Gear / Technology

New astro computer

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE

General / Maintenance / Optics / Techniques

Rainy weekend, perfect for maintenance

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE

General / Maintenance

Readying myself for sunset

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on 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. […]

READ MORE

ATM / Electronics / Focuser / Gear / General / Maintenance / Observing Reports / Optics / Techniques / Technology

Murphy was an optimist.

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE

General / Maintenance / Observing Reports

Cloudy.

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE

Gear / Observing Reports

IDAS LPS is a good thing

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE

Maintenance

G-11 Guiding Commands: ST-4 relays vs. ASCOM

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE

Astro knowledge

Re: success! M51 full calibration

Tagged , Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE

Gear / Solar System Photography / Techniques

Planetary camera / webcam autoguider

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on 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). […]

READ MORE

Maintenance / Observatory / Technology

Re: Mac-as-Astro-machine

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE

Techniques

Polar Alignment Calculations

Tagged Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE

Gear / Observatory / Telescope

Special Guest Star takes the mount at Hilltop O

Tagged , Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE

General / Maintenance / Observatory

Dome shutter is motorized again!

Tagged Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE

ATM

Trixie 2017 – tube mods

Tagged Leave a Comment on 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 […]

READ MORE