Long Exposure Photography / Techniques

Star Trails over Ad Astra Observatory

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It’s been awhile since I did any star trails photography. It’s pretty simple — camera, tripod, point it at your target, and let it rip. I figured this would make a handsome […]

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Observatory / Observing Reports / Technology

Dome automation 1.0 – Second light

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Since I overexposed my shot of M13 last time (I hope that I can pull in some dim, edge detail…), I had to wait for a few days to appease the astronomy […]

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Techniques

Polar Alignment Calculations

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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 […]

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Gear / Observatory / Telescope

Special Guest Star takes the mount at Hilltop O

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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 […]

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General / Maintenance / Observatory

Dome shutter is motorized again!

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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 […]

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ATM

Trixie 2017 – tube mods

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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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