Last session of the week and I really wasn’t feeling very energetic. It was all a bit of a struggle today. Despite three fails I did better than yesterday however, my first failure coming on rep ten. Another low 38 “fast fifty”, too. This 38 second barrier is proving a tough one to break.
USRPT distance this year: 182,100m
Total distance this year: 232,100m
So, a new set for today:
A tough start, though. For some reason I was feeling tired (too many late nights out in the observatory, probably) and couldn’t get into it. Three fails, with the first on rep eight. I couldn’t improve on my “fast fifty” time either, though I was still in the low 38s.
USRPT distance this year: 180,300m
Total distance this year: 230,300m
Same set again today, and I was pleased to be able to complete the full set with a target of 49s once again. In fact I think all but one of the reps were lower than 48 seconds.
Sadly I couldn’t improve on my “fast fifty” time, though I was still in the low 38s.
USRPT distance this year: 178,500m
Total distance this year: 228,500m
Another attempt at my USRPT set with a target time of 49s today.
Like last time I had two fails, but this time on reps ten and sixteen. It wasn’t all bad news though. My “fast fifty” time at the end of the main set has now gone down to 38.07 seconds. So close to getting into the 37s! Hopefully that will come soon.
USRPT distance this year: 176,700m
Total distance this year: 226,700m
I was having trouble getting my Xagyl filter wheel working with Ekos last night, partly because INDI fights with the serial subsystem thanks to both the wheel and the NEQ6 mount using /dev/ttyUSBn devices. I worked around the entire problem by switching to a different wheel in the end, but having brought the Xagyl wheel indoors to have a better look at the problem I discovered that the motor wasn’t turning the carousel. I removed the carousel and the motor began to move jerkily. It looks like this little bit is dead:
I’ve emailed Xagyl to see if they can help out, but if not I think it will go into my stack of future projects and I’ll build a new filter wheel from it using an Arduino or something like that.
Setting up cameras on my telescopes has shown up a distinct lack of all the fiddly little bits of kit that you don’t think about 🙁 In particular, extensions to fit T2 threads on cameras, and male-to-male converters to fit into filter wheels.
Today the postman arrived with a few handy bits that will help out. First, from First Light Optics, a couple of the male-to-male converters to screw into filter wheels:
And second, from SRB Photographic, a couple of these. A 40mm T2 extension tube. The nice thing about these ones is that the male T2 thread is relatively short. It’s often a problem when fitting T2 threads into filter wheels that the thread extends inside the wheel body and fouls the filters or even the carousel. That shouldn’t be a problem with these.
I went to the pool today with good intentions, but somehow the message didn’t get to my muscles. Every length was a struggle today. I attempted the same set that I completed yesterday, but this time failed on reps seven and fourteen. My “fast” fifty at the end was two seconds slower than I swam yesterday.
Probably a day best forgotten 🙂
USRPT distance this year: 174,900m
Total distance this year: 224,900m
After my efforts on the Dumbell Nebula a short while back I’ve been collecting more data. I actually threw away my luminance subs and collected 250 minutes of new luminance data as 600s subs, and 50 minutes each of 300s subs in red, green and blue.
This is how the image now looks:
I’m told that some Ha and OIII data will add to the image, so I shall be attempting to collect that over the next few clear nights.
The pool was a little cooler today, but still way too warm for swimming hard. Regardless, I attempted the same set as last time with a target of 49s and I’m pleased to say I managed to complete it.
Even better, after a couple of minutes rest I swam a “fast fifty” in a new best of 38.57 seconds — 0.6 seconds faster than my previous best! I was very pleased with that.
USRPT distance this year: 174,700m
Total distance this year: 224,700m
I have a focuser I’m unhappy with that I wish to upgrade when I can find a replacement I’m happy with, but as a stock Skywatcher R&P focuser came up for very little money I bought it to use in the meantime.
I was surprised when it arrived to discover that the drawtube was considerably longer than one I already have (badly damaged in transit on another OTA):
It turns out that the one on the left is typically fitted to shorter tube refractors whereas the new one on the right tends to be on longer focal length OTAs such as the Evostar range.
As it happens, I want to put it on a fairly short focal length refractor, but the long drawtube is quite useful as it means I may not need extensions to get a camera to reach focus.
