WADAS forum 3

[Vicky050373]

M13 30.04.2016 - reprocessed
M13, also designated NGC 6205 and sometimes called the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules or the Hercules Globular Cluster, is a globular cluster of about 300,000 stars in the constellation of Hercules. Imaged using Atik 16IC-S monochrome CCD and William Optics FLT-110 mounted on NEQ6 Pro. 30 light frames ranging from 60 seconds to 600 seconds, no darks. Stacked in DeepSkyStacker, using the best 80% of frames. Fresh processing in Photoshop CS2.

[2STAR]

On 1/10/2017 at 20:57, Marci said:

Or just get some nichrome wire - they’re REALLY easy to make, and you can set the max heat load via the length of nichrome. S’just  + terminal > Regular shielded wire > length of nichrome wire required to get correct wattage heat load / resistance (think electric blanket layout of loops) > Regular shielded wire > - terminal running off whatever battery suits based on the final resistance, with any 12v dimmer (resistive or pwm based) to vary the power if you need to control the load. Use a laminate pouch, some webbing off an old rucksack strap or similar and stick it all together with gaffa essentially. Worth a quick google

EDIT: Bizarrely coincidinky timing - 

 

In other news... OZ1 is ALIVE!!

As some of you know who have me on yonder BookFace, my grandfather passed away the week prior to christmas, so I’ve chosen to invest some money left to me into astro and got me an NEQ6 Pro, thus he’ll always be there whistling away in the back of my mind (pretty much like this mount's stepper motors) whenever I’m out there looking up doing something I enjoy... and his name was Ossy. Hence OZ1.

Anyways, after a two week delay from Wex, my rings finally arrived and s’all mounted up n’ ready to play!

 

The poor little DirtyAstro LCM mount practically fits underneath it... poor l’il thing.

You will be cooking on gas with that Monster set Marci lad !!!!!!!!!!! ps: Sorry to hear about your Grandad, I didn't know, but a fitting tribute in the name. 

[nicks90]

Excuse my ignorance but why would you need a dew heater on an eye piece? 

I keep mine in my jacket pocket and the residual heat from my body keeps the dew at bay when it's in the scope.

[mapstar]

2 hours ago, nicks90 said:

Excuse my ignorance but why would you need a dew heater on an eye piece? 

I keep mine in my jacket pocket and the residual heat from my body keeps the dew at bay when it's in the scope.

If it works Nick then thats good 

Over a ten hour session I couldn't cope without one as taking the eyepiece in and out 500 times wouldn't be practical. 

Also it just mists up with my sometimes watery eyes. 

[rockystar]

18 hours ago, nicks90 said:

Excuse my ignorance but why would you need a dew heater on an eye piece? 

I keep mine in my jacket pocket and the residual heat from my body keeps the dew at bay when it's in the scope.

15 hours ago, mapstar said:

If it works Nick then thats good 

Over a ten hour session I couldn't cope without one as taking the eyepiece in and out 500 times wouldn't be practical. 

Also it just mists up with my sometimes watery eyes. 

Same - I keep it in the conservatory (or pocket if I'm out), it'll be clear and as soon as I've put my eye to it, it mists up. I've tried a few things to keep it clear and it's normally the thing that ends my sessions (now that I've sorted out the cold feet), so if this works and keeps me out longer, then I'm happy to invest.

[astrotyke]

im guessing Anti fogging liquid that you can buy is frowned on  would it work? not sure id feel comfortable applying it to expensive eyepieces 

[Marci]

Used it on my visor and glasses once for sidecar racing... spent an hour trying to clean it off again. Cured the fogging, but left some horrendous flaring and smearing.

[astrotyke]

That's a no then for astro use then

[2STAR]

On 1/9/2017 at 20:58, Vicky050373 said:

Yep, I've done! Now it's time to enjoy the view

Copied one of your ideas Vicky, just collecting from Argos in next day or so, Alloy flight case just for Imaging stuff !!, saves rumbling about in my plastic carton box that has other bits n pieces in haha, but it won't be as neat as yours, well it may start off neat but !!!!!!!!!!!!

[mapstar]

Just visited the WADAS Website and it's looking good.Not sure how long the navigation has been like that but a lot easier to find your way around the site.Plenty of interesting pictures by members too. 

[astrotyke]

51 minutes ago, mapstar said:

Just visited the WADAS Website and it's looking good.Not sure how long the navigation has been like that but a lot easier to find your way around the site.Plenty of interesting pictures by members too. 

Glad you like it better, its been like that about 5 months I think, something like that I changed it anyway. Certain other things need changing on the site too which ive been working on when time allows, so ill see where I go with that.

[mapstar]

14 minutes ago, astrotyke said:

Glad you like it better, its been like that about 5 months I think, something like that I changed it anyway. Certain other things need changing on the site too which ive been working on when time allows, so ill see where I go with that.

