skyhog

Incredible images. What link do you use for those?

Yes, just coming in after a good few hours. Moon very nice....😉

Oh yes, plenty to see up there. Totally agree👍

Moon a bit fat mind you..... 😉

I've always managed pretty good collimation using the stars. One other thing to consider, and it's the only way I use now is to insert a webcam and see the results in real time as you tweek. An absolute godsend.

That's a very good shot. You live in a beautiful part of the world, welcome.

Yes, although I'm lucky enough to have an obsy, the garden has never been this water logged and boggy in a very long time. Wife is really getting on to me about the muddy footprints down the lawn!! Really need to put a path down when the weather improves. Thankfully don't suffer the floods others have to endure. Heart goes out to some of the folk I've seen on the news this morning. As if the year isn't bad enough.

Always loved S&N, and do enjoy watching the latest presenters but I do wonder how much of that is driven by nostalgia. There probably isn't anything in an episode that hasn't been talked about here for example. And there lies the problem, these kinds of programs were conceived in a very different era. That said, I'd hate to see it go. Not a lot to ask of my license fee when I watch very little else, and I do enjoy Pete Lawrences interludes. Nice to see one of us on mainstream TV... 😁

That more or less describes the 99 total in Cornwall for me.... 😏

Many years ago I always saw M42 with a greenish hue. It was quite unmistakable to be honest. I remember looking at it with my 8 inch SCT for the first time and that was the big wow moment. These days I don't see a hint of colour. That flashlight trick sounds interesting, I'll have a go at that!!!

Yes, over the centenary milestone for me by a little way. But who knows😉

Nice report. I'd say enjoy the new setup but I'll take that as read!! There really isn't anything like having an obsy with a permanently set up scope. 👍

I've had a PST for many years, I love nothing better than going out in the summer to see what our nearest star is doing. Now that the sun is starting to play again I really look forward to it. I piggyback it to the scope in the obsy and have a nice day in the garden, wonderful.....

That's a really great story Mike. I think astronomy is in keeping with a lot of hobbies in that they are with you for life. I was observing M42 the other night thinking to myself that I've been looking at you for nearly 50 years with optical aids of various shapes and sizes. Yet here I am still enjoying the experience. And as it got late I was seeing the familiar shape of Leo and thinking about the coming galaxy season. I never think of this cycle of astronomy as repetition though, that's just it. Even after all this time.

Well this is a new one on me! The obsy has been up and running about 17 years. Its a roll off roof design, pretty common fare. Yesterday I looked at the forecast and planned to pop out. Went out about 7pm. Great session until just after midnight. Little weather station showing - 6C. Parked scope, turned everything off, just needed to pull roof back over. Frozen solid😳... Spent a good while before I could get it moving again. Not very pleasant I can tell you, never happened before but the conditions were such that the frost came on very quickly through the time I was out there. Must remember to move the roof occasionally in future.. 😏

Yes, definitely. On a new-ish laptop of mine registax won't load anything above a certain file size/frame count. Bear in mind that registax hasn't been updated for a while. I still use it for the wavelet processing mind you.

Popped into obsy first thing, could roll the roof back thankfully as its a nice day, for once!! After a touch of com port selection problems (my fault! ), scope connected no problem. Big thanks to Colin Dawson for that driver. I believe he's a member on here so cheers Colin if you are. Thanks again Alan...

Right, that's the thread. Thanks for that Alan. I've downloaded that and I'll give it a whirl tomorrow. I'd take a look now but it's terrible out there and I'm not up for a trip down the garden in that weather to be honest. Thanks again... 👍

Well the kit arrived today, went with the startech. Seems to be recognised but having no joy getting the ASCOM driver to connect. Strangely enough I can get it to connect using autostar suite so obviously the hardware would seem to be fine. I've given up for today. There was a bit of talk about ascom drivers and LX200 issues recently as I recall.

Thanks, I'll order that!!!!!

It actually comes up in device driver with the text.... "this device not updated since 2012"...it's s probably over 15 years old to be honest! So I'm not too surprised. Just wondered if anyone had recently bought one, and from where. Thanks for the reply.

Hi all, Just been in my obsy and the old computer I use to control my lx200 has finally given up the ghost. Anyway, I took a new laptop out and connected that. It would appear win10 doesn't like the old USB serial converter. Understandable as the thing is pretty old. Anyone recommend one they are presently using under win10? A zillion choices out there.... Thanks in advance..

Got to say, that looks like a work of art....

Yes. I rolled back the obsy roof about 3.30pm, managed to get them both in the same field of a 30mm ep on the 12inch lx200, still quite light. Nice to add to the list of things you don't see that often. Looked very nice in the southwest as the sky darkened. Hopefully we'll all get a chance when they are at their closest.

They are very nice images, given the size of mars, all the more impressive.