Charles Dunlop's Posts - AstroGab2024-03-28T21:36:19ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlophttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2800111400?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://astrogab.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=1psfvo4a8o2uw&xn_auth=noSwitching to ACPtag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-09-25:6354305:BlogPost:1178722012-09-25T11:20:35.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>CCDap is so unstable. Actually going to try the free program Steve Coates turned us onto tomorrow, but man CCDap is just unstable. When it works it's awesome when it doesn't it blows a night, and it seems to be 50/50. ACP apparently much more stable.</p>
<p>CCDap is so unstable. Actually going to try the free program Steve Coates turned us onto tomorrow, but man CCDap is just unstable. When it works it's awesome when it doesn't it blows a night, and it seems to be 50/50. ACP apparently much more stable.</p>personal hubbletag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-08-06:6354305:BlogPost:1150412012-08-06T01:23:09.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>Wonder how much it would cost to have your own like 20 inch orbiting telescope.</p>
<p>Wonder how much it would cost to have your own like 20 inch orbiting telescope.</p>Mars onetag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-06-26:6354305:BlogPost:1129652012-06-26T14:58:48.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QoEEGySGm4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QoEEGySGm4</a></p>
<p>OK, these guys are actually doing this. Would you go?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QoEEGySGm4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QoEEGySGm4</a></p>
<p>OK, these guys are actually doing this. Would you go?</p>I made it into scientific American!!!tag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-05-16:6354305:BlogPost:1106462012-05-16T17:44:14.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p><a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/05/16/10-things-exome-sequencing-cant-do-but-why-its-still-powerful/">http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/05/16/10-things-exome-sequencing-cant-do-but-why-its-still-powerful/</a></p>
<p>Not too big a deal, but I'm pretty stoked. Irony is, I share a step mother with David Goldstein but I've only met him once or twice. funny.</p>
<p><a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/05/16/10-things-exome-sequencing-cant-do-but-why-its-still-powerful/">http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/05/16/10-things-exome-sequencing-cant-do-but-why-its-still-powerful/</a></p>
<p>Not too big a deal, but I'm pretty stoked. Irony is, I share a step mother with David Goldstein but I've only met him once or twice. funny.</p>tag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-05-16:6354305:BlogPost:1107282012-05-16T17:43:25.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p></p>
<p></p>Fog!!!!!!!!tag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-04-22:6354305:BlogPost:1095932012-04-22T15:41:59.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>I was out for six months with nonstop fog, and then Trevor got it with bad weather for like 5 months, and now, just when my new observatory, solid pier, paramount, off axis guiding with rotator... and now, fog rolls in three days now. It's thick fog that never leaves. It's going to rain on thursday that'll clear it out, but it'll just build back up again.</p>
<p>This is caused primarily by La Nina, or colder than normal ocean temperatures. They say La Nina lasts two years on average, this…</p>
<p>I was out for six months with nonstop fog, and then Trevor got it with bad weather for like 5 months, and now, just when my new observatory, solid pier, paramount, off axis guiding with rotator... and now, fog rolls in three days now. It's thick fog that never leaves. It's going to rain on thursday that'll clear it out, but it'll just build back up again.</p>
<p>This is caused primarily by La Nina, or colder than normal ocean temperatures. They say La Nina lasts two years on average, this one is going on three. In Southern California we typically have 2 to 6 weeks of fog in late spring, called June Gloom. It lasted six months last two years. This year i'm hoping it's different, and it just lasts a short period.</p>New deck and observatory installtag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-03-30:6354305:BlogPost:1088112012-03-30T22:49:42.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>Got the deck taken out, and my buddy and his small crew put in an 18 inch round pier with a T base 5 feet deep. The dirt in my hill is super strong and solid, and I'm guessing that pier base isn't moving at all if much at all. Just levelled the J bolts (except he used screws with flat square 3 inch plates on the end. It'll be solid. So, that part is done. Monday they install the actual deck, should be done my tuesday. Wed. my observatory shows up. Can't wait.</p>
