Doc

23.43 GMT. 36th Launch of Discovery. Space shuttle launch on Nasa TV. My first time watching this live and I must admit I'm enjoying every minute of it. I love this stuff. Fingers crossed for a safe blast off. AWESOME.... LOVED IT.

My scopes outside cooling. Not a cloud in the sky buy it's pretty windy right now. I don't hold out to much for tonight. Not fun observing in a gale. Just looking at the scope sitting outside on the patio and boy does it look good. Can't believe I have one of these. A boyhood dream come true. Off to make a list of possible targets. Typical it's now all cloudy. Arrrghhhh why oh why does this happen.

Cheers Buddy.

Full moon tonight ..... At last the supplier for my broken rotary encoder has e-mailed with a schematic drawing of which wires go where. I've access to a soldering iron from work so hopefully, and fingers crossed I'll have a go myself. I'll let you know what happens. Cloudy outside so will be watching Champions league again Man Utd v Inter Milan. 2-0

Been really busy at work for the past few days so didn't post yesterday. Other then work there was nout to report and I'm sure you don't want to be bored about work. Been outside for a bit tonight, almost a full moon. A bit cloudy though so looking through some breaks in the cloud. Lunar is fantasic tonight. Didn't bother with the laptop outside so don't know which craters I've looked at but been up and down terminator and it's just so detailed and clear. When it is cloudy have bbeen watching snippits of the Liverpool v Real Madrid game. What a game that's been. 4-0

What a PITA looked outside at 18.00 lovely and clear, decided to set up my new barn door mount. Put it on it's tripod, polar aligned it. Set up the camera and laptop. Focused on the Dog Star. Started to take a 1 minute exposure and then clouds rolled in. It's outside still awaiting a break in the clouds but still as cloudy as ever. Oh well until next time.......

Stuck up two ceiling lights for my in laws today. Went shopping and then relaxed and watched FA Cup Quarter final between Man Utd and Fulham. Then spent a few hours on SGL. Not a bad day. Very cloudy outside so won't be stargazing tonight.

Sounds like you had a great night whats the FOV of Vixen EP and do you think it would like a fast scope say F4.5

Went and saw my son James's play at school. He was Perfect Peter from the TV show Horrid Henry. I was really impressed he has a talent for acting. Then went and had a Mcdonalds breakfast with the wife. A very relaxing day. Finish work early as well so fingers crossed for a clear night.

Refitted handlebar modification to my dob today. Looks mighty impressive. All I need now is some handlebar grips and a couple of those plastic blanking caps that fit ito the ends of box sections. Then gave the dob a polish and a bit of TLC. Just finished work 22.00 and the sky is clear and perfect for stargazing but I have to be up at 06.00 so no stargazing for me tonight:(

M42, 35, 36, 37 amd 13 also the double cluster in Perseus. Later M31 and Bluebell Nebula ( NGC 7662)

Finished my barn door project today. Will take photo's later. Looks impressive just need a clear night now hopefully Friday or Saturday. Also sprayed my dob handlebars black today. Outside drying as I'm typing.

Got my "At Risk" letter today at work and luckily for me I'm not up for redundancy. I know at least 8 work colleagues who are. It doesn't mean that they will definetly go it means they will have to apply for a different position. But there will be 40 compulsary positions to go. In total 175 jobs to go but a lot are voluntary. Took my handlebars and wheels of my dob today and primed them with undercoat for a nice fresh coat of black paint tomorrow. Still no news form the supplier who sold me the rotary encoder so I can get a schematic drawing to fix the pulled out wires. pretty annoying really.

The amount of times thats happened to me. LOL Glad you Saturn for the first time this year. Awesome sight those edge on rings.

Spent the morning writing up my observing log for last night. It can be seen here... http://stargazerslounge.com/showthread.php?p=1185328#post1185328 Then dismantalled a old alarm clock so I could use the face on my barn door. Off to work later, I'm on the late shift so no stargazing for me tonight.

Lovely day today, nice and warm with clear skies. Cleaned the house throughout, sort of spring clean. Love a clean house, hate clutter. Then took James down park for a game of football before coming home and watching Carling Cup on TV. Man United beat Spurs on Penalties. And to cap it off great night, it was clear at last, stayed out till 22.30 and bagged another 4 Messier objects. Will write up my report tomorrow.

What sort of paint are you using Kai is it some sort of enamel paint.

My daughter's 14th birthday today. She's at the cinema at the moment and then her 4 friends are having a sleepover upstairs in the loft, all sharing a blow up double bed. She wants domino's pizzas and plenty of ice cream. I don't think I'll be getting much sleep, lets hope it's clear so I can stay up late. Talking about clear, scopes outside cooling and at the moment it's clear. Done some more work on my barn door mount today. Looking great now. Watching England in the six nations at the moment. Well I had 30 minutes of clear sky. managed to bag comet Lulin. Bit disapointed as I was looking through loads of low cloud but at least I saw it. Could make out a fuzzy blue ball with a hazy tail.

It is a day of bad news. Compulsary redundancies started in work today. My Group Leader and good friend was made redundant. I personally think he was s***ed on big style as he is not a "Yes Man". He will be missed. Then I knackered my Azimuth Encoder by accidently getting the wires ripped from it. Cloudy once again so all in all a carp day.

Not much to report today. I did warn you that not all my days are interesting. ;) I did look out at 18.00 and the sky was pretty clear. Orion was shining and Venus looked awesome. So have a guess I wheeled out the dob and then the clouds rolled in. I should have known better. :) Up at 05.30 so an early night for me.

Sounds like a much better site. If it is better will you be relocating the observatory.

Went for a visit to IDAS (Ilkeston District Astronomical Society) tonight with Rob (Red Dwallf). First time either of us have been to a astronomy club so didn't know what to expect. They were very friendly bunch, very informal but some great people with some great advice. No scopes were there, but one lad did bring his EQ6 Pro mount which we looked around. There were some astrophoto's to look at as well. A good night.

Finally got to use that barlow, lol Well done matey glad you had a good night. I personally cannot remember my last. :embarrassed:

I'm also the last to know. Never tells me nothing.

Pancake day....... Cloudy again so having a few beers while watching Man Utd v Inter Milan in the Champions league. Have made arangements with Red Dwalf (Rob) to go to ilkeston Astronomy Society tomorrow so cannot wait for that. Finished 0-0. But a good game.