From: "gaffney.mark" <markgaffney@mac.com>

Date: January 29, 2008 11:15:44 AM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Still chasing Mars!

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Milton Aupperle <milton@...> wrote:

Hi Mark;

On 29-Jan-08, at 4:54 AM, gaffney.mark wrote:

-------SNIPPED For Brevity--------

I obtained my first Imaging Source camera today but it`s one of  

the 640x480 pixel

colour jobs.I hope to upgrade to a bigger scope soon too. At the  

moment I`m a bit

boggled at the amount of information in Milton`s manual and am  

having problems with

the focusing as my computer screen is 15 metres away from the  

focusing knob! I managed

a good live video stream of a tree this afternoon though. The  

weather here in northern

NSW Australia has been improving after a very wet summer!

My current scope is a NexStar 4SE but I`m looking at upgrading to a C10-NGT. I might 

eventually consider a Moonlite/JamesLacey focuser for it but at the moment am hoping to 

use a small TFT screen linked to my computer monitor by SCART and RCA cable. I was 

able to obtain a video picture of a nearby tree but not much luck with the moon due to 

clouds and perhaps focusing problems. It`s early days yet! Thanks Milton.

If your using a CAT or MAK type scope, your going to run into issues  

with focus when you slew the scope. The mirrors have a tendency to  

move a tiny amount as the orientation of the scope changes and that  

cause focus to shift. The same also happens for temperature changes  

and even a few degrees change can cause focus to be less sharp. You  

might need at look at getting them closer or perhaps looking into a  

remote control focus motor for achieving sharp focus.

I was tempted to go out last night and try Mars with the C8 and Flea  

camera again before it becomes too small to bother with,  but the  

dead air temp was -33°C and with wind chill it was -47°C. So I'd  

likely have to re-tune the gear tension again, just like I did over  

XMas when it was as low as -25°C or I get gear grinding when I slew  

at high speeds.  Tweaking two small 3 mm allan wrenches bare handed  

(even thin gloves don't work) as you run slewing tests when it's  

below -30°C cold just isn't as much funs as it was when I was younger.

TTYL..

Milton J. Aupperle