Scattered Thoughts . . .

I took a break from packing for our train trip to do some solar observing and imagery.  It is sunny and relatively warm today (in the 30s) so I wanted to get outside for a little bit.  This also gave me a chance to test my homemade solar finderscope while mounted on my telescope.  The finderscope worked fine which made easy work of finding the sun.  There is still so much snow out there that the sun was blinding in the bright sunlight!  I couldn't see a thing on my camera when I mounted it on the telescope.  It was difficult getting my settings correct and then it was difficult seeing well enough to focus.  I managed to capture a pretty good image of the sun though.  Although I captured a sunspot on our sun today, we're actually in a lull lately for solar activity.  We won't hit peak in solar activity again until 2024 if I remember correctly.  Last summer was exceptionally dull with absolutely no details seen on the surface of the sun when viewing in white light.  Now,

I had to head back outdoors to lug the drill press back to the shed so I decided to test my new homemade solar finderscope while I was out there anyway.  I quickly assembled it in the kitchen...  I grabbed my camera...  and then I headed out to the sunlight... It works! Well, that is a relief!  It is always nice when something you design works as designed.  Now I can mount this finderscope on my little telescope when I use it for solar observing and imaging. When we get back home from our long cross-country journey, I'll do the finish painting on the outside of the finderscope.  Now I feel like I accomplished something!  

I was supposed to start sorting clothes, do some laundry, and do some ironing  this morning for our upcoming cross-country trip.  I was planning to get started on ironing and went searching for an over-the-door hanger so I had a place to hang the shirts I ironed...  I couldn't find it...  I got frustrated...  then I got sidetracked. During my search for the over-the-door hanger, my spinal injuries started hurting and I was getting worn out.  While searching, I noticed a piece of sheet metal in the back room and that was all it took for me to change gears and work on a different project.  So, instead of preparing for this trip, I pulled out that piece of sheet metal...  then dug out some tools... and I started working on a solar finder scope that I designed yesterday.  Yesterday, I had already made a crude form of a solar finder scope out of a short piece of PVC pipe and one coupler.  I cut each to various sizes so I could accurately piece everything together in a workable form

courtesy of Amtrak            Sheila and I will be heading on another cross-country rail journey with Sheila's parents very soon and we are now making all our final arrangements.  We've arranged hotels, contingency plans for delays, connecting trains, rental cars, and even decided upon some sightseeing and restaurants.  Arranging this coast to coast journey has required a lot of planning and coordinating and, at this point, we are on the homestretch and excited about this long distance journey.   Sheila's parents are accompanying us on this trip and we're all looking forward to it.  I believe it is safe to say that we're all a bit sick and tired of the grueling winter weather...  and most of us (three of the four of us) are sick and tired of being sick and tired.  We could use some down time on a cross-country train journey just taking in the views as the entire country passes by right outside the window of our sleeper car and all-glass lounge. Sheila, Wi