Hello from Australia

[DarkSpace]

Hi all,  ?

I'm from ? New Zealand ?? and live in Brisbane ?️Australia..??

I have an RC8 as well as a Sky-watcher 120 esprit triplet.?

Both are setup ready to go for long and short focal length imaging. No luxury of a Dome or Shed though, but can remote ? wireless into the house. 

My mount stays outside so I don't have to Polar? align every time I use it. A couple of large plastic bags, keeps it under raps from the  ⛈️  weather.

I only have two cables running to the HEQ5 mount, 6 years old and still performing well,   one for power and one for data connected into my laptop which is under the Pergola. 

I did buy a Sky-Watcher AZEQ6 for when I go out reach, but haven't had a chance to use it yet?. It's one year old already...?

Cheers  Robin

 

 

[laudropb]

Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL. Very nice set up you have there.

[PeterCPC]

Hello Robin and welcome.

Peter

[sloz1664]

Hi Robin and a very warm welcome to the Lounge. Very nice set-ups you have there

Steve

[banjaxed]

Hi Robin, welcome to SGL from another newcomer.

[Pete the newb]

Hi Robin, nice bit o kit 

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi Robin, welcome. 

[Demonperformer]

Hi, Robin, and welcome to SGL.

Enjoy the journey.

[Mr Spock]

Hi Robin, welcome to SGL

[Saganite]

Welcome to SGL  Robin. 

[cletrac1922]

Hi Robin

Welcome from another Queenslander

Read with interest you keep scope under couple of plastic bags

In our climate, with high humidity, see that as a bit of an issue, with condensation forming under the plastic

Quick look at your set-up, noticed rust forming on the counter weights

For many years was committee member of Southern Astronomy Society, gave them away just prior to Xmas due to personal reasons

Which side of Brissy you live?

I am out in Goldcoast Hinterland, and the hills behind my place, shield me from light pollution from the Goldcoast, and South East to South West fairly unpolluted skies

Do have a bit of an issue if trying to observe northerly direction, due to light pollution from Logan and Brisbane

John  

 

[Floater]

Welcome. Have fun with the forum - your post is a master class in emoji. ?

[DarkSpace]

Thanks everybody for your warm welcome.

John, I live on the south side of Brisbane Runcorn. North is an issue as the house is in the way so Andromeda is out of the question and the city is in that direction as well.

I do get a good run of the milky way which is great, South and East is my darkest side even though Logan is in that direction it is not an issue right now, but light pollution is increasing as more an more units get built in the area.  The Gold Coast Hinterland sounds great.

Humidity is a problem, So after a night of imaging I allow the mount to dry out and then place the Aldi bag and an a cloths donation plastic bag, very certificated indeed ? to prevent condensation allowing the air to flow underneath the plastic, a couple of rubber bands to hold it in place. However, the rubber bands degrade in the sun and find the bags some where in the backyard.

Yep! that weight is rusty I must take it off and repaint it one day. Actually that weight was given to me from by a friend and it was rusty then. Although it looks a bit more rusty then it used to be.

Ha ha ha, thanks Gordon, I hate emoji's, so why did I just use another one?.    cheers mate....?.

I added a post on how I collimate my RC8 check it out if you have one.

Robin

 

[cletrac1922]

Robin

I work at West End, and rail out of Helensvale around 4-50 every morning, to South Brisbane station

Other morning when leaving home around 4-30am, we had the conjunction of Venus with quarter crescent moon

Tried to capture it with my mobile phone

Unfortunately, even in PRO mode Samsung Android phones do not like poor lighting conditions

Attached shot, the moon turned out a blurry blob

The other object above Venus is Jupiter

Even though just breaking daylight, still gives indication eastern horizon that hour of the morning

When left home this morning, CRUX and Scorpio were directly over head

My next door neighbours currently have her parents visiting from England

Dragged out the 10" Dob, and gave them a bit of a laser show

Had CRUX and Orion

First hop was Jewel Box

Second hop was Omega Centauri   

Next hop was to Orion Nebula

Mars was setting just after sunset, over Tamborine, very hard to make out

When was with SAS, found the Dob was quicker and easier to set up than the ED80 on EQ5 mount, doing presentation schools, scout/guide groups

When have bunch of 5 - 7 yo's lined up to view, and doing 2 star alignment with the EQ mount, they do not have the patience

The pic of the ED80 was taken a SAS field day at Paradise Point

New counter weight, just drop and see Pete, Myer Centre

Tell him I sent you

He will charge you double, and I get half  ?

He will look after you

He used to be adjacent to cop shop opposite Garden City

 

Drop me a PM anytime

 

John   

 

[RT65CB-SWL]

G'day Robin and welcome to SGL, from the northern hemisphere. 

[RiponJas]

Hello there and welcome ?

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Peter in Bedfordshire ?

[ronl]

Hello and welcome to SGL.

Clear Sky's.

[MarsG76]

Hello and welcome to SGL. Very nice set up.