14 күн бұрын
11 ай бұрын
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@lexiecampolingo9333 17 сағат бұрын
I seen your review on Amazon for the gate opener. Lol you had me at moving roof. I just had to come watch the video. How cool thanks for sharing I’ll never forget this one
@marksastrojourney 15 сағат бұрын
I’m glad you got a kick out of it!
@matthewkendall5235 2 күн бұрын
Interesting - in the past I had used PEMPro with a 30 minute drift analysis and the SkyX with a 500 point star model - both disagreed slightly and I may have confused things becuase I have an old SkySensor2000-PC hancontroller controlling a Vixen Atlux mount - and I had already calibrated it to 3 reference stars - meaning it would automatically correct for polar misalignment drift - so the PC software and the SS2000-PC might have interfered with each others measurements! I did have a long conversation with the Bisque Brothers (developers of The SkyX and Tpoint) and they always held that a large star model will be far more accurate than any drift alignment method - as it models all your scopes pointing errors - polar misalignment, cone error etc... But I found multiple large runs of TSX and Tpoint would give slightly conflicting correction advice. Lastly do you centre for the true Celestial Pole in your hemisphere or the refracted one - which will be a few arc minutes below the true celestial pole?
@marksastrojourney 2 күн бұрын
The iPolar manual from iOptron uses the terminology “virtual pole”. It does give instructions if you’re located in the Northern hemisphere to point/orient the mount to the celestial North Pole. It also says the FOV is only 6 and if you’re too far off in your rough pointing, the plate solving may fail, which i have experienced. I usually use my phone’s compass to roughly North align, but sometimes the compass app seems to be off giving false readings. The product description makes this claim: “No visible Polaris (north) or Sigma Octantis (south) is necessary.” In my case, i always pointed/oriented it to Polaris.
@matthewkendall5235 Күн бұрын
@@marksastrojourney I wonder if its virtual pole is the refracted pole then? Most observatories I believe work on the refracted celestial pole - it makes sense to me one would image around where our atomsphere causes stars to appear to be to ground based observers!
@marksastrojourney Күн бұрын
After reading the manual from iOptron for iPolar, I'm not seeing them specifically use the terminology "refracted celestial pole". But it very well may be the case as what you describe seems logical. I saw there's a web site named canburytech.net that gives a detail explanation around drift alignment and the refracted pole. Regarding iOptron though: a person might have to post an inquiry to their support email to find out what their software is doing behind the scenes.
@fmsilva11 7 күн бұрын
nice and useful video. i'm not a native english speaker, so i need to watch multiple times to understand it all....
@marksastrojourney 7 күн бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@bluelemon1394 7 күн бұрын
Good to see another video mark!
@marksastrojourney 7 күн бұрын
Thanks Blue Lemon!
@thefailedastronomer7407 7 күн бұрын
Great video Mark! Keep it up. I'll be watching.
@marksastrojourney 7 күн бұрын
Thanks for watching, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
@aw7425 8 күн бұрын
🙏🙏🙏to you and your family. Love your journey and wish you happiness, health for all and clear skies forever and a day ❤
@marksastrojourney 7 күн бұрын
Thanks for the positive energy and well wishes!
@AllesWirdGut1502 8 күн бұрын
I think the first two pictures of M31 are nearly unprocessed and the third much more processed? So the comparison ist difficult. Otherwise a very good presentation of the importance of exposure time.
@marksastrojourney 8 күн бұрын
Yes, I guess it might have been better to do full post processing on the 2 short exposures. Sometimes I get caught up in all the details of putting together these videos and overlook various ways the content could have been improved. Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback!
@markdalton3834 9 күн бұрын
I'm new to AP and putting my setup together. From your video, it's clear that software like sharp cap can help dial in settings for the equipment (camera) available and provide guidance to items better suited for the future if needed. My short term goal is to study the terms and definitions of the processes and get it all hooked up and understand my rigs functions. Next, to dial in those functions for best results then, automate the sequence. Thank you for your video and it's contribution to my understanding of shot time and exposure.
