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Nick's blog, including AOSX (Astronomy on OSX)

Updated test application & Alpha3 driver release today!

For the goods: I've been squirrelling away on the commute to bring the test application up to a respectable level. I feel that it's basically usable in order to allow people to test the drivers by simply trying it! Although I've tried the drivers on all the main forms of camera, you always get differences appearing in real life when people attempt to use software and hardware with their own computers. So this will allow people to have some fun whilst my attention, rather like the eye of sauron,
NickK

NickK

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Astralstroll's Blog

Daves Blog 6/2/13

Well, the forecast indicated that the skies would be clear, and they were spot on the money for once. Had the scope outside, collimated and cooling down whilst I sat in the garden enjoying a coffee and watching the clear sky. This was a novelty after a couple of months of very poor skies. Armed with the Messier Marathon field guide and a clear sky, I set about my nights hunt for Messier objects. To begin with, a wander in and around Ursa Major was called for. M106 and M97 were the first of the n
Astralstroll

Astralstroll

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Tibbz's Blog

The story so far...

So basically I thought I would make an entry while I have nothing to do (thanks clouds) to give a quick overview of my situation. Last September I received my 114mm Skywatcher reflector, and have only been able to use it a few times due to the weather, but even the few views of Jupiter, M42 and the pleades i've seen have got me hooked. Now I am currently saving up for a bigger, 8" dob, so my 114mm is up for sale to help raise cash. I think I should have the money put together for the new scope b
tibbz2

tibbz2

0
ian_d's Blog

When it's twinkly, open clusters are the way forward

Whilst beasting myself on a 10km run this evening in the freezing cold (couldn't feel my toes until after 5km!) I couldn't help but notice the lovely clear sky overhead. So, once suitably refreshed, out I ventured once more with my 6" SCT for a quick look up. Clear it may have been, but steady it was not. Jupiter was a real challenge, even at modest power (x120) - dancing about all over the place, very hard to make out much on the disk other than the two most prominent cloud bands. It was a nice
ian_d

ian_d

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Nick's blog, including AOSX (Astronomy on OSX)

Update :)

I've been concentrating on a few things at the moment for the Alpha3 release: * The example application - this is smoothing out and I'm rounding out some of the issues/look + I'll be adding the filterwheel into this * The 16IC PC application to read the FTDIChipID - FTDI created a neat little example app in c# which I've been getting to work. Just run and read the id for your camera * Driver bug fixing with the threading - adding disconnect for the alpha3 too Basically I want the beta1 to be usa
NickK

NickK

0
Blog 19648

What is it with Clouds ?

February the 4th. 2013: I get all my kit out, set up and ready to go. My laptop is performing Ok, it doesn't like the cold, and the QHY 5v driver has loaded without a hiccup. I can see Jupiter shining in a rapidly darkening sky. The BBC weather forecast for Lowestoft said clear skies excellent seeing between 17.00 and 18.00 which coincides with the GRS being visible. My cup floweth over! As an extra Jupiter 2 software has informed me that shortly after there will be a transit. Photo opportunit
Hawksmoor

Hawksmoor

1
CptManering's Blog

Lecture 3 Special Relativity

Length Contraction Just as in the previous post where we found out that time is dependent on the relative speed of an observer it is also true for length. Consider the experiment in post 2 where you are on a space station and a space ship flies past. Now have the experiment on the ship carried out in a way so that the flash of light sent out is in the direction of motion of the passing space ship. So now we have a flash of light sent out and reflected back to the source by a mirror. Let’s d
CptManering

CptManering

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Viewing the night sky through a Telescope

Finally got it working!

A clear sky finally arrived so I got my telescope and went into the back garden hopeful to see wonderful things. I set everything up, put an eyepiece in and nothing. I pointed my finder to the moon, looked through the main scope and all I could see was a yellowish blob, I was very disappointed (You can tell i'm new to this). I didn't get another chance to try it out again until yesterday when I went my local astronomy group meeting. After 2 hours of talks (which were very interesting and informa
Universe_Astronomer

Universe_Astronomer

6
TransparentBadger's Blog

First Light

Friday, 1st February 2013 08:50 - In the shower, there's a knock at the door ... house mate answers ... the scope has arrived. 09:10 - Wander downstairs to assess the package. Brown cardboard box. Size: Aprox. 870mm x 430mm x 250mm - Weight: Aprox. 12kg 09:20 - Place box in conservatory to cool down/put it out of the way. 09:30 - Go to work. 21:30 - Get home from work (after a couple of pints). Open cardboard box. Open second cardboard box. Open numerous cardboard boxes. Read instruction
TransparentBadger

TransparentBadger

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Nick's blog, including AOSX (Astronomy on OSX)

Progress of the little test app

The 'little' test app is coming along nicely.. That's all my hardware running :) You select the camera at the side and the current live view is displayed :) I still have the following todo: * Threading - to allow things to happen concurrently. * Duration, temp controls - allowing you to select something in the UI * Image save - well you can play with it but you can't save it through the UI atm * Info tab - a simple table with info about the camera * Debug log tab - making it easy to email the d
NickK

NickK

1
ian_d's Blog

Damien Peach eat yer heart out

Couldn't resist sharing this here - while I was out the other night (see previous post) I had a go at snapping Jupiter down the eyepiece with my iPhone. Got Europa and Io as a bonus! You had to be there, really..... :smiley:
ian_d

ian_d

0
Learner Blog

First decent session for an eternity!

