TAG Computer
New astro computer
I am going to try out Art’s Astro VM for awhile — he has everything configured to within an inch of its life, and I think it’s really going to make a […]
General / Maintenance / Optics / Techniques
Rainy weekend, perfect for maintenance
I had a bunch of maintenance piling up in the obvservatory, so I decided to do some of it since it’s raining all weekend. I spent a little time getting the mount […]
Readying myself for sunset
I had a bunch of stuff on my TODO list after last night. So I took care of some of it while the sun was up today. I recharged the deep-cycle battery. […]
ATM / Electronics / Focuser / Gear / General / Maintenance / Observing Reports / Optics / Techniques / Technology
Murphy was an optimist.
Clear Sky Clock said it would be cloudy all night, so of course it stayed 90% clear until about midnight, when it socked in. But I’m getting ahead of myself… I decided […]
General / Maintenance / Observing Reports
Cloudy.
There were high, thin clouds all night. Only the brightest stars were shining through. So I decided to spend the evening preparing for better nights. I mounted the DAs on Veronica, so […]
IDAS LPS is a good thing
I’m testing out the new C9.25 tonight. Last night, I’m writing off as a “configuration” night. The sky is a little cloudy tonight, high thin clouds that serve to brighten up an […]
G-11 Guiding Commands: ST-4 relays vs. ASCOM
My autoguiding isn’t as straightforward as it used to be. I have a lot of new gear that I’m trying to figure out; G-11, Gemini, ASCOM, ST-4, MaxIM. Each of these adds […]
Re: success! M51 full calibration
Art Morton wrote: > The silly little galaxies are quite visible too. (: I hardly ever see shots of M51 with the little guys showing. Also, I *never* see shots with that […]
Gear / Solar System Photography / Techniques
Planetary camera / webcam autoguider
The other morning when I was awakened at 5am by sprinklers, I noticed that Jupiter was past meridian (meaning so was Sagittarius, but it was too light for me to see it). […]
Maintenance / Observatory / Technology
Re: Mac-as-Astro-machine
I just picked up a Mac mini to use as an astronomy machine out in the observatory. Essentially, I need something that can run headless, and provide USB ports to the various […]
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.