Uncategorized

stupid RAW

Tagged , Leave a Comment on stupid RAW

A, last night’s guiding did not go as well as the night before. I think that Max’s guider commands are more granular than the ST-4’s. I had the steady drift again. I’ll […]

READ MORE

Electronics

Nikon IR remote

Tagged Leave a Comment on Nikon IR remote

http://www.cibomahto.com/?p=249 uses Arduino

READ MORE

ATM / Electronics

Nintendo DS camera controller

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on Nintendo DS camera controller

Howdy, I’m sending this message because you inquired about a Nintendo camera controller, (probably). I’m sorry I haven’t gotten back to you about the DS camera controller thing, I’ve been inundated with […]

READ MORE

Technology

CCDCommander works with MaxIM 4.x but not MaxDSLR 4.x

Tagged , Leave a Comment on CCDCommander works with MaxIM 4.x but not MaxDSLR 4.x

CCDCommander integrates with MaxIM DL 4.x vis scripting. MaxDSLR 4.x doesn’t have scripting. Perhaps MaxDSLR 5.x will have it. You can get a DSLR working with CCDCommander if you buy full MaxIM […]

READ MORE

Gear

this just ain't right

Tagged Leave a Comment on this just ain't right

http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=559409 and this is even less right: http://www.keh.com/OnLineStore/ProductDetail.aspx?groupsku=DC029990934030&brandcategoryname=Digital&Mode=searchproducts&item=0&ActivateTOC2=false&ID=&BC=&BCC=&CC=&CCC=&BCL=&GBC=&GCC=&KW=rebel%20xti Note that’s a 10mpx camera for $400. Sure, you would have to send it off to Hap G. to get modified. So, for $750, […]

READ MORE

Observatory / Technology

Re: Auto Guiding

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on Re: Auto Guiding

At 09:33 AM 3/17/2008 -0700, you wrote: >On Mar 17, 2008, at 8:51 AM, Jimbo S. Harris wrote: >>>My money, if I had any, would have burst into flame by now at […]

READ MORE

Deep Sky / Gear / Long Exposure Photography

M104, The Sombrero Galaxy in Virgo

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on M104, The Sombrero Galaxy in Virgo

Finally! A Virgo galaxy. I’ve had some kind of mental block about shooting in Virgo, so I finally forced myself to shoot down here. M104 is on the edge of being too […]

READ MORE

Deep Sky / Gear / Long Exposure Photography

M81, Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on M81, Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major

Like M42 is a “tester” object for winter, M81 is a tester object for the spring. It’s big and bright and there’s lots of detail to bring up. In addition, if well-framed, […]

READ MORE

Deep Sky / Gear / Long Exposure Photography

M82, Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on M82, Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major

This is a “freebie” version of M82. It was way off in the badly vignetted border of the above M81 images (M81 was centered). But once I applied flat frames to the […]

READ MORE

Astro knowledge / Deep Sky / Gear / Long Exposure Photography / Maintenance

A tale of two images

Tagged , , Leave a Comment on A tale of two images

This is a tale of two images. These were taken on successive nights. Same setup, same exposure time, everything. The first night was unguided. … and the second night was autoguided with […]

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