@marksastrojourney 9 күн бұрын
It sounds like you have a great approach for your astrophotography journey, and I'm sure you'll achieve great results! Thanks for watching!
@LiquidAudio 12 күн бұрын
Nice, the 100ED clearly has a sharper image with more contrast and less distortion. Easy win for the refractor I'd say!
@marksastrojourney 12 күн бұрын
Yes, I agree, the refractor does a much better job!
@العربي-ج7خ 13 күн бұрын
Good job, Very nice, thanks for sharing your experience with your observatory and the motorized opener, What about dust and rian protect> What is Weel type used to movement roll-off roof
@marksastrojourney 13 күн бұрын
Thanks for watching and posting your questions! Regarding dust/rain protection. If you mean for the items within the observatory (e.g., telescope, camera, filter wheel), I don't have any weather detection system yet that will automatically close the roof. That may be a future endeavor if budget allows. So for now, I have to closely monitor the weather. I check several weather applications. I don't leave the roof open on nights where there's any chance of rain predicted. I basically choose nights with very low chance of rain as there's almost always 1-5 % chance of rain even when the forecast is no rain. So there's always some risk of being caught off guard. It's not fool proof. If (by dust/rain protection) you mean the gate opener motor I use for opening and closing the roof, it has a protective cover once everything is connected and wired up. In addition, the motor sets underneath the roof and is never fully exposed to the weather from above - perhaps on one side a little. I cannot post a link here (don't think KZbin allows links in video comments), but here is the product description on Amazon of the wheels that I purchased: HARFINGTON 4pcs 3" V Groove Wheel Sliding Gate Caster, Rigid Caster Wheels with Bracket for Inverted V-Track, 1102 lbs Capacity Per Wheel, for Garage Door, Lifting, Industrial Machine I hope that helps! I'm wishing you clear skies!
@mesenteria 15 күн бұрын
The instructions that I received via email from Wayne state categorically that the purchaser must supply a suitable bolt for the central tension, and not to use the bolt in the tripod.
@marksastrojourney 15 күн бұрын
Yes, that’s a good point, thank you for sharing it here!
@mesenteria 15 күн бұрын
Purchase the bags of sand (hardware/builders stores) at least a week prior, and set them in a humidity-controlled room (run a dehumidifier if necessary) to dry. It will be better for the interior of the pier if the sand is dry.
@marksastrojourney 15 күн бұрын
Thanks for the tip! It's good info for anyone else watching!
@jesuschrist2284 18 күн бұрын
Amazing image what bortle are you in ?
@marksastrojourney 18 күн бұрын
It’s bortle 7 here
@philipfontaine8964 19 күн бұрын
Good video, well done. Lots of great content.
@marksastrojourney 19 күн бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@velkylev4217 23 күн бұрын
I like looking for objects my self , before I go I make a list of objects i want to observe and check app to see where they are , it's fun , and I remember objects locations and next time I find them without a problem . Also the knobs are for space walk , not for running, you have to grab your scope and move it long distance yourself, then once you are close to the target you use the knobs
@marksastrojourney 22 күн бұрын
I’m glad to hear you find it rewarding! Regarding tracking with the knobs once you locate your target, I even bought the little motor that Celestron makes for this mount for right ascension. However, that motor wouldn’t run at a consistent speed in cold weather. So you could turn it on, but the object would gradually creep out of the field of view - even if you adjusted its rate of speed.
@IronMan-2024 24 күн бұрын
I see there’s a plug in for NINA to calculate filter offsets after averaging for the number of runs you want. I haven’t tried it yet but for sure it would be nice to lose less time refocusing for each filter especially the narrowband ones.
@marksastrojourney 24 күн бұрын
Thanks for adding another valuable piece of information!
@aleixandrus 23 күн бұрын
Same here, already know that plugin exists but never try it 😅 Another tip: if you use the SmartExposure instruction, you can avoid the switch filter, some of loops and the dithering instructions. Functionality is the same but the sequence is simpler.
@marksastrojourney 23 күн бұрын
Thanks for sharing your tips!
