TAG Target Selection
Astro knowledge / Deep Sky / Focuser / Gear / Long Exposure Photography
M20, The Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius
First attempt at the Trifid with Veronica. The G11 and the motor focuser are really helping. It’s so low that I had to wait for it to rise above the doorway of […]
Astro knowledge / Solar System Photography
Animation of Moon at 7 to 10 days
Moon at 7 to 10 days. Shot on 4 consecutive days from June 22 through June 25, 2007. Here’s what I have so far on my “all phases of the moon” project. […]
Astro knowledge / Deep Sky / Gear / Long Exposure Photography
NGC 4725, Spiral Galaxy in Coma Berenices
Trying to round out the set of the largest galaxies visible from this latitude. This is another galaxy that I would not have known about if not for “The List” (see M106 […]
Astro knowledge / Deep Sky / Gear / Long Exposure Photography / Observing Reports / Optics
M42, The Great Orion Nebula
fullsize image I finally decided to try out Veronica (the 8” f/5 Newtonian) in the observatory, instead of the ED80. The reflector has two distinct advantages over the ED80; first, it’s about […]
targets
galaxies: ngc7331 M74 (too low?) NGC253 (too low?) (possibly too small, below): IC342? NGC772 NGC2403 NGC2841 NGC5905/5908 NGC5907 NGC5963/5965 Stephan’s Quintet NGC7814 nebulae: ngc281 ngc6334/6357 (just west of M6) IC1805 IC1848 IC1396 […]
Astro knowledge / Solar System Photography
Analemma
This is a detail of my pushpin analemma (in progress). The gnomon’s shadow only shows up for about 30 minutes each day, and during late spring and early summer, its shadow was […]
Astro knowledge / Solar System Photography
Analemma
This is an overview of my pushpin analemma (in progress). You can see the gnomon, the shadow of The Offending Column, the 4 points on the analemma (with date/timestamps), and the extra […]
Astro knowledge / Solar System Photography
Analemma
This is a shot out the window that I use to make my analemma. Note “the offending column”, which cast its shadow over my pushpin analemma from Memorial Day through Independence Day. […]
Astro knowledge / Solar System Photography
Analemma
This is an overview of my desktop analemma (in progress). The pushpins in the wall are just what I do with extra pins when I’m bored. (: (I used a red one […]
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.