[Dawson]

Ok, I think we have a plan for people who want a copy.

Either post a cheque for £20 to Alan and he’ll post the book out. Or if you want to send me £20 electronically along with your address and whether you want him to write anything in the front of the book, and I’ll write Alan out a cheque for the money and print out the address and give it him a print out once a week or so.

I spoke to him on the telephone just, and he thinks we may need more copies…

I’ve also listed the book on Amazon, but they take £6 per item, so to cover costs of the book and postage and the Amazon fees, it is listed at £25.

I’ll message everyone who has shown interest in the book this same message. Contact me for Alan’s address if you don’t already have it.

James

[Dawson]

Yes an excellent edition. Well done David and team. It is great to see the work we are doing on our observatory in Nottingham mentioned. It is still very much work in progress but we are getting there. I will write up a report for the Section in due course about the final version and the issues we faced. The current intermittent issue relates to the surface of the capstan; too “dry” and the rope doesn’t slip well, but too “shiny” and there is insufficient friction. It’s all good fun.

[Dawson]

It would be interesting to see if there were similar postings in the forum the last time the website had a major overhaul. I suspect there was.

I think resolving the issue about having to log in every visit would be good, and if you could get rid of the page immediately after logging on which tells you that you are logging in would be good too.

I do think summer is a quiet time for the website traditionally, but like others have said, I am conscious my visits have reduced in recent times. I think some of this is down to the fact I mostly visit from my phone, and I’m yet to bond with the way the new website appears on my phone. There seem to be lots of graphics that presumably indicate different parts of the website, but as I’ve not linked the pictures to the graphics yet it all just looks foreign still. I suspect the graphics wouldn’t be missed on my iphone, and just having text links would be sufficient.

If it was possible, I’d also reinstate the option to be able to start a new forum thread from within the different fora, rather than having to somehow go back, go back, go back to the start of all fora and then click start new.

I also miss being able to click a members name or picture and being able to send them an email directly. That was a really useful feature.

I’ve not explored or done much else to comment, but overall I think I’ve not used it enough to learn my way around, and none of us like change.

We also have to remember most of this is probably undertaken by volunteers.

James Dawson

[Dawson]

Please have them. Where is your brother, if relatively close I could drop them off with him. They just need to go ASAP.

James

[Dawson]

I think it is worth £300 or more.

[Dawson]

If it had the maps, I suspect £1000.

[Dawson]

I’ve found a copy. The cover is just the same as the 1st edition. There is a short new preface to the second edition which reads:

“A few changes have been made – particularly in the Occultation section. Since 1972 Mr. Ringsdore has, unhappily, been compelled to retire as Section Secretary because of ill-health. In his place, we welcome Mr. Geoffrey Buss.”

The only change I can see in the 1974 edition is there is an additional page on occultations, see attachment.

James

Attachments:

1. 

   1974-rotated.jpg
   

[Dawson]

David, is it possible to see some more images of the device to see all sides of it and get any idea how it might have been used. The turning know suggests a focus or a means to act as some kind of comparator.

James

[Dawson]

Stewart, thank you, that is interesting and helpful. I’ve got a spare copy of number 1 which you can have for free if you want, I can bring it to Winchester.

James

[Dawson]

I’ve had a look on line and looked through a few books both for the telescope and for the event (Lord Morison handing over the telescope) and I can’t find anything. As you say, several of similar design, but none VERY close. The altitude bar, the fixings to the mount, the location of the focus knobs, the combination of exposed and covered brass…

It would probably be worth contacting the antique Telescope Society. Also try the Society for the History of Astronomy as they will likely put a picture of it in a coming publication to broaden exposure. 

James [Librarian for the Society for the History of Astronomy]

[Dawson]

If anyone has the early copies of the handbook, I am looking for these to fill gaps in the Society for the History of Astronomy Library. The earliest I’ve got is 1936 so looking for the 15 or so before this.

Thanks

James Dawson

Librarian, Society for the History of Astronomy

[Dawson]

And the crazy flashing thing bottom left quadrant from 1:36 to 1:57?

[Dawson]

What is the object which appears about 49 seconds in an d vanishes about 52 seconds just to the west of HIP 45336, 22 Hya (top left qudrant of the image)?

[Dawson]

I emailed Sheridan Williams and he has sent me the BAA Circular and says he scanned them all for the BAA some years ago, so they do exist somewhere, just not on the website as far as I could see.

Thanks for the comments and links above.

James

[Dawson]

The original buyer pulled out. 
You are within your rights to re-list it at a different price. If people don’t want to pay the new price. If no o E wants it at that price, you could reduce the price and try again. 

[Dawson]

It was nice to get back to a face to face BAA meeting. Going to London for just one meeting is a big undertaking so we paired it with a trip to the RAS Library on the Friday and a quick look around the Science Museum on Saturday morning.

The talks were very good. I’m not convinced I understood all of the multiverse talk or was convinced by the concept, though it was delivered excellently. The Winchcombe story is fascinating and although I’ve heard this talk given by an astronomer, it was great to hear it given by a meteor scientist, a subtly different slant. 

Nick James’ Sky Notes were excellent; entertaining and informative. A future BAA President for sure.

As said above, David Arditti’s discussion about the role of the president was spot on, and I applaud his efforts to open up the BAA, its resources and its expertise to wider audiences. Looking forward to seeing what comes from presidency. 

Well done to everyone who made it all possible. Thank you.

[Dawson]

I don’t know Meade scopes so am unsure what the LX3 200 is. I presume an SCT on an alt-ax mount, 8″? 10″?

Prices will greatly depend on condition, specific type/model, accessories and any problems. Looking online, I would suggest ball park figures for an 8″ would be in the region of £400-700; 10″ £600-900; 12″ £800-1200. But it is only worth whatever anyone is willing to pay for it. My observations are that fork mounted Meade telescopes were once very popular, but desired less today by people buying second hand telescopes. I may be wrong.

The other option is to talk to someone like Rother Valley Optics and see if they are interested in it to sell on.

James

[Dawson]

The C11 on its own, assuming it is not damaged in any way, will sell easily for £1000. You could ask for £1500 but I don’t think it would sell. Part of the issue is that not many people can take a scope of that size, of if they can they may want the HD version. 

What is the motorised focusser? 

No idea about the Tak.

[Dawson]

In simple terms, what does the spectrum of the nova tell us about what is going on?

[Dawson]

There is a second-hand copy on Amazon.co.uk for £48.50 – they might deliver to the USA.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/3540199802/ref=olp_aod_early_redir?_encoding=UTF8&aod=1

[Author]

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