TAG Autoguider
Camera / Gear / Maintenance
New Gear Night
I had been playing with Raspberry Pi 4 (running INDI/Ekos/KStars) to see if it is a valid replacement for ASCOM. So far, it’s still not quite there, for my motley set of […]
Camera / Gear / General / Maintenance / Mount
Another frustrating night
The sky has cleared up at least a little on 3 successive weekends — it’s like the stars miss me and want me to come visit again. So I’ve been giving my […]
Gear / General / Maintenance / Mount
RA drift
The NJP is displaying some RA drift. It’s easy enough to guide out, but it’s definitely strange. I need to gather more data. But I think that what I’m seeing is that […]
General / Maintenance / Techniques / Technology
PemPro – Guido shows its power
PemPro needed some calibration before things would work today. Nothing major. I got it a little more dialed in. I finally figured out what it was complaining about — it thought it […]
General / Maintenance / Observing Reports
Working for the weekend
I had a few things to do before getting started tonight. First, I replaced the brass worm gear with a steel one. This one is Art’s spare, which he used successfully for […]
General / Maintenance / Observing Reports / Technology
Hazy shade of winter
It was not really clear out, and not for long, but it was enough to get some good stuff done. I got Guido focused and gathered a bunch of guiding data, including […]
ATM / Camera / Gear / Technology
“Little” is the new “guidescope”
I love it when a plan comes together. I picked up a new autoguider over the weekend. I also picked up a second 9×50 finder about 2 weeks ago. I only needed […]
Camera / Gear / Solar System Photography
Orion Starshoot Autoguider first light
it’s real cloudy tonight. But, the moon is bright enough that I can still see it, so I decided to come out and get the autoguider focused so I can try to […]
Camera / Gear / Technology
A Brave New World
I picked up a new autoguider on Saturday. If the mount is the basis of the imaging rig, then the autoguider is its closest ally. The autoguider is responsible for making a […]
Guiding.
My autoguiding system is so broken right now. The OAG really complicates the task of finding a guidestar, because among other things, the OAG is very difficult to get to, so I […]
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.