barkis

I found myself on the outer edge of the universe, nay, not universe, but the Multiverse. 
I was positioned about ten light years from the entire view.  Surrounded by a brilliant halo of light, the countless photons
pouring out from the countless universes, each depicted by a blob of intense illumination.
The halo surrounded the scene, but stationary, unable to escape the boundary that held it there.
No Olber's Paradox here. I was on the edge of time itself, where a few more light years would see time extinguished.
The knots of individual universes are linked by visible strings, the conduits of time  that enabled me to transport to the viewpoint I occupied.
Retrieving my Box Brownie, I took this picture of all there is to see. 
Drink it in, because soon I fear the triple A batteries are going to die soon and the vision will die too.

10 hours ago, niallk said:

This represents the, erm, pinnacle of my attempts at astro imaging.  You can see why I stick to pure visual, but have enormous respect for the skill and dedication involved in doing it all properly 

Ladies and gentlemen: behold - the Moon!!

 

Aw. come on, try and do a bit worse, we don't encourage sharp detail.

5 hours ago, RWB said:

Don't remember threepenny bits but I can easily remember THRUPENNY  bits 

And silver ones at that            Yes I am that old 

  Robin

You sailed on the Bounty, my that's old .

2 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

Bad language and religion all in one post? There are children participating. Me! ???

Then you watch yourself having your Xmas Pud. on Xmas Day, don't want any child choking on a Threepenny bit, or probably a pound coin in today's 
money. I find lots of coinage on the ground, usually outside our local Spar shop, I'm sure the youngsters chuck coins below a quid on the deck
as being worthless. I give them to the good lady, who puts them in a Bucket. Going toward another Qashqai.  I hope, It might have to be a Juke though.
May get the car in around 2025.

1 minute ago, RWB said:

What's a threepenny bit ????  

Regards     Robin

It is an old English coin of the realm, looked much like the modern Pound coin of today.
and of course it was worth three whole Penny's.
Go on, ask me  what's a Penny. In case you will, It's a Third of a Threepenny bit and round and a lot larger.

I thought it was either Phobos or Demos Simon, but nay, you forsook both of those easy targets, for the much more
difficult one, this STUpendous solar blackout event. If I could shift Stu. out of the Chairman of the Vote system, with the Committee of one.
I would be hanging the Medal on your chest mate, by proxy of course.
In the best likeness I can muster of the Late Frank Carson    " It's a Cracker"
 

Oy!, some of these images are for too good to appear under this topic.
The excellent rotten Images are now being  being diluted with APOD  quality. What the hell is going on here?
I was hoping I could win a competition like this, now the pot hunters have infiltrated,
and my hopes of the rottenest picture of the year has been sabotaged.
Not happy, and I'm now stamping my feet in my computer room. and the Wife has just shouted up and bollocked me, as the Xmas baubles have
all fell off. I don't know where she's been hanging them, we ain't got a Xmas Tree.
So c'mon guys, crappy Images only here, there's other place you can show off  .

5 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

Not a bit of it, Ron! I had my first mobile only about a year ago and it's a flip phone designed for grandmas, according to the sales person who dealt with me. I can never find it, hate being cluttered up with it and can never remember the number when people ask. I dont 'txt'  under any circumstances. I consider the thing to be one step up the food chain from rap music...

lly

Yeah!   I know they're not everyone's cuppa.   My Mrs is like that,  When I got my Smarty,  I gave her my little Blackberry Curve, which can be used as a simple phone for phone calls,  however,  she's  terrified of it,  and not used it once in  2 years. 

2 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Smartphone? What's that? 

Olly

HehHeh!  Are you kidding Olly?   I bet Monique and you have one apiece . 

1 hour ago, Davey-T said:

Are you sure that's not a Christmas pudding Stu ? 

Dave 

Nay, are there any threepenny bits in it?

37 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Good to see you've set the bar nice and low Stu 

Dave

Oh!, it's a limbo competition too, brilliant, a good blend of skills required, genius.  

1 hour ago, Stu said:

I'm delighted to announce the winner of the inaugural StuPOD.

This prestigious competition is chosen by an esteemed panel of.... a judge, namely me!

The only criteria is that the image must have been taken using a smartphone, with any processsing also done on the phone, no PCs, guiding or decent imaging mounts allowed.

The competition will run on an entirely irregular basis, winners chosen whenever I have the time to chose, and will be selected from images posted to this thread. The Judge's decision is often flawed but always final!

So, the winning appropriately enough is by the talented newcomer, Stuart Davis, using a Takahashi FC-100 mounted on a manually guided Giro-WR mount with Gitzo tripod and homemade pillar extension. Imaging device was an iPhone 5, with an incrdible total integration time of 400.....ms

Processed with care using PS Express on the iPhone, I give you......

 

.....the Orion Nebula!

 

Feel free to post your entries for the next winner, and watch this space!

That's a Bleddy awful Image Stu. Well done, I had no Idea Orion had so many naked eye double stars.
Winner hands down. Looks like a pile of sick on a Saturday night pavement lit by street lamps.

I'll ratch out the Box Brownie and see what I can't capture with it.
 

It looks nice, but I fear that's where the plusses end.
I think if you budget permits you only about £55, then I suggest you spend it on a
pair of Binoculars, they will give you less hassle than that telescope.
I had a friend who bought one of those artificially extended focal length reflectors,
he's been weeping ever since.
Sorry, but I could not endorse it.

