they will be most interested?<< Please feel free to use the images that I've sent in any way.I, too, have been interested in halo phenomena but unfortunately don't get to see too many from cloudy old Blighty! I'm off to La Palma in April and may be lucky as that's the month when I got most of the other pictures in1998. >>http://www.sundog.clara.co.uk/halo/halosim.htm<< I'll have a look at this site. >>Do you have the dates and times of your halos so that the solar altitude can be determined?<< Only approximately. The following images were all taken at about 12.00 UT on March 29th or 30th 1998: DOThalo, DOThalo3, Parhelic 1&2, SSThalo. Glory.jpg was taken at about 7.00 UT around January 10th 1997. Corona.jpg was taken at about 7.30 UT around November 20th 1999. All pictures were taken from an altitude of 2350m from La Palma which is at 28.7N, 17.87W Hope this is of use to you. Cheers, Nik Szymanek