TAG Polar Alignment
PAC: from the horse's mouth
A, The guy who wrote Gemini (Rene Goerlich) had this to say about Polar Axis Correction, etc. 4 things of interest to note: 1) before 1st PAC, do a minimal pointing model […]
General / Maintenance / Techniques
pointing model building
When I build a pointing model using PAC on the Gemini, I get this strange behavior, where the error numbers are very large and then get smaller and smaller to some fairly […]
Polar Alignment : the latest chapter
A, It’s 12:20. I just got in from a polar alignment session that lasted almost 3 hours. The mac helpfully sang out the time at the top of the hour to make […]
AAVSO polar charts
http://www.aavso.org/observing/charts/vsp/index.html Not exactly sure which RA/Dec to use to get the NCP. +90 doesn’t work right. A, Attached is a chart (by the DSS, via AAVSO at http://www.aavso.org/observing/charts/vsp/index.html) of the NCP (the […]
fancy book learnin'
A, an excerpt from http://www.russellstreetobservatory.co.uk/equipment/G11pt4.html, a guy whose demand is 5 minutes unguided at 1000mm. I don’t think he’s going to get it, but he took great notes about his learning curve […]
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I hate polar alignment more
Apparently, I overshot significantly. According to my new pointing model, I’m at A:1 and E: -27. I used to be at A:1 E:6. More drift alignment now that the moon’s bright. I […]
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I hate polar alignment
I can’t get the )(%*(^$ Gemini to run in 2x sidereal mode, so my CCD drift thing isn’t working too good. So I switched to good ol’ drift alignment. Did I mention […]
Photographic Polar Alignment
PHOTOGRAPHIC POLAR ALIGNMENT by Greg Beach The one, often elusive requirement for any astrophotographer and telescope owner is proper polar alignment. This allows long-exposure photographs to be taken in order to build-up […]
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Re: Pointing Model vs. Polar Alignment
Art Morton wrote: >> I have no earthly idea how to get the Gemini to go at 2x sidereal. >> Without getting the drive to turn off in one direction, the alignment […]
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Re: Gemini slew speeds
Hi James, Jamesbielaga@aol.com wrote: > I believe the slew speeds are .3x .5x 2x, 4x 8x and 16x. Manual page > 4 and 5 cover it. I think this is correct for […]
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 […]
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Another beautiful night.