JimT

Woken up in the first lights of dawn this morning to the bangs and crashings of a thunderstorm which at times felt as though it was aimed at the house, it was expected but not the ferocity that it showed.  The electricity went of for a few seconds and the phones, clocks and everything that does not like being interrupted and were flashing all over the place.  The wife looking out the window said that the road was flooded, my mind was on none of this but on the newly erected and now working observatory in the garden.  I had already lost some equipment in one downpour a couple of weeks back so was apprehensive when I approached it after I had risen and had breakfast, the security light went on as I approached and this gave me hope.  On opening up I was happy to see it was dry and no water damage, my redesigned sliding roof had done it's job, a happy chappy

Jim

Out last night in the observatory, an interesting night, first night for quite awhile. I was starting to pack up and close down about 1230 when I heard someone on his phone in the lane a couple of feet away. Deciding to wait until he finished and buggered off I stayed quite until I realised he was not going away so got on with with closing down, it was then I heard him say that there was someone in his neighbours shed. It dawned on me that he was speaking to the police and I was the subject, hitting the security switch I got the lights on and greeted him over the fence, we both laughed about it, closed down and got into the house before I had to answer to the police :)

Into my second week of a holiday in Venice and have not seen a cloudy night yet, wonderful sky.  Last night we were crossing the Lagoon on a waterbus when a beautiful big red moon broke the horizon, it was truly lovely to see.  I used my phone to take a photo but the moon looked just ordinary and washed out with all the lights reflecting on the water, still it was nice to see.  Back home over the weekend, once sorted out I have a delivery from Wicks and can continue the rebuild of the garden observatory and probably clouds

Jim

Lovely day today, not a cloud in the sky and was able to get on with the next step on the garden observatory.  I thought this might bode well for the evening and a bit of comet chasing.  This evening I seen that the clouds were moving North so hurried up and opened the attic and got the mount and it attachments quickly into action, less than a minute, but looking up I seen the clouds had been quicker and beat me to it.  Left all there in hope and went downstairs but looking at Sat 24 it showed that the clouds were here to stay and also getting thicker.  It was with a heavy hearty that I trudged upstairs and closed up, , maybe another night and another comet  

I would like to say a big thank you to Steve Asbury from ENS Optical for coming from Birmingham to the East Coast today with a delivery of the CGE Pro, it was wonderful to chat with you Steve.

Unless there is a clear night tonight and tomorrow it will have been the last time I will use the observatory for awhile.  On Sunday I get my CGE Pro mount deliver by Steve from ENS Optical, decent of him to travel across all that way.  Well there is nowhere yet to put it but it will have the 11" RASA on it with the GHY8L, with the StarSence guiding.  For the moment I am looking at using the patio to observe, my sky will have been cut drastically but I have no other option at the present time.

My main concern now is finding a home for the CGE Pro, it's heavy so if it goes into the attic I will have to do quite a bit of reinforcing, a lot more than I done for the NEQ6 but I think what I have in mind will do it  :).

Jim

 

Last wisp of cloud moving off making way for a clear sky and the opening of the obsy.  It will now be a hunt for Vesta

Just bought a Celestron CGE Pro Mount 2nd hand, a good price.  This will be my new starting point with the 11 RASA using the QHY8L and StarSence.  Hopefully at some point in the future I can attach the Evostar 80 ED Pro with the 450D to the side.

Had a great night last night, waited patiently for the clouds to clear to the west and brought the mount in action, seconds to do an alignment and with every piece of equipment working perfectly I was away.  The main objective of the night was to get to know the QHY8L and take as many photos of different targets with different setting as possible to see what can be achieved.  I left the obsy once to get a hot drink, stayed to see the moon break the horizon about 0040 and then called it a night, cold but happy.  I was pleased with the QHY8L, seeing the targets on screen as thought I were looking through an eyepiece, still work to do before I am happy to show the results, hope for more nights like this

Damn it, looking at Sat24 a clear line of clouds can be seen moving down the east coast, looking out the back window I can see this cloud. Looking out the front window they sky is nice and clear, pity I can't move my observatory :(