Lot better Chris, I'm sure I've visited it recently but can't remember seeing it that way.

As discussed at the AGM you've a bit of help now with Marc and Lee on board as a working party so I'm sure the load will be easier this year and with a few different ideas.

Good stuff 

[astrotyke]

yea, need to see whats happening on that as I wasnt there at the AGM, ill be there this Thursday though  

[Vicky050373]

Our next WADAS meeting is this Thursday 19th January, 7.30pm at Horbury Academy, when we have Megan Argo giving her talk "When Galaxies Collide". Members just £1 and non-members £3. Refreshments included.

[Matt Scunthorpe]

A work colleague of mine is looking at buying 2nd hand HEQ5 and an 8inch or so scope, found this on the classifieds for him to look at -

He's asked the question that on the handset, its labelled 'syncan AZ'. I assume that the handset has probably come from another mount originally, will this still drive the HEQ5 in the normal way, such as a original handset would?

 

[rockystar]

22 hours ago, mapstar said:

Just visited the WADAS Website and it's looking good.Not sure how long the navigation has been like that but a lot easier to find your way around the site.Plenty of interesting pictures by members too. 

 

21 hours ago, astrotyke said:

yea, need to see whats happening on that as I wasnt there at the AGM, ill be there this Thursday though  

there are too many menu items for my liking. I'd prefer some of them grouped together with drop downs. I did start to prototype a slightly different look to the site which I was going to show you, but I had a hard disk failure and may have lost it.

I won't be there on Thursday (be back in a couple of meetings time) but have a word with @Marci see how he is getting on. In the mean time, I'll see if i can recover it and show you what I came up with.

 

[Marci]

I'm waiting for a new server to be commissioned at the data-centre in Manchester - sometime this or next week. Once that's up I can drop a Wordpress install on so we can start migrating content over whilst a suitable theme is developed.

[astrotyke]

Havnt we just paid for another 12 months on the current hosting though Soupy? Im sure it was just before the end of last year that we paid the invoice. So we dont need a server in Manchester at the moment as we would be wasting our money. That could maybe come further down the line and we can migrate the site over at a later date, if thats the route we want to take as a society. 

If so, we may as well use that for the next year, there is word press on there as I was messing around with it the other week. You can start to look at that if you want asap. Doesnt need to be anything too complicated 

[astrotyke]

I have actually a wordpress site setup on there, with a members page too. Just not much content on there really yet, but it is there,and theres a calendar on there etc.It needs a better theme on it as the one on there was just one i looked at, but its easy to sort out.

May aswell use that seen as we have paid for the hosting for 12 months and then migrate the site maybe at the end of the year.

 

 

[Vicky050373]

Great meeting again tonight. I thought Megan's talk was really interesting and pitched at just the right level. Very good indeed. I've just walked in the door after a pleasant walk home with Terry and Chris whilst talking about possible dark sky sites. Another memorable WADAS evening

[astrotyke]

Yea i enjoyed it too tonight, thought the talk was good as you say was at a good level. Well presented too in a good voice  

Also great to have some new members with us tonight!!

2 weeks till the next meeting. Hope we have some clear skies before then

chris

 

[Mark62]

Really enjoyed the talk myself. I wounder if we will feel like clothes in a dryer when our galaxy dose collide with Andromeda  

[rockystar]

I really fancied that talk, sounded like it would be a good one, but I'm not allowed out to you guys more than once a month  

I'm starting to get the bits together to build this power supply, while I'm doing it, is it worth sticking any extra power connections on, like cigarette lighter socket, or USB for future use?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproof-12V-Car-Cigarette-Lighter-Socket-USB-Charger-Power-Adapter-Outlet-JX/142068009464

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adapter-socket-2-USB-Ports-Car-Cigarette-Lighter-Charger-for-12V-Car-Auto-FK/232116810255

 

[MattGoo]

Sorry I missed what sounds like a good meeting, I didn't get back from my training course in time to attend. Also, my Dad's operation was a success yesterday so we're all relieved and he's now on the road to recovery.

In other news, I've managed to acquire the Skywatcher Aplanatic Coma Corrector that is matched for my Quattro scope

[Vicky050373]

33 minutes ago, MattGoo said:

Sorry I missed what sounds like a good meeting, I didn't get back from my training course in time to attend. Also, my Dad's operation was a success yesterday so we're all relieved and he's now on the road to recovery.

In other news, I've managed to acquire the Skywatcher Aplanatic Coma Corrector that is matched for my Quattro scope

Pleased to hear your dad's operation was a success and that he is on the road to recovery. Hope you are enjoying your new job.

Megan was really good and we had a few new faces at the meeting too which was brilliant.

Coma corrector sounds good - the Quattro looks like a gorgeous scope! Shame the skies have been poor this last few weeks.

The next meeting on 2nd February is going to be a club night. If you are able to make it would you kindly bring your lens cleaning kit please.