@marksastrojourney 22 күн бұрын
I wonder why on the Smart Exposure they didn’t include the option to include % of region of interest like on subframe exposure? I often use subframe exposure to reduce the image file sizes. With my asi2600mm pro each frame (if full size) is 50mb, which adds up quickly.
@aleixandrus 20 күн бұрын
@@marksastrojourney Humm... interesting. Never use the ROI option, I suppose I don't care (yet) by file size with my ASI183MM. I suppose you need to keep using the 'subframe exposure' option :(
@ezp44 Ай бұрын
Mark, would replacing the Spherical Mirror with a 127mm Parabolic Mirror, and removing the Corrector Lens solve the problem?
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
It sounds like an investment that might be more than the telescope is worth.
@ezp44 Ай бұрын
@marksastrojourney I am speaking in terms of theory only. Monetary value is not the point of emphasis.
@marksastrojourney 29 күн бұрын
I guess if one already had the compatible parts to modify the telescope, it would be an interesting experiment. If you take this on, please share your findings so anyone else interested can see the outcome also.
@ezp44 Ай бұрын
Mark, I was considering purchasing this exact model with mount and eyepieces for $129 at a Pawn Shop. Physically, the scope looks immaculate. I choose to buy some binoculars a level or two above my 7X35 binoculars. Thanx for the excellent critique Mark. Shame on you CELESTRON!!!
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
Shame on them, indeed! I'm glad you found my review helpful.
@ezp44 Ай бұрын
@marksastrojourney Mark, theoretically speaking, not monetary, would replacing the Spherical Mirror with a 127mm Parabolic Mirror, and remove the Corrector Lens, collimation included, solve the #1 problem?
@mestermaster7611 Ай бұрын
Very cool video! Could you recommend a compact and inexpensive power supply for the EQ6 pro?
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I'm using the following product for DC power for the EQ6-R Pro mount: Pegasus Astro Pocket Powerbox Advance Gen 2 Power Supply. But it only addresses 1 of your requirements: being compact. I just checked on the Agena Astro site and it currently runs for $324.00. The reasons I went with this power box are as follows: 1. It is small and I could mount it up on my telescope to reduce dangling wires. 2. It provides a USB hub 3. It provides 2 dew heater connections and those can be configured via software 4. It provides DC power connections with one being configurable. So when you consider that this unit provides all these things, it changes the way you view the price. A big plus is that some wires don't need to go from the mount or telescope / accessories down to your laptop as they can just run between the power box and the component. Leaving you with basically 2 wires/cables going away from your mount: PC cable for Pegasus Power Box and Power Supply for Pegasus Power Box. One undesirable thing about the Pegasus Power Box is that it doesn't come with its own power supply????? Go figure. So you have to buy that separately. I have a video on my channel for this item entitled: PegasusAstro Power Box Provides DC Power, USB Hub & Dew Heater Controller in One Convenient Unit. I would put the link, but I don't think KZbin comments allow links. Clear skies!
@mestermaster7611 Ай бұрын
@@marksastrojourney This power supply is very good. I'll take that into consideration! I also found an interesting product, and this: Power Tank 7 Celestron. Do you think it is suitable for Eq6? I understood that you need to put the cable from the cigarette lighter in there. I liked it because it is possible to make observations in the field. Thanks in advance for the answer! I'm still new to this.
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
The eq6-r pro mount specs state it requires 12V DC @ 4A. You'll need to make sure your power supply provides at least 4 amps on the mount connection. I have also used a Jackery Explorer 300 portable power supply in the past, but with a different mount. I found that it would run for several hours, but not all night. One other consideration is how many other accessories will need power on your imaging train (e.g., dew heaters/dew heater controller, imaging camera, guide scope camera, usb hub)? Once you know how much all your other power requirements add up to, then you can compare that to the capacity of the power box and get an idea of how long it will last before running out of juice. Another option with many of these power boxes (if you're taking it mobile to another site with your vehicle) is that the power box itself can be connected to your vehicle's cigarette lighter to charge the power box. Of course, that cable would need to be long enough to reach where your rig is setup relative to your vehicle. And it might run your vehicle battery down if it isn't in good condition. I hope that helps!
