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Sunday: 32-40F sunny: I spent a very cold day sitting in the observatory trying to get the ASCOM AWR drive to work. StellariumScope shows the correct configuration but nothing shows or works in Stellarium. Similarly, Cart du Ciel shows the correct AWR ASCOM driver and "connects" but again there is no visible or audible response to mouse clicks for telescope slews for Gotos.
I fitted a shelf to the eastern side of the pier for the laptop with room for a mouse pad. A vast improvement on any other arrangements I have tried so far. The mouse just seems completely effortless and natural compared to the laptop's own touch pad.
I have also ordered a cheap, plywood, rise and fall, swivel stool/chair with a back from IKEA. It was decided that castors were not ideal for the observatory situation. Pad type feet will stay put and only seat rotation is required to access the seat at the computer between visits to the eyepiece. The back of the seat is furnished with a loop at the top to allow easy movement. Or hanging?
It ticks every single box I might have wished for in an observatory chair. Even down to the wipe clean, plywood seat. No doubt a thin, loose cushion can be found for greater comfort. This can take a tour through the domestic laundry facilities at necessary intervals.
I have also ordered a cheap, plywood, rise and fall, swivel stool/chair with a back from IKEA. It was decided that castors were not ideal for the observatory situation. Pad type feet will stay put and only seat rotation is required to access the seat at the computer between visits to the eyepiece. The back of the seat is furnished with a loop at the top to allow easy movement. Or hanging?
It ticks every single box I might have wished for in an observatory chair. Even down to the wipe clean, plywood seat. No doubt a thin, loose cushion can be found for greater comfort. This can take a tour through the domestic laundry facilities at necessary intervals.
The observatory continues to show a 4°F differential between inside and out. This is regardless of sunshine or time of day or night. The outdoor sensor is placed in free air under the veranda to avoid any sunshine affecting the readings. The thermometer case houses the indoor sensor and is sited to avoid direct sunshine.
I got rid of the heavy stepladder which greatly increased the sense of space in the observatory.
The laptop continues to enjoy excellent wireless reception in the observatory from the indoor router.
I should have my red LED lights in the post tomorrow. I have no real idea what to expect but hope for a low visual impact when they are lit. The dark adapted eye needs only a little extra help to avoid the observatory's pitfalls.
NOTE: My ASCOM drive problem were solved with the new download of ASCOM Platform 6.41[?] I remembered that a previous platform download 6.31 [?] fixed my dysfunctional Goto problem last time. So I checked and found the latest download for my laptop.
As soon as I tried a Goto slew ion the laptop the stepper motors started up. Whoopee! Only to find the tube was still badly balanced after adjusting for the binoviewer and its two LP eyepieces. Whoops! 😳
Ideally, I need to find some hand knobs for the wormwheel clutches to allow quicker shaft freedom for accurate balancing. Then I can quickly confirm the two, sliding weight, balance positions: With and without the binoviewer.
With all three balance weights now in the fully forward position I can safely move the tube up through the rings. I hope to gain some freedom at the tail end. At present I cannot even use a straight through eyepiece but must use a 2" star diagonal. I had imagined I'd have much more room in a ten foot [3m] dome!
I'm an absolute martyr to GEM mounting offset! I can feel a rebuild into an inverted fork, equatorial mount coming on soon!
BTW: There is a new ASCOM Help forum for users. No longer on Yahoo.
https://ascomtalk.groups.io/g/Help
NOTE: My ASCOM drive problem were solved with the new download of ASCOM Platform 6.41[?] I remembered that a previous platform download 6.31 [?] fixed my dysfunctional Goto problem last time. So I checked and found the latest download for my laptop.
As soon as I tried a Goto slew ion the laptop the stepper motors started up. Whoopee! Only to find the tube was still badly balanced after adjusting for the binoviewer and its two LP eyepieces. Whoops! 😳
Ideally, I need to find some hand knobs for the wormwheel clutches to allow quicker shaft freedom for accurate balancing. Then I can quickly confirm the two, sliding weight, balance positions: With and without the binoviewer.
With all three balance weights now in the fully forward position I can safely move the tube up through the rings. I hope to gain some freedom at the tail end. At present I cannot even use a straight through eyepiece but must use a 2" star diagonal. I had imagined I'd have much more room in a ten foot [3m] dome!I'm an absolute martyr to GEM mounting offset! I can feel a rebuild into an inverted fork, equatorial mount coming on soon!
BTW: There is a new ASCOM Help forum for users. No longer on Yahoo.
https://ascomtalk.groups.io/g/Help
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