Update: 5/8/2008 4:23:00 PM
It has been a long while since I updated this website. I have been busy with other hobbies and my old hosting provider was pretty bad. I just move the website to a new provider but many things are still broken. I hope to fix them all soon.
Update: 12/20/2005 10:51:00 PM
After relubricating the G-11 Ive spent quite a bit of time testing the setup. I was able to get rid of most of my PE but I still have a slight problem tracking sometimes. Regardless, I was able to get some pretty decent images and Ive started posting them to the galleries.
Update: 11/28/2005 9:38:00 PM
Ive decided to tear down the G-11, clean it, and relubricate it. My PE had become so high and erratic that I could no longer guide it out. Im done and have it put back together but now I need some free time to setup, polar align, and test the PE to see if I made things better or worse. Hopefully Ill have an answer by the end of the week.
Update: 10/27/2005 9:09:00 PM
I was able to try out and test the new camera last week. It is astonishing how much easier it became to produce images Im happy with. I do have to debloom every image now, with adds an extra step (x the number of images taken) but I cannot complain too much. Im really happy with the camera so far.
I took images of the Crescent Nebula, Flame and Horsehead Nebulas, the Veil Nebula, and also the Gamma Cygnus Nebula. Look in the NEBULAs section to view them. They will be posted over the next couple of days.
On a side note: Im leaving my current employer of 10+ years to pursue a new opportunity. Id like to let all my co-workers and friends know that Ive enjoyed working with them and will miss them.
Jason
Update: 9/30/2005 9:27:00 PM
Ive sold my ST8 camera. Im going to buy a new camera that will work better with my setup. The new laptop I have for the dome has not legacy ports and I cannot get the camera to work on it.
Im still working on getting the setup in the dome working the way I want it to. Last time out I tweaked the polar alignment and got it down to with a arc minutes of the pole. I also spent some time working to get some of the add-on applications like PEM-Pro and Pole Align Max to work. I had a bit more success with PEM-Pro and I could never get Pole Align Max to resolve its location. Im going to need some help with it.
Update: 7/30/2005 9:07:00 PM
The dome has been extricated from the crate it was shipped in. With the help of my a friend we were able to set the crate upright. A chainsaw was used to disassemble the crate. Then it started raining so I couldnt really use it that night.
I’ve placed the telescope in the dome but I’m still working out a few other problems.
My cameras chip is frosting over, so I have to bake the desiccate plug. I switched to my DSLR but the battery was dead. Now it, looks like the clouds are moving in. I still have a lot of work before this setup is autonomous. Maybe first light will be next week.
Update: 7/27/2005 7:06:00 PM
The dome has arrived!
Its still in the crate and will be until I get some help moving it around.
There were some logistical problems getting the dome delivered. RoadWay had no way to unload the truck it was shipped on. Being a residential customer I dont have a dock or a forklift to unload the truck myself. In the end with the patients of a friendly Roadway driver named Sam and a towing company the dome was delivery off the backend of a flat bed wrecker.
Update: 7/18/2005 9:57:00 PM
Great news arrived in email today! My dome has shipped. ETA on the delivery is next Monday.
Update: 6/18/2005 12:52:00 PM
Ive just sent an email to Galactica360 requesting an update on the status of my dome order. Last time I communicated with them Don said he was hoping to ship the dome during the first half of June. Today is June 18, and Im getting anxious.
The Texas heat is building up and as the days pass by the idea of building an observatory is getting less desirable. At least until we get a nice cold blast of air from Canada sometime this November :)
Update: 5/11/2005 5:34:00 PM
Ive ordered a Galactica 360 7 foot dome. Hopefully I will have it in 3-4 weeks from now. There are two more trees I may have to cut but I am hoping I will not have to.
High-speed internet is finally available in our rural neighborhood. Its should be installed on May 23.
Update: 3/23/2005 9:07:00 PM
Three more trees to go and Ill have cleared the land for my observatory. I set the mount up out in the clearing as is and tried to image M108 and M97 last night. I got 3 20 minute exposures, but my chip frosted over and I didnt notice until I was processing this afternoon. Ive been baking the descicate plug for the past 4 hours as a result.
Update: 2/12/2005 3:47:00 PM
Its been quite some time since Ive had the opportunity to use the telescope. Just before Christmas, I started clearing a portion of my property in order to build a permenant location for my telescope. So far Ive cut down about 15 trees. Its quite a bit of work. On a good day I can cut two full grown oaks and split all the wood for use in the fireplace.
