MOST RECENT
Wooden Tube Clamps
Hi, This is the type of object that I was considering: http://pw2.netcom.com/~ahighe/ClampForms.jpg This is a pic from this page: http://pw2.netcom.com/~ahighe/17_5ultra.html Here’s a good photo of 2 of the clamps in action: http://pw2.netcom.com/~ahighe/MirrorBoxRear.jpg […]
Trixie build – cutting the ring blanks
This was the first weekend of several spent building out Trixie, the 13.1” scope. I decided to build the major wood pieces out of 1/2” Birch Ply and 1/2” Red Oak Ply. […]
Trixie's secondary
I asked the seller of Trixie’s mirror to send the original spider for the secondary, so I could use it on my test rig. Now that I’m looking at the object, I’m […]
Trixie construction startup
I am currently hunting down plywood to build up the OTA. And clearly I’m going to need to build a new spider.
Trixie's mirror quality, first impressions
The Coulter build quality surely was a variable. I found a sky and telescope review once that said the secondary was not centered in the tube and could not be adjusted, just […]
Trixie build – before The Blessed Event
Before I put saw to wood, I shall make some photos. I will try to keep shooting during construction. My life is about to become very insane and I don’t know why […]
Trixie build – ready to roll
I have wood and glass and about half the metal. I need a secondary holder, a 4-vane 90° spider, and a final upper cage design. I’m ready to start cutting wood as […]
NASA finds a "lost" supernova
Just read the press release — they had calculated, based on supernova frequency in other galaxies, that about 3 SN per century should pop off in any given galaxy (like the Milky […]
Trixie design sessions – Spider
I’m trying to figure out what kind of spider to buy (because that tragedy of pig iron that came with the Coulter secondary is an offense to spiders everywhere). What keeps coming […]
Trixie is delivered, safe and sound
Well, the heart of the scope, anyway. I picked the mirror up at the post office this morning. Nice big box, very well padded inside. The 2 mirrors are both immaculate. Yes, […]
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.