In case there are any other Astrofest Orphans apart from myself among the TenChain faithful, and assuming the weather allows, I plan on doing a new moon thing one way or the other. So if you're not going to Duckadang, feel free to wander up here.
Peter
I take it you mean the weekend of the 30th July? I will do my best to make it up there - but I am waiting on some screws to attach my gemini motors to their gearboxes. Without those I will be able to take some star trails - but thats about it...
I'm getting the obs ready for the PMX which I am semi-confident of seeing by about the end of this month. So it's a new and much shorter pier with bottom-adjusting - so not top adjustment plate.
And adding a warm/computer room and raising all the walls to abot 2 metres high. All going according to plan, it ought to be structurally complete with another 3 or 4 days work. Painting to follow. Any of you guys handy with a paint-brush or roller?
Peter
looks good Peter. I am still waiting on the weather to see if I'll make the trek up tomorrow - but if I get there with light to spare I will be happy to help out.
You've made good progress since the weekend, Peter! I'd be happy to do a bit of painting next time I get up there. This weekend my social secretary has me booked out
Sorry Pete, I'll have to stay at home with the misses, at least until she has the surgery done on her wrist next week. CT scans show that It's not just broken it's shattered. Dangerous game that tennis.
I do enjoy painting - think of me as an abstract artist! Unfortunately, I'm away at a course this weekend. Hope the weather (& ground loops) oblige for you Adam.
Pete, when do you think you will be ready for painting?
Geoff
Thanks everyone. I expect we'll be substantially finished - at least ready to paint - by next weekend. But if this wretched foggy weather persists, painting may have to wait a bit.
I'll save a wall for you.
Peter.
Here are my pics from the last new moon night. Most of the subs look like they were affected by thin cloud (possibly fog in the case of the Helix Nebula subs that were taken starting around 4am). Still, at least I got something after sitting up until 2:30am waiting for the clouds to clear...
If anybody can explain how I got diffraction spikes from the Tak FSQ I'd be interested to know. These were taken with a SX H18 mono camera and filters, so I'm guess it's some sort of reflection? I've never seen this happen with the QHY12 OSC camera.