The weather hasnt been very cooperative. I can think of two good clear nights but it was very cold for Texas, and I just kept warm by the fire :)
Update: 11/15/2004 10:20:00 AM
Last Thrusday, I was able to get in some imaging time. The result is two new images. The eastern Veil Nebula and M33.
Both are now, available for viwing online.
Update: 10/17/2004 9:32:00 PM
Ive a few images in the processing stage and they will be posted soon.
Additionally, Im going to be adding an option to the website that will allow visitors to specify your bandwidth as Dialup or HighSpeed. When Dialup is selected the images will be compressed and download faster. Generally the difference is on the order of one magnitude smaller. Look for the dropdown selection on the front page soon.
Update: 9/29/2004 10:14:00 AM
Ive made some back end changes to the website in the past week. The catalogs stored in the Gemini computer
for my G-11 have been exported to a database and I created Web Services that publishes the data.
My website now utilizes this service to display information about each target.
Additionally, I have added an image of NGC7000 to the nebula section and will add another image of M45 from reprocessed data I aquired last November.
Update: 5/24/2004 8:44:00 AM
Friday night I spent the evening at a star party given for a group of local school teachers. The party was held at Robert Weiss private observatory. Check out this website, http://www.virtualobservatory.com/main.html This is the observatory in my neighborhood that I prevoiusly mentioned.
Update: 5/21/2004 9:12:00 AM
Last night was the first opportunity Ive have to set up the telescope at my new house. The clear sky didnt last long, but I was able to get a few photos before cloud cover prevented me from getting a descent shot. There is a photo of NEAT 2001 Q4 from last night available in the Planetary section.
Update: 5/15/2004 10:20:00 PM
Ive finsihed moving to my new house. Its about 20 miles from my former house and the skies have a bit less light pollution.
Another homeowner in my new neighborhood has his own personal observatory. It looks like a 10 Home Dome, but Im not totally sure yet. Once I get unpacked and settled in maybe Ill meet him and get a tour.
No other updates, the move has occupied all of my free time over the last few weeks.
Update: 4/10/2004 5:13:00 PM
Moving sale: Im clearing out to make it easier to move at the end of the month. Im going to sell my Meade LXD55 5" acromat. Its just the OTA, finderscope, and rings.
If your interested click the contact link at the bottom of the page to email me.
Update: 4/10/2004 5:10:00 PM
Good and Bad news. I just agreed on a deal to buy a house outside the city. Goodbye streetlights, stadiums, and much of the annoying light pollution problems that plagues our hobby. The bad news is the lot is solid with trees blocking my view, but its nothing a chainsaw wont cure. Ill loose my cable modem, so Ill have to find a dial up solution until I can find a broadband provider.
Ive added a photo of M3 to the Clusters area taken last night before the rain clouds rolled in.
Update: 3/23/2004 11:29:00 PM
A new image of M42 in Halpha is now available for viewing in the Nebulas section. The image was captured on Feb 6 of this year.
Update: 3/17/2004 8:32:00 PM
Over the past couple of months Ive been working on a redesign of my website. This update moves to Microsofts ASP.Net framework and allows me create a far more powerful website. Most importantly it allows me to make updates with minimal effort.
Ive left the LXD55 section alone. Mainly because over 50 percent of all traffic to the LXD55 Addendum section orginates from links on various websites and search engines. Changing the location of these pages would result in many never reaching the information located here.
Ive had little time to image recently, but I do have a new image of M101 in the Galaxies section.
Update: 1/1/2004 12:00:00 AM
The image of M81 and M82 is now available in the Galaxy section. I've also posted the Rosette Nebula image in the Nebula section.
I've started working on a section of the website to display the images visitors email me. If you wish to have your image posted, send it in email, along with information about your setup and details about the image. If participation is high, I'm also thinking of starting a monthly contest to highlight the best images.
Update: 12/20/2003 12:00:00 AM
I've added an image of Linear C2003/T7 to the planetary images section. It was taken last night. Also taken last night was M42, I'm still working on processing it, but should have it posted soon. Tonight's targets include a color image of the Rosette Nebula, and perhaps also a greyscale image of M81 and M82.
Update: 11/25/2003 12:00:00 AM
After a week of bad weather I finally was able to take the TV-101 for first light. I've posted a hydrogen alpha enhanced image of the Flame Nebula and Horsehead Nebula area of Orion. This is also my first light with the Ha filter.
Update: 11/2/2003 12:00:00 AM
A new image of M42 has been added to the Nebula section. I've also just made a deal to purchase a Televue TV-101. In addition I ordered a H-alpha filter for my ST-8. I'm hoping to produce some nice Ha images with the TV-101
-Jason