Something Is Terribly Wrong With Me

When I saw this Burger King costume, my first thought was how useful it'd be for making really freaky, creepy homemade porn.

A Cool-Looking Little Airplane

Spotted this Van's RV-4 parked at the airport in Nacogdoches.

Twin 80s

Ready for a clear night.

AT80EDT First Light

Last month my buddy Daniel gave me a Meade LXD650 German equatorial mount--basically the GEM version of the LX200 mount that I already use. Catch is, it doesn't work right. I dig into it and find the problem, a gear is turning on a shaft where it's not supposed to. I get that repaired, and $35 later I have a working* mount. But what am I going to do with it? I could de-fork the LX200, but it's non-trivial to get it back onto the forks and aligned. Or I could find a scope that's portable and designed for photography.

So that's what I did. I started researching apochromatic refractors. I've been getting nice shots with the big SCT, but it's limited to smaller targets due to the long focal length, so I'm looking for something with less focal length. I'm also trying to not spend a whole lot of money. So the Tele-Vue NP-101 that I really like is out: $3,700 is way out of my league. The Orion ED80 is a popular choice, and at $600 it's right in my sweet spot. But Barry has one, and while it's a very nice telescope, I want something different. The Meade Series 5000 ED APO triplet looks promising, but I never found an entirely positive review. Finally after a lot of research, I decide on the Astronomy Technologies AT80EDT. It's a triplet design, which means it uses three lenses instead of the usual two. It has a two-speed focuser like the one I added to the LX200, and comes in a nice case.

One Astromart "wanted" ad and a week later I'm the new owner of a nearly new AT80EDT. She's a beauty--white finish with grey, gold and green accents. The views through her are sweet, too. She rides just fine on the big LXD650 mount too. Here she is lit by the first quarter moon:



Friday night was the big night. Barry talked me into going up to the Eagle Eye Observatory for an overnighter, and what a night it was. Fridays are public night at the EEO, and there were about 40 guests there. The observatory operator had his hands full, so Barry & I took up the slack. He had his 10" LX200GPS going, while I put the binoviewers in the AT80EDT and aimed it at the Moon. I love it when someone looks into the scope and exclaims, "Oh my God!"

After the guests left and the Moon set, I hooked up the camera and went to work. I don't have the mount set up for autoguiding yet, so these are kinda rough. Each one is 40 x 30 seconds for just a 20-minute total exposure time. They're enough to get me really excited about imaging with this telescope though. Up first is M31, the Andromeda Galaxy:



Then there's M45, the Pleiades. I somehow managed to pull out some of the blue nebulosity even with the short exposure:



And last is M42, the Orion Nebula. Always a crowd-pleaser:

Punctuation Abuse

Gaaah! I can't decide if I love it or hate it!

Apostrophe Abuse
The Blog of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks

M8, The Lagoon Nebula Again

I shot this 13 months ago, and I'm amazed at the difference. Same equipment, same location, but wildly different results. 17 x 3 minutes, Rebel XT, 10" LX200 @ f/6.3.

Adventures In Selling

I won this spiffy case at Texas Star Party this spring, and have decided to sell it to help fund a new telescope. I figured I'd start with Craigslist, since a local sale wouldn't involve packing and shipping. The day after I put up the ad, I got a nibble:

From: bizebony8080@hotmail.com
Subject: ATA Equipment Case - $300
Date: September 10, 2007 6:38:39 AM CDT
To: imjeffp@mac.com

Just view your advert on craigs web,I am willing to purchase the item asap.I hope its still avaliable for sales?I will like to know your last asking price for it?Please get back to me today so that we can proceed further...

OK, that sounds promising, even if the wording is a little off.

From: Jeff Phillips
To: Barry Johnson
Subject: Re: ATA Equipment Case - $300
Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:17:26 -0500

Hi Barry

Still available for $300. Let me know.

