ICEINSPACE
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Moon Phase
CURRENT MOON
Last Quarter 39.9%
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17-02-2011, 02:04 PM
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Seriously Amateur
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,279
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how to go berserk - a cautionary tale
 OMG what have I done....? I have just opened the flood gates of my wallet and emptied its contents into southeast asia....and a little bit to sydney
It all started last weekend when I dusted off my 8" newt and stuck it on top of the G11 in place of my ED80 that I have been imaging with lately. I only have a single small counterweight which is nowhere near enough for the newt, so after duct taping a few heavy workshop items to the counterweight bar we were ready to go.
Shopping List Item # 1 - 21lb losmandy counterweight $180 (highway robbery - but what are you gunna do?)
I had forgotten how great the newt is to image with - f5 makes a big difference! On top of this the Argo Navis was working a treat and I was swinging the scope all over the small patch of sky I have available to me and took a few happy snaps of Centaurus A, the Antennae, Omega Centauri and a couple of others that I can't remember, just for the hell of it.
All this swinging around the sky gave me a blister tweaking the clutches on the mount, and I had been meaning to get a set of clutch knobs, so...
Shopping List Item # 2 - Losmandy Clutch Knob Set $149
The slightly eggy stars made me wonder (among other things) whether the guidescope focuser had finally packed it in giving me some flexure. I have had an ad in the [WANTED] section for a Takahashi FS60 to use as a guide/widefield scope to no avail, so what the hell - Peter Tan is a nice bloke - good prices too:
Shopping List Items #3, #4 and #5 - Takahashi FS-60CB OTA/Clamshell/Flattener about $900
The flash new guidescope would look all wrong stuck on top of the newt with a skinny little vixen rail - one of those chunky male-male Losmandy ones should do the trick - but wait my losmandy guide rings only have the V-adapters:
Shopping List items #6 and #7 - Losmandy DMM plate and 2 D-adapters $230
Right. Wallet looking very skinny now, but I should get some great shots now, right?? Well, no. My 550D is pumping out noise in this heat like its going out of style, and I have been eyeing off the QHY8's coming up in the classifieds....there's got to be some more money around here somewhere...down the back of the couch, in the car ashtray...check the wife's wallet....wait, my paypal account still should have something from selling those few astro items a while ago shouldn't it - YES!
Shopping List Item #8 - QHY8 color/power supply/dessicant dryer/sealed case about $1200 from hong kong pete!
Now, how to hide all those packages arriving.....
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17-02-2011, 02:07 PM
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Certified Village Idiot
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Mexico city (Melb), Australia
Posts: 2,359
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adman
...Now, how to hide all those packages arriving.....
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My place! 
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17-02-2011, 03:48 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 1,699
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Far out, you are a gamer man than I. I am still trying to work out how I can get a new CCD cam, gonna cost over $7k before filters etc, think I need lotto to hit me....
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17-02-2011, 03:54 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Tassie
Posts: 1,104
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adman
Now, how to hide all those packages arriving.....
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Send 'em to work address 
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17-02-2011, 04:06 PM
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Senior Citizen
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bribie Island
Posts: 5,068
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adman
OMG what have I done....? I have just opened the flood gates of my wallet and emptied its contents into southeast asia....and a little bit to sydney
It all started last weekend when I dusted off my 8" newt and stuck it on top of the G11 in place of my ED80 that I have been imaging with lately. I only have a single small counterweight which is nowhere near enough for the newt, so after duct taping a few heavy workshop items to the counterweight bar we were ready to go.
Shopping List Item # 1 - 21lb losmandy counterweight $180 (highway robbery - but what are you gunna do?)
I had forgotten how great the newt is to image with - f5 makes a big difference! On top of this the Argo Navis was working a treat and I was swinging the scope all over the small patch of sky I have available to me and took a few happy snaps of Centaurus A, the Antennae, Omega Centauri and a couple of others that I can't remember, just for the hell of it.
