Link to my blog.

[Jeff McFarlin]

I maintain a blog some of you might find interesting at:

http://www.silvren.com/blog/

Pictures, thoughts, screenshots, whatever. Mostly astronomy related.

Jeff

[spike77]

cool jeff got to get one cool blog also

[space_jockey]

Thats cool1 Thats what I use, a white eeepc Netbook.. the way to go!

[Jeff McFarlin]

Haha, isn't that thing awesome? I love it. Keeps the dew off, the ice off, and shields the light. http://www.lapdome.com/

I got the junior cuz I use a Netbook. It's a tight fit, but snug.

[space_jockey]

I just gotta ask where did you find that little tent for the laptop?????

[Jeff McFarlin]

So far so good with it. I mount it piggy back on the AT8RC with ADM rings and ADM vixen dovetail adapters. I mount is side by side if I'm imaging with a refractor. It works just fine in PhD, but recently I switched to Maxim, and I've been using that to guide and control my imaging camera both.

[Marc Basti]

Thanks man for the info. That's funny I've had the Flat-Man bookmarked for a while (file under wish list). Actually been reading about daytime flats, but using the sun to illuminate cardboard and then shooting the cardboard (interesting and cheaper, but still sounds easier w/an illuminated panel). Thanks again Jeff, Marc

[Jeff McFarlin]

I actually don't shoot flats (yet). I simply don't have time when I add in my setup and breakdown time(s). When I mount the CGE-Pro in an obs (two years from now when we move, if we move hopefully) I'll be shooting flats with a Flat-Man-L (google it). And yes, you're supposed to flats for each filter. As for darks, I do them at home, usually I just stick my camera outside the sliding glass door, and make sure it's dark. It's a temp-regulated camera so I just set it for -20C or whatever and do what I need to. Right now I'm doing 10 darks and using a master for each. I have about 20 sets of darks right now in the library in Maxim. Although I've mostly been using the -20C/600s/1x1 and 2x2 sets.

[Marc Basti]

Jeff, being new to the ccd world had a question or two hoping you might be able to answer. Shooting mono I know you should shoot flats for each filter r,g,b,l,ha etc. Do you bother shooting these each time you image or do you have a master of each that is applied at calibration? Concerning darks do you do these during imaging time or back at home when the outside temp is same (about), how many? Thanks, Marc