BCN_Sean

I think the highest version of tensorflow you would be able to use on 10.11 is version 1.9.0 Before you dig in installing tensorflow, though, it may be worth looking at what version of Python is required as it was 2.7 on 10.11 (originally, unless you've updated) as the original building of StarNet was under Python 3.6 If you've got Python3 in there, pulling tensorflow in to the system shouldn't be more difficult than installing it through python (pip) itself. If you've got a machine with a standalone graphics processor, tensorflow may be able to leverage that, but if not or unsure then it'd be best to build for CPU only. Command line (Terminal) time : Tensorflow without GPU : pip3 install tensorflow==1.9.0 Tensorflow with GPU support: pip3 install tensorflow-gpu==1.9.0

With that level of depth it would have taken me a few minutes to recognise it if you'd not said! That's a beautiful image.

I don't think it'd run on 10.11, as libtensorflow (one of the dependencies of StarNet) looks for something in the operating system that wasn't introduced until Sierra.

My usual thing for cleaning items that aren't affected with static is a rub over with a soft pencil eraser followed by a wash down with alcohol.

The only limit to anything is how creative and how well at problem solving you are. At the moment, I've an EQ mount on order but my other one, it's one of the lowest bits of tech there is for a mount, two bits of wood, a door hinge, a few bolts and metal rods; also cost me about 15€ over what I had already to stick together. One of the things I've found with looking up, half of the enjoyment/bedevilment (delete as applicable) is learning things and solving problems; and them solutions don't have to be expensive. Here's a few links (same ones as I used) to get you started, and then if the bug bites you more, then after that it's up to you how you go. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn_door_tracker https://blarg.co.uk/astronomy/barn-door-tracker-calculator https://partofthething.com/thoughts/making-a-cheap-and-simple-barn-door-star-tracker-with-software-tangent-correction-for-astrophotography/

Both it and it's larger sibling don't really look like the sort of thing that someone who frequents a forum like this would consider a serious tool. It looks more like a disposable income consumer device which would be rolled out at dinner parties and the like as a talking point, and priced accordingly.

You could say I've got "garden envy" at the moment

Indeed it is, I'm just itching a bit now for these curfews to be relaxed and the back orders to be fulfilled as whilst it may sound daft to some, I'm enjoying learning things again.

Yes there are, I'm just scratching the surface at the moment and I think it's at least once a day where there's something that leaves me mouth agape.

That's spectacular! I can see why you fell in love with that one.

Looks some nice ones there, some more for me to have a look through. That's something nice about this forum, someone asks a question and it's a flash of inspiration for others! Here's another one I'm going through at the moment, it's and observation list from 2003 but thought out for light polluted areas https://skyandtelescope.org/wp-content/uploads/MullaneyDeepSky111.pdf

That's triggering my inner geek no-end. The whole process here, not just the image I'm finding so interesting; I'd be keen to see some more of these.

A mistake today is experience for tomorrow.

Two absolute clear nights for the last two and only around freezing, and a new jacket to try out; but alas, being on call ruined both. Tonight, no calls and rain... Typical.

The lights have made a noticeable difference where I live, also with all non-essential lights going off at midnight it darkens down no end, and for good measure when the regional council was going on this trip for switching to LED they put two bits of planning regulation on them so not only have they got to be downward projecting but also (except in certain mitigating circumstance) the light heads have to be lower than street side first floor windows. Only time it's noticeable now is if there's humidity hanging over the valley floor; even my other half has noticed, which is surprising, to the point where she's actively taking an interest in looking up.

Being a Nikon user myself, I can only repeat what @Alien 13 & @alacant have said with mounting a lot of vintage lenses on a Nikon F-mount body; it's perhaps one of the biggest annoyances of the design. What I'd suggest is instead of looking for a vintage lens, sell the Nikon 135, put the money from that and the initial budget together and look around for a used Samyang/Rokinon 135 F:/2. You might get lucky or you might need to put a bit more money in to find one, but that may be the best option both optically and monetary.

Never really actively thought about this, but my usual lamp is a very weedy reddish maglite and the batteries in that are usually rotated off something else. If I'm not using that, I'm quite partial to using a dob of photo-phosphorescent tape/paint on things (cable ends, screw heads, port markers and the like), a habit which I got in to when I "lost" a camera setup in a field at night whilst doing some long exposure work.

Before you buy anything, figure out what you want to do and then suck up as much information on how to get there.

May seem like a slightly odd and simple question, but did you cover the viewfinder of the camera when you were shooting these? Light coming in through the back of the camera can create bright spots on an image which do look like a form of vignetting which is more noticeable the longer the exposure time. Most SLR are supplied with a little plastic clip and that replaces the eyepiece around the viewfinder to cover it; but if not a bit of electricians tape does the same thing. It's an often overlooked thing, but it is one of the simplest to check that doesn't require extensive work to the setup to diagnose or rule out.

I'm still getting the head around the post capture processing and I've not done that much to it, as the only thing I've got on this machine is SiriL; also not run the calibrated the screen in ages so : Crop White Balance/Background Neutralisation Auto Strech Background Extraction (subtract) Move Black Point in Asinh Transformation Green Noise Remove Colour Saturation Background Extraction (subtract) again Move Black Point in Asinh again, but not by too much.

Same thing as what vlaiv says above, check the humidity levels. A dry cold (same with heat) is a lot more tolerable than if it has moisture with it. -5ºC is easily doable for an hour or two in low humidity, plenty of thin layers to trap heat is good but in that temperature keep your feet moving as that's where it'll get you first if the ground is cold.

I've had this with a D700 as well, and the only thing I can work it out to being, though others who have more experience may have a better idea, is that the initial images are under exposed and the post-capture process is trying to pull out data that isn't there.

Only had a few decent nights where I am since Christmas as well (but work soon put paid to all but one of them), but that's to be expected as clouds follow the postie like gulls follow the plough.

For the motor controller, I would be thinking of an Arduino (with LCD screen and a couple of buttons to adjust the sequence) and switching on and off a relay to drive the motor. I know you've already said that you are out of your depth with that route, but it may be worth enquiring in a local community group, or the local college student union to see if there's anyone who'd be able to build you one locally.

It's been a good few years since I've used Excel and longer since I've used it in English, so maybe things are out of whack; but why not try using the min or max function on the array/range and running the greater / less than comparators against that, so something like this: =IF(AND((MAX(Sheet1!V2)>Sheet2!$D$5);(MIN(Sheet1!V2)<Sheet2!$D$4));"TRUE";"FALSE");