Then I get this little gem:

From: bizebony8080@hotmail.com
Subject: ok: ATA Equipment Case - $300
Date: September 11, 2007 8:19:20 AM CDT
To: imjeffp@mac.com

Sounds Good.
I will like to proceed with payment asap and will like to handle shipment myself when you must have gotten your cash at hand.I am in no rush to pick up the item till funds are clear at the bank.As there are too many scams on internet as regards buying and selling with large bogus account.My mode of payment will be via Electronic Cashier Check drawn on US bank.(Bank Of America).You will probarbly need a business check paper to print and cash or deposit the check today.The business check paper is sold for $20 at any stationery store,staples or at your local office supply outlet.I will add the cost of supplies to your asking price with an extra offer for accepting my mode of payment.I work with an auditing firm and will not have time to mail a check.Electronic Cashier checks is fast and secure.I will need your name and address with valid email address to send the Echeck to your email which you can print immediately when you must have purchase the supplies at staples or any stationery store.Kindly delete the advert of this item if my mode of payment is accepted.I will await your email asap.

Is this guy on crack?

From: imjeffp@mac.com
Subject: Re: ok: ATA Equipment Case - $300
Date: September 11, 2007 9:28:30 AM CDT
To: bizebony8080@hotmail.com

Don't waste my time, you smarmy lagerlout git. You bloody woofter sod. Cash American, or else bugger off, pillock.

I don't think we'll be hearing back from Barry.

Interstellar Light Collector

You may have seen this on CNN. An Arizona group is claiming they have harnessed the power of moonlight to heal sickness and disease.

Ho-lee crap. I've been beaming concentrated moonlight into my eyes for a while now, and it still hasn't cured my presbyopia.

Interstellar Light Applications is making science fiction into science fact with the first project of its kind in world history. Using one-of-a-kind specifically designed and engineered light tracking and capturing technology, ILA explores the benefits and uses of moonlight’s unique qualities. ILA also facilitates research into the applications of the brightest stars’ and celestial bodies’ spectral properties. Only true visionaries see possibility when others see road blocks and with their state-of-the-art invention, ILA’s creators and researchers are surpassing all technologies of today and are capitalizing on alternative spectrum light research for the future. Their work presents unlimited benefits for the medical, agricultural and industrial fields. With ILA you are illuminating endless possibilities.

Ooh, sciency!I can't wait to see what their "alternative spectrum light research" reveals! That you can get suckers to pay money to sit in moonlight reflected off a mirror?

Lunar Eclipse

Star HIP110580 is about to be occulted by the full moon during a total lunar eclipse early Tuesday morning.

First Day of School

Man, he just keeps getting bigger and bigger, even if he is wearing the same shirt as last year. We've sorta made it a tradition to wear a yellow shirt on the first day. More pictures...

Seeing In The Dark

Coming to PBS September 19, 2007

America's Writer Laureate of astronomy invites millions of viewers to enjoy the wonders of the night sky in a spectacular HDTV special

Stargazing is the subject of Seeing in the Dark, a 60-minute, state-of-the-art, high-definition (HDTV) documentary by Timothy Ferris that premieres on PBS September 19, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. The film, Ferris' third, is based on his book, Seeing in the Dark (2002), named by The New York Times as one of the ten best books of the year.

"Seeing in the Dark is meant to alter, inspire and illuminate the lives of millions," said Ferris. "It introduces viewers to the rewards of first-person, hands-on astronomy — from kids learning the constellations to amateur astronomers doing professional-grade research in discovering planets and exploding stars. I hope it will encourage many viewers to make stargazing part of their lives, and a few to get into serious amateur astronomy."

Another Joke

Two guys, one old and one young, are pushing their carts around at Home Depot when they collide. The old guy says to the young guy, "Sorry about that. I'm looking for my wife, and I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

The young guy says, "That's OK. It's a coincidence. I'm looking for my wife, too. I can't find her and I'm getting a little worried."

The old guy says, "Well, maybe we can help each other. What does your wife look like?

The young guy says, "Well, she is 27 yrs old, tall, with red hair, green eyes, long legs, big boobs, and she's wearing tight white shorts. What does your wife look like?"

