Macavity

Geoff (or anyone!) there is absolutely no need to apologise. Perhaps I should have mentioned it? It's just sometimes I'd would just love to FORGET my limitations... 🙂 Oh WAIT... Maybe I am maligning myself: I did actually say: Although ostensibly OK, my dicky ticker "lets me know" afterwards... But then my use of words doesn't always "resonate" with SGL's membership? lol 😋

Hey, Folks! Can we not get into THAT. I hadn't thought a (not often mentioned) Cardiac Issue might be central to this. FWIW, I genuinely did have a "slight" MI back in 2000 or so. Steps were taken to "cure" it... As with many things, success is not guaranteed and things have deteriorated over the years? I do get chest pain & feelings of light headedness/nausea when I lift modest loads to height. 😞 I try to be optimistic! lol. And NO animosity! Hey, I've "done" mental heath now. I'm trying not to get involved "fitness" as well? SGL debate gets so complicated... If someone mentions having a personal experience, I tend not to challenge it? 🙂 I posted a while back re. handles... A saddle "hook"? ALL just random wibbles. 😸

Oh, it has handles and things... But, y'know how it is... I am a covert to the "girly man" method! 😛 https://youtu.be/IwVg1M6bURI (Nowt wrong with making it easier) In my (lucky me!) observatory the scope is already at *eye level* when horizontal, so it can see over 6' high walls. Since I mostly image via "remote control" and rarely stay outside I think a mini observatory might have been better / adequate 🤔 Or closer to the ground!! 😸

Faced with the perennial problem of "lofting" my 8" Newt (and holding it with one hand while I do up the saddle)... I dream of "Sky Hooks"?!?! 😸 (Although ostensibly OK, my dicky ticker "lets me know" afterwards...) But the other day, I switched to lifting the scope in *vertical* orientation off an observing stool... That way I can at least do the lift in two stages? Then I remembered the hydraulic platforms we used to service Particle Detectors at work. I see they make "mini ones" for lifting Motorbikes... 😎 Cuts out clearance issues re. a winch... dangling the scope on a rope etc. Better to PUSH the scope from below to avoid disturbing optical setup? Who knows? lol! Anyway it's a *different* idea... 😋

Heheh. Thanks for that, Craig! Yes, the table will be FIXED to the baseboard when I "know the distances"! Fortunately this drill has a "lock-on" button and I sense the direction of rotation should tend to push the object INTO the "table" etc. etc. 🙂 Ah yes... SPEED... A 150mm disk would just about fit my "random" dimensions! 😛 People do make some GREAT (fun!) stuff on Youtube... Their Skills impressive... https://youtu.be/noWzYHt4s34 ("Bless" all Youtube enthusiasts for their time!) 😸 I suspect a bit of flexure "wobble" is useful (safer) to have in the disk... Draw a line on the workpiece and "eyeball it for accuracy" should be sufficient for me! </wibble> P.S. I'm lazy, so often use Amazon's "Evil Empire" for such things. It can be a tad frustrating at times... What with their sometimes bizarre *grouping* of items for delivery... the (helpful) "add on item" thing! Sometimes I spend more time trying to "defeat" such artificial intelligence. But we digress! lol 😸

Quite often I need to do a simple task like "tidying up the end" of cut timber or metal... Making (circular/other!) saw cuts *be* 90 degrees! 😛 Mostly I just "wave an angle grinder at it", but I "hate them"! Personal Lack of patience... a moment's inadvertance - Minus a body part? lol 🙀 Always remember my DAD having a "Black & Decker DRILL STAND!" 😎 He made a little table (from "machined" wood!) to feed the material... I would LOVE to have a "workshop"... disk/belt sander... Then I found: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wolfcraft-6152000-Drill-Euronorm-collar/dp/B0012B5RMM/ Turn out my (recent) power drill has 43mm fitting... so a prototype: Hey, it not FINISHED yet! lol. I still need to buy a (modern!) "sanding disk" thing! There are quite a few Youtube videos re. people doing such things... I still wonder a BIT about "Elf and safety". The above seems fairly safe to my remaining eye. 😜 Wonder a bit about "sanding disks"? Dad (and I) previously used a SOLID steel disk and you had to *melt* some sort of *gloop* stuff to stick the sanding disks? These days it all "hook and loop" etc. Some of the things have slightly disturbing SAFETY issues. But this sort of thing shoudl be fairly OK for occasional use??? 🤔 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-427547-Hook-Loop-Backing/dp/B000LFU5F4/ For non-standard use of machine tools, 2nd /qualified opinion is often good? 😸 P.S. I assume one should fix the table HEIGHT to feed to the "middle" of the disc?

