Physopto

When I posted the last comment I was in bed. I could not for the life of me recall the name of the prog. It is Ron Wodaski's CCD Calculator. I have the last version version 1.50 You can also add pictures to it via an external site. This way you can see what any Scope, Barlow and camera can do. You can add your own data as in focal ratio, aperture, focal length, camera pixel size, array size bin mode, chip size and pick your targets, if they are in the pictures folder. Derek

Funnily enough I moved from WO 132 to an 85 mm as I found the targets I wanted to image were to big for the 132. Unless you are really sure stick with the 71mm Test your targets with an online program for size/fit on your camera for each possible scope choice. Derek

Never seen the Abell 39 before. Very nice, well done. Derek

🙂 Need I say any more 😀 Derek

I always like to see your images Mike. Just wish mine were as well done. We will have to see how it goes with all these blasted satellites going into orbit. Like you, my scopes were basically unused for about 3 years until the last Autumn star camp in Galloway. I have some flats done there, but on the wrong computer at present. So can't work on my last lot of pics. The starlight focusers are great, I don't think you will regret buying one of theirs, I have two one for the WO 132 and the other for my Tak 85. Examine your Astrodons carefully. My first ones had some of the black resin on the filter faces. I could not shift it as directed with cleaner, Isopropyl Alchohol or Baader fluid. I had to return one. After an email to Don at Astrodon, I was given an excuse that the filter was fabricated by hand in the outer metal ring (only the narrow band ones). But to be fair to Don, he did say the method was to be automated by the next year. So it should not happen again. Still at £400 per filter not acceptable, and should never have passed inspection. Your 150 is far to nice to leave under a dust sheet 🙀 😁 Derek

I would like to see all of Elon Musk's satellites blow up. No one has the right to make money out of others misfortune. It possibly, will end the joy of night time visual sights and imaging of the heavens.

Hi Mike, Nice shot as usual from you. Haven't heard from you for quite a while so, hope you and Elise are both well. Derek

Probably made in China Then .... 😂

This type of bearing is sealed for life. Removing the dust covers will damage the integrity of the bearing. The bearing leaves the factory with the exact amount of the correct grease in it. (or should do unless a cheap knock off). SKF are generally of good quality. Derek

Just as well Or Else 😂 Derek

Got to be brutally honest, The Macallan Gold is probably the worst expression ever produced by Macallan and would be better suited to be used as a paint remover. ☠️ But I doubt it could even be used effectively for that either. 😂 Derek

Thanks Mike, The bad point really, was I brought some Macallan Gold 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃especially for those who really like it you know 😂. Now I will just have to hang onto it for the Autumn do😈 I can imagine the anticipation and looks of appreciation 😱 Derek

Last post from Drumroamin this time. Weather awful with high winds and lashing rain. The last two days have been the worst. Tomorrow is forcast to be much the same for our trip home. I am hoping that this is all the "bad" rolled into one and that next October camp is a great deal better. Still enjoyed the break, but would have been better with others here, missed the chats and company. Derek

😂 No Andy, sorry no data from those weeks. I spent a fair bit of time on the Met Office web site reading up what I could, but it is an awful site with lots of very outdated data. (1910 approx to the 1960s) The later stuff is hidden somewhere else. Of all the info I could find, it was related general areas, nothing specific to the Kirkinner area. Then it was not day by day, just for a month. Not much use really. To get any more specific data would require sending in a request and possibly paying! I just hunted all over the web for snippets related to this area. Derek

Do you mean this week Andy. If so rain, more rain and a good dose of wind and sleet, Oh forgot the hail! It has just been one of those weeks. Hopefully it will improve for the next few camps. I think we have had enough bad luck for a while don't you? Derek

Hi everyone. I have the pleasure of announcing the dates for :- Scotland's Premier Star Camp during the Autumn of 2021 (November). The Star Camp will be held at Drumroamin Camp Site as usual. Between the Tuesday 2nd and Sunday the 7th November 2021. I am now and in future basing the Star Camp dates centred around the New Moon. This is to encompass the best chance for the darkest possible nights. These dates still and will always contain a weekend so hopefully most can attend if at work during the week days. (The New Moon is on Thursday the 4th November) Moon Phases for November 2021 in Kirkinner, Newton Stewart DG8 9AW, UK. Moon Phases for November 2021, Newton Stewart DG8 9AW, UK. New Moon November 2021 Moon phase details for Thursday, November 4, 2021 • Moon Phase: New Moon - 21:15:26 ? • Illumination: 0% • Moon Age: 29.41 days • Moon Angle: 0.54 • Moon Distance: 365,934.993 km • Moonrise: 06:31:57 • Moonset: 16:35:33 • Sun Angle: 0.54 • Sun Distance: 148,316,809.724 km • Sunrise: 07:26:19 • Golden Hour Ends: 08:21:58 • Sunset: 16:39:00 • Golden Hour Starts: 15:43:21 • Length of day: 09h 12m 41s Again the important detail here is the time that the Moon sets and rises. In this year November 2021 the moon sets in the evening and rises in the morning. This means that observers and imagers are still able to view/image some days before and after the New Moon without moonlight pollution affecting them. As always those wishing to attend a day or so early and/or stay longer can request this with Lesley at the time of booking! Best wishes Derek