Feels like an age since I last went out for a proper look (not just out of the window). After recent snow, thaw, and now very strong winds and rain today, I wasn't expecting to be going out tonight but as the skies cleared just as the sun was setting I had a feeling it might be worth my while, and it was. I went out with the binoculars and SkyScout as there was still a breeze and a few gusts. Very cold, and the wind, although not bitterly cold, just made it that bit colder. I went through Ton
jonathan

jonathan

1
ian_d's Blog

A few quick double stars

Just came in from a quick observing session with the Celestron 6" SCT - far from ideal conditions out there tonight, very murky really and a big bank of cloud drove me back indoors after about an hour. But I got some good stuff done. First of all, I was able to confirm that my recent clean of the corrector plate had gone well - nice sharp image, no smudges or other unmentionables. I was also able to get the GOTO all properly aligned and calibrated - last time I tried (admittedly in a real hurry)
ian_d

ian_d

0
CptManering's Blog

Lecture 2: Special Relativity

Second Lecture: Special Relativity Time Dilation Say we have a two asteroids heading towards each other and you are observing them from Earth. We see asteroid (A) moving at 0.8C (80% the speed of light) and we see asteroid ( B ) moving at the same speed but in the opposite direction. Now move our reference frame to asteroid (A) using classical velocity rules asteroid (B ) will obviously moving at 1.6C which is asteroid (A) speed minus asteroid (B ) speed (0.8C-(-08C)=1.8C). But hang on nothing
CptManering

CptManering

0
DIY Build - 8.5" reflector

Another change of plan

I've been chatting with astrobeast1 (Dan) over on CN and I've come to a decision whether or not to ditch the external rings completely. The surface tissue I used with the resin to cover the tubes is very lightweight at 30gsm. The ribs/baffles I've fitted on the inside do not quite butt-join together and I haven't bothered to fill the gaps between them yet, either. Both of these things represent weak spots in the current tubes and risk the tubes collapsing or splitting in some way. The external r
furrysocks

furrysocks

2
CptManering's Blog

Lecture 1 Special Relativity

Hi all would just like to mention that the following blogs on special relativity are from my notes taken at uni. I have tried putting the ideas that were taught to me by my professor into my own words but really all the work is his and i've just stolen it ha ha har. I will not name my professor but all credit should go to him and thanks for letting me post this online. Hopefully it will help me in understanding the subject spark a few discussions and some people might find it an interesting r
CptManering

CptManering

0
DIY Build - 8.5" reflector

Finished resin coating the tubes

Last night, I finished the resin/tissue coat on the sixth and final tube. Nearly had a disaster with it as it started to come apart and I only noticed 30 minutes into the cure. I got it *just* in the nick of time and patched it back together. They are not as structurally sound as they will be with the external rings to fully hold the form. They're going to take some sanding, though... I got some cheap "matt" black spray paint from the £1 shop and sprayed the inside of one tube but it's very refl
furrysocks

furrysocks

1
Naemeth's Blog

Wishlist

We all know how expensive this hobby can be, and if I'm honest, I can never remember how much I've spent or what I am going to spend it on. So I decided to create a wishlist, so I can at least order my spending. I can keep the prices on here (as new), although I'll probably get at least some second hand. So here is my wishlist, as it stands at the moment: (N) stands for New; *P means possibly Camera Tripod - TBD (Probably Horizon 8115 - £79.90) Skywatcher EQ3-2 Mount - £175 (N) Dual Axis Mot
Naemeth

Naemeth

0
CptManering's Blog

Learning Special Relativity

What this all about? A few years ago while having a few drinks round a friend’s house, towards the end of the night we got talking about space and time. Being a sci-fi fan and educated to BBQ level on the subject I had some small ideas of how the universe works, anyhow we all had a great night talking about time slowing down and worm holes etc. The following day since I enjoyed the subject so much I decided to quit work and go back to school and learn physics (not the only reason but it started
CptManering

CptManering

3
DIY Build - 8.5" reflector

Carry on, regardless...

I haven't done anything over the last week, except clear out a tall metal cabinet to serve as a curing cupboard. With a fan heater, I can get the air temperature up to 30 degrees with plenty of ventilation. So as soon as I've done some other jobs around the house, I'll get back out there and apply resin and tissue to some more of the tubes. Aluminium channel has arrived - I deliberately over-ordered but won't start cutting until I've got the external rings, mirrors and focuser mounted and can we
furrysocks

furrysocks

2
Mike's random stuff blog..

Pythagoras, Oenopides and Markov sketch

Sat24 showed a three hour gap in the clouds and gave me enough time to explore day 13 of the moon.... The three named craters in this sketch show along the terminator. The largest crater at the top is Pythagoras, 130km in diameter with steep 5000m cliffs and a double central mountain (although only one showed at the time of the sketch). Oenopides is next with steep terraced cliffs, 68km at its widest point and suffers the same crushed walls as Pythagoras from the walled plain Babbage in the cent
Mike73

Mike73

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