20130128 Sun

1457 (GMT+8), taken with Ranger at prime focus.

2013-01-21 Sun

Again prime focus and 5x:

1547 (GMT+8):-

1549 (GMT+8):-

2013-01-14 Jupiter

Didn't do planet for very long, especially now I only got a 70mm refractor.  But I asked myself, my hobby started with this 70mm refractor anyway, and that's also why I'm addicted, so here we go!

Armed with my Mark-X, I walked down stair to a nearby playground where I have some more skies.  Inside home for this particular season, I couldn't have Jupiter in a good viewing angle.  That's why I have to go out.  Now, I only got a Lu070M so I couldn't do color easily without a filter wheel, so why not just go monochrome?

So here is my setup, my trusty Tele Vue Ranger with its original focuser, with a 5x Tele Vue Powermate.  Tracking done with my GOTO Mark-X using a self hacked Tele Vue System mount motor.

My Asus Eee PC has its hard drive broken a few months ago and after replacement, I haven't run K3CCD on it yet so the initial setup wasted me like 10 minutes or so.  Cloud rolled in and I nearly missed the capturing chance!

I've viewed through it with my Widescan Type III 20mm which yields 120x, and I guess I should have brought my 4mm TMB with me!  Anyway, the disc is big enough for me, the purple fringing is okay, not too annoying.

Taken at 2331 (GMT+8, the left one), and 2333 (GMT+8, the right one), not bad indeed... I enjoy!

2013-01-14 Sun

Again at prime focus and 5x Powermate respectively:-

1637 (GMT+8):-

 1641 (GMT+8):-

2013-01-09 Sun

No time to process until today, first shot is at prime focus and the second one is with a 5x Powermate.

1550 (GMT+8):-

1555 (GMT+8):-

2013-01-02 Sun

Continuing my solar imaging, first up is at prime focus, 1557 (GMT+8):-

Next two were taken with 5x Powermate, 1605 (GMT+8):

1607 (GMT+8):-

Finally, I pulled out my new acquired TMB Planetary II 4mm to have a look, very nice and contrasty, easy to view through with a wide apparent field of view!  The eye cup is very nicely designed (not good looking, however, a bit thin) for shielding out light easy at day time, eye relief is plenty. 

2013-01-01 New Year Sun

My Ranger has gone back to its original shape, the NGF-CM was sold earlier last year.  Solar imaging has been going back to basic in white light with Baader film, and cheap green 1.25" filter from China.

The first one was taken at 1454 (GMT+8) at prime focus:-

And the next one was taken with a 2x barlows, 1457 (GMT+8):-

These shots were taken with my Mark-X using a hacked Tele Vue System mount motor driven by a solar battery.  It's nice to harvest solar energy to do solar imaging:

 Lastly, happy new year!

TMB Planetary II

Ordered three TMB Planetary II eyepiece with relatively long eye-relief, adjustable eye-cup and also wider than standard field of view, the quality is very nice!

Actually, what I really want is the 4mm to be used with my Ranger for planets and moon.  The 7mm and the 9mm will be up for sales very soon, expect good pricing like $50 USD shipped.

New in box.

2012-10-24 Sun

I've sold my NGF-CM recently and also my only 2" eyepiece, so I am falling back to 1.25" built-in focuser of my Ranger, doing manual focusing as well.

taken at prime focus, using ebay CaK filter together with Baader 3.8.  This filter is sold soon after this shot was taken.