Heheh... Well. sometimes a post generates an *unexpected* level of interest? 😸 Usually the ones which I feel are a "bit rubbish" or have obvious deficiencies! lol Sorry to be late returning to your post. AS!3... "Autostakkert" imaging stacking: https://www.autostakkert.com/ In my earlier EEVA days (with Watec etc.) I always used Registax to *stack* the (already hardware stacked!) farems on .AVI files. Since I began solar imaging, I have increasinglu used Autostakkert. I provides a plot of image quality... So I can get some kind of a handle on seeing. AS!3 does seem to require a certain amount of *contrast* in the image to "lock on" re. stacking? But who knows! It is for that reason, I tend to "whack up the contrast" in the (Gstar3) image capture software?!? I sometimes play with the GAMMA setting as well now! I used to be "scared" of non-default [camera] settings, but sometimes being able to see a decent (contrasty!) image on screen is not such a bad quide? 😛

Sometimes it makes you think "just how far" (e.g. amateur) IMAGING has come? When you look at the (non red sensitive) "Palomar Plates" used for the Star Map! It does have a cracking Photographic Map of the MOON though. 😎 Like many of my "vintage" books the spine is broken and bits have fallen off! 🙄 Since some of my books have no resale value, I have been known to "finish the process" and CUT out the pages... put them in pockets w/loose leaf binders etc. Maps etc. can be laid FLAT! Old Books get some *active* use in the present... 🙂

Ah, SPM... My very first (and only, for many years) Astronomy Book! All those years spent under my pillow. I can still "quote" some bits. 😛 I "graduated" some years later to this one... Still worthy of keeping re. *photographic* maps of the Stars and Moon... Lists of "DSOs" etc. 😎

Yes, certainly Surface Brightness is... "rather different"! Here's a couple of links: https://tonyflanders.wordpress.com/surface-brightness/ http://www.clarkvision.com/astro/surface-brightness-profiles/introduction.html The skies around here are "not bad" for the UK visual limit Mag+5 (better) corresponding to a Sky Background of anything upto Mag +24?!? I know I can just image small galaxies (stars) to Mag+19 with a (fair bit) of effort! The surface of some of common objects can be found in the above. The SB of M27 is maybe +18. The SB of e.g. M42 in Orion gets to significant values... like +24! YET can still be imaged with EEVA (this often surprises people!) 😎 From second link above: In answer to @Martin Meredith I have convinced myself so-called contrast masking CAN achieve useful gain over simple stretching when the "number of bits" is limited. You can see how this might be so from this reference: https://tutorialized-gimp.blogspot.com/2008/12/creating-contrast-mask-in-gimp.html Basically you obtain a histo without gaps (which give "steps" in greys etc.) 😉 ANYWAY, not trying to make new/significant points, just saying "HI" to a few "veterans" (I hope they won't mind the term! lol) who also started out with "integrating" Cams (Like the Watec... Mallincam... ) a few years ago! 😸 Extended nebulae... Nearby Galaxies (M31, M33 etc.) are not the easiest to image. But it is possible to have good results with more compact (and often more distant) objects! Such is a good thing about EEVA generally? 🙂

