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Captured by
Terry Wood

Jupiter (clearer) Nov 5th 2023 w/Mewlon 180c

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Posts Made By: Louis Busby

January 7, 2010 12:55 AM Forum: TeleVue

Televue Gibralter

Posted By Louis Busby

I just acquired a Gibralter mount that I intend to use for grab-and-go. Is anyone using this mount for a Tak FS78 or FS60? If so, what is your method for attaching the scope to the mount?

January 12, 2010 02:35 AM Forum: Takahashi

Finder scope and bracket for FS78

Posted By Louis Busby

Does anyone know what finder and bracket the FS78 came with? I have a FS78 I'm using as a grab-and-go and would like to get an original finder. I'm thinking it was the 6X30.

Thanks

February 4, 2010 04:04 AM Forum: Takahashi

Thoughts on a FSQ-85ED as a Guidescope

Posted By Louis Busby

Your thoughts please. Considering the unique utility as a wide-field imager, this scope could pull double duty also as a guider on my TOA-130. I could use either scope as a guider for the other depending on the type of imaging I'm doing.

Cheers,
Scott

February 15, 2010 01:34 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Frame Rates

Posted By Louis Busby

Which is better, slower or faster frame rates for planet captures?

February 15, 2010 03:36 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Mars - 14 Feb 2010

Posted By Louis Busby

I haven’t had good weather for sometime and as a result I haven’t done any imaging. Last night though proved different with clear skies and good seeing. I drug out the Takahashi Mewlon 250 and EM400 mount to capture Mars. I used a ToUcam 840K webcam to capture several .avi files and then subsequently aligned and stacked several thousand images for the final images attached. The Mewlon was not perfectly collimated so the shot could have been better.

March 2, 2010 02:37 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Mars at Opposition 2010

Posted By Louis Busby

Mewlon 250/EM400 combination. I used a ToUcam 840K and 2x Barlow. Aligned and stacked with K3CCDTools and finished in PS CS2.

June 5, 2010 11:42 AM Forum: Guns and Hunting Optics

Armed while observing at dark sites

Posted By Louis Busby

Anyone here take telescope protection while observing at dark sites.

I live in Northern VA and have to go to remote dark sites to observe/image. I usually always have a pistol with me since I am out in the dark alone with thousands of dollars worth of equipment. I have a concealed carry permit and usually wear the pistol concealed. Also in some areas I go there are bears

The exception to that is if I am at a star party with lots of kids. I lock the pistol in the truck just to be safe and to keep the little ones from freaking if they spot it accidently.

Jus wonderin.

June 22, 2010 03:19 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter 20 June

Posted By Louis Busby

I haven't had good weather in quite sometime, but an opportunity afforded itself. I took this image of Jupiter in the early morning hours of 20 June at Westmoreland State Park VA. Instrument was a Tak TOA130F and a ToUcam.


August 8, 2010 08:04 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter 8 Aug 2010

Posted By Louis Busby

Here's a feeble Jupiter attempt taken early this am with my Mewlon 250 and ToUcam Pro 840.

The image clearly shows Jupiter’s moon Europa. The image of the planet shows many features including a small red spot very close to the GRS in the southern hemisphere. You can see that the Southern Equatorial Belt (SEB) is still faded out, but the GRS appears to be deepening again and not appearing so pale. There are numerous storms throughout the Northern Equatorial Belt (NEB) that are easily seen in the image. Seeing was not too bad and light domes from Fredericksburg and Dalgren VA were apparent, but had little impact for planet photography.





September 30, 2010 05:41 PM Forum: Home Observatories

Observatory Orientation

Posted By Louis Busby

How would one choose to orient a roll-off observatory?

Assume on level ground the construction of a 10 X 12 structure at lat 40 degrees. FOV is 360 degrees with a minimum achievable scope elevation of 15 degrees above the horizon (trees).

My concern is how much the actual structure would impose on the sky at the telescope mounted on approximately 42" pier.

My tendency is to orient the structure along the long axis to True North assuming that any structure obstruction would block some portion of the North sky from 15 degrees to at least 30 degrees in elevation at about max horizontal angle of 10 degrees either side of TN. IMO, this part of the sky being least important for my purposes.