Synchronicity

Lateral thinking - could you wrap the cable round anti-clockwise at the start of the night so that as the mount tracks it slowly unwinds? At the end of the night you have the cable at what would normally be the start point. Michael

I don't have pictures but I use spiral cable wrap similar to below to loom cables together and feed them along the scope length and down. With this it's easy to bring cables in and out of the loom at the right point and it can be tied to any handy support point to take the weight. Just make sure to leave a big enough loop at rotating joints to allow full range of movement. https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonCommercial-Cable-Tidy-Spiral-Wrap/dp/B08CFJ3T71/

Was exactly the the change I needed to make. Thanks! Different issue but lots of great advice on selecting cain, exposure length etc. Thanks!

Hi all I'm back imaging after a couple of years of inactivity/discouragement/hardware problems and last night was for getting everything set up, communicating and pointing in the right direction. It went really well so I managed to get 90 minutes of data on the Eastern Veil nebula. Framing is poor and focus not perfect but tonight's question is about what happens when I stack the images. I know I've seen this before browsing posts but can't find it and can't think of words that turn anything up in the searches. This is a screen-shot of DSS stacking the data with default settings (best 80% of frames). In this case it has the darks, flats and bias included but it's the same without them and the same stacked with ASTAP. I've just opened the stacked image in PI, debayered and then applied the STF to see what it's like. The hatching is also there without debayering. The number of bands increases with more light frames stacked so I'm assuming it's related to stacking but just don't know where to start tweaking settings. Below is a screen-shot of 2 light stacked and then a single light frame. Taken with my brand new ASI183MC Pro cooled to -22 degrees, gain set to 200, Optolong L Enhance filter on an Esprit 80 with field flattener. Mounted on a NEQ6 Pro, captures done with APT. Bortle 7/8 sky and 97% moon 2 light frames only stacked. A single 180s light frame.# NGC6992_0009_Bin1x1_180s__22C.fit Any assistance or pointers much appreciated. Thanks Michael

I don't think it's feasible to ever answer whether there is any determinism at play in any situation because we don't have all the information. All that you mention might be 100% predictable, just not with our knowledge or scientific/computational capability. After all, we can't model particles or forces we don't yet understand - or even know about. Incidentally, your "Beerman's argument" doesn't illustrate determinism or free will, it illustrates cause and effect. Someone suggests a pub visit, others who hadn't planned to go to the pub decide to go or not. If a sufficient number agree to go you reach critical mass which then attracts more people. None of that happens without someone suggesting going to the pub 🙂 Michael

I've just bought the 183MC for my Esprite 80 for many of the reasons you selected it. Following this to see what others say. Michael

I spent some time designing a cap that I could put over the end of the scope with a switchable light that would allow the setup to do darks and flats automatically. The lighting was becoming far too complex to achieve something flat so I parked it. I might just order one of those panels and resurrect the idea! Michael

It never even occurred to me that it might be fixable - I'll give that a try. Thanks Michael

I bought a Creality CR10 pro just before the Covid hit. I got involved with a national volunteer group printing headbands for face visors, contributing 350 before the project ended. The group fund-raised and replaced the filament we used which was a big help. They got hundreds of 700g boxes of UP PLA which prints great but is brittle and tends to break on the roll. I have about a dozen boxes of this which would be ideal for people using a 3d Pen (https://www.3dsourced.com/rankings/best-cheap-3d-pen/ ). It might also be ok for someone printing small parts who can babysit their printer constantly! What I have is still vacuum sealed in the box - if anyone can use this or knows of someone I'd be delighted to pass it on for the cost of postage. I don't really want it going to someone who's going to hope it doesn't break then bin it all when it does - I could have done that! All the best Michael

I can't find a photo but I did something similar to my EQ5 using the brass latch block from an old yale lock. Not pretty but it worked well and justified me hoarding that old lock and about ten thousand other bits of rubbish! Michael

If the alignment is changed when you go back to the same position then something in your setup must be moving. There's no way that mount leveling can change the polar aligned position if moving back to the same place. Could it be backlash somewhere? Michael

