Ad Astra Observatory

Trixie had First Light tonight.

I finally got the tubes cut today (thanks, John!), and I decided to press forward and get the mounting plate attached, too. That was the last required step before taking the new ’scope out for a test drive, and the astronomy gods even cooperated and let me have some clear sky.

In case you haven’t been following the saga of getting this telescope built from the ground up, Trixie is short for Triskaidekaphobia (she’s a thirteen inch scope).

Trixie still needs a second mounting plate (so that the guidescope can be attached), and at some point I have to figure out how to attach a finder. But the biggest change is that I now have to make the mental transition from “builder” to “observer” again. All TBD’s aside, Trixie is working great. I couldn’t be happier.