powerlord

ha! not a movement so far as wind builds up to nearly 80 in 2 hours. I've been in and out doing stuff. solid. I'll do a video I reckon! stu

Thanks Lee. I'm not sure about the beautiful bit, but still pleased how it's turned out. Forecast now say 75-80mph tomorrow. So that'll be fun. Does look clear tomorrow night, but still 35-40. Don't think I'll chance taking roof off and leaving off in that.. So first light will have to wait a bit. I reckon I'll try connecting everything to nina and the new yoga lappy and having a play Friday just too see what it's like, with roof on and heater on ! Stu

So.. Took this afternoon off. Tada! Heres a video

Maybe but it's the rim that will lift if anything. With clamps on the roof it really can't move.

yeh i know. it was forecast for 95 earlier in week. but yup - will be working on tomorow so will be inside mostly. which I dunno about you - but I love being in something like a tent or my motorhome when its blowing a gale/raining - it feels nice being all secure and warm. Not quite at the 'secure' bit of that with the obsy yet - but i reckon it either through amazing engineering or luck* it'll be fine. *definately luck

I tried that one myself a month ago - very tricky. You've got some good detail there. stu

well - it's still there !! So I reckon that's the challenge of all challenges there - I think last night was the windiest I ever remeber it being in Ipswich. I reckon the bit of movement was due to the fact, I had the duct/fan on - so air can get in/out, plus the seal between roof and walls is not perfect - I'll work on that a bit today as it will help the humidifier work better too. With a better seal, you have the air pressure as a resistance to any wind acting as a great strengthener. Lots to do today. aim still to be at the point that I can put mounts in tomorrow. not finished then - just next step - need to then make up cables correct lengths, etc - but still possible I could be ready for first light by weekend.

Up to 56mph just now.. Ethernet done so stuck camera out there. Motion detection going off as roof ripples.. So far so good.. But can't say I'm not a bit 'puckered'.. vlc-record-2022-02-16-19h36m19s-rtsp__16450401790001645040179000.mp4

No new pics - but just an update. buried power cables today, and fitted a hub in conservatory, and drilled hole in wall then layed in a new ethernet cable to the obsy and buried that under grass too. So permanent power now there. hub fitted in obsy. Just need to make up RJ45 end connectors to finish the ethernet side of things. I've fitted a sonofh th16 power, temp and humidity iot device. this gives me real time and historic data on temp and humidity in there, and lets me either use that data to control other smart stuff in there, or control it's own plug. I've bought a small 'smart' wifi dessicant dehumidifier (https://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/p/desd8lw/electriq-desd8lw-dehumidifier-dehumidifier) Dessicants are good because they work in very low temperatures - I have one I use in the garage and occasionally the motorhome. Being 'smart' this one can join the other smart devices and either have a plan to itself, going on when humidity high, or I might fiddle something up together with the other iot stuff out there. My general plan now is, that since it's actually pretty sealed and non-porous it's very easy to keep the humidty low, so I will block the inlet and outlet fan, and just let it do the business. IF it's particularly warm (>25 say), I'll have it alert me on my phone, and then I'll swap to turning the inlet and outlet fan on to replace air every few mins to keep temp down. This will probably be the default mode for the summer, where its keeping temp down rather than humidity that needs controlling. I might automate covering/opening flaps on inlet/outlet if I can be bothered. Also the electiq is a heater too, so I can also program it to pop on to stop frost. Additionally if I'm out there with the roof on doing stuff, it'll keep me warm. Oh, I bought a battery powered heated wastecoat for 30 quid from amazon. it's amazing good! can recommend it for observers out there!! Also, got the strip lights today, and will fit them tonight. So - it's all coming together. Tomorrow, 50mph winds, and friday 65mph winds. My plan is to get mounts in on friday. I'm quite looking forward to sitting out there on friday night in the winds, cosy inside fiddling with the mounts !! a new man cave! stu

sounds ideal. I just use asiair, so start with app on tablet. So no problem just holding it against ota - that way I move it about a bit too just to eliminate any potential bright spots if there are any. usually medium to high brightness is fine for NB. Gor RGBL I need to go onto lowest brightness, but then its fine. Just need to do 2 sets of autoruns - one for HSO, one for RGBL. stu

Today's APOD seems like a good project to try to build up ? https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220215.html here's the linked pic: I really like the look of it. Has anyone tried it before here ? If so, any tips ? stu

All fitted.