M27 - The (old fashioned) WATEC way! 😛 Still persisting with my trusty Watec 910HX eight-bitter... USB Video-Grabber... GSTAR3 etc. Now using AS!3 to stack 100x (5.12s) hardware integrated images. As ever 8" f/4 TS (steel) Newt on HEQ5. Post-processing using GIMP 2.8 etc. A while since I did any imaging and initially the images went much less DEEP that they did a few years ago? 🙄 But then I remembered... For "better or worse" to increase the software contrast to max! (Hey, it spreads the histo). 😸 Not a lot of Astronomical Darkness so just "Testing" with M27 as the subject. First the "ordinary image" with no filtering. Note the nebulosity is starting to "blow out"... concealing stars. If cut deeper, I get into sky background too! 🙄 So I added a Baader UHC filter and 10dB gain to compensate. This is a summation of THREE different "levels" of processing (lo, med & hi brightness) via GIMP contrast masking macro! 🤔 Something of *my* desired result? Certainly I can now see a fair bit more of the "outer" regions of nebulosity. As ever and typically a bit rufty tufty with "heat" at the edges?!? But, checking with stellarium, I find I'm getting to STAR Mag +17... Despite the UHC. Casually wondering: What is the Surface Brightness of M27? (Anyone know?). Hope I can go hunting "grey blobs" (Hicksons... ARPs) again --- When it gets a bit darker? 😍 "If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be SCIENCE"?!?! etc. etc. 😸

Thinking of SKULLS: I did casually wonder if you could obtain scintillating (UV fluorescing) material for use in 3D printing... 😎 Randomly reading articles on *doped* plastic... Conductive plastics... (Metal (i.e. Copper Oxide) loaded plastic for denser Ukulele strings!) But I suspect you'd have to worry about blocking your nozzle etc. 🤔

After a few dubious sightings lately, quite a lot of (genuine) Noctilucent Cloud last night? Only (modestly?) bright, for a limited time around midnight. Really needed a *dedicated* "expedition" (+ tripod!)? Handheld at 1/15s f/1.8 6400 ASA Canon 100D + Nifty 50 Mk.II: More extensive at 2:30 a.m., but needed hand-holding at 1/4s... "Forgot" (how to) to focus! 😋

"There's a red one, and a green one, and a blue one, and an orange one, And they're all made out of ticky-tacky. And they all look just the same"? 😛 Large Crater... Rough material (rm) ... (dm) Dark material (dm)... Pattered material (pm)... ... Hey I'm being UNFAIR here! lol. The interesting point is the original building blocks might be fairly readily visible is pretty cool!!! 😎

CERN (The LHC and all that!) recently offered a "Dedicated Grant" scheme for Ph.D. students! The "salary" is CHF 3704 pcm for living in Geneva... and CHF 1852 at your "Home Institute"? But that underlines real differences in "cost of living" around the world? Relative salary is an important factor. 😉 https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/index The City-related costs are not so simple... and there are (to me) the odd surprise! It goes without saying that Texas is bigger / cheaper [teasing] 😋

There used to be an argument about the merits (otherwise) of larger apertures versus (solar... daytime) SEEING etc. In the *distant* past, it was said (by "Sir Patrick"?) that a 4" scope was "best" for white light. Or rather a 5" refractor "collected too much light & HEAT". But then, today's *observing techniques* have changed quite a bit as well... 😉

Where were you all - A few YEARS ago? [laughing]. I came to this discovery "semi-independently" yesterday? I finally understand. A "good thing" etc. 😸 Although I do have the observatory, I take down and SWAP scopes a lot. But at least I can think about future "strategies". 🤔 I do hate unknowns! 😛 Thanks and Shameless <bump> 😄

