Well, it is finally getting close to the real beginning of our viewing and imaging season here in southern California. 
I have been working very hard this winter, like many of you, getting all the equipment ready for another round of cool and dark nights.
This year will be my first attempts at imaging. I have done everything that I could to get my scopes and mounts up to the challenge. Just now bought a guide scope set of rings for the primary imaging scope. I have had problems using just the clamshell type clamps due to alignment problems when it is piggy backed with the 127ED. I spent a lot of hours shimming and adjusting and decided that I just had to break down and buy some adjustable rings. Got a good price on a set of ADM here on Astromart of course.
I also had to make a decision on power for everything and bought a 115 amp hr Deep Cycle battery with cigarette lighter plugs to power the laptop and scope. Some times I will be imaging at the LAAS site in Lockwood Valley, where there is power at each pad! But at MT Pinos and other sites, there is no such luxury, so a big battery is the answer.
All in all, it looks like a lot of fun for this year. Maybe a few good pics and hopefully a lot of nice views will be the reward for many hours of work.
Hope that every one else has been as lucky as me this last year. Many good buys and lots of good nights out under dark skies. Let us all hope for an even better year this year.
I have been working very hard this winter, like many of you, getting all the equipment ready for another round of cool and dark nights.
This year will be my first attempts at imaging. I have done everything that I could to get my scopes and mounts up to the challenge. Just now bought a guide scope set of rings for the primary imaging scope. I have had problems using just the clamshell type clamps due to alignment problems when it is piggy backed with the 127ED. I spent a lot of hours shimming and adjusting and decided that I just had to break down and buy some adjustable rings. Got a good price on a set of ADM here on Astromart of course.
I also had to make a decision on power for everything and bought a 115 amp hr Deep Cycle battery with cigarette lighter plugs to power the laptop and scope. Some times I will be imaging at the LAAS site in Lockwood Valley, where there is power at each pad!
But at MT Pinos and other sites, there is no such luxury, so a big battery is the answer.All in all, it looks like a lot of fun for this year. Maybe a few good pics and hopefully a lot of nice views will be the reward for many hours of work.
Hope that every one else has been as lucky as me this last year. Many good buys and lots of good nights out under dark skies. Let us all hope for an even better year this year.
[SIZE="Large"][/SIZE][COLOR="Blue"][/COLOR] Floyd Blue
Amateur Imager
