Very late on posting anything from last year - the 16" had a dead RA motor. So here is a mix of what happened at the Old Fort Lewis Observatory in 2011:
First up is a nice time lapse of the summer milky way:
http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=250
We set up a 10" on the 16" wedge, but that didn't get as much use as planned:
http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=249
Pittmann doesn't make that proprietary motor any more (I could have ordered 10!), so we had to swap some things). Here is a closeup of the motor after the gears in the 16" were re-lubed in November:
http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=251
I didn't process these two until recently (some else took them):
M104: http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=253
M63: http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=254
Charlie
First up is a nice time lapse of the summer milky way:
http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=250
We set up a 10" on the 16" wedge, but that didn't get as much use as planned:
http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=249
Pittmann doesn't make that proprietary motor any more (I could have ordered 10!), so we had to swap some things). Here is a closeup of the motor after the gears in the 16" were re-lubed in November:
http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=251
I didn't process these two until recently (some else took them):
M104: http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=253
M63: http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=254
Charlie
Fort Lewis Observatory: (37.238, -108.052) ~2360m (7744 ft.) elevation.
Darkness - typically 6.5+
Scope - Meade 16" LX200; f6.3 focal reducer
Focus - JMI Smart focus
Camera - SBIG ST-10XE; (~.5"/pixel)
Guiding - AO-8 and/or Meade 5"/DSI/PHD
http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory
