TAG Saturn
Astro knowledge / General / Observing Reports
Saturn and Porrima
While in California for the weekend, I had a chance to glance skyward and see the stars in their oh-so-familiar positions. I quickly identified Leo and The Dipper, then Arcturus. I was […]
Astro knowledge / General / Observing Reports
Planetary re-discovery
I was up very very early, walking the dogs. Champ asked to go out around 4:30. It was a very cold (around 20°) but crisp and clear night. The crescent new-minus-3-days moon […]
Saturn, Feb. 26, 2010
I haven’t done any solar system photography in several years. In particular, Saturn has been a no-go for several years straight. This is a combination of my focus being on DSO photography, […]
K3CCDTools
I shot with K3 (I still use version 1, the free version) for the first 2 years. With one or two minor exceptions, all of my planetary (not lunar) images are K3/3000. […]
Saturn, Feb 28, 2005
My best Saturn to-date, hands down. I could tell I had something special — this night was right after we’d had a few days of rain, so the air was clear and […]
Saturn, Jan 30, 2005
Through a 2x Barlow, resampled to 2x. Note a hint of the Encke Division (a smaller, dimmer division in the rings outside the very visible Cassini Division)
Saturn, Jan 29, 2005
By a year later, my technique had improved somewhat.
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.