All this swinging around the sky gave me a blister tweaking the clutches on the mount, and I had been meaning to get a set of clutch knobs, so...
Shopping List Item # 2 - Losmandy Clutch Knob Set $149
The slightly eggy stars made me wonder (among other things) whether the guidescope focuser had finally packed it in giving me some flexure. I have had an ad in the [WANTED] section for a Takahashi FS60 to use as a guide/widefield scope to no avail, so what the hell - Peter Tan is a nice bloke - good prices too:
Shopping List Items #3, #4 and #5 - Takahashi FS-60CB OTA/Clamshell/Flattener about $900
The flash new guidescope would look all wrong stuck on top of the newt with a skinny little vixen rail - one of those chunky male-male Losmandy ones should do the trick - but wait my losmandy guide rings only have the V-adapters:
Shopping List items #6 and #7 - Losmandy DMM plate and 2 D-adapters $230
Right. Wallet looking very skinny now, but I should get some great shots now, right?? Well, no. My 550D is pumping out noise in this heat like its going out of style, and I have been eyeing off the QHY8's coming up in the classifieds....there's got to be some more money around here somewhere...down the back of the couch, in the car ashtray...check the wife's wallet....wait, my paypal account still should have something from selling those few astro items a while ago shouldn't it - YES!
Shopping List Item #8 - QHY8 color/power supply/dessicant dryer/sealed case about $1200 from hong kong pete!
Now, how to hide all those packages arriving..... |
And now Ladies and Gentleman .... as we can see .... Adam's wallet is now on " LIFE SUPPORT " .... for the duration of the year....
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17-02-2011, 04:17 PM
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Ageing badly.
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Cloudy, light-polluted Bribie Is.
Posts: 3,757
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The distance between hobby and obsession is very short and is well behind me. Welcome to the obsession side of the line.
Peter
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17-02-2011, 04:24 PM
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Seriously Amateur
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JethroB76
Send 'em to work address |
 didn't think of that one! probably because we work together!
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17-02-2011, 04:25 PM
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Seriously Amateur
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FlashDrive
And now Ladies and Gentleman .... as we can see .... Adam's wallet is now on " LIFE SUPPORT " .... for the duration of the year....
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Its going to need a few transfusions to regain its mojo
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17-02-2011, 06:19 PM
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PI cult recruiter
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 10,584
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Love your work, Adam  I prefer not to make a list of my recent purchases
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17-02-2011, 06:39 PM
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Seriously Amateur
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RickS
Love your work, Adam I prefer not to make a list of my recent purchases |
Having seen your mount I am not so sure it's because they don't match up to mine
This has been my biggest single purchase (well - biggest single day of purchases) - and looking at the trend they seem to be increasing at an exponential rate....
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17-02-2011, 06:43 PM
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Seriously Amateur
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pmrid
The distance between hobby and obsession is very short and is well behind me. Welcome to the obsession side of the line.
Peter
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I think I had been sitting with one leg firmly on either side of that particular fence. This has been a decisive leap in the direction of obsession.
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17-02-2011, 07:46 PM
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![[1ponders]'s Avatar](../vbiis/customavatars/avatar45_9.gif) |
Retired, damn no pension
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Obi Obi, Qld
Posts: 18,778
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adman
OMG what have I done....? I have just opened the flood gates of my wallet and emptied its contents into southeast asia....and a little bit to sydney
It all started last weekend when I dusted off my 8" newt and stuck it on top of the G11 in place of my ED80 that I have been imaging with lately. I only have a single small counterweight which is nowhere near enough for the newt, so after duct taping a few heavy workshop items to the counterweight bar we were ready to go.
Shopping List Item # 1 - 21lb losmandy counterweight $180 (highway robbery - but what are you gunna do?)
I had forgotten how great the newt is to image with - f5 makes a big difference! On top of this the Argo Navis was working a treat and I was swinging the scope all over the small patch of sky I have available to me and took a few happy snaps of Centaurus A, the Antennae, Omega Centauri and a couple of others that I can't remember, just for the hell of it.
