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Worst astro weather i can remember.....

russ

By russ
in The Astro Lounge

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russ

russ

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I must agree, I have bought my wife her first telescope for Christmas, a Celestron 130eq md and we have not been able to use it up to now.

Maybe one of you guys can answer a question with regards to our telescope, I have assembled it but the manual does not give enough info on the motor drive, when it is switched on the telescope does not appear to move, is that because it moves to track an object very slowly, if I undo the screw on the connecting collar the RA will turn ok, if I tighten the screw it seems to lock it together so that the RA knob will not turn, I dont want force it just in case I damage it, its a poor show on Celestron not to give clear instructions in the manual.

Many thanks

Startreck

When you want to move the scope over large areas of the sky, release the locking knob. But the knob needs to be tightened for the scope to track. You won't see any movement from the tracking motor because it's turning so slowly. For it to track you will have to have the mount roughly polar aligned. Thats the RA axis pointing towards Polaris. Here's a link to the Skywatcher EQ2 manual, should be appropiate for the Celestron version also:

http://www.opticalvision.co.uk/documents/13.pdf

And here's a full list of manuals for Skywatchers bits. You'll see there are manuals for the EQ1/2 fixed rate motor and EQ1/2 motor with hand controller. Again, these will apply to your Celestron EQ (CG3).

http://www.opticalvision.co.uk/manuals.asp

It's a nice scope the 130, you'll get some wonderful views with it.

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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"Once we begin to see, we are doomed and challenged to seek the strength to see more, not less." Arthur Miller.....

Or...

"We're doomed" Private James Fraser....

Perhaps....

"The rational man adapts himself to the world. The irrational man tries to adapt the world to suit himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the irrational man." George Bernard Shaw

Billy...

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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I am still coughing and spluttering at the end of a flu bug (I have not been this ill for this long ever I don't think - in bed for about three days with only an occasional sojourn onto the PC to keep me sane). So although I share the frustration, I really couldn't do anything about it currently even if we had perfect skies.

Hope it improves for everyone.

Cheers

Shane

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Photosbykev

Photosbykev

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I joined the forum in early September this year and I've only had two reasonable sessions with M31 since then. I've been out less than 10 times with most of them clouded or rained off or just bad seeing conditions.

I'm just grateful all of the photographic gear I have is still used for normal photography and it is only the NEQ6/Guidecam/Scope and accessories that are gathering dust

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Tantalus

Tantalus

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Not had many sessions since September, and what clear nights there have been the seeing hasn't been that good, or it was so cold I couldn't stay outside for very long, but for me 2010 was an improvement on 2009 - didn't get a single observing opportunity between the middle of September and Jan 2010, apart from a 20 min gap for a few Leonids!

Local forecast is showing a good chance of clear skies for the next couple o' nights, but mist and cloud for the 4th :(

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Hypernova

Hypernova

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I really haven't be blessed with copious amounts of clear skies this winter at all, I did get a few nights observing in a few weeks before Christmas as raised my messier count slightly but nothing at all since about the 9-10th of December. The skies were mockingly clear on Christmas night but as usual I neglected to bring with me the most basic of observing aids to my nan's where we stayed up until about 2am on the Sunday.

The skies are darker than here over near Shrewsbury where she lives so I have always wanted to take my binoculars or the 'scope down there and see how it compares to my back garden, so far I haven't been able to do that but one day....

I am desperately waiting for an end to this three week long blanket of cloud but it doesn't seem to have an end in sight at the moment. Monday night is looking rubbish which is not on because of both the Quadrantids and the solar eclipse occur tat night :(

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Reaper

Reaper

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i was looking at the met office with there infra red scanner thingy majig, and if that charts anything to go buy there might be a small window of opportunity to see something tonight if the wind works in my favor

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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Monday night is looking rubbish which is not on because of both the Quadrantids and the solar eclipse occur tat night :(

Just to avoid any confusion the Partial Eclipse (UK) is on the morning of the 4th Jan.. begining before sunrise and over by around 09:30...

Billy...

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geoff_k

geoff_k

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Suffering a bit from arthritis and didn't exactly enjoy the recent snow (and ice) that much.

In any event I don't think I would have got out a lot anyway as the weather has been dreadful down here in Somerset as elsewhere. No Sun during the day either so can't even do solar imaging. Developing a nice prison pallor.

2011 has to be better (one hopes).

Geoff

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Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

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I wonder the same dangerous Dave about where people live o. Here who seem to be out getting pics all the time. For the record I live in Surrey and the weather has been atrocious. Its added to be the fact that I have to be mobile so it's no good having a break in the cloud for say an hour, it would take me that long to pack up and get to my observing site.

Unless there is a reliable 4-5 hours of clear sky it's not worth me bothering with and we haven't had that in ages.

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Reaper

Reaper

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does anyone use a website to check for clear skies or the possibility of clear skies ? i mean at the moment Ive been using the met offices satellite images for any clear spots that might come this way, and also generally sticking my head out the window. i typically avoid the weather report as its not always accurate

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tiwar

tiwar

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I never took much notice of the weather forcasts until i got me scope, i suppose its something we have to "deal" with. I manged a couple of hours Christmas night, wasn`t the most popluar person for a bit.....

T x

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Nexus 6

Nexus 6

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does anyone use a website to check for clear skies or the possibility of clear skies ? i mean at the moment Ive been using the met offices satellite images for any clear spots that might come this way, and also generally sticking my head out the window. i typically avoid the weather report as its not always accurate

Hi Reaper, try here a lot of people on the forum use it

http://www.sat24.com/

Alan

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ianpadley

ianpadley

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Well some folks on this site in south Cumbria must have had some nice prezzies as we've had nothing but flat cloud since before Christmas, and not so much before (and full moon anyway) Just back from a few days in Scotland, got a holiday spot not far from the Galloway dark sky park, fabulous forecast so packed all the gear. Guess what..it never came out of the car.

7-timer says clear here tonight but just popped out now, nothing doing. Doesn't look too good for BBC's Stargazing nights either....

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