[Callum Potter]

hey Grant,

I remember reading some articles about using a Raspberry PI to serve it’s usb ports via Ethernet. At the PC end they just look like standard usb devices.

Some googling might turn up something helpful.

I did find this commercial offering https://www.virtualhere.com/

one device is free so might be worth an experiment.

Cheers, Callum

[Callum Potter]

Thanks all for the observations.

I have been trying to observe with iTelescope in Spain, but the weather there has been poor the last few nights.

Cheers, Callum

[Callum Potter]

W&W sell dew heaters, and have attended our B2B workshops and other meetings, and were at the IAS. 

Website is https://dewheater.com 

No connection except I bought one for a camera lens.

Callum

[Callum Potter]

Have you looked at Christian Buil’s website.

Some in French (use google translate if need be) though much in English too.

http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/spectrographs.htm

Cheers, Callum

[Callum Potter]

Hi Bill,

I noticed a couple of your twitter postings on this, so good to see a write up!

Where do you get the LC shutters from?

Cheers, Callum

[Callum Potter]

Hi Howard,

I don’t have any direct experience, but I would say you need to make sure the generator is properly ventilated to the outside world.

Although it was different circumstances a couple of guys in a nearby town died from carbon monoxide poisoning because they were using a generator to pump out a flooded basement.

Have you thought about solar power at all?

You’d need to work out how much electric power you’ll need in the observatory, and then match to batteries and solar panels that would be sufficient to fully charge in a day or so.

Will be interested to hear how you get on, and what you decide to do in the end.

Cheers, Callum

[Callum Potter]

Hi Tony,

one (of the many) mistakes I made when constructing my roll-off roof observatory I embedded the exteriors supports for the exterior rails (where the roof rides over onto when open) within the building, so when the eventually rotted, it was a particularly difficult job to replace them. 

So, I’d suggest thinking about how you might replace them when that needs to be done. Unlike the main building the exterior rails will be subject to all the weather…

Look forward to hearing how the project goes.

Clear skies

Callum

[Callum Potter]

Last night was quite clear at Kelling and saw quite a few through the night – but just incidental to the deep sky observing 🙂

Callum

[Callum Potter]

Hi Peter,

the contact form link does not show for yourself (why would you want to send a message to yourself? – rhetorical question 🙂

But others when logged in will see a Send Mail link like:

So all should be working!

Cheers. Callum

[Callum Potter]

Hi David,

I don’t use one myself, but other options to consider are the

Ioptron SkyTracker – i’ve seen a lot of good images made using these.

Other newer things to think about are:

Ioptron SkyTracker Pro – more ‘heavy weight’

And something new I saw recently mentioned in Astronomy Now is the 

SkyWatcher Star Adventurer Mini.

Would be interested to hear from anyone that’s tried these newer mounts.

Thanks, Callum

[Callum Potter]

Hi Kevin,

Welcome to the BAA!

yes – just contact the section directors of the sections you are interested – you can use the contact forms on the website, or the email addresses in the back of the Journal. 

You will be most welcome to the Deep Sky Section!

Cheers, Callum

[Callum Potter]

Hi Grant, I’m not sure if it was an actual quote… but I was asking about a Kite EM247 CL.

http://www.laser2000.co.uk/camera_product.php?no=10426

And there is an interesting application note:

http://www.laser2000.co.uk/pdfs/download/white_papers/Technote-All-Sky-Kite.pdf

[Callum Potter]

Hi Tim,

I have looked into this a couple of times, but was not able to find an affordable route…

The last time I got in touch with a supplier (for a Raptor Kite from Laser 2000) they quoted a price starting at £6800.

If you find a ‘cheap’ source I would be interested.

Callum

[Callum Potter]

I have used Baader Optical Wonder Cleaning Fluid – it seems to do a good job.

Callum

[Callum Potter]

Hi Denis,

I don’t know the answer, but I would try running the question past Jim Wild…

Cheers, Callum

[Callum Potter]

Leslie Peltier’s Starlight Nights 

Walter Scott Houston’s Deep-Sky Wonders (selections by Steve O’Meara)

And I too have a lot of affection for my 1950 epoch Norton’s

Callum

[Callum Potter]

Hi Roger,

what was the calibration process used – perhaps there was some normalisation along the way…

Cheers, Callum

[Callum Potter]

Hi Bill,

I’m not sure I can spread much light – but it seems for me on the view of one of the forums there is a Views column present when logged on, but not if not… 

I’m not sure if this has changed with the latest site update or not.

Cheers, Callum

[Callum Potter]

Thanks for the suggestions Bill & William.

I did use hi AGC before (with another lens), but the images were fairly noisy, so I switched to low.

I will try some more experimentation, and rewiring the lens control sounds attractive.

Will report back on progress…

Cheers, Callum

[Callum Potter]

Douglas Adams, H2G2

“But the plans were on display…”
“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
“That’s the display department.”
“With a flashlight.”
“Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”
“So had the stairs.”
“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.”

[Author]

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