One of the ways we search for objects in the solar system is to take an image, wait for a period of time, then take another image and see what moved

[evilscientistca@mstdn.ca]

One of the ways we search for objects in the solar system is to take an image, wait for a period of time, then take another image and see what moved.
This GIF animation shows Pluto on two separate nights. See if you can find it.

[franco_vazza@mastodon.social]

@evilscientistca i cannot!!

[skyglowberlin@fediscience.org]

@franco_vazza @evilscientistca Look at the very left, a bit down from center...

[franco_vazza@mastodon.social]

@skyglowberlin @evilscientistca oooh i see! ... there's a reason why I became a theorist!!

[w6kme@mastodon.radio]

@evilscientistca I had the thrill of looking through the blink comparator used by Clyde Tambaugh, at the plates he used to discover Pluto in Flagstaff. (I don't know, but I assume they are replica plates in the museum. At least I hope they are.)

PS, once you see it, it's impossible to not see.

[deweyoxberger@techhub.social]

@evilscientistca blink compare is cool, but if it were me I'd subtract the images to narrow down the points of difference. (mid left side)

[terryhancock@realsocial.life]

@evilscientistca
Yep. Found it. Helps if you blot out the large blinking artifacts.

[nunavutbirder@mas.to]

@evilscientistca @sundogplanets a hellish game of Where’s Pluto

[swimsy@mstdn.social]

@evilscientistca yuppers. cool

[sundogplanets@mastodon.social]

@NunavutBirder @evilscientistca You know what's really awful? That's still how we find stuff in the outer solar system! Hasn't changed! (Luckily we use software to do the blinking for us, but often still have to check some of it)

[staringatclouds@mstdn.social]

@evilscientistca about a third of the way up the left hand side of the image

[richardnairn@mstdn.ca]

@sundogplanets @NunavutBirder @evilscientistca I’ve done a number of projects on the Zooniverse doing that.

[michaelporter@ottawa.place]

@evilscientistca Spotted it, but it took me a while... At first I concentrated on the middle of the view, but then remembered that if you haven't discovered a planet yet, it could be anywhere

[evilscientistca@mstdn.ca]

@W6KME I can't imagine doing the registration of two plates by hand...