I met a Professional Astronomer once. At a supposed "cross-disciplinary" conference for "young scientists". lol. I was but a young / naive postgrad. We "shared" our backgrounds across the dinner table. At the mention of "Particle Physics" this (rather old) Astronomer across the table exploded: Yes... and YOU stole our budget! He was quite serious... SCARY even! 😛 I think he was eventually "pulled off" by a *fringe scientist*... Y'know... Chemistry... Biology... Geology? [I'm Teasing]!!! 🤣 Sometimes I feel I would quite like to meet a Professional Astronomer. ... In the post-Cox era? Just to be sure there are no hard feelings. lol 😸 P.S. Anyone else HATE "conferences"... Random "get togethers" etc. 😛 At least it didn't involve "Paint Balling" or some iniquity. lol

(As ever) Youtube Videos set off the "scientific pessimists"? Red dwarfs... Tidal Locking, Flare Stars etc. etc. Probably right... but we can dream? 😛 We have "photographed" Pluto. The nearest stars are but 6000x further. I CAN (just about) imagine a one-way imaging mission as a possibility? 🤔 https://www.space.com/32546-interstellar-spaceflight-stephen-hawking-project-starshot.html Daylight is a redder, the plants have black... Life-forms are stocky or quadrupedal. I was brought up in the era of cockeyed optimism? 😸

No picture... But I have reasonably free horizons down to 14-17 deg (not great but?) from NE to NW. (The rest is behind my house!). 😉 Oh yeah... Just noticed a "brand new" 12-15 ft high "weed-tree" has appeared on my Southern Meridian (again)! Neighbours' garden(s) are ever full of such "surprises"? Few days of Summer rain and... 😼

Within my confined space, the chance of me being able to reach a randomly orientated Equatorial-Newtonian eyepiece is remote? 😛 Fine for EEVA... my basic imaging. I have space to use a Laptop... I DO need a portable Alt-Az setup for visual... "between the posts". RoRo rails can also get in the way of objects I'm trying to see?!? 😸 But, if you like to DINE "al-fresco", probably a great place (instant sunshade!) to locate your garden table/chairs? 😎

Unless we are allowed to mention the "money pit" aspect! [teasing]. lol 😛 But a lot of THAT is my fault re. "Gilding the Lilly... added Bells & Whistles"! Beware local "DIY Emporiums"... buying "odd timber"... random screws etc. Prob'ly NO more than neighbours on "DIY hobbies"... "Patio Furniture"... Dunno if any of you watch these TV programs that try to "Help" families who (don't notice) they spend *hundreds* a month on "groceries"? etc. 🤔 Nothing like our sensible... healthy... Low-budget hobby of Astronomy? 😸

P.P.S. In the interest of TOTAL frankness, I see that Baader now use "Tamper Proof" screws on their Filters! (Perhaps that is WISER? lol) Don't poke filters with your Finger! lol. Note too visual film is ND5.0 and "Imaging" (ND3.8) film is insufficient protection for eyes etc. 🙂

A lot of people DO make DIY (cardboard + Solar Film!) Solar filters... Which, if you use common sense... have experience, are perfectly OK. If you fancy something a bit more Solid... "Ready made". I like these: https://www.baader-planetarium.com/en/asbf-astrosolar-binocular-filter-od-5.0-(50mm---100mm).html They are quite expensive... a PITA if you poke a finger at/through it! 😬 (As others have noted you should not use a damaged solar film ***) But if you do damage one, I found that by undoing the small screws the Filter Film is only *Baader Film* (super?) *glued* to a plastic ring. Tear out old/damaged film and carefully replace it with some new... 🙂 As ever, we have to make sensible judgements re. our own abilities? P.S. A caveat (from my own personal follies): Do not try to CLEAN a Solar Film. However "careful" you are, I noted it removes the surface Aluminium coating and reduces the (required ND5+) filter density! 😖 </wibble>

I ENJOY "Brian Cox" programs now! I'm somewhat a "computer graphics groupie"? lol I think he raised a number of interesting (less known) ideas re. Planet migrations etc. 😎 I still dislike being "told what to think" by whippersnapper "young" Particle Physicists re. "Religion & Politics" (c.f. Twitter stuff). Idem Alice Roberts and Jim Al-Khalili... But! 😛