@JannberttheBoboy Ай бұрын
Cool😊❤
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
glad you enjoyed it!
@JannberttheBoboy Ай бұрын
Cool details😊❤
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
Thanks! 😊
@jobertjadie7821 Ай бұрын
I also have a bahtinov mask😊
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
I'm sure you find it very helpful for manual focusing! Since I added a zwo EAF to my image train, I've not used a Bahtinov mask much and now just run the autofocus routine in N.I.N.A. Using an electronic focuser is great because you can have it run several different times overnight as needed (conditions may change and affect focus). In addition, you can setup (if using multiple filters) filter offsets and not have to always run a focusing routine when switching filters. Clear skies!
@DFermain Ай бұрын
Very informative. Thank you.
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
I’m glad you found the video helpful!
@toneotoneo Ай бұрын
Hi many thanks for this interesting video 1 question?what focal length/resolution are you using?.what was the tracking improvement?
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
I did this using my William Optics Redcat 61, which has a focal length of 300 and a focal ratio of 4.9. I don’t feel I can definitively say that Sharpcap Polar Alignment versus NINA Polar Alignment has better tracking improvement. It might take doing a series of nights of imaging with the same transparency/seeing conditions for each and then comparing the guiding statistics. I didn’t go to those lengths for this video.
@DawgcityClev Ай бұрын
Stellarium isn't recognizing the files because it says you have to have admin permission to save in it. Which I am the owner of my PC of course but it's a pain to try to get around it.
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
You might try running/opening Notepad as Administrator. If you locate the Notepad executable (sometimes found in your Windows\System32 folder) and right click on that file, there should be a menu option to Run As Administrator. Then NotePad will have the need privileges to overwrite the file. I hope that helps!
@DawgcityClev Ай бұрын
@@marksastrojourney I figured that part out but now when I make adjustments to the image and reload it in Stellarium it's a purple image with nothing else. Also when exporting newer images the background isn't black like the original export.
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
I wonder if you might be able to post your issue on Stellarium.org to seek assistance. I didn’t run into this issue. I noticed on their site they now have version 24.3. Maybe, if you haven’t already done so, upgrading to the newer version would resolve the issue.
@sharonspencer6486 Ай бұрын
Awesome photos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge! This is very interesting.😊❤
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
Thanks for watching Sharon!
@larrychristianson2244 Ай бұрын
Very nice images. I have heard, and seen videos, about the need for blurxterminator with this OTA. But, your images look fine to me. I think I'd carry on with the 2600 at least for a while; optimize that before adding another element.
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
thanks for the feedback!
@thomasrobb3519 Ай бұрын
WO states on their website that the scope is best used with blurxterminator, which I guess implies that the scope design is less than optimal. I am very happy with my Meade 70mm quadruplet, although it's not a cool red color. Thank you for the video and nice images.
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
It’s good to hear your input! I never came across that statement on the WO site. It’s good to hear you have a great telescope that gives you great results. It sounds like you either have very good seeing conditions and transparency, or possibly your telescope fully accommodates and corrects for the distortion caused by the atmosphere and other environmental factors. Clear skies!
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
I wanted to see the statement you cited from Williamoptics.com. So I went there and searched the site and found no occurrences of blurxterminator. Maybe you could post a direct quote from their site so we can see the statement. Thanks!
@thomasrobb3519 Ай бұрын
I am in the process of installing the same pier and mount, and I am up to the mount part I have the pier done in my backyard. I can't tell you how much of a help this video is for me. The Skyshed instructions are not that detailed. expecially when it comes to the adaptor plate.
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
It makes me feel good the video helped someone! It’s not always clear if content will be helpful or not! I hope your pier setup works out well!
@jesuschrist2284 Ай бұрын
How are the stars without blurxterminator? Thanks for the video
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
I am using blurxterminator. It’s a great tool! Thanks for watching!
