Thread: Not my night
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Old 23-03-2013, 10:37 PM
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LewisM
Novichok test rabbit

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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
Not my night

Decided to try tonight - it was nice and clear still at 7pm, and despite the Moon - since I was going to try some narrowband imaging for the first time - I set up.

GOTO alignment started well - first star of 3 alignment stars was Sirius. DEAD ON, didn't need to move a THING (using reticle eyepiece). I felt all warm and fuzzy this was going to be good.

Achernar... it was there, SOMEWHERE... I was seriously south of where it should have been. Slewed across, hit enter. Off it went to my next one, Alpha Centauri

If I thought it was WAY off on Achernar, well, it was a couple billion light years off A-C!!! Yeowsers in RA and Dec. And I had spent a good hour this afternoon getting the mount tuned to South - at least I THOUGHT I did!

Anyway, the Synscan calibrated and said Alignment Successful (using 3.27, it won't tell you how far off), but I knew this was going to be painful. Tried a goto to Alpha Crucis... it was in the EP, JUST! Grrr... this was boding poorly for imaging faint stuff that doesn't show up on quick test shots!!!

I tried. And failed.

But, to save my dignity and what was left of my technical pride, the high level ice clouds came over, followed by lower stratus. Saved, packed up, going to bed.

Just was NOT meant to be tonight.
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