What is it about astronomers....

[kev]

Mel, love the post! Have to say however I ressemble that!

My first solar finder (to save me stooping down to squint alng the tube with bad back) was a loo rool inside witha bit of cardboard and a pinhole at ne end and a bit of greaseproof the other end and a faint pencil cross on it!

My astrosolar film holder is cardboard and has lasted 30 years as is still going strong, and can be easily repaired.

And I love Mk3/Mk4 mounts... (whichis a shame as I havent got one.. just an eq5 that its trying to get right).

BTW If you come up to Yorkshire you can ogle a real 9F steam loco on the NYMR when its running during the year (spring-autumn). I do and its great.

Cheers, mines & the wifes a glass of red...

[AndyH]

I'm still ogling pics of 9F class locos

I go weak at the knees when a big old smelly class 37 diesel thunders by. Can hear them coming for miles. Mmmmm double headers.......drool. Few n far between now that these boring class 66's have taken over. Damn their reliability.....Booooo.

Andy.

ps: real ale rulz

[AndyH]

stop with the cat jokes or else

Thanks very much, the laptop's just been sprayed with thin irn bru

Andy.

[kev]

AndyH.... I forgot that you were on here too.

Indeed, although for me it was 31s at Hitchin Depot under dads managment.

PS At least its Ironbru, could have been cat spray!

Weve been invaded by next doors femfatal feline, the 4 lads are "upset" and distraught.

PPS How does other cat owners stop them going purr and rubbing around the tripod legs all the time you are outside? Our love sitting with me. Its ok, it cute, its very reassuring cos they see much more than me aound the garden at night, but for photography ita a pain!

[rowan46]

PPS How does other cat owners stop them going purr and rubbing around the tripod legs all the time you are outside? Our love sitting with me. Its ok, it cute, its very reassuring cos they see much more than me aound the garden at night, but for photography ita a pain!

rub some orange peel on the bottom of the tripod legs most cats hate the smell of orange oil

[AndyH]

Our Ben loved oranges. He'd lick and chomp on them. Strange boy. Gone but never forgotten.

[MikeWilson]

Our three don't care about orange peel either. In fact I had some cat off garlic granules that I bought before we got our first two rescue cats and one of them used to sleep in the cupboard where it was kept! Hardly a deterrent at all.

As for cats spoiling images - I think I lose one out of every three to cat intervention. Any ideas warmly welcome! (I suspect a permanent pier is less 'kissable' and more stable than a tripod).

[great_bear]

Orange Peel?

AB might accuse you of being a cheapskate with such a suggestion! Best get some Celestron Antipuss - only £24 a bottle...

[rowan46]

Orange Peel?

AB might accuse you of being a cheapskate with such a suggestion! Best get some Celestron Antipuss - only £24 a bottle...

At that price it better be a blumming good after shave:)

[Manok101]

Do I need a bah humbug in there? aperture is king but aperture kills backs as well. I also jest, fun post.

[iamjulian]

ha ha, very amusing post. I started going down the technology route, but switched to a dob within a few weeks of getting rid of the television. Thinking about it, I don't wear a watch either. Maybe I should start making focusers out of toilet roll tubes!

[eriwig]

Thankfully our 2 cats don't really like the cold so the closest they come to keeping me company outside is sitting on top of the still warm boiler house looking at me as if I am crazy for staying out for so long!

[Beulah]

ha ha, very amusing post. I started going down the technology route, but switched to a dob within a few weeks of getting rid of the television. Thinking about it, I don't wear a watch either. Maybe I should start making focusers out of toilet roll tubes!

Don't worry, I don't wear a watch either.

However, I do listen to/play folk music....

[MG1]

I've stopped wearing a watch now too...it's strapped to the scope so that I can use it for finding the sun if I fancy doing any solar...

:)

[kev]

mmm a watch, got to admit that in the last year I rarely put mine on, I generally use the mobile in evenings. That way the lights dont all get turned on when J wants to ask me something and tries to find me.