Macavity

I think Uranus & Netune would be (among) my first targets. And so did NASA! 😅 https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/examining-ice-giants-with-nasa-s-webb-telescope But things appear to be "livening up" on Uranus since Voyager's "billiard ball". 🤔

Science is now ever BIGGER! "Popular Scientists" are everywhere?! 🥳 These days scientists communicate directly with their public... fans... Yet, in an era where "experts" or "the mainstream", are "the enemy", self-relection and honesty of the "founding" scientists may surprise: You'd probably struggle to find this 1978 CERN Sold (Fr/En) Book... But I suspect it is just as relevant in now... "full blown" Internet Era! 🤔 One of my favourite (well-thumbed!) Chapters: "Psychology and Structure of Large-Scale Physical Research" It's all there, Warts & All! But does not neglect the MANY Positives! 😎 Managed to track latter down... As with many REAL science papers 🤑 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00963402.1949.11457078 May amuse hard-working (and non-famous) rank & file scientists? 😅 </wibble>

I think it's always worth listening to Theoretical Physicists... Hey, if you don't "like him" (his ideas) it's not MY fault! 😅 https://www.preposterousuniverse.com P.S. Prompted by the previous discussion on TIME. (Does "Physics" need it?) Cause & Effect (qv). 🙃

I do sometimes wonder about this whole UK "planning permission" thing?!? I did wonder who this "London Legacy Development Company" (LLDC) was! Heheh - I always thought it was "the Council" who decided on all such things. Is it just me, or does "LLDC" sound suspiciously "Council-like"? lol. Hmmm! 🤔 Even on THIS estate, several new houses, have "popped up" between existing properties, with scant attention to being "in keeping" with local building styles? I often feel, for SOME, the Pandemic was one HUGE business opportunity. 😐

Fun "technical" image (+ stuff) from "GIA" - Also in vicinity of "L2"! 😎 https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-gaia-photo Bit hard to see the details? lol. But more than one pixel!?! 😉

[Voice from the fourpennys] Weirdly the ASI120MC didn't give Newtons Rings on H-Alpha? My ASI120M did! <randomly> 🥳 (MC Cams, for planetary, are more immune from "patterning"?) Sometimes I have wished my "Solarite" friends had access to the MONO version camera! But this is an interesting topic... 😎

Did anyone actively try to find alternatives to popular brands... "on principal"? 🤣 Baader (Hyperions) are an case in point. Notwithstanding the known limitations it was a BRAVE person who recommended them on certain forums in early days? (Actually, one might miss out on genuinely good... Albeit more expensive TVs). Personally, I'd still hope for measured data re. "optical performance"... Such does not seem (easily) obtainable re. eyepieces. I am sympathetic to subjectivity, but I think it can be carried to extremes. I even decided not to participate in *some* areas of Astronomy, because of endless controversies. "It's a Hobby"? [to me]. 🥳 There are "worse" things than Astronomy though! Each time I buy any MUSIC hardware, I THEN see only the negative reviews. One reviewer claimed he had "st*ffed" his (RIP) Grannie (as in taxidermy)! She could now "attended family family festivities". But, like my purchase, it was not as good as the REAL thing! 🙀 (He later conceded the latter was metaphorical! Strange people? lol)

Well, noone would be THAT stupid, right? Checks minimalist eyepiece box... 😅 (I have the 31mm - Phew!)

Most people "approve" of Astronomy... even if they don't do it. But, in recent years, popular ridicule is making a comeback? 🙄 But, Hey... I modified a meme! Am I a "Girus"... a "Mirus" or? lol I fear that Amateur Astronomy (along with science) is now falling victim to general anti-science (anti "expert") stuff? 😢 I have a feeling Joe Rogan (Who?) or Russell Brand (Why?) won't be interviewing ME, but proudly: "One of the Few"! 🥳

My "Weather Forecast" (Android) APP seems to be pretty good? I note that, it actually *sources* data from the UK "Met Office"... Comprehensive maps of cloud/rain for (reasonable) predictions on (admittedly) shorter time scales? 🤔 Aside: Apparently this town is known for it "Foehn Wind"... I sense (like M.Caine) "Not a lot of people know that!"? 😅