<p>Got the deck taken out, and my buddy and his small crew put in an 18 inch round pier with a T base 5 feet deep. The dirt in my hill is super strong and solid, and I'm guessing that pier base isn't moving at all if much at all. Just levelled the J bolts (except he used screws with flat square 3 inch plates on the end. It'll be solid. So, that part is done. Monday they install the actual deck, should be done my tuesday. Wed. my observatory shows up. Can't wait.</p>Last lighttag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-03-27:6354305:BlogPost:1084722012-03-27T17:11:01.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>Tonight will be my last night shooting with my observatory. Goodbye, or rather good riddance. Since I've had a dome my productivity per night has gone down a lot, driving me nuts. Firstly, had a six month fog bank so no telescoping, then when I got back on my CGE pro was acting funny and not tracking in DEC. That drove me nuts for months. Things are better now, Paramount ME is tracking like a champ, and thus everything is working again.</p>
<p>So here's what the new observatory will…</p>
<p>Tonight will be my last night shooting with my observatory. Goodbye, or rather good riddance. Since I've had a dome my productivity per night has gone down a lot, driving me nuts. Firstly, had a six month fog bank so no telescoping, then when I got back on my CGE pro was acting funny and not tracking in DEC. That drove me nuts for months. Things are better now, Paramount ME is tracking like a champ, and thus everything is working again.</p>
<p>So here's what the new observatory will have...</p>
<p>Paramount ME<br/> Paramount Pier<br/>
Technical innovations PD10 automated dome<br/>
All Sky Cam (not sure which one)<br/>
ACP with scheduler<br/>
Maxim and CCDsoft<br/>
SkyX pro<br/>
Flatman XL<br/>
Moonlite autofocuser<br/>
Lodestar guider off axis<br/>
optec pyxis LE rotator</p>
<p>And then any combination of:</p>
<p>72 mm APO refractor<br/> 127 mm APO refractor<br/>
11 inch edge HD<br/>
8 inch RC</p>
<p>With</p>
<p>SBIG 8XME internally guided with 5 position wheel<br/> Starlight Express SXVR H18 with 7 position wheel</p>
<p>That's a lot of hardware. Going to take my skeshedpod down and sell it and my CGE pro.</p>
<p>So today it comes down, funny I have four clear nights ahead of me. But need to rebuild the deck, so time to shut it down, pull the pier out, rip up the deck, and begin putting it all back together again with solid artifical wood stuff and a more solid footing for a heavier pier setup. I'll be working this weekend that's for sure, but hell if I get my new setup going late next weekend that would be pretty rad. Totally automated amazing setup.</p>
<p>The only thing I could possibly upgrade from here is the OTA itself, which I won't be bothing doing for quite some time. Have enough toys to get some good shots for a while.</p>
<p>Complete automation, it's been a fantasy of mine for a year since Trevor and I started astrogab and mcfarlin started showing me all these astronomy tools I'd never seen before. I'm two weeks away from that, and I can't wait. Imagining PERFECT alignment, 200 point plate solved perfect measuring, etc. Game on.</p>Urinal, a new observatory, and a more stable piertag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-03-27:6354305:BlogPost:1085512012-03-27T01:00:00.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>Today my automated technical innovations PD10 shipped, be here next week. From now until then mostly cloudy nights, so I'll take the setup down when convenient in next two days, and rip out my deck, and put in a better more stable pier. Will drill a new hole, square it, cement it up and attach an appropriate bisque manufactured pier. Pretty stoked to move on this.</p>
<p>Here is my new urinal, about 20 feet from my observatory. :) Urinals are nice to be sure, and I went roman emporer style…</p>
<p>Today my automated technical innovations PD10 shipped, be here next week. From now until then mostly cloudy nights, so I'll take the setup down when convenient in next two days, and rip out my deck, and put in a better more stable pier. Will drill a new hole, square it, cement it up and attach an appropriate bisque manufactured pier. Pretty stoked to move on this.</p>
