Kaptain Klevtsov

My current unit on the lappy has been running for just short of 5 days and is reporting 20% completed, so yes, they are doing big ones.

Kaptain Klevtsov

400 watts is nothing, my computer is 100% efficient so I don't worry about it. My kettle is too, even if I fill it right up most of the year.

Kaptain Klevtsov

Not much to the east in spring? You mean like M57, M27, veil Neb. etc?

Kaptain Klevtsov

Good stuff Rich. As an additional request, could you take note of any difference in required exposure time if its noticeable. The good bit about FRs is that they make imaging faster.

Kaptain Klevtsov

The only one thats worth a punt is the 1.25" screw on one available from all the usual suspects. The camera nosepiece might be too long to acheive focus anyway, but you can shorten that with a hacksaw.

The reducer goes on the camera nosepiece (try without a filter first as it will give you a better chance of getting focus) then the camera goes into the focuser. You will more than likely have to reverse the 1.25" tube on the adapter to get enough in travel, but thats easy enough. If you fit the camera then tighten the screw (which might need shortening), then fit the adapter to the 'scope, you might get somewhere.

This works for webcam sized chip cameras, so it might work with yours. Best plan is have a go.

Kaptain Klevtsov

It DEFFO doesn't work with a DSLR Ant, serious coma on the bits that aren't vignetted, and half the frame is missing. You need a 2" FR for a DSLR, and even then you get distortion from a Frac. at the edge. 2" stuff doesn't work with FRs on Newts unless you "customise" them, then you can only use the centre 6mm dia. spot really.

Kaptain Klevtsov

I think that what most of us find is that for the cost of the fancy low profile focuser, focal reducer, the adapters and grief associated with it, its easier, and cheaper in the long run, to fit an ED80 instead.

A Newt. at f/5 gets a bit coma ridden at the edges with a largeish CCD, and gets a whole lot worse with a focal reducer. What happens is that the edges of the FOV are moved closer to the centre of the chip and even more abberated stuff lands on the edges. Its to do with the laws of physics and can't easily be changed unfortunately.

If its a webcam size CCD, then fine, you can fit a focal reducer, even to a standard focuser equipped Newt. usually. Certainly the 8" SW one that I have is OK.

Kaptain Klevtsov

You can use the Atik 0.5X one if you're using a webcam, but you need to slightly shorten the nosepiece and reverse the 1.25" adapter tube on the 'scope fitting. For a DSLR, forget it. You'll have to move the DSLR inwards so far that the FR will be inside the tube, or you'll need to move the mirror up an inch or more, then a lot of light will spill over the edges of the secondary.

Kaptain Klevtsov

Just looked, we could be in the top 1500 soon!

http://boincstats.com/stats/boinc_team_graph.php?pr=bo&id=24110

Kaptain Klevtsov

Go into your Boinc manager page, click on "your account", then the community tab across either the top or bottom.

Click on teams, find us and hit the join button. Dead easy.

Kaptain Klevtsov

One of my first M42 images that avoided going in the bin. The bin was full BTW.

(click to enlarge)

Kaptain Klevtsov

Better get me one o' them thar quad duo core 2 thingys I think.

Kaptain Klevtsov (Jonathan in SETI team)

Check these people out.

http://www.hollinapplications.co.uk/Lifting%20Aids.htm

No prices that I could find, but you could e-mail them with a specification and see what happens.

Kaptain Klevtsov

No mate. You need it spot on, like really spot on, if you want to do imaging with it. For visual, you'd probably get away with a big H section stuck in the concrete, and a square tube slid over the top plus some clamps.

Kaptain Klevtsov

The biggest issue with the height adjustment Andrew, is the need to retain polar alignment during the height adjustment. If you can't keep it aligned, you lose most of the advantage of having a pier in the first place. You might do better just using the tripod inside the shed.

Kaptain Klevtsov

Your comments prompted a thought! If you folded up the tripod, then welded all three legs to a post in the ground, you could use the tripod leg adjustments to change the height of the pier. I wonder if anybody has done this?

Kaptain Klevtsov

Due to my location Andrew...

(Definition of Yorkshireman: Similar to a person from Scotland but lacking the native generosity)

I went for two piers, a tall one and a short one. You might need two mounts, or swap the mount head from one pier to the other depending on your equipment for the night. If you're doing a viewing for several people, it also makes sense that you have more than one setup at a time.

A pier with adjustable height that doesn't need a lot of realignment after height adjustment is going to be a costly thing, more so than a second pier, so go cheap, go the two pier route.

Kaptain Klevtsov

Just thought I'd bump this because of all the new members who have joined recently. Anybody else want to join i the fun?

Kaptain Klevtsov

I think HM Gov. of whatever country, plus all the others around the world, should set this or some other distributed system on ALL their machines. Our UK gummint must use thousands of computers which might as well be put to good use. They need to give their heads a shake and use the spare capacity for some of the things that this stuff is good for.

Seti is one use that's fairly geeky trivial if you look at it that way, but there are systems checking cancer drugs and other medical uses out there. If they got one that they approved for official use as a screen saver then stuff would get done quicker.

Just MHO mind you.

Kaptain Klevtsov

just close the door and retire to bed , and no more packing away hehehehehheh

Rog

Unless you fancy a quick trial stack, or look at what you have caught etc.

The shut down time is the best bit, but close behind is the start up time. A fixed setup is absolutely great Rog. Enjoy it when its done, I know you will.

Kaptain Klevtsov

What's the deal why you can't use it Rog? Paint not dry or you're busy?

Glad its getting close though, nobody dared mention the D word round here.

Kaptain Klevtsov

Mine are doing all sorts of transfer failing, the message is "No schedulers responded" in Boinc. I've not changed anything and both machines are getting some work but only sporadically. I think they must be sorting stuff out still.

BTW I had some tiny units that one machine blitzed in about a hour, never had such small stuff before (that I've noticed).

Captain Chaos

Too fragile to do it properly though in my experience.

Captain Chaos

Nice one Martin.

Captain Chaos

Great primers Martin. I'll be back with feedback when I've tried some of them. Had a quick go at making a star layer last night so I've learnt something already.

Thanks for all the hard work.

Captain Chaos