Getting back into imaging after a long break

[Gina]

At least plate solving should only need doing once per session.  You have a slow BB connection I have a slow and deteriorating body!!  Look after yourself Neil - health is everything!

[Gina]

I'm doing virtually nothing today - still achy though only the top half of my body now.  Had to relent and take a couple of Ibuprofen.

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Gina said:

Look after yourself Neil - health is everything!

You too!

I felt faint after getting out of the bath this morning so I took my blood pressure. Some good news - 102 over 67, I may need to cut down on my pills - hard to believe it was over 190 six years ago!

[Gina]

Same with me - been having dizzy spells.  Spoke to my doctor as my BP was low and she confirmed that I should cut down on my medication.  My BP was over 200 some years ago (maybe 20).  I have lost weight and improved my diet.  I have now stopped my BP medication and reading around 130/60.  Yes, you need to reduce your pills.  I'm due for my annual medical review later this week.  Talk to your doctor.

[Gina]

The Ibuprofen seems to have eased the achiness but I still don't feel like doing anything.  It's annoying - I want to get on with imaging - if not capturing, image processing.  Seems I've either got to take things very slowly or do it on alternate days (or even with longer breaks between).  I guess only progress is of interest to others and here I am moaning but it seems to help!

[Stub Mandrel]

Strong tea...

[Gina]

Well,  the clear night sky forecast an hour or so earlier for tonight has evaporated and there's already cloud appearing.  I was just about to post that in spite of the clear night I was going to bed early but now I can go to bed without worrying about what I'm missing  😁  Anyway, this time of year is far from ideal for imaging and really what I'm doing is preparing for the darker nights.

[DaveS]

Same here. Was just looking at Stellarium wondering if it was worth getting the minor rig running. Think I won't bother now.

[Gina]

The moon looks clear an bright with Jupiter nearby at 5 o'clock but appearances can be deceptive.

[DaveS]

Moon's bright here too, in fact the whole sky looks clear, but the moon is just too bright, and slap bang on top of where I'm looking to image, M16. don't know if I'll be able to do anything this year.

[Stub Mandrel]

I can see the moon, but not Jupiter, in broken cloud.

[Gina]

Doesn't look very good for tonight or the next week but things can change - presumably for the better as well as the worse.  The moon isn't affected by the weather forecast though!

Edited July 14, 2019 by Gina

[Gina]

I think this project will be on hold for a while.  Need better imaging conditions and my health is causing a little concern ATM so I'm taking it very easy.

[alacant]

51 minutes ago, Gina said:

taking it very easy.

Hi Gina

How about the EKOS scheduler? Automation from start to finish; hit start, get a good night's sleep and the next day you have all your frames ready for you. The only worry would be the observatory roof. Unless it's indi compliant of course.

Just a thought:)

[Gina]

That's what I do.  I'm setting everything up ATM.  I mean, I was.  Trying to relax now.

[Gina]

I was planning on automating the ROR eventually but that looks rather unlikely now unless I can get my health sorted out.  In fact everything depends on getting my health sorted out.  What I can manage will depend on how things go in the next week or two and the results of numerous tests and the resulting procedures/medication.

Edited July 14, 2019 by Gina

[Chris]

On 03/02/2019 at 13:15, Gina said:

Just been out and checked the observatory roof - opens and closes fine.  I might look into automating it again later if I get into imaging again as I'm hoping.  I owe it to Per's memory actually as he obtained a special drive motor for me.

SGL lost a bright star when Per's passed, but don't pressure yourself Gina, I'm sure he understood your typical mammoth project list

[Chris]

1 hour ago, Gina said:

I was planning on automating the ROR eventually but that looks rather unlikely now unless I can get my health sorted out.  In fact everything depends on getting my health sorted out.  What I can manage will depend on how things go in the next week or two and the results of numerous tests and the resulting procedures/medication.

Keep it light and keep it simple Gina. I hope things go ok with the tests and meds. 

[DaveS]

2 hours ago, Gina said:

I was planning on automating the ROR eventually but that looks rather unlikely now unless I can get my health sorted out.  In fact everything depends on getting my health sorted out.  What I can manage will depend on how things go in the next week or two and the results of numerous tests and the resulting procedures/medication.

Get your health sorted Gina, that's more important than anything. The stars will still be there, so, unfortunately, will the clouds.

[Gina]

The moon is shining brightly and so is Jupiter - don't know where the clouds are and I don't care either - I'm just sitting on the settee watching TV until I go to bed.

[Gina]

Gradually feeling a bit better with each day of rest but still need sorting out medically (that is all booked).

[Gina]

I can't help beginning to think again about my imaging rigs.  It may be that I won't be able to handle large telescopes and the observatory roof currently takes a lot of moving by hand.  It has become far more difficult to move of late and something must have happened to the wheels, I think.  Whether I shall be up to sorting this out remains to be seen.  Heavy engineering (albeit wood mostly) may well be too much.

There is another possibility for widefield imaging, which is my main interest ATM and that's to finish my micro-dome observatory and DIY fork mount.  This should be less physical strain but more mental strain as I work out all the maths of the design.  Not sure I am up to that either.

Typical!!!  Just as I have got my interest in imaging back my health is stopping me

[Gina]

I'm gradually getting better a bit every day and today I felt up to going out to my observatory and checking on the roll off roof.  Found the cause of stiffness when starting to open - aluminium peg a bit stiff in hole in wooden frame of roof.  I shall replace that with a better system.  Once I'd started opening the roof with a lever I was able to push it right open quite easily - with one finger, in fact.  I am now considering the remote roof operation as most of this is already done.

I'm back!!  Not necessarily firing on all cylinders but back none-the-less.

[DaveS]

Thank heavens for that!

Very glad to hear your health is moving in the right direction, and you found the cause of the obsy roof problem

Astrograph have some Observatory Automation kit, but it ain't cheap, and some Weather Monitoring equipment, though I think you might already have a weather station

Edited July 16, 2019 by DaveS

[Gina]

My automation won't cost more than a fraction of that.