<p>Here is my new urinal, about 20 feet from my observatory. :) Urinals are nice to be sure, and I went roman emporer style and had them put it in perfect height for me. Plumbing was in the wall, so why not? The fiance is stoked, because I never use the toilet, that thing is basically hers at this point.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2808271835?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2808271835?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"/></a></p>
<p>Can't wait to get out again with this new automated dome and more stable pier, with a rotator and bigger CCD chip to boot. Have a pretty rad little setup, functional to be sure, and ready to be automated via ACP. Can't wait to figure out scheduler and have output galor. For those who don't know what Scheduler is, basically, it turns on the observatory on it's own, meaning if you are sleeping a it get's clear, you'll be getting shots of your targets without having to get up or even know it's happening. Total automation, I like it.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PZE8ZUM0ps&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PZE8ZUM0ps&feature=related</a></p>
<p>Charlie</p>New CCDtag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-03-19:6354305:BlogPost:1084182012-03-19T19:09:16.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p><a href="http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=319-320-1542-15881">http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=319-320-1542-15881</a></p>
<p>What you guys think of this? I could scoop it up right now, with a rotator and be super ready to roll and guide off axis. Thoguhts?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=319-320-1542-15881">http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=319-320-1542-15881</a></p>
<p>What you guys think of this? I could scoop it up right now, with a rotator and be super ready to roll and guide off axis. Thoguhts?</p>Engagementtag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-03-08:6354305:BlogPost:1077832012-03-08T04:23:33.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>i'm engaged!!!! First time for me. Her little sister and mine are best friends, she grew up about five blocks from me but I never met her. She graduated from Berkeley and lived in san Fransisco for six years after and just returned to Laguna, and we met and boom, never been more sure of anything in my life.…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2808272357?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2808272357?profile=original" width="720"></img></a></p>
<p>i'm engaged!!!! First time for me. Her little sister and mine are best friends, she grew up about five blocks from me but I never met her. She graduated from Berkeley and lived in san Fransisco for six years after and just returned to Laguna, and we met and boom, never been more sure of anything in my life.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2808272357?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2808272357?profile=original" width="720"/></a></p>Deep Sky instruments RC 14 inchtag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-03-05:6354305:BlogPost:1078332012-03-05T01:57:41.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p><a href="http://deepskyinstruments.com/rc14c.htm">http://deepskyinstruments.com/rc14c.htm</a></p>
<p>This is a very nice OTA. Secondary mirror is the focuser, that is very nice. And it has heaters controlled by PC plus coolers. Wonder how real that spot diagram is, CDK might not agree, but I like this design better than any design that needs a focuser in the OTA. Eliminate flexure to be sure. Love this scope, eyeing a custom 16 inch version of it, but don't have the money, shocking!! :)</p>
<p><a href="http://deepskyinstruments.com/rc14c.htm">http://deepskyinstruments.com/rc14c.htm</a></p>
<p>This is a very nice OTA. Secondary mirror is the focuser, that is very nice. And it has heaters controlled by PC plus coolers. Wonder how real that spot diagram is, CDK might not agree, but I like this design better than any design that needs a focuser in the OTA. Eliminate flexure to be sure. Love this scope, eyeing a custom 16 inch version of it, but don't have the money, shocking!! :)</p>Fogtag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-02-24:6354305:BlogPost:1070732012-02-24T16:55:24.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>Got two pretty good shots, mount is definitely tracking, REALLY tracking. Shooting at F10 on an 11 inch Edge HD SCT. Forecast to have clearest skies ever for a few days. So last night I didn't go out with the boys in liue of telescope time, and what happens? Fog. Thick gnarly fog that kept me out for six months last year. Unreal if I finally, after a year of tribulation with the CGE pro, finally come out of the woods and am in fact tracking like a stud, and all of a sudden boom, shut down…</p>
