Marvin Jenkins

What a shame, seems when Tiny Clanger says Quick the stock markets change. We all need to look out for Tiny Clanger stock tips, could be the make or break of future fortunes. Marv

I am sometimes surprised by how little some people need to fulfill their dreams. On the other side I am very respectful to anyone who wants that small upgrade or small thing to make the difference and nothing more I, on the other hand have a grand plan. After spending seven years pulling a stone ruin out of the ground and turning it into a house far too big for my wife and I, I have received the official blessing. I have no idea how this came about, but my amazing wife of twenty years said. ‘Let’s downsize’ smaller, cheaper to buy, cheaper to run and you can build that obsy and get a dedicated imaging rig and have enough for a big Dob!!! Was I dreaming? Have I been hanging out with #bukko to often? Cannot be a dream as my last one had a giant hedgehog appear in the garden and eat my Astro kit. If all goes to plan (🤮) then ROR obs CEM 70, possibly a ten inch RC, mono camera, LRGB and as I am definitely going to run out of funds I am planning on building my own 14 inch tt Dob and some nice eye pieces. Just a thought..... do you think she wants me out of the house at any cost? Marvin

Thanks for that, at least it is a reminder of what it looks like. Oh I forgot hail, we had some of that too.

Just received my first OIII filter, from FLO and a sheet of Badder solar film. Looks like I have a while to make the solar filter and same to test out the OIII due the rain, cloud, more rain, high winds, localized flooding, low cloud to ground level and thick fog.... let me see, did I miss anything? No that will do it. Marv

Wonderful pictures. Two questions, any idea on the make and model of the car? And secondly what is the odd little flying saucer on the newt. The eye piece sits in its center so presuming some sort of focuser or filter wheel? Marv

Thank so much for the replies. This seems to be one of the less followed astro pastimes but I am very interested. I have been thinking for a little while now about my observations in the night sky and if they could be more relevant. In other words how could I contribute to the knowledge ‘data base’. Especially as a lot of astro seems to need more equipment than I possess. This looks perfect. I hope to contribute in the future. Marvin

I can only echo CraigT82 Still do not have a clue what you are talking about. You started with a second hand sat dish on a balcony in a block of flats and finished with an equation. Worst still equations in the middle and spinning particles in different energy states. It is late in the evening and I have work in the morning despite it being Sunday, what are you trying to do to my brain. If I have a sleepless night it is your fault.😂 Marvin

After laying myself bare to the membership and admitting I had not purposefully split a double, I have started looking into this important but not massively followed area of Astro. My question is, how do I observe variability when there are weather systems that rub more than a month and sometimes more out of my viewing? I wanted to ask if astronomers from the past had far great opportunities of consecutive nights to observe variable stars in particular. They must have been very at good record keeping, how does their observation opportunities compare to now. I ask as it seems obvious to me that variable star observing, must have lots of nights to gain the data needed. I cannot see how I can contribute with one night a month. And I would love to contribute. Marvin

Just read your post after looking into studying variable stars. I have to ask..... are you saying you are going to privately hire a 1 m newt in Chile for a number of days (actually nights) to observe a stars variability? I bought a Euro millions lottery ticket today and the jackpot is 17 million. How many nights would I get for that? Marv

I was going to say “wow” you are half way to a book right there! But I realised it is a review as you have a blog. I will give this series a serious look up and make up my own mind. I don’t think I will post what I may think of it as that is my just my personal opinion and do not feel the need to have a blog (why, there are so many great things to do) Marvin

What a great image so much from so few images. I like both of them but will compartmentalise them in my mind as different work product if that makes sense. M

Steve has another book about processing Astro images which I have been told is excellent, Dark Art Magic Bullet, I believe it is entitled. However I can confirm from previous correspondence from another thread with Steve that he has a box of unused EP,s he would rather sell instead🤣 Marv

The next book is your cheque book!