Is it a scope? is it a Finder? The Skywatcher ED50! Not done half the stuff I planned? Intended as a "Remote Video Finder"... paired with a Watec 902H2 "Ultimate" Video Camera. If you are lacking ideas... 🙃 Only a stock image (I do love the GREEN though!) 😎

Ultimately, it can also be worth while upgrading to a 2" diagonal and also using wider field eyepieces. For visual use, it's quite possible to get true fields exceeding one degree. 🥳

At least the JWST (probably) has well designed / functional "adjusters"... - Unlike that ones, many struggle with, on typical out-of-the-box Newt? 🤪 That said, having read a little on the subject, adjusting any (hypothetical) e.g. "triplet lens" would seem well into the realm of the "specialist lab". 😉 (You can't just "send it back" anyway. lol)

Putting aside (frankly) health concerns, the arrival of a state pension converted me from "ever struggling" to "quite affluent"? Perhaps Mr. Micawber was RIGHT, after all! As long as you can maintain a "roof over your head", feed yourself... "happiness", is hard(er) to define? 😉 As a bit of fun, try reading, what the government thinks, makes for a "Worthwhile Life"? On second thoughts. don't! Saying "No" (Don't have it!) going down the list of "essentials" can get depressing?!? 😅 (Of course, it is "probably right" - As some LOVE to remind me!) Or some of us simply have different circumstances / worldview? But to me, it is surprising, e.g. HOBBIES, come so LOW down the list for many other people. But, you can't win? Some neighbours seem to "despise" me because I am (outwardly/conventionally?) "Poor"! An Observatory? They think I'm a Secret Millionaire... 🤣 Stuff sometimes annoy me tho: A Forumite (elsewhere!) started a thread suggesting that people should: "Stop complaining re. the price of Teleview stuff" and... "Learn how to budget"(!!!) 🙀 But then I suspect that was: "the wife's department"? [teasing!]

Nice Video showing current status of alignment! So you think you have "collimation problems"? lol. The "selfie" is a nice touch - C.f. my remote "Obsy. Cam" - Always good to know a telescope is still actually THERE! 🥳 https://youtu.be/QlwatKpla8s (Could be a duplicate of above - Sorry!). Always a slew(?) of Scientists wanting to "re-post" stuff, these days? 🤣

Pleased to see there is some (small) degree of redundancy re. Cameras etc. But a lot of stuff still has to "work 100% and/or first time"? Still quite "Nail Biting"?!? 😮

Received (updated) NanoVNA-F V2 from Amazon - Envy me! 🤣 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08NPLD4F3 Many Youtube Videos describe uses/virtues and FUN of VNAs! 😉 My preliminary tests show it works. The BIG thing is that this one (aside from better construction etc.) goes up to 3GHz! Covid-19 dampened my "RF-Mojo"... But this may be a (nerd) incentive? 😎

Extreme G-forces are not a good look? lol. (Oops -Thanks for merging the threads!) 🥳

The Science & Engineering of "Spinlaunch". (Me? I'd be standing WELL back!) 🥳

I suppose the difficulty is (as often with Physics) to decide which regime applies? Naively, when folk string wires across fields, I might think of "transmission lines"... Or even (perhaps here) a Folded Dipole. But, radio waves were ONCE measured in TENS of metres. Is this the "Zero Hz" limit? Transients & Oscillations? <waffles> 🥳

Electromagnetism is quite a "challenging" [Uni/college etc.] course... Questions to avoid? 😁 A bit off topic: I have e.g. yet to visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_and_far_field But such things DO crop up in the REAL world - Perhaps more often these days?

I hadn't come across that (name) - I shall watch it. "Good stuff" whatever!

How Fast does Electricity Travel? A "good question" for students? YOU may already "know"! But a thought-provoking experiment... 😎

If I want really "posh" (with lettering) front panels. I'd probably use: https://www.schaeffer-ag.de A bit expensive(?), but I anyway do use their FREE design tool for my front panels - "Aesthetics of HOLES"! 🥳 I have used them for more complex drillings (slider pot controls etc.) There are now "better ways" of doing stuff, I once struggled with... 😎

Heheh. I think about such things too! lol. I have recently ordered a "crowd funded" 3D printed box from some nice chaps "abroad". To heck with "chassis bashing"... 🤣 (I promise myself I will put away that Angle Grinder etc., before I remove a digit!)