@jesuschrist2284 Ай бұрын
@marksastrojourney thanks for the reply. Look forward to your next videos
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
Sorry, I didn’t read your first comment properly. Without blurxterminator, the stars are still round. I know some people are against using the tool because it leverages AI. I respect their opinion and feel it’s their right to choose. However, in my case if I’m going to use Pixinsight’s deconvolution utility or I choose to use Blurxterminator, for me it’s very similar. I’m leveraging a process or algorithm that someone else developed just like many other tools for post processing. This way I don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but can use good tools that someone else developed through trial and error. The analogy that seems relevant is: we used to have to get out a paper map to plan the route to drive somewhere in another state. Then came garmin and other carry along GPS devices. Then the GPS was built into our car’s navigation system. Now every smartphone has a navigation app. I personally don’t want to go back to paper maps because it takes more time and now my up close vision is failing. So using these astrophotography post processing tools in a similar way saves us time and effort.
@jesuschrist2284 Ай бұрын
@@marksastrojourney no need to apologise and i appreciate your detailed reply. Im new to the hobby and am far from certain, where, if anywhere to draw the line. Different opinions on this sort of stuff is useful to read :)
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
wishing you well on the journey with the hobby!
@sharonspencer6486 Ай бұрын
The images are so beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing these pictures with all of us.😊❤
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
Glad you like them!
@virginiaminer4574 Ай бұрын
So beautiful.
@marksastrojourney Ай бұрын
Thank you! 😊
@karenturner2734 2 ай бұрын
Amazing photos, appreciate all the work it took
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
Thanks Karen!
@astrogerard2022 2 ай бұрын
Hi. What bortle rating was your sky please?
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
Showing class 8-9 on lightpollutiommap.info
@robertk.9591 2 ай бұрын
This all looks awesome and I hope it works out well for you. The only thing I question is the amount of space you left on the floor that surrounds the concrete pillar. I'm thinking that the building itself may move during a heavy wind, much more than the pillar will. It could cause damage to either. I would have left a couple inches around it and filled the gap with foam rubber. Just my 🪙🪙.
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
Thanks for posting a comment Robert! The building has a series of 6x6" posts down each side attached to the concrete footing with what are called Quick Set brackets. The Quick Set bracket is placed down in the wet concrete and leveled/positioned. The building is very solid and I've never sensed any movement of the building itself. If there ever was an issue, I could adjust the framing around the opening around the pier and create a larger gap. It would be some basic carpentry work. The concrete pillar is never exposed to the wind as it only reaches up through just above the floor. The metal pier is also not in the wind at all as it doesn't reach above the side walls. The telescope when oriented in certain positions may be above the top of the wall and could have some wind hit it. As far as filling the gap between the concrete pier and the surrounding floor: I personally have chosen not to do that. My reasoning is as follows: leaving the gap prevents transference of any floor vibrations to the pier. If I fill the gap in, vibrations created by walking across the floor would transfer to the pier and thus to the telescope. Once I start an imaging session, I usually only go back once or twice to confirm everything is going well before going to bed. But I wouldn't want my walking across the floor to transmit vibrations to the telescope/mount. Clear skies!
@aleixandrus 2 ай бұрын
Hi! I've never comment but I keep track on your observatory building progress. Nice videos :) I've build mine this summer so I had to address the very same issues. You could have removed the sensors inside the motor and put them anywhere in a better place... but if you make it work, it's fine. I also use a gate opener (seems to me it is the very same model) but also I added the well-known Arduino with sensors kit to add ASCOM support so I can integrate it in my NINA sequences. My obsy is much much smaller and lighter than yours so I could design the roof to be always attached with sliding gate rails (no wind issues!) and at the same time, allow open and close with the scope pointing to any direction. I can left it unattended and close the roof without checking or securing anything. Peace of mind! Oh, man, what a wonderful thing it is. From my very small experience, I suggest you to add an intelligent outlet to cut the power to the motor (I'm also concerned of an accidental opening while raining), there are some that also provide a power-free relay so you can directly plug the motor opener relay and control it remotely. The Arduino-thing is also wonderful, I truly recommend you that. It also allows placing an extra sensor in the scope AR or DEC axis to check if parked before closing, it seems to me it suit your needs. I also suggest a ToDo/Preparation list placed on the wall so you *never* forget an step such as take any of those anchors. Confident and routine plus manual operations always lead to user errors... Keep with the channel, hoping for new videos soon!
