Astro knowledge / Optics

Whence C9.25?

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I decided to upgrade the C-8 to a C9.25. As a photographer, I need different lenses to do different work. The 8” is awesome down to ~10′, but below that, it’s pretty […]

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Astro knowledge / Techniques

Starfield memorization: M51

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In an image of M51 taken near Feb 5, 2009 (todo: find this image), there is a really pretty blue star that’s very nearby the galaxy. I’d like to use that star […]

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Gear / Long Exposure Photography / Observing Reports

Re: So, what is skyglow? Must need a dark site

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A, Sigh. I wonder what I would have done if I’d started doing astronomy now instead of 4 years ago. This guy went from a Canon 400D + Orion ED80 + Orion […]

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Astro knowledge / General / Long Exposure Photography / Observing Reports

Re: So, what is skyglow? Must need a dark site

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Art Morton wrote: > awesome photo not shot by me > > The way you get dark sky in the Bay Area is to get to the top of a local foothill […]

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Observing Reports

Re: FocusMax workflow

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Art Morton wrote: > > Did you do the FM setup where it builds the V curve for your > optics? This is very important to have a V curve for the […]

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Uncategorized

Re: Soul Nebula is too big too

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Art Morton wrote: > Did you say TAK 106 …. dididid I here 106 I have a nice 66mm / 400mm ED refractor that should do the job; I picked it up […]

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Maintenance / Observing Reports / Optics

Re: RA driftage

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Art Morton wrote: > All three of these images are fantastic and show that you are tuning > in. In either case here, your optics are quite good. The stars are > […]

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Uncategorized

Re: RA driftage

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Art Morton wrote: > I do love the amazing lack of blooms. I hear the Orion color camera > calling me. > > I just have to find out some way to […]

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Observing Reports

Re: Between the Rain and the Fog

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Art Morton wrote: > http://www.astromart.com/images/forums/643000-643999/643641.jpg > > The above image was taken with a 12” AP Mak on the AP Super Large > Mount. The angular resolution and image magnification is far […]

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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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