On 05/10/2016 at 13:09, barkis said:

That's  fine,  of course you will be aware of the price in good time for you to make a final decision.     I will post a picture of the complete setup when I get home.  I'm not able to provide the Pics.  at present. The mount is largely unused,  and it was purchased from First Light Optics.  It still has the Manual.  The Hand Controller was update with data,  and a firmware update some while back,  I'm not sure if there have been any further updates since that time.   It can easily be determined if there are though.   The mount itself has had little use,  as I have a pier mounted EQ6,  Pro.  In an Observatory.    Keep looking here for an update as regards images.  Probably be around Saturday next. 

 

 

MY  PRICE HAS BEEN ACCEPTED, SO THE MOUNT IS NOW SOLD, SUBJECT TO PAYMENT AT LUCKSALL.

They can spout all the Legal claptrap they like, but nobody can lay claim to any part of any solar System
object, or part of, unless they are physically on that ground surely.
Most of the Rocky bodied worlds may one day be subject to claims, except Venus, and perhaps Mercury, not sure on that one. 
I don't believe the US claimed any part of the Moon. I think the proclamation made was on behalf of all Mankind, 
but no stakes were hammered into the Lunar soil. They left a Flag there, but a symbolic gesture only, no laying  claim to anything.
Perhaps that Doctor shooting a laser at Mars, needs to get a better life for himself, he's dreaming this one.
It's going to be one hell of a long time before any substantial thought is given as to whom will claim what, wherever.
I really despair when I read stuff like this.  We need to be doing something useful with the planet we have got, instead of coveting
any other body to waste.

Right, I feel better after that rant.

On 05/10/2016 at 12:55, Starlord19 said:

On 05/10/2016 at 11:19, barkis said:

OK, thanks for this. I've just had a look and Lucksall is not a million miles away from me. So I could always pop down during the day I suppose. 

 

SOLD, Subject to payment at Lucksall.

On 05/10/2016 at 12:13, Starlord19 said:

Hello. If you don't have any luck selling this mount, would you consider a postal sale. I've been looking for a cg5 GT for a while. 

 

 

The thing is,  if you are not going to Lucksall,  then that would mean postal costs to you,  if you intend to be at the Star Party,  then assuming you agree to the price I ask for,  you will have first dibs.  I am not keen on posting the mount,  it is very heavy with the counterweight in the parcel. 

Any sale must be in money, that is why anyone selling,  get prior notice of the selling prices,  that way,  they know how much they gave take with them to Lucksall 

Ron.                                                  

 ( Barkis) 

SOLD.

I will have my Celestron  CG-5 Pro GT for sale. It will on view outside my Pod,  which is situated next to the Playground. It has the Losmandy  modified saddle,  and comes with a Losmandy / Vixen mounting plate  I also added the Celestron Polar Scope.               Included in the package,  will be Maplin 10 Amp 13.8 Volt PSU. 

I will add my asking price,  once I work out a reasonable Figure for all above. 

 SOLD   Subject to payment at SGL 12

Hi,  and welcome to SGL.  As already stated in an above post,  strange lights in the sky are reported by members on numerous occasions,  all are WA ting answers as to what is they saw at that particular time.   Frequent culprits are,  as mentioned,  Chinese Lanterns,  which more and more are being used to celebrate various things, Like Birthdays,  A wedding   anniversary,  or some other personal  but not able event.     Laser posters are another means to project light into the sky,  and as we know,  this practice can at times be a danger to aircraft,  and as such,  frowned upon by most,  including air safety authorities.    Drones too are a new addition to the inhabitants of the sky,  but whether they would fly at night,  would be doubtful,  although if one did so,  and  fitted with multi course Led lights,  could well fit the description you have given of the behavior.    I will end by offering my opinion on what it wasn't,  even though it might offend some.  Although I believe the majority will agree,  that what you saw,  was Not an Alien spaceship. 

Mmm! seems I got my wires crossed a bit. Apologies If I misled the OP.
I should have gone over my own notes before jumping in. 

The reason for the Baader  ,  is to permit the Ha response,  but also to allow normal terrestrial photography.     I molded my 1000D camera using the Baader replacement, and it performs well on both   Sky and normal AP.  Set the White Balance  for earth based photography.      Cleanliness during the mod.  Is vital to keep the sensor free from contamination.  Use non volatile silicon adhesive,  get some medical forceps.  They will help with the removal and reinstallation of the various ribbon cables,  get a pill box to  place all the small screws in,  and label the sections in the various steps in the procedure. Can't be too careful.     Good Luck

I haven't subscribed to this thread until now, but I have been following it with admiration for a long time.
You're a  credit to the Telescope DIY fraternity. I don't know if such an organisation exists, but perhaps it should.

I've made a few scopes over the years, and made several mirrors of various sizes, but nothing larger than 15".
Your workmanship is Top Class, and all the accolades aimed at you in this thread are truly well justified.

I'm very pleased the tension you must have been enduring over the delay with your 20" was shared by everyone else  I think,
however, I see it above, and it is chomping at the bit, as it can't wait to start devouring all those magical objects you are eager to see.

The build isn't finished, but it isn't far off, and I'm as hungry as everyone else to to read your First Light Bulletins .
Super job young man, very well done indeed.

Just noticed how old this thread is .

On 28/05/2015 at 21:02, moriniboy said:

Love this thread, my contribution

And very attractive looking it is too moriniboy.
My wife would allow me to keep that Setup in the Living Room .

I'm not keen on these star designators either.

Nothing illegal unfortunately, but carries no weight as far as the AU. Is concerned.

People go through this ritual, to show their love or affection for someone, a relative perhaps, or a dear friend who may have passed on.

The designated star may be fairly obscure, even if it is a Milky Way resident.

Anything purported to be intergalactic should be rejected, as it is very unlikely to be resolvable, unless a powerful telescope is employed. Even then, location of the star would be difficult to say the least. Coordinates for such a star would be to umpteen decimal places.