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
Hi Aleixandrus, thanks for sharing your experience with your observatory and the motorized opener! You've provided many good suggestions that could benefit myself and others. Eventually, I hope to address some of the topics you touched on: 1) automation from N.I.N.A. as it's my primary DSO acquisition software; 2) additional sensors for telescope position; 3) power relay as I've also heard of gate openers running without being triggered - possibly due to a thunderstorm or something like that; 4) weather sensor integration to park the scopes and close the roof. I also thought of putting up a checkoff list on the wall by the opener - it's easy to forget something and such a mistake could be costly. I concur with you, the observatory has made a night/day difference in making this hobby much more enjoyable. I used to carry everything in/out to/from my concrete patio (so happy not to be doing that any more)! In addition, the telescope on the pier most times doesn't even need polar alignment adjustments - or it's still between .75 and .5 off. I try to get polar alignment to less than .3 or .25. But as you know it's a very fussy thing to get polar alignment dead on. And now with the opener for the roof, it's even easier - no more pushing the roof open/closed. I'm hoping to post a few more videos soon and wishing you clear skies!
@aleixandrus 2 ай бұрын
@@marksastrojourney I've probably seen in the forums the same case of the roof opening by itself... it scared the hell out of me! I keep the roof motor off with that smart power outlet until I start a session. The weather sensor is also in my shopping list, but it will take time. I truly recommend the Arduino kit: not expensive, amazing automation potential. Regarding polar alignment... I used to double check it every session but I've relaxed and actually don't care too much. A few day ago I took apart my 90mm quadruplet to remove the minipc I had attached to move it to the concrete pier. I install the OTA again in my EQ6R and, without redo polar alignment, balancing or calibrating PHD2, my guiding is ~0.5"-0.7" consistently (Bortle 5, so-so seeing). To me, polar alignment is definitely important but it doesn't need to be adjusted every single night to sub-arcsec accuracy for low or medium focal lengths. However, I'll probably redo everything a night with very good seeing, otherwise I feel I'll just waste time and I'll probably get worse results.
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
I've often wondered how important it is with my pier setup and a focal length of 300 to check the polar alignment each session. When I do check it, it's not off by that much. I think that anything that has metal components and is secured in position with tightening knobs, has the potential to shift minutely due to heating/cooling. But it's not likely to move much.
@larrychristianson2244 2 ай бұрын
Glad to see your plan is coming together, looking forward to some observations. Good news on that pier, I'm no expert but I really thought there might be vibrations.
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
It’s good to hear from you Larry! I hope to publish some imaging session results soon.
@KJRitch 2 ай бұрын
That's quite a system. If there is a power failure or or other fault can you bypass the motor to manually close the roof. Has your new building been subject to rain yet. No leaks from wind driven rain? Hope things get less hectic soon for you.
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
if the power fails, there’s a keyed lockout that you open which puts the motor gear in free movement so you can push it closed manually. I’ve had quite a few rainy days and even a storm or two where the rain was blowing sideways, but no leaking issues so far. Thanks for the positive thoughts!
@cymrych79 2 ай бұрын
Somehow I've managed to watch about 2 dozen of your videos over the last two-ish years, and never noticed you're just over the river in Jeff! Friend of the family is an old bar-fly at Harry's, formerly at Buckheads; he lives over on Mechanic near Chestnut St. I'm just across the river, off Dixie Ave, south of the Watterson just outside of Shively. Got yourself a new subscriber! Catching up on your observatory build videos now, as I'm soon to be doing something similar (albeit on a smaller, more confined, scale due to space constraints). Very nice aurora timelapse. I had too much of the downtown city lights to my north and didn't get anything with my cell camera, and was shooting with my Hyperstar C9.25 to the south on the 10th so didn't see anything there, either.