Hi everyone. I have the pleasure of announcing the dates for:- Scotland's Premier Star Camp during the Spring of 2021 (March). The Star Camp will be held at Drumroamin Camp Site as usual. Between the Thursday 11th and Tuesday the 16th. I am now and in future basing the Star Camp dates centred around the New Moon. This is to encompass the best chance for the darkest possible nights. These dates still and will always contain a weekend so hopefully most can attend if at work during the week days. (The New Moon is on Saturday the 13th March which is good news for those who can only attend over a weekend) Moon Phases for March 2021 in Kirkinner, Newton Stewart DG8 9AW, UK. New Moon March 2021 Moon phase details for Saturday, March 13, 2021 • Moon Phase: New Moon - 10:23:32 ? • Illumination: 0% • Moon Age: 0.34 days • Moon Angle: 0.5 • Moon Distance: 397,701.261 km • Moonrise: 07:21:20 • Moonset: 18:24:49 • Sun Angle: 0.54 • Sun Distance: 148,740,579.254 km • Sunrise: 06:41:41 • Golden Hour Ends: 07:29:51 • Sunset: 18:16:15 • Golden Hour Starts: 17:28:05 • Length of day: 11h 34m 34s The important detail here is the time that the Moon sets and rises. In this year 2021 and month the moon sets in the evening and rises in the morning. This means that observers and imagers are still able to view/image some days before and after the New Moon without moonlight pollution affecting them. As always those wishing to attend a day or so early and/or stay longer can request this with Lesley at the time of booking! Best wishes Derek

Hi Peter, Thanks for the information. I am sure it will be useful to myself and others. I tend to use the moon phase data from inside The SkyX, but I will give yours a go. I have set and agreed dates for next years star parties with Lesley, but want to wait a short while before publication, just to be sure that there are no complications/clashes for the Drumroamin site. So any of our attendees reading this keep an eye out !!! Derek

That is a shame Peter. We will miss meeting you once again. I will be announcing the 2021 Galloway Star Party dates shortly for your diary. 😀 Derek

Well I have always liked nearly all the Star Trek series and especially the films. But, this last episode spoilt it for me. A most rediculus carry on and the clothes were nothing short of daft unimaginative rubbish. I don't know who is responsible for the wardrobe but they need someone with sensible and fresh ideas! A great disapointment in all. It looks like they are trying to go back to the early childish versions produced when Star Treck was first aired, but then mixed with horror and bad language. Inserting the bad language renders it unsuitable for children. The scene where they were extracting an eye from some poor individual without anesthetic was nothing short of barbaric. Again not suitable for a child and totally unneccessary. It would seem to me that we are moving into an era of shock and horror to try to see who can come up with the biggest shocks and most nasty visual effects. It does nothing for the story at all. I won't be watching any more of it. A big disapointment as I was really looking forwards to the series. The latest Star Trek films were realy well produced and had great stories without any of the nasties. A great shame it has come to this.

Just a short note about future Star Camps at Galloway. But an important one!! One thing I found with my wife's employers, (South Tyneside Area health), was that they wanted holiday date requests well in advance, up to 9 months. Because of this we sometimes missed a star party because the dates were announced a bit too late for us to organize things. SO, with this in mind ! I have discussed and agreed future dates for Scotland's Premier Galloway Star Party with Lesley for this next year (2021) and will post them at some future date. This should give everyone plenty of time to fix holidays with partners, spouses and employers. If there are any problems it will also hopefully us give plenty of time to attempt a cure. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx This has become neccessary, as Lesley now has a lot of other business to conduct for efficient running of the camp site and is partly due to new family commitments. We are privaleged to get sole use of the site for our Star Parties and we need to keep that in mind. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rather garish colours I know but I need to get the message across to all regular attendees and those thinking of attending either casually or for the first time. Please note: !!!!!!! Do not try to book for places at a future STAR CAMP via the Drumroamin web site !!!!!! Lesley specifically closes the WEB BOOKINGS (i.e. it looks like all bookings are full up). This is done so that WE ALONE have the site to ourselves. You MUST BOOK by email, or speak directly on the telephone with Lesley. No other method is acceptable, this is to avoid disapointments, i.e. double or lost bookings, or faults with the bookings via the web site. That's all for now folks. Best wishes to all, Derek

And that was just from Bud Lesly's dog wandering about 😂 Been quite a bit of snow overnight on the hills about us. I But it is slowly melting now on the lower summits. Sun is out and a beautiful day.

I can't say for your setup, but I have always used Lindy Active USB 2 cables without any problems. Other cheap makes invariably failed or did not work at all. (5-10 metre) I have several different Lindy types. One of which needs to be an 8 metre active followed by 12 metre if I remember correctly. It works up to around 54 metres in total I think, but only tried up to 20 metres. I also have some 10 metre types, all by the same maker. None of which have ever not worked unless damaged mechanically. Derek

I think it rained most of the night. Blowing a fair bit now and raining again. A real shame it has all gone wrong this time. So 🤔looking forwards to the Autumn Star Camp. 😃 Derek

Errrr, what does a clear sky look like. Haven't seen one for a while, so forgetting what to look for! Rained all last night and doing so again tonight by the looks of it.