Ardeche..... Ardennes it’s all the same right now. Just for a laugh I have ordered some Badder Solar Film😂. Never know how that order will effect the sky gods. M

Perfect, the best and greatest value for money scope you will ever get. You may get people saying “if you buy bigger... if you get better...” you have just seen the best entry level view there is. I have yet to see an astronomer that has forgotten their first Jovian moons and rings of Saturn. Well done you! Please keep it up and please keep posting here. The most posted on this forum are with you,when those ‘firsts’ happen. I for one wish I could have them all again. A great second best is show a friend. I showed a pal Saturn on a great nights viewing and he looked into the eyepiece, and swore out loud, looked at me in the darkness and said “you must be joking”. Actually what he said I cannot write. Total validation of that first time, gives me goose bumps. Do Astro for you, but if you ever get the chance carry that torch and help someone else. Marv

I am in the South of France, don’t get your hopes up. So many times our weather down here is the same as yours up there. Quite often it is the same Atlantic storm, you guys have the northern part and the worst of it but that long trailing arm of cloud and rain has often been all the way to northern Spain. It seems we have some really rude weather and your latitude does not give you clear skies and none down here either. I for one have had very little due to the short summer night. November was hot and clear (a record I believe) but the seeing was so bad Mars was a no go again, for the second time. December first.... heavy rain, cloud below and above, cloud now with high winds. We all talk about climate change but I just ‘know’ our weather is angry right now. Alkalid, (Steve) Can you imagine finally getting through post Brexit customs and getting all the way down here for my skies. Last decent night two months ago, it’s an utter lottery. Marvin

I have that very same model. I bought it as a scope mount kit and although I have seen some amazing things with it, it was not until I put it on an EQ5 mount I realized how good a five inch newt can be. My kit was the EQ2 and it is very wobbly so would echo KP82 and get a dob first. I certainly would second time around. The other annoying thing about the Orion is that if you suddenly have the idea to do some pictures with it the focuser does not enough back focus to gain focus with a DSLR. I maybe getting myself ahead of the game here but most people end up at some point thinking “what happens if I stick a camera on it?” You can still use your phone or a point and shoot to take souvenir pictures through the eye piece though. Marv

The first can was a dead ringer for Rupes Rector. Some of the lava flows in my views are rather worthy of exploration. After several explorations I can confirm that my birthday has has been a relaxed chilled out affair, sadly with heavy cloud, so not perfect. Although I did receive a book written by Prof S Hawking, a gift voucher for FLO, and a four pack of Guinness. What a day! Marv

You may think we have something in common, but 40 years! You are in trouble now. At least I have only waited three years. Observers like myself John and Stu take a very dim view of your proud statement. You wait till Steppenwolf gets on your case, even offering to buy his books will not save you. Although you could offer to buy his totally unused EP collection, they are clearly wasted on him.🤣 Marv

Montes Guinness. Quite an impact crater in the southern lowlands. M

Can anyone identify this area of the moon? or am I seeing things?

What a great thread. The old pictures showing how it was done back in the day are great. Love the retro comments. I will add “what happened to corduroy trousers and patches on the elbows of jackets”? I vividly remember a geography teacher at school that used to have a leather protector for his wrist watch. To see the face you undid a popper and lifted away the hard leather front. As kids we thought it was funny as the latest thing was the Casio calculator watch, not some old chunk of stainless. Now I love old chunks of stainless. Sorry I cannot contribute a photo, I only started Astro three years ago, so no photos at all. Marv

Point 4. Perfect. I luckily do not have neighbours so I am free to Bruce Lee at my leisure which is a gift that keeps on giving. By the way I love your rosette. I tried to get one of those but didn’t make the podium.😂

My biggest annoyance is making a fool of myself, easily done. I had a couple friends come to stay and with clear new moon skies they were enthusiastic about there first views through a scope. I did the ‘full Brian Cox’ so they would have some understanding of what they were going to see. Second part of the speech was, do not kick the tripod, do not pull on the scope, it’s all electronic and tracking. First thing I did was trip over the power cable, pulled it out of the mount! Fell on my face in the venture and had to re-align everything again in front of the beginners! Not my greatest moment. Marv

Aren’t those tracks your footprints? M