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WADAS (Wakefield and District Astronomical Society)

stonemonkeylives

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mapstar

mapstar

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Never got on with a raci finder. So I just stick with my red dot finder and a 38mm wide angle ep to star hop. Takes a moment to get your head around the orientation and putting your chart the right way round to the view in your ep. But for me, it works better than a finder scope.

You also get the benefit of stumbling across fuzzies with the big light-grasp of the dob as you star hop. I frequently find myself distracted and scanning my charts for ngc's as I jump to my intended target.

As Nick points out there are other ways of star hopping although it does depend on which scope you are using and how you get on with the image orientation.

Which ever you find easiest will help you enjoy the hobby more as it quickly frustrates when you can't find anything.

Obviously this is for visual but

I have seen quite a few with all singing and dancing goto systems not knowing if it's pointing at the right alignment stars

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mapstar

mapstar

Posted
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Never got on with a raci finder. So I just stick with my red dot finder and a 38mm wide angle ep to star hop. Takes a moment to get your head around the orientation and putting your chart the right way round to the view in your ep. But for me, it works better than a finder scope.

You also get the benefit of stumbling across fuzzies with the big light-grasp of the dob as you star hop. I frequently find myself distracted and scanning my charts for ngc's as I jump to my intended target.

As Nick points out there are other ways of star hopping although it does depend on which scope you are using and how you get on with the image orientation.

Which ever you find easiest will help you enjoy the hobby more as it quickly frustrates when you can't find anything.

Obviously this is for visual but

I have seen quite a few with all singing and dancing goto systems not knowing if it's pointing at the right alignment stars

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hazegood

hazegood

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As Nick points out there are other ways of star hopping although it does depend on which scope you are using and how you get on with the image orientation.

Which ever you find easiest will help you enjoy the hobby more as it quickly frustrates when you can't find anything.

Obviously this is for visual but

I have seen quite a few with all singing and dancing goto systems not knowing if it's pointing at the right alignment stars

I am guilty of that,   my problem is I am ok finding them in the sky at home with its light pollution, its when I go somewhere dark I struggle to pick them out,  too many stars lol

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gtis

gtis

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have just done the LED in my vx3000 plug it into lappy and run cam software so the led is lit, (its near the switch for taking a one shot image on the pcb, just gently break it with a flat small  jewellers screwdriver, job done

Yes job done now

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nicks90

nicks90

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I am guilty of that,   my problem is I am ok finding them in the sky at home with its light pollution, its when I go somewhere dark I struggle to pick them out,  too many stars lol

Too right! First time I went to kielder I was utterly lost. At home the constellations stand out beautifully, as they're the only ones you can see! But somewhere dark they blend into the background and its all too easy to get lost. Cassiopeia just disappears into the milky way.

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mapstar

mapstar

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Going somewhere different always disorientates even the best of us for at least a few minutes.

Get familiar with your set up first worry about attaching a camera later, in my case about 20 years lol

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Vicky050373

Vicky050373

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Well... Few beers sunk and skies were clear as a bell, but as predicted they have now clouded over so it onto the wine now!

It's looking like there are some high clouds coming in down my way too, so I have cracked open a beer and I'm going to watch a movie with the kids.

Hope you've had a good birthday! :)

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Vicky050373

Vicky050373

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Too right! First time I went to kielder I was utterly lost. At home the constellations stand out beautifully, as they're the only ones you can see! But somewhere dark they blend into the background and its all too easy to get lost. Cassiopeia just disappears into the milky way.

I had to get Damian to help me find Cassiopeia in my Milky Way image when we were up at Kielder. We only located it as he knew it was near double cluster C14. We can always rely on Damian to sort us out ;)

post-39306-0-84497900-1432587904_thumb.j

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Soupy

Soupy

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It's been very good cheers Vicky, I have managed no lie in... Chopped and stacked some wood... Gotten my feet wet crossing over the river to the field as my wellies have a large hole in them I wasn't aware of... And I have had my hand stuck down a toilet to clear a blockage, then had to rod the main drain as it was also blocked with what seemed like a year of paper and cr@p... Not pleasant!

But I am still smiling and on my third beer with plenty more to come... ;)

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Vicky050373

Vicky050373

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It's been very good cheers Vicky, I have managed no lie in... Chopped and stacked some wood... Gotten my feet wet crossing over the river to the field as my wellies have a large hole in them I wasn't aware of... And I have had my hand stuck down a toilet to clear a blockage, then had to rod the main drain as it was also blocked with what seemed like a year of paper and cr@p... Not pleasant!

But I am still smiling and on my third beer with plenty more to come... ;)

Oh heck Soupy, I need a "dislike" button for this! Bet you were ready for a drink (or six) after that lot! Eugh! Well, at least you can keep smiling ;)
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Mark62

Mark62

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It's been very good cheers Vicky, I have managed no lie in... Chopped and stacked some wood... Gotten my feet wet crossing over the river to the field as my wellies have a large hole in them I wasn't aware of... And I have had my hand stuck down a toilet to clear a blockage, then had to rod the main drain as it was also blocked with what seemed like a year of paper and cr@p... Not pleasant!

But I am still smiling and on my third beer with plenty more to come... ;)

That's poop lol glad u had a good time even though u had to do all that work [emoji6]

Mark

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Soupy

Soupy

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Yep cheers Mark was a good day... But not too sure if Dawn understands the difference between astronomy and astrology she bought me some tarot cards as a pressie...

Anybody for a reading ;)

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Sam Baker

Sam Baker

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The skies are looking good tonight, but I won't be able to make it out. I got absolutely wasted last night, woke up this morning and called my mum and told her I'll go up to see her. I totally forgot about clear skies [emoji28]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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astrotyke

astrotyke

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Well, you are rubbish Sam lol. I am still up for a meet-up if the skies are clear and if anyone else is up for an outing. At RSPB Old Moor with Luke today, so I'll keep my eye on here later to see what's happening :)

Its nice there. Fingers crossed its clear tonight

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Soupy

Soupy

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Hope you guys get a clear night, Sam what are you like, if it's clear go to your mums early with the kit in the car then head up to Winscarr, it won't start getting dark until after 10.30 anyway

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