Floating Desktop Moon

[Hertford Stargazer]

Having seen this in the Sky at Night magazines 'Gear' section and being a full on Lunatic I decided to order one. They are branded and sold in the Science Museum's shop and website but unfortunately they were out of stock, a few minutes later I found them on Amazon so parted with the £15 (cheaper then the museum who were charging £14 but wanted £4.50 postage).

I wasn't really expecting much as they are meant to be a child's educational tool but was disappointed to find one major (in my eyes anyway) problem.

 

[Davey-T]

Like Ernie Wises hair piece 

Dave

[barkis]

8 hours ago, Hertford Stargazer said:

Having seen this in the Sky at Night magazines 'Gear' section and being a full on Lunatic I decided to order one. They are branded and sold in the Science Museum's shop and website but unfortunately they were out of stock, a few minutes later I found them on Amazon so parted with the £15 (cheaper then the museum who were charging £14 but wanted £4.50 postage).

I wasn't really expecting much as they are meant to be a child's educational tool but was disappointed to find one major (in my eyes anyway) problem.

 

And the problem being ???? ?

[Gina]

Poor quality globe with a very obvious join.  A description of "floating" implied magnetic levitation I thought, not a spike to the base.  OTOH I guess you can't expect much for £15 inc. P&P.

[Gfamily]

47 minutes ago, barkis said:

And the problem being ???? ?

[Gina]

Ah yes, you might be right now I look closer...

[steppenwolf]

10 hours ago, Hertford Stargazer said:

I found them on Amazon so parted with the £15

Was this bought from www.amazon.com.au by any chance?

[barkis]

Was it delivered to you assembled?  O would assume yes, as you would not have positioned it topsy turvy ?.

It looks a bit for to survive the  buffeting it could have suffered on its way through the UK delivery service. So, it must have been securely boxed up.                             
  I'm a Lunar lover, and would appreciate a quality replica in my den, but I don't think £15 would be anywhere near enough to buy such a replica.  I do have detailed maps, and they are very useful, but not as tactile as a nice lunar globe would be.

I did have a depiction of the moon that hung on the wall. It could be self illuminated to show the moon in it's monthly phase transitions.  More a novelty than anything else though.

[Gina]

I 3D printed a lithophane moon globe from Thingiverse.  Took over 12 hours even at a lower resolution!

[barkis]

1 hour ago, Gina said:

I 3D printed a lithophane moon globe from Thingiverse.  Took over 12 hours even at a lower resolution!

Ah!, but you've demonstrated often how much patience you have Gina.
Whereas I get frustrated waiting for a Bus.?

[Gina]

I thought you were an astronomer - surely that requires enormous patience with the weather we have in this country???

[barkis]

1 hour ago, Gina said:

I thought you were an astronomer - surely that requires enormous patience with the weather we have in this country???

I was very active in my prime Gina, but the years have slowed me down quite a bit.
I still have the hunger, but unfortunately, I'm at a snails pace now. 
Astronomy has been a passion from 9 years old,  and at 70 plus years on, I'm not for giving it up.
I just ponder a hell of a lot, and I still hope to get to a couple more  of SGL  Star Parties in the near future.

[Hertford Stargazer]

8 hours ago, Gina said:

Poor quality globe with a very obvious join.  A description of "floating" implied magnetic levitation I thought, not a spike to the base.  OTOH I guess you can't expect much for £15 inc. P&P.

Yes, the poor quality was the second thing I noticed. It has a magnet at the top and a wire tether at the bottom which is long enough to allow the magnet to hold it in a semi state of levitation. I applied to return it with a description of the fault and the supplier requested a photo. It came with a small map displaying the lunar features and labels your suppose to stick in the corresponding place on the globe, so I sent a photo back of the map beside the globe to show it was upside down. They then provided a full refund and told me not to worry about returning it and to dispose of the item any way I see fit. Not sure what to do with it now ? 

[Hertford Stargazer]

6 hours ago, barkis said:

Was it delivered to you assembled?  O would assume yes, as you would not have positioned it topsy turvy ?.

I did have a depiction of the moon that hung on the wall. It could be self illuminated to show the moon in it's monthly phase transitions.  More a novelty than anything else though.

Yes it was fully assembled so no real way of correcting it. I did debate sticking the base to the underside of a shelf so the whole thing was upside down thus correcting the globe but I think it'll look pretty naff.

I think I may also have a similar wall mounted moon to yours, mine has a little remote for switching phases. 

[barkis]

12 minutes ago, Hertford Stargazer said:

Yes it was fully assembled so no real way of correcting it. I did debate sticking the base to the underside of a shelf so the whole thing was upside down thus correcting the globe but I think it'll look pretty naff.

I think I may also have a similar wall mounted moon to yours, mine has a little remote for switching phases. 

Yep! Same here, a remote phase shifter.   Wouldn't, it be grand If we had that control of earth's Moon. Imagers would be fighting over the remote control though.

?.

[Gina]

2 hours ago, barkis said:

I was very active in my prime Gina, but the years have slowed me down quite a bit.
I still have the hunger, but unfortunately, I'm at a snails pace now. 
Astronomy has been a passion from 9 years old,  and at 70 plus years on, I'm not for giving it up.
I just ponder a hell of a lot, and I still hope to get to a couple more  of SGL  Star Parties in the near future.

I too have slowed down and it looks like I can no longer bother with all the hassles of astro imaging.  I keep thinking I might continue with my latest area of very widefield imaging but I haven't done any imaging for a long time.  I feel very reluctant to sell my kit but the thought of thousands of pounds worth doing nothing keeps rearing its ugly head!  I guess if I don't do any this dark season I shall have to admit that I've lost interest, or got astro imaging "out of my system".

[barkis]

1 hour ago, Gina said:

I too have slowed down and it looks like I can no longer bother with all the hassles of astro imaging.  I keep thinking I might continue with my latest area of very widefield imaging but I haven't done any imaging for a long time.  I feel very reluctant to sell my kit but the thought of thousands of pounds worth doing nothing keeps rearing its ugly head!  I guess if I don't do any this dark season I shall have to admit that I've lost interest, or got astro imaging "out of my system".

It's a dilemma for sure, torn between the value of the stuff you've bought, and the potential run down of it's real value over time,
which isn't on our side, If I can be so morbid., perhaps it's better to leave it that, and concentrate on the best things life offers 
us older folks. Don't mean to depress anyone here of course. There may be more years left, so perhaps a more positive outlook
is needed. Golf, and young Great Grand children are pretty Paramount at present, so much pleasure to be gleaned  from  those two elements ?.

[Gina]

I've spent many hours of equipment development and testing, followed by a number of imaging sessions (and frustration when something didn't work) and finally hours image processing just to end up with a pretty picture.  But I've done much the same thing in the past with film photography - taking photos, developing the film and printing the pictures, spending hours in the hot darkroom to end up with a handful of prints.  I did both monochrome and colour.  My interests seem to have moved more in the direction of ever bigger and better 3D printers and building clocks.  I've also developed (or rather resurrected) an interest in gardening.  I just don't have the time and energy to do everything so I have to rationalise my life and drop some things.

[barkis]

Perhaps the decision to prioritise is a wise one, although dropping activities you've pursued for a long time can hurt a little, but best to do so, rather than suffer frustration, which can affect well being.  Gardening is an excellent therapy, and always rewarding.. Gardening is a great joy for my good lady. She can ever wait until spring so she can get cracking again. I do help, but in a minimal way only. She won't allow me to steal her thunder ?.