<p>Got two pretty good shots, mount is definitely tracking, REALLY tracking. Shooting at F10 on an 11 inch Edge HD SCT. Forecast to have clearest skies ever for a few days. So last night I didn't go out with the boys in liue of telescope time, and what happens? Fog. Thick gnarly fog that kept me out for six months last year. Unreal if I finally, after a year of tribulation with the CGE pro, finally come out of the woods and am in fact tracking like a stud, and all of a sudden boom, shut down again.</p>
<p>Trevor is going through a similar experience in Hawaii, weather patterns are all strange. California has had a few years here and there of bad fog, but in the last two years it's been six month fog cover everynight, which is highly abnormal. If it hapens again this year then who knows, maybe I'll go cry or something as my new setup is finally working after all this time and I'm out of commission. Super bummer.</p>
<p>Feel ya Trevor, it migth be my turn again to be out of the game against my will.</p>
<p>Charlie</p>AT 12" RCtag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-02-19:6354305:BlogPost:1068872012-02-19T23:04:41.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>Anyone think this is a decent optical tube? Compared to planewave DCKs or AG optical, or deep sky instruments that all go for much more money, just over double at the same size, i'm interestd to know why and if this scope doesn't have the manufacturing quality. It's made by Guan Sheng Optical Co., Ltd in Taiwan. Thoughts anyone?</p>
<p>Anyone think this is a decent optical tube? Compared to planewave DCKs or AG optical, or deep sky instruments that all go for much more money, just over double at the same size, i'm interestd to know why and if this scope doesn't have the manufacturing quality. It's made by Guan Sheng Optical Co., Ltd in Taiwan. Thoughts anyone?</p>stable setupstag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-02-13:6354305:BlogPost:1067502012-02-13T22:12:43.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>Dave made a comment about how when you change out toys, the scope always seems to have an issue. Boy we all know this is true. It always seems like your best shot is when you're stable with a particular configuration for a few sessions to where it's becoming routine. I've gotten so many toys and changed up so much in the last period here, that now I'm really sort of focused on stablizing the setup. I do not want to move or change anything for a bit, and actually get some nice…</p>
<p>Dave made a comment about how when you change out toys, the scope always seems to have an issue. Boy we all know this is true. It always seems like your best shot is when you're stable with a particular configuration for a few sessions to where it's becoming routine. I've gotten so many toys and changed up so much in the last period here, that now I'm really sort of focused on stablizing the setup. I do not want to move or change anything for a bit, and actually get some nice shots.</p>
<p>My paramount ME is tracking perfectly, my guider issues have been resolved as least therietically via daniel bisque who is very cool to work with FYI if you ever buy a mount from bisque. Everything is stable and operting, and I don't want to change a thing for a bit. Really quite excited about the potential of not battling a machine and just focusing in on shots and my camera, and getting good subs.</p>
<p>There is an observatory showing up in late March, I'll put that up of course, but no changing guiders, camera's, scopes, etc.</p>
<p>Charlie</p>Paramount MX, or MEtag:astrogab.ning.com,2012-01-20:6354305:BlogPost:1048082012-01-20T17:30:19.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>Anyone heard anything about the paramount MX? We all know the ME is awesome, but the MX was launched and I haven't heard squat about it.</p>
<p>Anyone heard anything about the paramount MX? We all know the ME is awesome, but the MX was launched and I haven't heard squat about it.</p>Astrogabtag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-12-06:6354305:BlogPost:1018032011-12-06T17:33:24.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<p>I'm not planning to ever bail on astrogab. It's not expensive to maintain, and I've learned so much from this site and am not done learning. No way am I leaving astrogab despite rumors.</p>
<p>I'm not planning to ever bail on astrogab. It's not expensive to maintain, and I've learned so much from this site and am not done learning. No way am I leaving astrogab despite rumors.</p>Clear Skiestag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-06-10:6354305:BlogPost:589162011-06-10T17:44:01.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
Apparently i've got clear skies all next week. Hopefully it materializes my setup works great and nail a shot per night, that would be really nice.
