Scattered Thoughts . . .

M y previous two blog entries were about this same topic but with different images shot on the same day (earlier in the day during daylight) with the same equipment.  These few latest blog entries are about revisiting some older videos and images in an effort to understand a new software program meant for processing this type of imaging data.  This time around in this blog entry, I'll share the resulting images of some planets and our moon that Sheila and I observed that evening. In case you haven't yet read the couple of previous blog entries, these photos in this blog entry are from a short imaging session I had with Sheila back in November.  We observed the moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Venus.  I think we were only out there for less than a half hour but we came back into the house rather cold since it was a brisk 40 degrees or so.  That is about my limit on tolerating cold weather and, even then, I don't want to be out longer than a few minutes.  ___________________________

I had previously written about solar imaging in Calcium K (CaK).  In that imaging session, I had used one of my usual nice little refractor telescopes (Skywatcher ED 72mm refractor).  This time I am revisiting an imaging session done in white light when I used a really lousy little Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope.  This telescope is the Orion Apex 102mm Maksutov-Cassegrain (uggg...  I really hate a lot of characteristics of all reflector telescopes and this tiny little guy is no exception) .   Seriously, I do not like this little telescope at all.  I was told that a Mak-Cass would be "razor-sharp" yet this Mak-Cass does not provide a crisp image when compared to any of my refractor telescopes...  not even when compared to my sub-$100 70mm achromatic telescope.  It occasionally needs to be tediously collimated so that the mirrors are perfectly aligned otherwise the views are even significantly worse.  Collimating a Mak-Cass is tedious and difficult.  It requires a temperature

W ith the frigid temperatures outside being down in the single digits and sub-zero range everyday, I've been trying to keep busy indoors.  Of course, by saying "I've been trying to keep busy" I am referring to keeping busy in the little bit of spare time I have between health issues, daily physical therapy, daily piano practice, and down time.  Still, I like to accomplish something and learn something each day regardless of whether it is a good health day or bad health day.   The windy frigid temperatures have kept me indoors.  I don't even like going outside to get the mail in this weather so Sheila does that most days!  As I've written in this blog often, my health fares quite poorly in warmer environments (in the 80s and above) but I've been very sensitive to cold environments also as I approach 60 years old (in a few months, in case anyone wants to know).  I simply have zero tolerance for cold environments now.  (Watching the grandkids at the ice rink