Viktiste

NINA is excellent imho, I highly recommend it. The latest build (Version 1.11) even has a very easy to use polar alignment tool, as demonstrated in this video: I testes the 3 point polar alignment tool in NINA last night, it is really easy to use.

'Tight VNC server' (free alternative to real VNC) running on the mount PC and a VNC viewer of your choice on the LapTop with a crossed ethernet cable between them. Google crossed ethernet cable gives you lots of examples on how to sett that up. The other and probably easier and more hassle free way would be to just buy a cheap wifi router and set up a local network when out in the field. Still run tight VNC on the mount PC and then you have a choice between using wifi (and the tablet) or cable/wifi (regular ethernet cable, not crossed) to your LapTop to control the mount PC. And then you can reconfigure the same router to be an AccessPoint instead of a Router when using it connected to your home network.

That is a very good idea. Although I have a bought a printer rather than made one I think I will make an enclosure for it and install detectors. A 3D printer is not much use for anything but tiny parts unless you can run it unattended and still sleep well.

Have done that, but only for me. What you need to remember is different from what I need to remember. About Pixinsight I will say this: Probably very hard to learn if you have no experience with image processing, But a lot easier to learn than anything from Adobe (unless you knowe Adobe stuff from before). I am impressed by the makers of Pixinsight - you could probably write a book about almost all it's processes. And I like it is a one off payment (not subscription)! Still learning it though. I see some people in the IKARUS competition are very good with it. Very....

And just got my 2nd corona shot today. What a strange world!

Yes they had computer science classes. I started in autumn of 1989 (I think - its a long time ago). Had a ZX spectrum as a youngster, advanced to PC -(Atari maybe?), what my kids now would call a 3D PC - meaning a CRT screen, during the university years.

My background is Engineering too (Electrical Engineering from Heriot Watt in Edinburgh). I wish I had studied computer science instead, but at the time no one did that! It was after the 80's IT bubble. Anyways, I guess that is completely besides the point..... Thanks for arguing with me.

Haven't read, but on my list:

Arghhh saac! Thinking. And then thinking some more... But thanks for responding to my queries! Still, math is just math, not science

Cool! Were is that if you don't mind me asking?

What is it? We don't know, except we don't know - so why pretend to know? Why can I not say anything I want in math? Why can somebody else (ok I realize that this may sound stupid...) say anything in math, for example everything existed in a point of 0 diameter at some point? Take the CBR and back calculate - does that make it a fact? I get the misconception induced by the term "Dark...". I think because so much of what we observe fits Einstein's Law of General Relativity we are taking it as a fact. So when we see something that does not fit to it, we invent a convenient way out? I'm not claiming to have the answers, but it makes me wonder. I'm pretty damn sure I will never see any evidence of Dark Matter in my lifetime.

Posting an Astro picture to get back on track. One of my first successes, after days of failures messing around with equipment in both clear and cloudy weather. My father would have smiled in his grave had he seen this!

Totally going off topic here: Beer brewing (in the glass). 3D printing - the DIY feeder on the top and the flag inside the aquarium. CNC macining - the PCB inside the DIY feeder. Sorry AstroNebulee - just goes towards thinking there is more than one hobby

I have have a mantra (that I do not necessarily stick to): Every year - learn something new! Astrophotography counted for about 3 years (and is still counting....) It has been a super steep learning curve.

I wanted to go salt water , but (luckily?) I didn't. I have an 450 liter fresh water Aquarium. The kids said: Dad can we have an Aquarium? I said yes, and I went BIG (stupid dad). I don't think the kids expected the size of it. But it's been a good hobby for several years.

Definitely need to look at this hobby in the "long haul" perspective. And don't let it be the only one. In my case: 3D printing, beer brewing, gardening and lately CNC machining. And fishing of course. And aquarium fish keeping.

IMVHO (In My Very Humble Opinion) Dark matter is a flawed theory. I cannot understand why most of the scientific community embrace it. The terrain does not follow the map, therefore the terrain is wrong - I just don't get it. But then I don't have the mathematical skills to follow the argument's. Good luck finding any real observation of dark matter - I postulate you won't. And I don't think I will stand corrected on that in my lifetime. I hope I will humbly have to admit I am wrong though. I think just because something can be written mathematically it does not necessarily make it true. Examples: In the center of a black hole is a singularity. I have an apple. George Jones have an apple. Therefore me and George have two apples together (1+1=2). The math is undoubtedly true, so it must be a fact! Let me roam the house and look for that apple... I did not find any apples, but I do have some tomatoes. Math is just a language, you can say anything you want, but that does not necessarily make it so.

That looks very nice! 👍

Very nice image 👍 I struggled to see the pelican when I first imaged this region, it is pretty easy to see in your picture.

Tons of videos online about that Black hole image of course. I found this one from Veritasium good to explain what we are actually seeing in that picture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUyH3XhpLTo

I find it helpful to consult apps like that when the urge to hit the 'Buy' button on stuff like MESU mounts, Celectron Edge HD, Takahashi and similar equipment gets really strong (due to surfing the web in boredom because it is cloudy outside).

This is guide I wrote some time ago. Have a look if you want, and see if it is helpful. https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/354148-howto-set-up-win10-from-scratch-to-control-mount-with-stellarium

Hmmm. You I learn something new every now and then. I never realized it was because of the milky way being 'less in the way'. Now I know. Thanks for the enlightenment. 👍

Why is it called Galaxy season anyway? It never gets astro dark here at this time of the year so so point in dragging the gear outside during the summer. So what's up there now, only Galaxies, no nebulas? Just curious!

While the focuser assembly was detached I took the opportunity to have a closer look at the lens in the scope: It is pretty dusty. Should I attempt to do something about that and if so what? or just leave it?