WADAS (Wakefield and District Astronomical Society)

[mapstar]

Well done Sammy sounds like a great session.

I've just spent 15min's looking at Saturn using a small 80mm finder scope with an 8mm eye piece in.

Was a wonderful sight about 20degrees above the south eastern horizon.

I could just pick out that it is eye like in shape at present with the main body of the planet resting inside the rings forming the oval shape.

Trying to pick out the gap between the planet and the rings either side is challenging in such small aperture,but never fails to impress me! even compared to the 200mm its still a wonderful sight.

[Soupy]

Nice you get to see Saturn Damian, my temporary new horizon is too high for me to catch it.

[mapstar]

Shame I was on nights Soupy as I would've been up for a trip out.

Good effort with the small aperture photo's

[mapstar]

I have taken the hard decision today to bin my lap and order some more pitch from John.

The lap was just not forming a full shape with the surface being too thin at the edge to press into the curve. This is why the centre of the mirror is hazy and under polished.

It's extra time and cost to make a new one but I will make a better job of it as the last one was very messy. Pitch get's everywhere its horrible stuff.

I should be back up and running by the end of the week but it's a set back in what seem's the never ending mirror making saga

Damian

Pitch is winging its way to me via the royal mail so back polishing this weekend all being well. Out to the garage next to make a new lap base!

[mapstar]

Base is just gluing up made from 4 x  1/2" thick ply pieces. Should be all set by tomorrow then onto sanding and sealing it with a couple of coats of fibre glass resin

[ddtwelve12]

whoop whoop comfort at last while im observing

cheap as chips too

[Soupy]

Nice new chair Dave! Damian might need to borrow it to stand on once he finishes the monster scope so he can reach the eyepiece

[Soupy]

Base is just gluing up made from 4 x  1/2" thick ply pieces. Should be all set by tomorrow then onto sanding and sealing it with a couple of coats of fibre glass resin

Great news on the pitch lap Damian, let's hope this is the final straight

[ddtwelve12]

normal astro chairs £80+ this £36 hehe seems stable enough

[Sam Baker]

I've got an Atik Titan but haven't really managed to use it. I just think it would be great to have a guide cam and planetary cam then i can use both when i eventually manage to get out. I had a go at m45 widefield last night with my canon and 50mm lense. Getting focus is so difficult, my pictures are really disappointing. There seems to be this hurdle that I'm really struggling to get over. I'm going to keep trying to improve my images, I'm sure there will be some improvement at some point . There's loads of stuff i want to buy but i want to get good enough with equipment I've got before I upgrade.

[mapstar]

I've got an Atik Titan but haven't really managed to use it. I just think it would be great to have a guide cam and planetary cam then i can use both when i eventually manage to get out. I had a go at m45 widefield last night with my canon and 50mm lense. Getting focus is so difficult, my pictures are really disappointing. There seems to be this hurdle that I'm really struggling to get over. I'm going to keep trying to improve my images, I'm sure there will be some improvement at some point . There's loads of stuff i want to buy but i want to get good enough with equipment I've got before I upgrade.

Good thinking Sam, better starting to walking than run. If you want to have a go at hurdling then Kierans talk on Thursday might be good to attend if not pop round and I'll let you have a go at mirror polishing!

[mapstar]

Great news on the pitch lap Damian, let's hope this is the final straight

Final straight with the polishing Soupy. Then fingers crossed If I have a smooth spherical curve with no problem's I can move onto the figuring which is hopefully the final straight :-)

[Sam Baker]

A go at mirror polishing sounds like fun! But i don't think it's going to improve my chances at achieving quality images!

[Sam Baker]

I'm not going to be able to make thursday, I've got meetings afternoon and evening to attend to

[mapstar]

Another enjoyable Saturn sighting this morning. The atmosphere is definitely calmer today as the planet was more defined and a slight more elevation from the horizon helps a lot.

Bed time now but loving this micro astronomy ;-)

[Mark62]

I don't know if the will work. If not I have them on my phone if u want to see them.

Photos from my Aurora flight. Fingers crossed

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Soupy]

Those are pretty Awesome Mark, well done. Makes me want to book one for the misses now

[Mark62]

Glad u like. It was a good night not everyone sees the columns just the green glow that in the second picture.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sammyb]

Those photos are great

[stonemonkeylives]

Really nice pictures there Mark.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[mapstar]

Great photo's Mark thanks for sharing them.

Venus to the south is already viewable and it's looking a fantastic night shame the moon will be up. Typical I'm on night's again lucky last though

[Mark62]

The moon looked superb to night as it came up big and orange and so clear. Clouds have rolled in now so that's the end of that [emoji16]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mapstar]

Yeah just seen the massive bank of cloud thats rolled in. 

[Mark62]

The moon looked superb to night as it came up big and orange and so clear. Clouds have rolled in now so that's the end of that [emoji16]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vicky050373]

Wow Mark! They are beautiful photographs. You must have had an amazing time.

I thought the same about the nice clear sky when I left work. Dashed home looking forward to getting my scope out, and those clouds have rolled in before I got home! Typical, but hopefully they'll clear again later on. Fingers crossed!