One power junction soldered, another 3 to go.

It's domed roof now, and correx is very slippy so I doubt any snow would stick tbh. But we're lucky if we get one decent snow fall in Suffolk so I admit it won't be tested much. Today I fitted extractor fan, inlet duct and my shelf/desk/psu. Amazingly I'm gonna have room for a cosy desk in there and seat, as well as the 2 mounts. Im now working on the power distribution boxes and asiair mounts - I've decided to mount the asiair on the mount over the polar scope mount (don't use). This is a compromise between on the ota where less wires twisting but need to faff with moving asiair when change otas, and mounting off mount when lots get twisted. I've designed and printed 3d plug mounts that will basically 'plug in' the power distribution box and asiair to the polar scope hole. Led dimming light strip ordered also. I've got a fan heater in three now, just drying the slabs out a bit as I built it when slabs have not had a good dry out between rain. Hoping once dry and the ground under dry, they'll stay dry. If not can always seal them. So, lots to do yet, and I want to at least get lights fitted and it dried out a bit before I put the mounts in. I've also still got 20m of ethernet cable to lay/Bury to reach it.. So lots still to do, but getting there! Stu

wow. very nice

As long as I'm not also doing that from a height of 2000 feet I'll take it. 😁

it was the Blue Oyster Bar wasn't it ? (Police Academy) 😀 I see on friday, the forecast is for 76mph winds...I fear even my amazingly robust plaservatory might need watching that day...

prob them then. Ive not measured the filter thickness. that'd mean I'm only .3mm off though. Doesn't seem likely that that amount of image aberations could be due to that small amount of difference, especially with a wee asi1600 sensor ? Maybe more likely focus tube is a wee bit tilted or something ? stu

I get that. But ZWO are saying "use this for 55mm backfocus" - and then show an imaging chain that is 56mm. Yeh my FF is 55mm.

yeh they all measured/verified. yup my expectation is filter is 1mm thick, so need 0.3. just seems weird ZWO should recommend a full mm. i was thinking I replace the 16.5 with a 15mm and then screw it out a bit and start taking test subs at slightly different distances out. find what works and then measure the distance I've screwed it out.

This was shot with my altair 80ED with 0.8FF. It was shot with the zwo Ha filter, and with the backfocus recommended by zwo(*). that is: asi1600 + EFW + M42 adapter + 11mm +16.5mm : 0.8FF/OTA 6.5 + 20 + 2 + 11 + 16.5 = 56mm Perhaps they are saying 1mm for the filter itself, but that seems too much ? Comparing the edges of the image with a pic online (**) supposedly showing the pattern you get with the sensor too far from and too close to the lens, this looks like it is too far from the lens ? Am I on the right track ? I believe 0.3mm is generally allowed for a NB filter, so I should remove 0.7mm from the chain somehow ? * https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/tutorials/best-back-focus-length-solutions-55mm.html ** https://optcorp.com/blogs/deep-sky-imaging/how-to-set-the-correct-back-focus

that's good to know. I've been getting put off going down the OAG route because of posts that say they have had problems. I imagine I'd have less issues with my asi110 mini, but the other guide camera is an asi120mc, and is much less sensitive. I'd hate to spent the 200 quid on OAG/focuser to find out it all didn't work. Sounds like it's maybe worth a try for me as well then.

Downside of oag is tiny amount of light hitting guide camera. You may find it difficult to get enough stars to guide.

Sorry if I'm missing something, but seeing is never gonna be as good as 0.85" surely, so I'd have thought if imaging lower than seeing, go with seeing? I. E. Prob around 1.5-2"..so 6.45"/pixel guiding fine? Saying that I stopped using my 30mm minis as they just made things too dark. I know use of of those 50mm svbony 190mm you linked to, and an old 50mm SW finder with a 3d printed adapter on the end (182mm). I use them whatever I'm imaging with - whether 135mm, 500, 750, 1300 or 2300. Seems to work fine. I sometime get those jerks in stars, but it's likely an ra or Dec spike rather than anything else - check out phd2 log - maybe increase aggressiveness to pull it back quicker? Stu