Methodology for calculation of <i>seeing</i> in the Central American Astronomical Observatory Suyapa, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Abstract

The present work proposes a methodology to being used for the characterization of the conditions of observation in the Central American Suyapa Astronomical Observatory CASAO, particularly related to the measurement of the seeing. The analysis of images uses pixel by pixel, trying to estimate the seeing through the FWHM, using as top limit the pixel of maximum intensity of each one of the images of the major Zeta Geminorum that served to do the study, and whose low limit is the average of intensity of the background sky. To achieve major precision in the estimation there were divided equally the values estimated of a group of 10 images and from there inferring a confidence interval of 95 % for the estimation of the seeing. For the present, this value worked turn out to be of 5.2332-5.8448 second of arch which is a value of seeing relatively high (regular conditions of observation) with regard to the 2 or at most 3 seconds of arch recommended for observations with a good sky.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/ce.v1i1.609

Ciencias Espaciales 1(1) 2009