The old guy says, "Doesn't matter -- let's look for yours."

Dick Was Right

M17 Revisited

So I made sure everything was tight this time, and man, what a difference! I could have used some flats, but otherwise I'm pleased as punch. Every sub was a keeper! This was the first time I've been able to go all the way to 180 seconds, and it looks like I can still go longer. 30 x 180 sec., 350D @ 1600 ISO, 10" LX200 @ f/6.3.

M17, The Omega Nebula

Info from Wikipedia here.

This is the shot that almost wasn't. As I was was watching the subs being captured, I noticed a lot of trailing in them, like the guiding wasn't working. I fussed and I fiddled with the settings, even recalibrated the software twice. After I finally gave up and was putting things away for the night, I discovered that the locking screw on the guide scope focuser was loose. The guide camera had been moving around with the loose drawtube. Arrrgh!

Anyway, I managed to salvage enough decent frames to put this shot together. I can't guess how long it was, somewhere between an hour and an hour and a half total. Same setup as M16.

M16, The Eagle Nebula

By far one of the most famous pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope is Pillars of Creation. I'm not set up to come anywhere close, but I'm very happy with this shot of the Eagle Nebula. Both guiding and focus seem to have been nearly spot on, and we actually had a nice steady, transparent sky tonight.

40 x 120 seconds, Rebel XT @ 1600 ISO, 10" LX200 @ f/6.3

Star Hopping Through The Teapot

Finally! A break in the weather and a trip to the dam. Barry and another fellow set up scopes as well, and we had a long visit by a fellow who just bought a 10" dob, but didn't bring it out. I was trying out a "lazy susan" bearing upgrade to the 6-inch dob, and set up the little ETX-90 just for fun. The bearings work well, but it's a little too loose. I think I can tighten up the center bolt and slow it down. It's definitely easier to use than when it was sticking on the nylon pads though.

So anyway, I was going old school with my red flashlight and sky chart, finding my way around Sagittarius. You're looking right into the heart of the Milky Way, so it's chock full of goodies. M8, the Lagoon Nebula, is still one of my favorite summertime sights. With the nebula and open cluster together, it's two treats in one. It's a short hop from there up to the Trifid, M20, and the open cluster M21. Head northeast and pick up M24, the Sagittarius Star Cloud. I can't tell where its boundaries are, so I just pick the densest portion of star field and say that's it. Keep swinging over the top of the lid and get another open cluster, M25. Not terribly exciting, so drop toward the ground, and just off the top of the lid is M28, a nice little globular cluster. East from there is another glob, M22, the Sagittarius Cluster. Spend a little time there, that's the nicest cluster you're looking at tonight.

Now for three dim ones. Working right to left across the base of the teapot, get M69 first. You'll appreciate why Chuck thought these might have been comets. Then, almost centered on the line across the base is M70. It might as well be identical to M69. As long as you're there, NGC 6652 makes a triangle with the 2 Messiers. Then head east and up a smidge and catch M54. It's not much to look at until you remember that it's an exogalactic cluster outside the Milky Way.

Finish up with two nice open clusters, M7, Ptolemy's Cluster, and the appropriately-named Butterfly Cluster, M6. Not a bad night; beats watching it rain!

Thank Ya, Marvin

When I was 13, I flew from Houston to Austin to visit my sister. We were late in getting me back to the airport, so I was rushing through the airport as fast as I could (and being 13, trying very hard to keep my shit together over the real possibility of missing my flight).

Anyway, I remember passing a familiar-looking white-haired man trying to get through security. It wasn't until later I realized why he looked familiar--that was Marvin!

All I can say now is that I hope God keeps a clean kitchen, or he's gonna hear about the sliiiime in heaven's ice machine!

Cave Man

I just read where I'm joining the cast of Cavemen; I didn't realize I'd been so busy!

See Threepio

Took the family to Ft. Worth to see Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination. Had a bit of a setback getting out of town, but once we got there had a great time at the exhibit. More pictures here.