Apparently i've got clear skies all next week. Hopefully it materializes my setup works great and nail a shot per night, that would be really nice.backtag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-06-06:6354305:BlogPost:566972011-06-06T02:06:28.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
Mazatlan sucks. I'm feeling really sorry for the people there, drug wars stopping tourism, the city is falling apart, it's super sad. But the town is going criminal in a big way as regular folks are being financially pressed to the exteme Aweful to be walking through there knowing what' coming for those people. Horrible.
Mazatlan sucks. I'm feeling really sorry for the people there, drug wars stopping tourism, the city is falling apart, it's super sad. But the town is going criminal in a big way as regular folks are being financially pressed to the exteme Aweful to be walking through there knowing what' coming for those people. Horrible.Hope everyone in twister window is oktag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-05-26:6354305:BlogPost:523152011-05-26T06:02:43.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
How did everyone do in the Midwest in twister zone? That storm looks outrageously bad, hope everyoe is ok.
How did everyone do in the Midwest in twister zone? That storm looks outrageously bad, hope everyoe is ok.holy moly it workedtag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-05-24:6354305:BlogPost:508122011-05-24T06:15:24.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
My setup totally worked, I'm kind of in disbelief. Took a shot of M5, short exposure, not very good visibility tonight, but I'll combine and post no matter how it looks just because it's sort of monumental for me to finally have a setup working. STOKED!!!!
My setup totally worked, I'm kind of in disbelief. Took a shot of M5, short exposure, not very good visibility tonight, but I'll combine and post no matter how it looks just because it's sort of monumental for me to finally have a setup working. STOKED!!!!clear patchtag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-05-23:6354305:BlogPost:500412011-05-23T17:01:56.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
Going into a clear patch, and begging for my computer system and everything else to be fully operational and stable. Tonight is mostly clear, and then sunny until next week. holy moly. I'm on it!!! Need that computer system to work out.
Going into a clear patch, and begging for my computer system and everything else to be fully operational and stable. Tonight is mostly clear, and then sunny until next week. holy moly. I'm on it!!! Need that computer system to work out.Computers computerstag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-05-22:6354305:BlogPost:495192011-05-22T00:05:34.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
windows 7 64 bit uinstable for me. IT guy thinks I might have a bad peice of RAM, will figure that out next week. But for right now, I went to work on a laptop that was sitting around the office, 32 bit XP pro, we installing windows now and will reinstall all my software once again.. Kind of a lot of work actually. oh well, I'm on it!! Just want CCDware to be stable and working without issue, it's an amazing program when coupled with SkyX pro and CCDsoft. :)
windows 7 64 bit uinstable for me. IT guy thinks I might have a bad peice of RAM, will figure that out next week. But for right now, I went to work on a laptop that was sitting around the office, 32 bit XP pro, we installing windows now and will reinstall all my software once again.. Kind of a lot of work actually. oh well, I'm on it!! Just want CCDware to be stable and working without issue, it's an amazing program when coupled with SkyX pro and CCDsoft. :)Planet Nabutag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-05-20:6354305:BlogPost:485562011-05-20T21:09:25.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
Tomorrow is the end guys, been nice knowing you, think I'll go visual scoping tonight, and find the planet Nabu crashing into us to destroy humanity.
Tomorrow is the end guys, been nice knowing you, think I'll go visual scoping tonight, and find the planet Nabu crashing into us to destroy humanity.New Ambry commercialtag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-05-12:6354305:BlogPost:443072011-05-12T06:52:50.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
<a href="http://youtu.be/e4wa7PBrlpQ">http://youtu.be/e4wa7PBrlpQ</a><br />
<br />
Lol.
