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All Blog Posts (157)

computer issues are the worst

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.

Added by Charles Dunlop on May 3, 2011 at 9:23am — 7 Comments

Mechanics of Observatory

Damned I'm learning a lot. Pempro is a fantastic program. The polar Alignment wizard is really awesome.

Added by Charles Dunlop on April 29, 2011 at 10:42pm — 2 Comments

The First Annual Deschutes River/White River/Shearer's Bridge/Tygh Valley Star Party

LOL... well, maybe not, but it was a good spot, good friends and a good time!

A small group of us were at the corner of White River and Deschutes at a group camp site in the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation (I didn't realize the reservation extended that far). A nice little camp site in a Bortle 2 sky, although it was a bit bright for Bortle 2 because of moisture in the air. A clean bathroom (a decent forest service outhouse really), a rushing river, and a railroad…

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Added by Neil Heacock on April 29, 2011 at 12:00pm — 2 Comments

wowsers

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.

The… Continue

Added by Charles Dunlop on April 27, 2011 at 10:49pm — 3 Comments

My weather forecast

unbelievable. 0% precip chance, zero clouds, great visibility... for like 10 days!! No chance that's real, except, it appears to be.

Added by Charles Dunlop on April 26, 2011 at 10:16am — 2 Comments

Clear skies forecast

I'm forecast to have five clear nights Tuesday onward. Holy ,ply not sure how to handle that!!!

Added by Charles Dunlop on April 25, 2011 at 6:59am — 2 Comments

my pictures have hit the jr high school

hey guys the coolest thing has happened the principal at one of our local jr high schools has a son on my sons football team and we got to talking about the pics i have ben takeing so i asked him if any of his science teachers might want to share a few with the kids and said sure so i emailed him some about a couple weeks ago not expecting any feedback on them and i got an email today this is the email Hey Spike,

My 8th grade Science teachers have been doing a unit on the solar system this… Continue

Added by spike77 on April 21, 2011 at 6:48pm — 5 Comments

listen to my music on www.myspace.com/HyppoliteBergamotte it's a meditative music,with jazz harmonies,often inspired by deep sky objects. You may like it or dislike it, and even find sad if you want

listen to my music on www.myspace.com/HyppoliteBergamotte

it's a meditative music,with jazz harmonies,often inspired by deep sky objects.
You may like it or dislike it, and even find sad if you want Continue

Added by Emile.M. Pulinx, MD on April 20, 2011 at 9:41am — No Comments

Hawaii Five-O

It's Official the Hawaii Five-0 episode featuring Mauli Ola Foundation airs on CBS May 2nd. The episode is entitled “Ho’ohuli Na’au”. Stoked.

Mauli Ola is my charity, I know the guys at Hawaii Five-O and Scott Kahn the actor guy and Kala Alexander a good friend convinced the writers to write my charity into the episode. it's a big deal!!

www.mauliola.org

YOOOOOOOOO.

Added by Charles Dunlop on April 19, 2011 at 9:04am — 5 Comments

Observatory almost functional

Software conflicts resolved, was playing last night with just slewing and focusing, etc. Downloaded the trial of CCDware and will be playing with that. ALMOST there. Things to do include figuring out orion starshoot autoguider in CCDsoft, and finding a thermometer that hooks up USB that is compliant with CCDware as you can refocus at set temperature changes, like 2 F change, it'll refocus on next shot, that's pretty awesome. So I'll be posting shots before you guys know it!

Added by Charles Dunlop on April 16, 2011 at 6:38am — 8 Comments

yes!!!!!!!!!!!

Got my software conflicts figured out. Downloading CCDautopilot and hoping all works. STOKED!!!!

Added by Charles Dunlop on April 15, 2011 at 8:52pm — 1 Comment

Telescoping

Love this damned hobby!

Added by Charles Dunlop on April 14, 2011 at 3:56pm — 4 Comments

Customer service

I've had very interesting cuts,er service experiences in the last two days.

Orion. Asking them about ccdsoft driver for their autoguider, the guy emails me back saying he doesn't use ccdsoft. So I point out in prefer ccdsoft and he writes back, "yeah but I dont". Wow

Skyshedpod. After waiting like four or five extra months for my adapter plate for the pier, they snail mail it, so I upgrade mounts when the thing finally arrives and reorder another plate, and they are… Continue

Added by Charles Dunlop on April 13, 2011 at 6:28am — 15 Comments

MPCC: Refurbishing a SVD 8" Reflector

Hi All,

My first 'serious' scope was a Sky View Deluxe 8" reflector that I bought from Orion almost 10 years ago. Great first scope. Bright sharp images...to someone who does not know how bright and sharp images can be at the eyepiece. When I first started imaging, it was my first imaging scope. F4 is very forgiving to a new imager.

As I progressed, the SVD did not. As I learned what coma was, and as my imagers started coming with larger sensors. I became more and more… Continue

Added by Trevor Woodrow on April 13, 2011 at 12:41am — No Comments

My comapnies first commercial-- check it out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aDd9ib6QYk

Added by Charles Dunlop on April 4, 2011 at 8:06am — 4 Comments

building the observatory (finally)

Got the rubber flooring down, the electricty coming up from under the deck, and am just waiting for the plate adapter coming tomorrow. Need a longer firewire or extension to set up the remote USB hub but other than that I'm ready to set up and roll.

Added by Charles Dunlop on April 3, 2011 at 5:51pm — 11 Comments

Blue skies

Supposed to be clear skies tonight. Finally. Unfortunately the southern California fog has returned as well. Hopefully i can get a shot before the fog invades.

Added by Charles Dunlop on March 30, 2011 at 7:29am — No Comments

ISS Solar Transit Expedition of March 29th, 2011

On a whim last weekend I went to Calsky and checked to see if the ISS would be transiting the Sun in my area. I selected a 100mile radius assuming I would probably have to travel to see one of these somewhat rare events. Well, you can imagine my surprise to learn that a transit would be taking place less than 20miles from me in only 3 days. This blog entry will unfold the sequence of events that took place next.

Having never done this before I decided I had…

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Added by John O'Neal on March 29, 2011 at 12:00pm — 1 Comment

plate adapter

It's finally showing up this week, and it should be sunny this week as well. FINALLY, that took I believe what, five months? Can't wait to finally get it all set up and my system working. Lot of new upgrades that haven't been played with, MaximDL Pro, Moonlite autofocuser, pier, dome, USB hub cabled into the pod underground. There's going to be a learning curve right off the bat just getting everything going smoothly. Back in the game this week though!

Added by Charles Dunlop on March 27, 2011 at 3:22pm — 5 Comments

Free Focus Mask Generator

Hey guys you are going to love this... an on-line focus mask generator

just grab your scissors and knife and start cutting away!

http://astrojargon.net/MaskGenerator.aspx

Added by space_jockey on March 20, 2011 at 10:10am — 1 Comment