Gina

This photo shows where the lever mechanism to open and close the fold down window would go - attached to the bottom of the wall of the ROR and the near edge of the window - the rainwater down pipes are in the way and will be moved to the other side.

Tried to get the Peltier TEC off the large passive cooler but it's stuck firm. If I try to use more force I'm afraid I'll break it and it wasn't cheap so it seems I'm stuck with that large passive cooler. Oh well...

It's here now too! Outdoor experiments now curtailed by rain!

Solid cloud now. This is 60s exposure and gain at 100 (seems maximum for this camera), temperature of 2.7°C. Showing noise now.

Yippee - working with the RPi and INDI. 30s exposure and gain of just 50.

Mine needs repairs!! This is the SE corner of the roll off roof.

ZWO ASI 120MC-S

Just finished eating so INDI will have to wait a little longer.

Still on ASICAP with W7 laptop and running 60s exposures. The image isn't bad. Camera temperature says 5C - it's outside the window on the window sill. There is thin high cloud but a number of stars are showing including Orion's belt and sword etc. There is a small amount of noise which I think would be cured with quite a small amount of cooling. Of course it's winter and cold outside - it will be a different matter in the summer.

Probably will do but ASICAP is working fine. Just about to connect the camera to the RPi and run KStars/Ekos/INDI and see if it works.

Doesn't look like I'm going to be imaging any stars tonight but I guess it's too early to tell.

Camera is alright. Downloaded ZWO's "ASICAP" and it works with that. Just won't work with SharpCap, EZ Planetary or Artemis Capture but that doesn't matter as long as it works with INDI which I shall try later.

Tried the ASI 178MM camera and SharpCap had no problem with it. Swapped back to the 120MC which on re-scanning for cameras, showed in the list but selecting it gave error "Camera could not be started" and Error 'ErrorCameraRemoved' from call to ASIOpenCamera(cameraID=0).

So much for that bout of high self-confidence and raring to go attitude - now thoroughly deflated.

Been trying to get the ASI 120MC-S working ready for trying it at night but no joy!!. Been trying SharpCap on my W7 laptop which is usually a good standby and never had a problem before. Didn't recognise the camera. Read the leaflet that came with the camera and it said it wouldn't work in Wondoze without installing a new driver - which I did. Still no joy. Then I noticed on the website that it said it wanted SharpCap 3 or later and I had 2.9 so I tried downloading and installing SC 3.2 - wouldn't install. Tried Artemis Capture and EZ Planetary software but neither found the camera. SharpCap showed the camera in the list but gave an error on selecting it. Looks like it's time to go back into hibernation. Looks like I can't handle computers any more! I think it extremely unlikely that the camera is at fault - FLO don't supply faulty goods!

I saw that but couldn't see how it was done - missing something here!

I'd rather use an aluminium pipe than a plastic one. I wonder how long a standard fan would last in a damp atmosphere. A stepper motor would be alright electrically. Maybe the rotor might rust. When a small water pump I was using died, I took it apart and found the rotor was isolated from the drive coils with plastic, the rotor was the impeller. Anyway, all this depends on whether the ASI 120MC needs cooling and by how much and I can't really find out until dark.

Been out and had a good look. Difficult to tell without lifting the EPDM but I think it may be the guttering that's causing the problem - it's only the mini variety and perhaps I should replace it with standard 100mm. The edge of the EPDM goes into the guttering and is no longer stuck to the timber above it. It's going to need some sorting out when the weather is suitable. There's no sign of water on the floor so it seems it's wet getting up the ply by capillary action. The EPDM has not caved in so the plywood is still supporting it. I didn't think marine ply would delaminate when wet but it may have been wet for years.

There's something odd going on with the EPDM so I'm off out to look at it.

As far as roof automation is concerned, the roof is not opening as easily as it used to so I shall be looking at why that might be. Further examination has shown that the SE corner peg and hole locking may not work due to the hole being broken out. The SW corner is fine. The over-center latches firmly secure the roof in the closed position against storms and I may look into replacing (or adding to) these to secure the roof remotely. Some photos. The rainwater down pipe and catching hopper would be in the way of a lever type drive for the drop down window.

Been out and closely examined observatory ROR and all the automation and storm fastening parts. There are some repairs and other work required. Worst is that wet has got into the plywood of the ROR in the SE corner and the plywood has delaminated. I shall have to get onto that as soon as the weather permits. Mainly dry today but with occasional showers and a strong, cold wind. Not suitable for roof repairs though I might be able to look at it more closely. I can open the roof and examine that part of the roof top from inside the scope room.

Been looking at pipes. 70mm rainwater down pipe seems more rigid than I thought and might work. No problem making brackets for it to mount onto the dividing framework of the observatory (separates scope room from warm room and really solid).

Really??? Where? What I've read so far would indicate considerable complication and difficulty.

That's a thought - I guess it could do. But an ultrasonic wind detector is beyond me. Maybe I'll go back to having the weather station wind instruments somewhere else entirely.

I'm going out to scour my property for pipes ?.