Hello from North West England

[TerryMcK]

Hi All,
Just a quick message to say I have just joined. I'm based in the north west of England under Bortle 7 skies. However with us being surrounded by sea we have a typical marine environment which means lots of clouds.
I'm interested in DSO astrophotography mainly and am in the extended light dome of Manchester. So mainly narrowband with mono cameras, or short exposures with LRGB on mono. I occasionally use OSC with IDAS D2 to cut out the LED light pollution and that seems to work well.
Also have solar gear, both white light using Altair Astro Herschel wedge and Ha with etalon equipped dedicated scope.

Terry

[Graeme1858]

Hello Terry

Good to see you here.

We look forward to seeing some of your astrophotography work from the shadow of the Mancunian light dome!

Welcome to the forum.

Regards

Graeme

[TerryMcK]

Hi Graeme I'm looking forward to posting. Thanks for the invite.

Cheers

Terry

[helicon]

Hello Terry and welcome to the forums

[TerryMcK]

Thanks Michael. Glad to be aboard.

[KingClinton]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

[Unitron48]

Hello and welcome aboard! It's a great group!!

Dave

[TerryMcK]

I've just ordered an AstroTuffTrUK mini-500 pier truck from the good people at https://www.astrotufftruk.com/productsa ... -pier-truk
I saw them at the Practical Astronomy Show in England a few days ago. I was blown away with how well engineered they are. I don't have a permanent observatory yet and my wife wasn't keen on a fixed pier embedded in a piece of concrete. I got fed up of getting a tripod or two out and often left them out for weeks on end with a scope cover over.

I image on asphalt and the tripod has sunk holes into the surface. So the mobile pier seemed like the next best option. Everything would be permanently connected on the truck and it will be a simple matter of placing in position, extending the jacking screws to take it off the wheels, a quick polar align with NINA or Sharpcap and off we go - in theory anyway.
I am having it custom built in red and will put on the Skywatcher pier extension I already have (currently fitted to a tripod) to gain some extra height.

It should look similar to this one as I have ordered it in red with a larger equipment tray to accommodate my "observatory in a box". Essentially a plastic lidded box containing powersupply, computer and networking equipment.

Lee at AstroTuffTrUK says that the trucks are good for a movable load of 500kg (1/2 tonne) and are on 10" pneumatic wheels at 30PSI. My rigs don't weigh anywhere near that so I think it will accommodate me well.

[Richard]

Welcome to TSS Terry

[jrkirkham]

Welcome to TSS.

[smp]

Hi Terry, and welcome here to the Forum!

smp

[Graeme1858]

I've just ordered an AstroTuffTrUK ...

You will have to let us know how you get on with your new truck Terry.

AstroTuffTruck are a Vendor on TSS. Looks like a good solid product.

Graeme

[Lady Fraktor]

Hello and welcome

[TerryMcK]

Thanks for all the kind welcomes.

[Thefatkitty]

Hi Terry, welcome to TSS from across the pond

Nice collection of equipment and congrats on the AstroTuffTruk, they really seem to build a solid product! A mobile obsy and a happy other half; that a good deal for sure.

Looking forward to your posts and all the best,

[JayTee]

Hi Terry,

Welcome to TSS. Glad you joined us.

Cheers,

[StarHugger]

Welcome Terry,

Good to have you here with us, looking forward to your shared observations and imagry, Indeed !

[Ylem]

Welcome to TSS Terry, thanks for joining us

[Petrol]

Welcome to TSS Terry, I'm not that far away in Blackburn. Looking forward to your images.
Pete

[messier 111]

welcome in .