<a href="http://youtu.be/e4wa7PBrlpQ">http://youtu.be/e4wa7PBrlpQ</a><br />
<br />
Lol.So i finally get my setup working...tag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-05-07:6354305:BlogPost:419312011-05-07T17:41:00.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
and it goes cloudy. lol. couple days next week look promising. Still had one issueon my mock runs I'll investigate tonight, and that's likely a video driver error as the whole screen went blue and the computer rebooted in the middle of an image, so I'll investigate that if it comes back up which it likely will, but I managed to work out all the computer issues last night and take some shots of clouds. lol. Was just happy to get the components all speaking to each other and working.<br />
<br />
Oh, SkyX…
and it goes cloudy. lol. couple days next week look promising. Still had one issueon my mock runs I'll investigate tonight, and that's likely a video driver error as the whole screen went blue and the computer rebooted in the middle of an image, so I'll investigate that if it comes back up which it likely will, but I managed to work out all the computer issues last night and take some shots of clouds. lol. Was just happy to get the components all speaking to each other and working.<br />
<br />
Oh, SkyX pro image link for astromitry or plate solving is not communicating, that issue needs solving too but I'm likely doing something really stupid so I emailed the CCDautopilot guy to address. Likely a setting off. So I can't wait to join the ranks of actually being an imager again and getting off shots.computer issues are the worsttag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-05-03:6354305:BlogPost:398012011-05-03T16:23:12.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
I've had it, so many computer crashes and programs not working correctly, I've got my IT guys at Ambry installing XP pro and wiping the hard drive. Last night for instance I was fixed on a star cluster and CCDautopilot crashed... then I restarted and did the same cluster but just with CCDsoft and SkyX running, and it crashed again. Something is wrong, and I'm tripping out. So I wiped the drive and am starting again with XP, which we know works well with all of these programs.
I've had it, so many computer crashes and programs not working correctly, I've got my IT guys at Ambry installing XP pro and wiping the hard drive. Last night for instance I was fixed on a star cluster and CCDautopilot crashed... then I restarted and did the same cluster but just with CCDsoft and SkyX running, and it crashed again. Something is wrong, and I'm tripping out. So I wiped the drive and am starting again with XP, which we know works well with all of these programs.Mechanics of Observatorytag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-04-30:6354305:BlogPost:378412011-04-30T05:42:09.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
Damned I'm learning a lot. Pempro is a fantastic program. The polar Alignment wizard is really awesome.
Damned I'm learning a lot. Pempro is a fantastic program. The polar Alignment wizard is really awesome.wowserstag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-04-28:6354305:BlogPost:371582011-04-28T05:49:54.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
almost getting all the bugs worked out. CCDautopilot is awesome, except it's bugging out at the alnitak flip-flat connecting phase. grrrr. Getting close, was playing around until 11 PM. Think I'll be in action this weekend. Setting up the CGE pro mount tomorrow as the adapter plate is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. So I'll play around with polar aligning perfectly and then play with pempro, perfectly polar align and nail in, and then for sure check the PEC and reprogram the mount.<br />
<br />
The thing I'm…
almost getting all the bugs worked out. CCDautopilot is awesome, except it's bugging out at the alnitak flip-flat connecting phase. grrrr. Getting close, was playing around until 11 PM. Think I'll be in action this weekend. Setting up the CGE pro mount tomorrow as the adapter plate is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. So I'll play around with polar aligning perfectly and then play with pempro, perfectly polar align and nail in, and then for sure check the PEC and reprogram the mount.<br />
<br />
The thing I'm hoping to set up above all else is an accurate home position in the mount so that I can turn on and single star align or use t=point, so that star aligning becomes one click, adjust, and go.<br />
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CCDware is definitely cool. Couple conflicts to resolve but I'm going to be back in business real soon here, after quite some time off.My weather forecasttag:astrogab.ning.com,2011-04-26:6354305:BlogPost:367812011-04-26T17:16:57.000ZCharles Dunlophttps://astrogab.ning.com/profile/CharlesDunlop
unbelievable. 0% precip chance, zero clouds, great visibility... for like 10 days!! No chance that's real, except, it appears to be.
unbelievable. 0% precip chance, zero clouds, great visibility... for like 10 days!! No chance that's real, except, it appears to be.