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Friday, March 29 2024 @ 11:51 am EDT


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 Grab your scopes everybody!
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dgrosvold
 Monday, September 15 2003 @ 09:38 pm EDT (Read 3975 times)  
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This looks like an absolutely perfect night for observing - the air is still and crisp.

Been a long time since the sky looked this good. Let's get out there!

See Ya! Big Grin Big Grin


Dave - Morrow, AR
 
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jtresh
 Tuesday, September 16 2003 @ 06:03 pm EDT  
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Dave, you were right!!!
A primo night for steady images.
Looks like another good one tonight.
Beats watching TV !!!


 
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dgrosvold
 Tuesday, September 16 2003 @ 09:00 pm EDT  
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Yeah - the sky was great last night. My scope's drive system bit the dust, though so I was chasing Mars all over the sky with my Ultima 8 ( makes me wish for a Dob mount - bump & view, bump & view.)

Celestron's Tech Support department says I have to ship it back to get it repaired, so off to Celestron it goes. They made some comment about "scopes of that age.."
I didn't realize it got to be ten years old already.

Still beats watching TV! Tonight looks promising...

Cool


Dave - Morrow, AR
 
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Anonymous: bobmoody
 Thursday, September 18 2003 @ 12:17 am EDT  



Monday evening was outstanding, and I'd rate it a 9/10, where 10 is one of those especially exceptional 4-or-5-nights-a-year-at-most nights. These cool mornings have really gotten me itching to observe some H II's and continue my next logbook entries.
Looks like another chance at a good night this Friday, and maybeSaturday. Anybody cruising this forum should consider comin' on up!


 
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Anonymous: Mike H
 Thursday, September 18 2003 @ 02:17 pm EDT  



My scopes are in hybernation while I try and finish the observatory. I am now in the process of constructing and mounting the dome. I am not far (1/2 mile or so) from the viewing sight north of Van Buren(Joes House). If you get close come on by there is always something fun to put together on this job. Rolling Eyes


 
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Anonymous: Chuck Larson
 Wednesday, September 24 2003 @ 11:50 am EDT  



9/24/03
Dave,
Just wanted to say that Bob Moody and I were lucky enough to get out on the night of Sept. 15, with my CGE 1400. When I had decided that afternoon to go out I was not aware how great the sky would be that night. One of the best we have had in a long time. I had also just received the GPS unit for my scope so I was eager to try that out.
Ended up the night disappointed since there appears to be a problem with the GPS unit. I caused the scope to operate imporperly, including stopping the dec motor from functioning. Spent some time just hand aiming the scope that evening.
After that evening I went back to try to go through the scope manual to see if I could find anything more about this problem. As I analyzed the situatiion, I decided that I was not certain that the problem was in the scope, but is possibly in the GPS unit. I also remembered entering some additional information through the hand control unit of the scope that evening that also may have been part of the problem.
Thus, I went back out again on Sept. 22 to see if I could just get by without the GPS unit attached. Good news was that the scope worked fine on the 22nd. Bad news was the sky was no way as great as it was on the 15th.
My next outing will be to go back to using the GPS with the scope to see if it was my doing something with the input on the hand controller or if there really is a problem with the GPS unit.
I have been talking with Bob about trying to get some sort of permanent facility built on the 10' pad that will be able to house the CGE 1400. Setting this monster up and taking it down each time is quite a chore and time consuming. However, I think anyone that would look through this scope on a night like it was on Sept. 15 will be pleased with what they can see. We can just hope we start getting more nights like the 15th.
Thanks for the chance to put in my comments.
Chuck Larson


 
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dgrosvold
 Wednesday, September 24 2003 @ 11:39 pm EDT  
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Chuck:

Sorry to hear about your GPS unit. I hope you get it fixed soon. I'm still trying to figure out how to box & ship that Ultima 8 of mine - I really don't want to see the original "carrying case" (carrying - yeah, right) get trashed, but I don't want to spend a fortune getting a crate built for it.

Sept 15 was, like Bob said, one of those 4-5 nights a year that really stand out. You have an opportunity, though, to maybe get a jump on the next one by using our Clear Sky Clock to determine the upcoming sky conditions. That's what gave me an indication that the sky would be so good on the 15th.

Well, I hope we can get something done to build a shelter for that 14" scope - I'll bet you've already gotten tired of the re-assembly/dis-assembly routine. That scope really deserves a dome, though, doesn't it? I think we can build one if we try.


Dave - Morrow, AR
 
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