Gary Poyner

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Viewing 20 posts - 241 through 260 (of 302 total)
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  • in reply to: Measuring variable stars with a DSLR #577604
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Hi Tom,

    I’ve recently added a link from the BAAVSS home page to the updated AAVSO DSLR manual.  You might want to look at that as well as Des’s paper…

    Good luck,

    Gary

    https://www.aavso.org/dslr-observing-manual

    in reply to: Cleaning C14 Corrector lens #577560
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Washing up liquid also contains lanolin, which can leave white marks if not washed down properly.  I’ve not cleaned a corrector plate (I did have a Meade 14 for 7 years but didn’t clean it and didn’t lose any limiting magnitude either over that time), but have washed more mirrors than you can poke a stick at, and white marks/streaks were certainly a problem if your like me and need everything to be pristine. It was probably this that sent me grey.

    If in doubt, leave well alone.

    Gary

    in reply to: Annual General Meeting and Ordinary Meeting 26/10/16 #577559
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Can’t say Paul….just can’t say!

    Cheers

    Gary

    in reply to: RX And #577551
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Prof. Christian Knigge has posted preliminary feedback to this Chandra campaign on RX And here if anyone wishes to see…

    https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/baavss-alert/conversations/messages/4512

    Gary

    in reply to: Annual General Meeting and Ordinary Meeting 26/10/16 #577550
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Good meeting up again Wayne.  Yes indeed, an excellent meeting with a top PA from Jeremy!

    As for Paul’s jackets?  I could guess but…

    Hope to see you at the Xmas meeting.

    Gary

    in reply to: Database format #577531
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Graham,

    It’s available on Amazon – but pricey!

    Gary

    in reply to: RX And #577527
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    I’m happy to see observers taking time out to monitor RX And.  

    As soon as feedback on the Chandra run is received, I’ll post something here for those who don’t access VS mail groups.

    Gary

    in reply to: A spectrum of HR Lyr #577507
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Thanks for posting this Robin.  It does indeed look like HR Lyr is on it’s way up to it’s normal  quiescence – which can be quite active by the way.  

    So the emission lines fade whilst HR Lyr recovers.  What do you make of that?

    Gary

    in reply to: Caroline Herschel #577498
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Thanks David.  I saw the one in 1981 when she opened up the museum, but it looked absolutely ancient so decided against it. I’ll check out the 1985 reference though.  Martin M also came up trumps (no surprise there), so I have all I need now.

    Cheers,

    Gary

    in reply to: Caroline Herschel #577494
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Many thanks Martin.  It was Caroline I was after, simply because I met and spoke with her.  However I can use your pic as a backup should I not be able to get one of Caroline.

    Gary

    in reply to: Finding speakers for society meetings #577465
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    I applaud Graham for this super idea, and support him in his aims wholeheartedly. I also urge BAA members who give talks to Astro societies to sign up!

    I must point out though that I am an ex-section director these days!

    Gary

    in reply to: Perseids last night #577462
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    It’s been pretty cloudy here in Brum, but I did have just over an hour of broken cloud after midnight on the morning of the 12th.  I was though at the eyepiece, but did catch a few by chance and out of the corner of my eye.  If it had been clear I would have done a proper visual watch.  Oh well…

    Gary

    in reply to: Inspirational astronomy books #577439
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    John Glasby’s 1971 ‘Variable Star Observers Handbook’ was a treasure to me in the years between my first VS observations (1975) and joining the BAA and the BAAVSS (1978).  Lots of controversy about Glasby of course, but I found this book invaluable.

    Sidgewick’s 1971 edition ‘Observational Astronomy for Amateurs’ rarely left my side in my early observing days too, along with his ‘Amateur Astronomers Handbook’ of the same year.  I still treasure those books.

    My 1965 Ladybird book of Astronomy remains in pristine condition, and I guess this must have been the first book I used with my first telescope in 1965, closely followed by Nortons 1950 epoch star atlas.

    Gone very nostalgic now…

    Gary

    in reply to: Thank You #577397
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Good meeting you yesterday Wayne.  I don’t get to too many BAA London meetings myself, so I find the Kings Head a good place to catch up with old friends.  Hope we bump into each other again at another BAA event.

    Cheers,

    Gary

    in reply to: Transit of Mercury #577351
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Majority of cloud cleared here 10 mins before start.  Managed this photo – hand held mobile phone with 14mm Radian eyepiece on 22cm dobby stopped to 10cm using ancient solar screen.  Time 11.41UT

    Gary

    in reply to: Minor planet “95852 Leatherbarrow” #577330
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Many congratulations Bill.  It looks like your ever so slightly variable!  Made my day that has 🙂

    Gary

    in reply to: NASA Moon Tour #577327
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Some cracking images there Dave. Thanks for the link!  Shame about the ‘robotic’ commentary though.

    I still think the Moon should be painted black however 😉

    Gary

    in reply to: Observing stats 2015 #577200
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Do you image remotely Martin?  One wonders how you manage to keep sane in those conditions!

    Gary

    in reply to: Christmas Meeting #577179
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Have to agree with Tony on the quality of the meeting (although not the other issue) – it was great!  Been a BAA member for nearly 40 years, and this was my first Christmas meeting.  Hope it won’t be my last!  Good fun in the pub afterwards too.

    Gary

    in reply to: Filters #577131
    Gary Poyner
    Participant

    Latest news is that it could be a normal outburst, so no lovely superhump profiles on the light curve.  However sometimes these normal outbursts can trigger superoutbursts (never been seen in HT Cas though), so worth following after a return to quiescence.  Of course you still get eclipses during a normal outburst.   Last night (Oct 25.9 UT) it was still bright at 13.2.

    Gary

Viewing 20 posts - 241 through 260 (of 302 total)