I forgot to check my collimation just like Mike and Ken over the last couple of weeks.
I had my new powermate and i was keen to get mars at 10pm for transit.
Out goes the scope at 8 or 9pm and fan is on. Temps are within .5 degree at around 14 degress, but over the clouds come. So in i come, leaving the fan on and get up at 3.30am.
Temps are stabilized at 11 degrees. So I take the scope out from under the overhang of the balcony and away from the garage door and the temp then proceeds to fall!!! to 8.5 degrees. ARRGGHHHH
I don't want it to get wet if it rains, but the scope near the house is obviously out of the wind and the house retains heat!!!!
So i chase saturn around thru clouds to no avail, i had got a good focus using the moon. So jupiter is rising and i start considering swinging it around and starting the tracking process again.
At the end of the day, i got some video of saturn and jupiter using raw mode again. Saturn was the usual raw mode reddy pink colour, but jupiter was looking full of potential with browns. Anyway the images were no good. A 2.5 degree temp difference to start with and then as dawn approached, you could feel the air chill.
I am pleased that i was able to track the big planets with the powermate and keep them in the bounds of the screen.
Raw mode out for saturn tonight and will try both modes for jupiter.
Watching Mikes saturn post on the forum, i was wondering why my images were so bad even given the temp difference, so i go home at lunch and check the collimation -ooooops, it was not even close.
So all fixed now, i will check with the cheshire before i try again tonight!
Lesson Learnt!!!!
below is the first sorted image using ppmcentre and "auto levels" in PS.
Looking at it now makes me think i may have another go stacking!
AAARRGGGGHHH
I don't want it to get wet if it rains, but the scope near the house is obviously out of the wind and the house retains heat!!!!
Hi DP, have you considered setting up away from the house and then throwing (or tying) a tarp down over it. This works for me, but my temperature fluctuations probably wouldn't be as severe as yours in Tassie
have you considered setting up away from the house and then throwing (or tying) a tarp down over it
yup about 4am this morning i did.
would a tarp insulate?
I will just have to get my peltier cooler happening real quick!!!
so that way, even when the scope and i come home from a dinner dance, we can throw off our pink dresses have a lovely hot bath, and then chuck the cooling on and be observing in no time!!!
my electric focusser is still dead and i haven't made your attachment yet!
i get too much shudder.
i tell you what, that vixen get the best diffraction pattterns when de focussed. it is awesome.
i am seriously thinking about these as my planetary ep's in a 4 , 5 & 6. i will have a look at some UO's, but they will want to be better and cheaper!!!
Sorry, let me rephrase that: Get it within reason with the cheshire, then try the toucam for tweaking. With tracking it should be relatively simple (dont forget to tweak the finder along with it as you go)
