Only solar imagers know this struggle!

[tombardier]

My wife took this, and put it on Facebook, saying something like "My husband has lost the plot"!

In all seriousness.  My laptop screen has absolutely awful contrast.  I only use it for this one purpose really, that and lunar imaging.  What do people use to make this easier? Other than a towel!

Edited December 1, 2021 by tombardier
typo

[johninderby]

This is popular. A cheap foldable box to put your laptop in and keep the sun off the screen while observing. Makes a good sun hood when on it’s side.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/droena-box-black-30219281/

Edited December 1, 2021 by johninderby

[tombardier]

Just now, johninderby said:

This is popular. A cheap box to put your laptop in and keep the sun off the screen while observing.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/droena-box-black-30219281/

That's exceedingly cheap, cheers!  Iit's a very popular thing to misuse Ikea tables as 3d-printer enclosures too!

[Steve Ward]

Longer leads and sit in the shade , simple really ... 

[Debo]

6 hours ago, tombardier said:

What do people use to make this easier?

A small foldable table for the laptop and a card board box with a hole in the side to look thru . 😊

Edited December 1, 2021 by Debo

[GreatAttractor]

I use this (also used to carry the stuff from the car):

[tombardier]

Thank you all.  Some good ideas for me.  I'll report back with what I decide on.  I'm going to be observing over my lunch break today, if the sky stays pristine.  I probably won't image, but I might think about it!

[Rusted]

I use my home made dome for shade. The laptop is closed and rests on the desk.
Black lining to the dome. Black camping mattress foam kills desk reflections and shades the laptop.
A large, low reflection monitor screen is supported on the pier by a jointed TV wall bracket and faces north.
I choose to wear only black clothing while imaging. Year round. This avoids obvious causes of reflections.

BTW: Having your camera skewed relative to the wedge will rotate the image arbitrarily.

A. N. "Obsessive" Pedant.

[tombardier]

1 hour ago, Rusted said:

BTW: Having your camera skewed relative to the wedge will rotate the image arbitrarily.

Cheers!  Please can explain this a bit more?  I think in this instance, the camera was rotated purely so the USB cable was able to hang at a natural angle, not putting any strain on the port.  I don't actually use this EQ6 now, but an AZ-EQ6 (in AZ mode), so the diagonal generally won't ever need to be rotated, however, I have this sketchy arrangement where my tilt adapter plus the focuser slop combine to eliminate my newton rings, so I do introduce my own axial tilt, just to assist that a bit!

[Luke]

I copied Steve Ward's design. His looked posher than my effort, you can knock one of these up real fast, here's Steve's:

Image: Steve Ward

Edited December 8, 2021 by Luke