Archive for 2008

Scope focuser upgraded

Posted by on September 10th 2008 in Astrostuff, Shiny new kit

I'd been considering upgrading the scope's basic rack & pinion focuser for some time. After various bouts of tinkering, I'd managed to reduce the "Synta Slop" image-shift in the original focuser as far as I could without major surgery, and was fairly happy that it was the best that I was going to get, the other option being to shell out £100+ on an upgrade that I couldn't justify.

Then I chanced upon a bargain Crayford-style focuser at a keen price from Astronomica. After a few emails to check that the thing would fit with the minimum of hassle, I took the plunge and ordered one.

And guess what? It's a little gem. OK, it's unbranded, but I'm not one for paying for a label. Silky-smooth action with no discernible image-shift, plenty of travel, enough friction to lift the D50, and the Skywatcher Auto-Focuser fits it as well. The only tin-butchery required was the elongation of two of the mounting-holes in the scope OTA, but it was easy with the right kit.

 

 

I'll give it a thorough workout next time we get a clear night. Don't hold your breath, though - last night was the first (partially) clear one since we got back from Denmark, and the forecast says that it'll get worse before it gets better.

WTF?

Posted by on September 4th 2008 in A bit of a rant

I've been getting this warning screen when trying to access the blog. If it's annoying you too, please accept my apologies but understand that it's beyond my control, I've done nothing to provoke it.

Summer Hols – Part 5 – The journey to Billund

Posted by on September 4th 2008 in Great Escapes

Click on any of the pics to open up a bigger version in a lightbox thingy.

We were up and away in good time for the 160-mile drive to Billund. As this was to be a non-stop journey, I let the others have control of the camera, trusting to their skill and judgement to get some good pics. Of course, it was too good an opportunity for the kids to miss. Ella was as excitable as ever:

 

but Anna was feeling a bit off-colour:

 

The route took us over the huge Great Belt Bridge that links the main islands of Zealand and Funen:

 

The two sections of the bridge meet on the small island of Sprogø:

 

It's an impressive structure when viewed from the western (Funen) end:

 

For some unknown reason, the kids were much amused by this roadsign. IMO, there's nothing remotely funny about Fredericia:

 

There was just one more bridge (the new Little Belt Bridge) to cross to get to the mainland:

 

Within a couple of hours we were set up at the FDM Billund site:

 

After a short resupply trip and a hearty meal, we relaxed around the site before getting an early night. In the morning we would invade Legoland.

To be continued...

Summer Hols – Part 4 – Around Feddet

Posted by on August 29th 2008 in Great Escapes

Click on any of the pics to open up a bigger version in a lightbox thingy.

The drive out of Copenhagen wasn't as simple as we thought it would be - we had adequate maps and directions, but the roadsigns in the city were sparse and difficult to follow. Eventually we escaped southwards and after a couple of hours we arrived at the Feddet campsite. We were assigned a pitch and soon had our tents (and tarp) set up at the edge of the site right next to the sand-dunes:

 

After going into the nearest town for supplies, we spent the rest of the next day on the beach, which was all of 30 yards away from the tent:

 

In the evening the sky was amazingly clear. I spent a few hours on the beach taking pictures of the Milky Way:

 

The peak of the Perseid meteor shower was still a few days off, but there were plenty on show this night:

 

The next day we headed off inland to visit a few of the local towns and villages. We had a pleasant woodland walk around Nygårds Vænge, a place of trees:

 

lakes:

 

logs:

 

and crisp-eating furriners:

 

Back at the campsite we had a go on the assault-course. Anna took it quite seriously:

 

while Ella used it as another posing-opportunity:

 

while the local squirrel population looked on, unimpressed:

 

In the evening I went back to the beach:

 

and took some pics of the strand-line:

 

Later that night a series of thunderstorms passed by. I couldn't resist the chance to get some pics of the lightning:

 

In the morning we decided to take a walk to the end of Feddet Strand. As we passed the washrooms, I nabbed this pic of a swallow in a nest in the eaves:

 

and another, this time a trio of a different species:

 

Soon we were making our way down the track to the end of the strand:

 

The observation-tower at the end proved to be a disappointment, there being no interesting wildlife there to observe. It did, however, prove to be a good shelter during a short storm. The weather brightened up considerably during the walk back:

 

through the woods:

 

and past more log-piles:

 

During a shower we took shelter in the woods, where there were many toadstools such as these:

 

and this:

 

We got back to the site just in time to have a go at making twist-bread over a wood-fire. Anna was really good at this:

 

The evening was spent in the company of the Baxter family from the neighbouring caravan, where we chatted away and consumed many of their drinks. The next morning we had to pack up and say our goodbyes to them:

 

and to this character, who took a shine to their caravan:

 

Then we were off again, driving to our final campsite at Billund to prepare for our assault on Legoland.

To be continued...

Shire! Baggins!

Posted by on August 27th 2008 in Pics

 

Hiding from the Black Rider

Summer Hols – Part 3 – The journey to Feddet

Posted by on August 25th 2008 in Great Escapes

Click on any of the pics to open up a bigger version in a lightbox thingy.

We really didn't want to leave Flåm, but Oslo beckoned. We packed up quicker than expected, and said our goodbyes to our hosts. Ahead of us lay a 6-hour 207-mile dash across the spine of Norway, passing through magnificent fjord scenery, such as this above Vassbygdvatnet:

 

and some huge lakes on the plateau, such as Strandavatnet:

 

a wild and windy place with an impressive backdrop of moody-looking mountains:

 

We couldn't spare much time for picstops during this journey, but we did stop for lunch at a place outside Oslo before heading off to the port. After a nav-error just outside the check-in area (I was distracted by a couple of hookers) we parked up and went off to see some of the city. As usual, the kids found something suitable for climbing and posing:

 

before we reached the Oslo Opera House:

 

After boarding the DFDS Pearl of Scandinavia bound for Copenhagen, we spent some time on deck getting some great views of Oslo:

 

before the ship departed the rainbow-covered city:

 

After one last look back from the starboard side:

 

and one forward:

 

the others retired to the cabin:

 

while I stayed out on deck until we reached the open sea:

 

After another calm night-crossing, we arrived in Copenhagen. The weather was a bit grotty so we didn't hang around but decided to drive south towards the better weather and our next campsite at Feddet.

To be continued...