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
It's good to hear from someone local! I'm glad you enjoyed the Aurora Borealis video too! Regarding the observatory: it's been a game changer for me thus far. There's no comparison between having a permanent pier setup and what I used to have to do: haul all my equipment in and out for each imaging session. Some people expressed doubts/concerns that a concrete pier like I had built for mounting the metal pier could be a stable setup that wouldn't have lots of vibration. However, using the PHD2 Guiding Log Viewer, I'm not seeing such issues. Of course, there are occasional guiding issues related to seeing/transparency/weather. But overall I'm very happy with the performance of the setup. My only regret is that I didn't include a warm room to isolate the computer from the elements. However, the cost of everything now is so high. I don't think I could have paid for anything else. So I took some plastic storage containers and created a table top computer cabinet. At least I don't have to worry about my laptop being out in the elements now. Another dramatic improvement I made to the observatory is that I added a motorized gate opener to open/close the roll off roof. I'll probably do a video on that once I get time.
@cymrych79 2 ай бұрын
@@marksastrojourney I've been a member of LAS for months, and although they're quite active, work keeps getting in the way so I still haven't met any local AP folks. I'm having a similar debate regarding a pier as you surely did. My "ideal" spot behind the garage would need to be elevated about 6 ft above ground level for the garage roofline not to be a problem. That'd be a whole lot of concrete in a tall tube to pour, but a steel pier on a concrete footer might have vibration issues. Glad to see your set up with the Sky Shed pier is working well! Gives me some food for thought.... Unfortunately, my observatory will be limited to quite small... think roll-away outhouse size. I won't have working room inside it, so will be running CAT cable to the house instead. But 1000% agree, lugging a full tripod rig in and out every night is for the birds! Can't wait to get something permanent set up.
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
If you can control it from within your house, that's even better! I hope you can get your project underway soon to make the hobby easier.
@larrychristianson2244 2 ай бұрын
Nice captures. How's your observatory working out?
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
the observatory is doing great! I have data captured and some processed, but struggling to put together related videos. Life got very busy and hasn’t let up for a couple months now. I’m hoping things settle down in a week or two so i can get back to producing some regular astro videos. Thanks for asking Larry!
@Albert_Fetscher 2 ай бұрын
Great video compilation, thanks for sharing.
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it Albert!
@sharonspencer6486 2 ай бұрын
Mark, thank you so much for sharing your experience. I live close to the Canadian border in Michigan and did not get to see any of it. Thanks to you I feel like I was there!😊❤
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
I'm glad you enjoyed it Sharon!
@robinsquiltbasket 2 ай бұрын
Awesome. We saw it from Maryland.
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
you probably had a better view from there Robin!
@nece58 2 ай бұрын
That's awesome! Tha is for sharing!
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
Glad you liked it!
@karenturner2734 2 ай бұрын
Beautiful. I'm in Nova Scotia, Canada, and we can sometimes see these here, but I'm sick, so I am not able to get outside yet. Thank you for this .😊
@marksastrojourney 2 ай бұрын
I hope you get to feeling better Karen! Here in Southern Indiana, this is the first time I ever paid attention to the rare opportunity to see the Northern Lights. I'm not sure if they've been visible during peak solar cycles previously here or not. If so, I was focused on something else and didn't realize it.
@virginiaminer4574 3 ай бұрын
Wow!
@marksastrojourney 3 ай бұрын
I’m glad you enjoyed it Virginia!
@karenturner2734 3 ай бұрын
Beautiful, great job catching it. Keep up the great work
@marksastrojourney 3 ай бұрын
thanks Karen!
@Albert_Fetscher 3 ай бұрын
Fascinating
@marksastrojourney 3 ай бұрын
I was surprised they were visible this far South!
@GwonkReefkeeping 3 ай бұрын
I use and like NINA 3 point alignment, but PHD2 drift has given me better results.
@marksastrojourney 3 ай бұрын
Thanks for sharing what you have found to work best!
@Surgenie007 3 ай бұрын
You shoud give us solution to solve the problems with this telescope
@marksastrojourney 3 ай бұрын
That would more appropriately come from celestron