Category: ATM
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 […]
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 […]
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: Eagle Nebula … plus, more Trixie talk
A, M16 sure is one of my favorites. I like a nebula that has some structure to it! It looks like your time was limited by blooms, rather than sky fog. It […]
Re: First Light!
I’m proud of the way Trixie turned out, too. It was a decent amount of work, but I’m really pleased with the result. There’s still some tweaking to be done (like the […]
Trixie first light
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 […]
ATM / Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
Trixie first light
First light! I decided to press ahead and put on the mounting plate tonight (same day as the tubes got cut). Just in time for night to fall, I finished up and […]
Trixie Construction photos
And with the aluminum tubes finally cut, here it is! Trixie weighs in at 26 pounds as she sits. If you look closely, you’ll notice that there are no mounting plates and […]
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.