Stub Mandrel

Did I miss a try of the mirror in its cell?

Doesn't it also depend on your latitude?

The same, but much smaller, is used for attaching transistors with uninsulated tabs to heat sinks but I guess you know that already :-)

Thanks, I know the Pelsall commons.

Yes... but I have a rare opportunity to make a dent in such ignorance. No point in saying make Darlo a 'dark sky site', but if Barr Beacon can be one there may be other contenders?

I'm doing some work for the Black Country councils. Are there any areas (other than Barr Beacon) that are used enough by astronomers to warrant some protection from excessive light pollution? Northycote Farm? The Leasowes? Aldridge Airport? Anywhere in the Sandwell Valley? If I get a short list together, I might be able to get it taken on board.

I wish I could work wood that neatly.

My bet is ribbon cables needing playing with. Very much doubt that you could cook the main camera with a dodgy sensor. Make sure the connections are fully home, it's so easy to not have those flip-ribbon connectors not quite right.

Great stuff Damian, worth waiting for ;-) Whiffle trees are what they use to attach draft animals to carts to even out the effort. A similar system is used on some locomotives as unsprung suspension.

> I'm not sure what I'll try different this time - scraping or polishing The popular approach seems to be scrapping. Sorry...

Back in the early 80s I was taught soil science by a great authority on the subject (he advised Cardiff Arm's Park, Wimbledon Wembley etc., largely on how to get rid of earthworms without destroying their soils structure!), a scot by the name of Sinclair IIRC. he had a great theory about sharp sand, silky silt and clarty clay. Clearly based on practical experience At least in Wales 'wet' is the only one we have to live with most of the time!

Try prodigital astronomy tools vertical and horizontal line removal.

PSP and Corel Draw will open both 8 and 16 bit TIFF, Integer but not the 32 bit or rational types IME. Turn off compression too for maximum compatibility.

That will blend in nicely with most of Scotland ;-)

Put in your location, save it as a favourite and go to it first. That way it will show up green :-)

You might want to listen in to the Archers and get some hints from Linda Snell - it would make a decent 'shepherd's hut'

I'd read that grass was better than a solid base as it reduced vibration from walking! I can relocate to a block patio or a concrete area for most objects.

Should have said my tripod is the stainless steel one.

Looking at Jupiter on a live webcam, I discovered that just by shifting my weight between my feet I could move Jupiter up and down the screen. The movement was very large, while stamping caused a smaller, short lived vibration of the image. To me that means the grass beneath my feet wasn't as rigid as the stock EQ5 tripod.

I like this thread. I've discovered my daughter's bridge camera will do 8-sevcond exposures at ISO1600 - mine drops from 8 seconds at ISO100 by half for every ISO increase :-( I know she doesn't want to spend a night imaging at the scope, but I reckon she might be blown away by what such a shot will squeeze out of M42 on an ordinary tripod.

Looking good Billy.

Once upon a time there was a cheap 330mm refractor, glorious in hammer finish silver. After some gentle butchery, a new objective and a coat or two of paint...

I find it hard to use an eyepiece for more than about five minutes. Although I can enjoy the views, without imaging it just wasn't be worth me setting up a scope because after 15-20 minutes I felt stiff, uncomfortable and frustrated.

As an antidote to all the huge Fracs: Began life as a '50mm 300mm astronomical telescope', will be my main finder in future, and maybe a guide scope. This is only stage 1 - I've made the guide rings, swapped 330mm air-spaced two element lens for a 50mm 180mm fully coated achromat, added a cheap 20mm 9.25" ep., replaced the ep screw and shortened the tube. I still need to replace the sticker, shorten the focus tube internally, do some cosmetic tweaks, make cross-hairs and give it a respray :-)

The orientation doesn't matter, you just need to centre it when setting up. When aligning you turn the mount until the reticles is correctly orientated.