ARCHIVE August2008
Trixie Integration Testing, Phase 1
I’ve just taken Trixie out for another shakedown run, this time with the full imaging rig attached; that’s the guidescope, 2 finders, and the camera, which adds about 10# to the total […]
Astro knowledge / ATM / Optics
big, fast, light
16” f/5 honeycomb mirror for $1500 According to the website, these optics are ~20% lighter than solid mirrors of comparable thickness. So this one might weigh only 20# instead of 26#. That […]
diffraction
The iron bar that Coulter used to mount the secondary was seriously tragic. The thing is literally 1/4” thick. That would destroy any contrast you’d get, making a “pretty good” mirror look […]
Trixie needs a finder
I own the finder. I just have no place to mount it on Trixie. Take a look at the photo again. There’s no place to mount a finder dovetail. I have to […]
Gear / Maintenance / Optics
Pumpkin's field flattener — needs work
I bought a WO FF/FR for Pumpking, but I still need to figure out how to tune it. It’s still not quite right. Can’t use it as a widefield lens if the […]
ATM / Maintenance / Observing Reports
Leaving myself in a "broken" state is not good
It’s supposed to be 90° tomorrow. Given past years, I’m expecting about 2 or 2.5 more months of clear before the rainy season. I’m just in “no working telescopes” mode at the […]
Uncategorized
Re: you so crazy
A, Greetings. Pocket change is fine. I have a couple of pieces that I need to dump myself. Need to get rid of that DSI before the price drops too low. Might […]
mirror cell?
Collimated the scope last night. Didn’t get a chance to suck in any starlight though, too tired from all the flying. I expect I’ll be able to scrounge a few photons before […]
nice cheap 16" f/4.5 mirrors are nice
16 mirrors are usually $1500 or so. Usually it is Meades that show up on the ‘mart. But even if you wanted to get it refigured, Woden charges $700 for a 16”. […]
Re: causality, light cones, and speed limits
OK, two votes for “We are all officially living in The Matrix”. When Arnold was elected governator, that was Jon Stewart’s comment. J Anthony James wrote: > You may need to lay […]
RECENT UPDATE
Polar Alignment Calculations
Here’s a page that derives Polar Alignment Calculations. (update 5/2020: the original site is gone, so I found the text on Wayback and am inserting it below. This is by the original […]
Gear / Observatory / Telescope
Special Guest Star takes the mount at Hilltop O
The Astro Jedi needed somewhere to store his light sab—- I mean, bucket, and I was only too happy to accommodate him. I have decided that I need to come to a […]
General / Maintenance / Observatory
Dome shutter is motorized again!
I finally decided to bite the bullet and fix the shutter motor. Things went sideways last winter, and I’ve been opening the shutter manually (and tying it shut with rope, so we […]
Trixie 2017 – tube mods
I finally got around to cutting the MTA-UTA tubes to length; the only eyepiece that would come to focus with the focuser spacer in place is the Televue 55mm Plossl. If I […]
MOST COMMENTED
Observatory
Observatory 2.0 – Time has come today!
General / Maintenance
First Light, a deeper look
Mount / Observatory / Telescope
Observatory 2.0 – Result!
Observatory
Observatory 2.0 – The Pier goes in
Gear / General / Maintenance
Martin Farmer Wormblock installation notes
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
NGC2244, The Rosette Nebula
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
Another beautiful night.