All this swinging around the sky gave me a blister tweaking the clutches on the mount, and I had been meaning to get a set of clutch knobs, so...
Shopping List Item # 2 - Losmandy Clutch Knob Set $149
The slightly eggy stars made me wonder (among other things) whether the guidescope focuser had finally packed it in giving me some flexure. I have had an ad in the [WANTED] section for a Takahashi FS60 to use as a guide/widefield scope to no avail, so what the hell - Peter Tan is a nice bloke - good prices too:
Shopping List Items #3, #4 and #5 - Takahashi FS-60CB OTA/Clamshell/Flattener about $900
The flash new guidescope would look all wrong stuck on top of the newt with a skinny little vixen rail - one of those chunky male-male Losmandy ones should do the trick - but wait my losmandy guide rings only have the V-adapters:
Shopping List items #6 and #7 - Losmandy DMM plate and 2 D-adapters $230
Right. Wallet looking very skinny now, but I should get some great shots now, right?? Well, no. My 550D is pumping out noise in this heat like its going out of style, and I have been eyeing off the QHY8's coming up in the classifieds....there's got to be some more money around here somewhere...down the back of the couch, in the car ashtray...check the wife's wallet....wait, my paypal account still should have something from selling those few astro items a while ago shouldn't it - YES!
Shopping List Item #8 - QHY8 color/power supply/dessicant dryer/sealed case about $1200 from hong kong pete!
Now, how to hide all those packages arriving..... |
Adam my Man!!!!! Now your talking padawan. None of this wussin' about spending piddling little bits and sneaking 'em through the door. You go boy!!! May the force be with you 
Oh and if we get any more clouds and rain up here ITS YOUR FAULT!!!!! 
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17-02-2011, 08:09 PM
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Seriously Amateur
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by [1ponders]
Oh and if we get any more clouds and rain up here ITS YOUR FAULT!!!!! |
Well - I don't know about that...I'll go 50:50 with La Nina - that's my final offer..
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17-02-2011, 08:18 PM
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PI cult recruiter
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 10,584
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adman
Having seen your mount I am not so sure it's because they don't match up to mine |
Yeah, well if there was a list it would include a new AP 900GTO mount 
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17-02-2011, 08:34 PM
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Seriously Amateur
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RickS
Yeah, well if there was a list it would include a new AP 900GTO mount |
does that mean you are donating your old mount to a worthy cause... 
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17-02-2011, 08:42 PM
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PI cult recruiter
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 10,584
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adman
does that mean you are donating your old mount to a worthy cause... |
Dunno about *donating* but it will be up for sale when I get around to it. Any funds resulting will immediately be spent on more astro gear, of course...
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17-02-2011, 09:02 PM
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Seriously Amateur
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RickS
Dunno about *donating* but it will be up for sale when I get around to it. Any funds resulting will immediately be spent on more astro gear, of course...
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"donating" here is used in its loosest sense - it means selling it for less than 70% of the new price
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17-02-2011, 09:24 PM
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Really just a beginner
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 3,045
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pmrid
The distance between hobby and obsession is very short and is well behind me. Welcome to the obsession side of the line.
Peter
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So eloquently put Peter! Maybe we should get this printed onto T-Shirts!
DT
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17-02-2011, 09:31 PM
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Ageing badly.
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Cloudy, light-polluted Bribie Is.
Posts: 3,757
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidTrap
So eloquently put Peter! Maybe we should get this printed onto T-Shirts!
DT
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I'll order a medium for my ego and an XXXL for my gut.
Peter
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17-02-2011, 09:32 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 311
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidTrap
So eloquently put Peter! Maybe we should get this printed onto T-Shirts!
DT
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I'll definately buy a shirt after having a look at Adam's setup the other night.
I knew it was a mistake but now I'm standing at the top of that steep, slippery, expensive slope.
Ken
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