MOST RECENT
Gear / General / Maintenance / Mount
NJP Polar Scope repair — Preamble
The polar alignment scope in my NJP has never been accurate. It’s been off since I got the mount, and there are a couple of other things that I wonder about, too; […]
Astro knowledge / General / Observing Reports
Planetary re-discovery
I was up very very early, walking the dogs. Champ asked to go out around 4:30. It was a very cold (around 20°) but crisp and clear night. The crescent new-minus-3-days moon […]
A few last Perseids
I arrived at the dark skies of Clearwater, WA in a heatwave yesterday. It was in the high (!) 90s all the way through Oregon and into WA. The skies were nice […]
Photos from Ad Astra Observatory at Frosty Acres
… better known as the Golden State Star Party (GSSP) 2010. While I still have your attention, here are the nightly Observing Reports: GSSP Night 1, Saturday GSSP Night 2, Sunday GSSP […]
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
NGC7293, The Helix Nebula in Aquarius
This is my final photo from GSSP 2010. This is 4h total exposure, twelve 20m subframes, shot with Cassie/350D.
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
NGC6888, The Crescent Nebula in Cygnus
I shot this on the final night of GSSP 2010. This is 1h total exposure, three 20m subframes, shot with Cassie/350D.
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
B27, The Snake Nebula in Scorpius
I shot this on the final night of GSSP 2010. This is a single 10m subframe, shot with Cassie/350D. Scope was pointed East at the time.
Deep Sky / General / Long Exposure Photography / Observing Reports
GSSP Night 4
The second night out with Cassie was only slightly less frustrating than the first. I don’t know whether there was a slight drop in the seeing or what, but when I really […]
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
NGC7331, Spiral Galaxy in Pegasus
I shot this on the third night of GSSP 2010. This is 2h total exposure, six 20m subframes, shot with Cassie/350D. Scope was pointed East at the time.
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
NGC6820, Emission Nebula in Cygnus
I shot this on the third night of GSSP 2010. This is 40m total exposure, two 20m subframes, shot with Cassie/350D. Scope was pointed West at the time.
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.