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Oh the Joys of having an Observatory


malc-c

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For one reason or another its been months since I've mustered up the enthusiasum to come out and do some imaging (under medication from the doctors didn't help) but tonight having just put the bins out I was inspired to come out and roll the roof back on the observatory.

It's been parked for nearly three months.  Powered up the mount, booted the PC and launched cdc and APT (and spotify - well msut have some music whilst I work :) ), turned the warm room heaters on (brrr) and placed the scope on a bright star with the focus mask on - bingo, spot on with no adjustment needed.  Targeted M45, 20 sec exposure - nice

PHD up and running - tracking as I type whist taking a set of 5 min subs of M45.  From key in the door to first set of subs - 8 minutes :)

Now to come up with a nice target... might try M42 and the HH nebula later when it's rizen high enough out of the LP to  the south...

It's nice to be back in the saddle :)

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An Observatory (of the small shed variety) has got to be my next priority.  The chance to just go out and turn on and start imaging would be fantastic.  Sounds like you are set up for a good night.  Enjoy it Malcolm :-)

Cheers John

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to top that - SWMBO has buzzed through on the intercom that a nice hot milky coffee is awaiting my collection in the kitchen... just gets better :)

Just piced up the coffee and walking back noticed frost glistening on the observatory roof - Brrrrr

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It is a joy, isn't it! Frosty here too.

Just picked up the coffee and walking back noticed frost glistening on the observatory roof - Brrrrr

Personally, I prefer a couple of glasses of the fruit of the vine (or my 'red medicine', as my wife calls it). Coffee would make impossible to sleep when I eventually get to bed.
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An observatory and an intercom! Not to mention hot beverages. Sounds like sheer bliss. It's mighty clear here tonight so will be lugging the small dob out in a short while when the local lights are a bit dimmer. Happy Days indeed.

LOL - was all in the planning :)

I used to have a microwave in here too to warm up a nice meat pie or pastie when it got gold so i didn't wake the house hold up when the timer went beeb-beeb :) -  Every astronomer shoud have one :)

The only  problem with drinking wine  is that once this is all set doing a run there's not much I need do, other than watch you tube videos, or hang out on my fav forum... If I had the wine I would be half a sleep in front of the monitors :)  - Having said that we have half a dozen cans of beer in one of the cupboards out in the scope room, nice Iced cold ---- Brrrrrr :)

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Heavy frost here tonight too.  By the time I packed up it was over an eighth of an inch thick on the roof rails.  Had a reasonable night though proving the replacement Esprit 80ED was clear of pointy stars :)

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It's not frost here but it is cold and dewy. First proper imaging night for months and fingers-crossed I have a few hours of data on M74. I'm planning an obsy but wanted a full test run in the garden to see if the sky is dark enough to be worth it. Seems okay to me :)

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  • 2 months later...

The other week I wanted to test the modification to my Canon 400D and given the recent wet and cloudy weather took advantage of a gap in the clouds to test it out.

Powered up the PC, and PSU... EQMod for some reason didn't launch, so PC rebooted and this time it came up fine... Camera was placed in the scope, and the scope moved to a target star to set focus... launched APT and it opened and then stopped responding.... wouldn't endtask either.  Parked the scope, closed cdc and then forced a reboot on the PC.  Upon logging back in I repeated the above and everything worked fine.

With the scope pointing at a bright star I took a 10 sec exposure to see how far out focus was... I have a SW motor focuser, so pressed one of the buttons to adjust focus and nothing happened.  Pressed the other button, again nothing happened... Went to change the battery and in doing so noticed the positive lead was floating in mid-air !  So it was out with the screwdriver, and soldering iron, resolder the wires and put the controller back together.  Back up to the scope, connected the focuser and still nothing... back down to the house for a new battery and then tried again... it worked !

So there I was, an hour or so after I unlocked the observatory I was finally ready to test this out on the Flame nebula in Orion.... only to see Orion by now was covered in cloud and my opportunity to do some testing had gone.

Parked the scope, powered off, shut down the PC and turned out the light.... time for a beer !!

But then tonight, powered up, everything connected, target acquired and guiding clicked 1st time... less than 20 minutes form putting the key in the door I had the first sub in the bag ! - and PHD2 is guiding sweetly, probably the best ever tract I've had for ages.....

Bet you're bottom dollar, next session won't go so smoothly :)

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PHD up and running - tracking as I type whist taking a set of 5 min subs of M45.  From key in the door to first set of subs - 8 minutes :)

I've just got approval from the wife to build/purchase one of those Pulsar domes. I've gotta get a patio area built beforehand and funds for purchase but authorisation to proceed is the biggest hurdle out the way  :grin:

I can't wait to experience that obsy setup feeling. My setup times are 1hour + and by then the clouds or rain have set in.

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I've just got approval from the wife to build/purchase one of those Pulsar domes. I've gotta get a patio area built beforehand and funds for purchase but authorisation to proceed is the biggest hurdle out the way  :grin:

I can't wait to experience that obsy setup feeling. My setup times are 1hour + and by then the clouds or rain have set in.

Trust me you'll love it. 

If possible I would suggest making a circular concrete base on which to support the dome base (with a separate footing for the pier) so that you don't have any issues with the rotation of the dome

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