fozzybear

Back in my IT days in the UK and sub contractor to Pilkingtons  in St Helens they only did float glass now rolled glass but yes still going. But not available options to us in the astro form... bummer

4 minutes ago, fozzybear said:

as long as the host PC is on

also how old is you screen/monitor

Just now, fozzybear said:

when i plug my screen on it is in standbye  mode so awaiting a signal as scans all modes so no need to press a power button i have a Samsung and HP monitor ? So a Smart plug works as i tried it

 

as long as the host PC is on

when i plug my screen on it is in standbye  mode so awaiting a signal as scans all modes so no need to press a power button i have a Samsung and HP monitor ? So a Smart plug works as i tried it

27 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

Yes, that too….but does not seem to fit the OP’s needs…..🤷🏼‍♂️

well i am perplexied as to what OP wants. Apart from On/Off or pull the plug

On 30/04/2024 at 16:14, michaelmorris said:

That would turn it off, but not sure it would turn it on again!

you can setup a routine so monitor on/off with a smart plug

16 minutes ago, dark star said:

I would like to have a go at making a refractor. Or possibly a Schupman telescope. For this I would need some lens blanks, probably for a first attempt 4 inch blanks. For the Schupman I would need 2 BK7 blanks or other similar glass. For the refractor one Crown BK7 glass blank and one flint glass blank.. I have a book about making a refractor and another one about making a Schupman telescope. I have a couple of optical flats that would help with testing.

In the longer tem I would also like to try making an 8 inch Houghton telescope.  For this I would need 2 eight inch BK7 blanks. On the Cloudy Nights website I have read that BK7 is the most common form of optical glass. However, I have not been able to find anywhere to buy lens blanks in the UK, by looking on the Internet.

You can buy glass blanks from China on Ebay and to other sites, but not much information is given about the type of glass or how good it is. You can also buy from Ebay, from a place called Silo Surplus in America. Again, there is often little or no inofmation about the quality of the glass blanks. Also, for all these blanks from China and America I would have to pay import taxes.

Does anyone know where I can buy BK7 blanks in the UK? Or possibly from the E.U. if I could be sure of the quality of the blanks.

I already have a 9 inch blank for making a Maksutov corrector. However, the tolerances for this are very tight,  so I would prefer to have a go at making some lenses to get experience before attempting to make Maksutov.

I have made one 14 inch mirror for a Dobsonian and am making a larger mirror for a bigger Dobsonian at the moment. But I would also like to have a go at making something different.

David

David,

Have you tried Galvoptics in the UK?

Just now, TiffsAndAstro said:

Sadly I only have one dslr

Is it possible to remove it and put it back later?

you can remove it but risk damaging the thread unless you have two nuts to put on and lock then unscrew

it's a 3/8ths thread to mount a dslr camera

for a screw on type you will need to remove the nosepiece and other items as per the OVL version FF. the Genuine Skywatcher is a screw on type https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ed-pro/skywatcher-85x-reducerflattener-for-evostar-72ed-pro.html

can you post a photo of how you are currently setting this up?

Hello and welcome i've a vintage C5 great scope

6 hours ago, Elp said:

Where do you store them all?!?

a cattery?

My c5 circa well in white still a great scope

Have you tried to contact Bresser in Germany direct? As looks like you might tightened the locking nut and that has then stripped the insert and the casting on the worm gear assembly? the locking nut is to be released and the insert +/- to remove the end float on the worm and then the locking nut nipped up. 

Hi,
 
The new beta version 0.9.87 of CCDciel is now available.
It consist mainly of bug fix and usability improvement.

Download from https://sourceforge.net/projects/ccdciel/files/ccdciel_0.9.87/  or update with apt.

Change:

- Use a menu for the Preview options to do action for every preview image:
  - astrometry
  - image inspection
  - preprocessing
- Image measurement improvement
- Add menu entry to preprocess the current image
- Add menu entry to show dark and flat FITS header
- Draw big cross at cursor position when Meta or Alt is pressed
- Allow to stop mount tracking with the Track button
- Add custom image type with specific script on selection
- Add a button to scan a single Alpaca server when discovery fail. Can be use to scan a server not in the broadcast range
- Complete support for INDI switch, same as with ASCOM
- Add weather detail to FITS header
- Add INDI weather detail
- Increase allowed autofocus movement
- Prevent delay when autofocus is started
- Add a combobox for autofocus ROI selection when measuring only center stars for autofocus
- Add option to defocus by a given amount after autofocus (useful for photometry with color sensor)
- Add script command to control ROI
- Add ComObj to pascal script to allow direct access to ASCOM devices
- Give script access to connected ASCOM devices
- Continuous astrometry update for polar alignment
- Use double click to select the polar alignment reference star
- Also purge old finder and guider astrometry error files
- Add example script for blind astrometry
- Put the Internal guider Loop button in the guider tab, allow to start guiding when loop is in progress
- Predict new star position during spectroscopy settling, use star manually selected
- Ensure the finder tool is show when finder is selected
- Allow to solve main camera image for finder calibration
- Do not remove blank space from object name
- Use histogram also for finder and guider image level
- Save finder and guider image to the same path as the last capture

The full change log:   
https://github.com/pchev/ccdciel/compare/v0.9.86...v0.9.87

Best regards,
Patrick

"Bienvenu"  Welcome John to SGL.

awaiting delivery of more sdcards for my rpi4's then will give it a go.

The Royal was on the 2nd floor of the Sandcastle and at that time the largest open plan office space in europe and their programmers where in the building opposite on the upper floors of the newspaper building 17-19th floor if i remember

2 hours ago, Gfamily said:

Do you mean the Royal Insurance building? In which case: hi, we may have passed each other in the very orange canteen. 

yup and a great view out the big windows.I was in the IT dept on the ground floor can't remember what floor the canteen was but they did great meals. 2 meals of the day and a chef who would cook what you wanted ie omlette steak etc that was pre 2000 as I moved to france in 2005

could also try these people for advise

http://www.scientificmirrors.co.uk/telescope making supplies.html

Maybe someone else might come along with another supplier

Welcome on board.  Me ex Manc and worked in the Sandcastle age's ago. 

https://www.stathis-firstlight.de/spiegelschleifen/materialeng.htm

albeit based in Germany

also have a read of this archived thread

DN150 tubing with a slip on forge steel flange 4 hole then sole plate and 4 outriggers to support the base for starters