I'm busy fitting out a controls box for my newly installed pier. I couldn't find what you described so ended up with this 12v/10A supply with cable splitter £23 from Amazon. https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0838TY8BZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I'm not using the splitter cable as I have printed a flange to mount a number of 12v sockets on and will run cables directly to that. I also bought this USB to Ethernet link, cost £60 https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01EV33R8S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I have found an issue with that while testing and am awaiting the supplier getting back to me. With one end connected to my laptop USB and the other end connected via Ethernet cable but no power supply plugged in, the unit still works. It is sending the USB 5v down the Ethernet to power the remote end. The issue is that the 5v is also presented on the power supply input socket. As I'm using the PSU above to power this too the back-feed is enough to light up the power LED on the PSU. I'm concerned what would happen with other devices connected to the common 12v - would it draw excess current from the link and damage it? As I say, I'm waiting to hear from the manufacturer... All the best Michael

I'm studying with the Open University and this site is to be used for today's exercise. I'm still playing.😃 The Illustris project is a large cosmological simulation of galaxy formation, completed in late 2013, using a state of the art numerical code and a comprehensive physical model. Building on several years of effort by members of the collaboration, the Illustris simulation represents an unprecedented combination of high resolution, total volume, and physical fidelity. The About page contains detailed descriptions of the project, for both the general public and researchers in the field. https://www.illustris-project.org/ Michael

I ordered a Optolong L-eNhance filter and a Filter Cell Adapter for my Esprit 80 and for a laugh asked them to send me the cloud free versions. The box has just arrived... The moral of the story is the need to be specific when placing an order! ☁️🌨️❄️❄️❄️❄️ 😉 Michael

I usually downloaded the most recent V19 development build because I had lots of issues with V18. How many were the software and how many my inexperience I don't know but V19 is rock solid for everything I use it for. Michael

Me too. I find it more intuitive than many of the other packages but it's really important to understand the basics so that I structure a project correctly. I had several complete reworks to do at first because, for example, I needed to move a plate but objects making cut-outs of the plate weren't referenced to it's position. Michael

Is there somewhere to request changes to the forum? The like button isn't enough - we need one called astoundingly fantastic! for images like this. Michael

Do you know if this will be recorded? If my calculations are correct that's 3am here so I won't be up unless it is a clear night. Thanks Michael

Will you be guiding? Sharpcap PA works perfectly with my Starshoot Autoguider camera and an unbranded 50mm guide scope. One thing that has caught me out a few times is that you need to be aligned within a few degrees (5 I think) before the PA routine will work. Michael

Sorry if this is too basic but are you starting from the correct home/parked position? I found this picture online which shows what it should be like. I'm in Bortle 8 light polluted area and can't see Polaris through the polar scope unless it is quite a clear night and the annoying red light is off! Try doing the setup with the power off and maybe you'll see something? All the best Michael

These two documentaries about the New Horizons mission got me the same way. I watched them both twice in a row. I just intended to post the links but the system had other ideas! Michael

I have the Esprit 80 and my heater is positioned alongside the lenses with the aim of keeping the glass warm. My thinking is that if the dew shield is colder than the glass then it will collect the dew and the glass will stay clear. Ive had this out for over 10 hours each of the the last 2 nights with temperatures at or below freezing and everything iced up by the end of the night but the glass has been clear throughout. I use a CooWoo lens warmer from Amazon. About £15 and runs from a USB supply. Cheap and effective. All the best Michael

The people on astronomy or science forums, social media etc who think its funny to post "Aliens" every time someone asks about something they don't understand. After that, clouds, mistakes that waste hours worth of imaging time, made through inexperience. Clouds again. Michael

The biggest barrier to a crewed mission to Mars is still solar and cosmic radiation exposure. He might have everything else ready but until that is solved only a very heavily shielded - and heavy - spacecraft can take people there. Michael

If you have used external grade cables then sitting in standing water won't hurt them. If you haven't you might need to consider it - especially for the mains power. What is the length of the run in concrete (underground I'm assuming)? It's possible you have a crack somewhere which would let water seep in over time All the best Michael