Hello from Northern Minnesota

[planecrazzzy]

My intro goes like this...
I bought a 10" dob...and put it away , I realized that I knew NOTHING.
Baby Steps... I don't like to be "Spoon Fed" , So I read what I can and started mostly with planets.
Where I live is good and bad , I'm way back in the woods , but trees crowd my horizon...
Although , this time of the year , this area has moister in the atmosphere. (10,000 lakes)
I build experimental aircraft N381PM ( Miss Lucky Stars )
and my current build( Miss Tickle Madness - Mystical Madness ) is a Steve Wittman "Buttercup" designed in 1938
http://wingsforum.com/viewforum.php?f=3 ... 4f7c88a028

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Learning about lenses and other basics , I'll be in the beginners section...learning what I can.
My latest project is coming Friday , I bought an Orion 6" Astrograph Telescope.
I'll be stressing out a small German EQ-1.... Built for 7lbs.... I'll be hanging over 12 lbs , pictures at 11:00
I've been reading up on polar alignment... I'm exited to use the EQ mount to Star Hop
I know not to expect TOO much from my beginners EQ mount... But it should get me in the ballpark.
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Gotta Fly...
JAM ( Just Another Mike )
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Foot note: Same house in the pictures... One has trees , the other was after the Tornado went by too close.
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[Butterfly Maiden]

Hello planecrazzzy and welcome to the Forum.

[messier 111]

[smp]

Hi planecrazzzy, and welcome here to the Forum!

smp

[jrkirkham]

Welcome to the forum.

[planecrazzzy]

'
Does anybody "Name" their Telescope ?

I named mine "Miss Star Cannon"... It's an Oxymoron.
( Mister Cannon )
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I have modifications and Decorations also...
One of my modifications will be moving my 10" DOB like a one handed wheel borrow
for a smooth ride...it could take on "Steps" also (Backwards) , unlike the bulky 4 wheel carts I've seen.
( How's your colmination after a bumpy ride? )
Chromoly tubing will flex, ( Building aircraft means I have some laying around)
also my arm will help absorb shock.
I want it to be easier to move it around the yard.
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Got a picture of your "Mover" ?
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Gotta Fly...
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[Unitron48]

Hello and welcome aboard! Interesting planes...great hobby!!

Be patience with the "new" hobby. It will all come and will be massively fulfilling.

Dave

[planecrazzzy]

My "go to" telescope has mostly been a 90mm Spotting scope... It takes 1.25 lenses.
Today I tweaked the "Hold" clamp on the tripod, Wearing it out.
Hopefully the new 6" telescope ( Friday ) will be my "Go To"
Then I see if the Skies are worth dragging out the 10"
( Still don't know enough to use it's Star tracking capabilities )
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Before I knew it , I've got 2 grand in the hobby... and a LOT of reading.
But I know more as I look up now , and it's growing... I'm hungry
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Gotta Fly...
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[Lady Fraktor]

Hello and welcome to the forums

[Bigzmey]

Welcome on board Mike! No complains from neighbors about the plane in the front yard?

[JayTee]

Hello Mike,

Welcome to TSS. Glad you joined us.

Cheers

[Makuser]

Hi Mike. It's great to have you join us here on TSS. Welcome to the forum Mike and the best of wishes on your astronomy adventures.

[Ylem]

Welcome to TSS, thanks for joining us!

[Richard]

Welcome to TSS

[planecrazzzy]

Welcome on board Mike! No complains from neighbors about the plane in the front yard?

That was my house in Minneapolis , MN , that's the backyard.
but I gotta tell you , I did the engine "Break-in" there (one hour)....SCREAMING at times
I thought for sure the cops were gonna roll up any minute and shut me down...Nope
(That's good neighbors)
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I live on 80 acres around Bemidji ,MN since about 2013, building my own runway ,
We are 1/2 mile from a gravel road, another mile from a paved road.
Which makes a great place to set up Telescopes. ( Or start a Airplane engine )
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Gotta Fly...
JAM
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The picture below is my current "Plans Built" aircraft ( Lycoming 0-235 )
a lot of welding.
The Wings are on the ceiling

[helicon]

Hi Mike and Welcome to the forums. I call my Dob Fred.

[planecrazzzy]

Hi Mike and Welcome to the forums. I call my Dob Fred.

Hey...I like that
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I got a new one today , the name hasn't come to me yet...it will
Like planes , I'll give it a girl name. Something Sixy
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Gotta Fly...
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[Kanadalainen]

Welcome to the forum Mike, take your time with this hobby. Its very rewarding if done right.

[Ylem]

'
Does anybody "Name" their Telescope ?

I named mine "Miss Star Cannon"... It's an Oxymoron.
( Mister Cannon )
.
I have modifications and Decorations also...
One of my modifications will be moving my 10" DOB like a one handed wheel borrow
for a smooth ride...it could take on "Steps" also (Backwards) , unlike the bulky 4 wheel carts I've seen.
( How's your colmination after a bumpy ride? )
Chromoly tubing will flex, ( Building aircraft means I have some laying around)
also my arm will help absorb shock.
I want it to be easier to move it around the yard.
.
Got a picture of your "Mover" ?
.
Gotta Fly...
.

Mine have names like; Tiny, Little Bit, Micro Mike, this way my partner thinks they are all cuddly and cute.

This kind of conditions her for something a kin to a 16" Dob in the living room someday

[planecrazzzy]

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I just thought of a name for my little scope.
It didn't match up with the EQ-1 I have...
So I made a base that would scew into the scope base , and the EQ top
Since I was trying a camera on it , I also made a rod to hold weights to counter camera or accessories
This lets it go back to Visual too.
The Big white line will help sighting in the target at night , a Poorman's pointer.
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Her name is now "Miss Aliened" ( Another one of my Oxymorons )
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Or is that more like Alien'd ...One of those satellites was a UFO ?
It started with "Miss" Mork....The Alien.... To go along with the theme of my homemade, low budget scope base,
I figured she was misaligned. As in not aliened , But "Miss" Aliened sez she IS Aliened...Straight , because it's relative to the target alienment.
Is that a Double Oxy ?
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So the 6" doesn't have a name yet.... Dusty hasn't been taken...but she would have to earn it.
Gonna have some experimenting to do if I see any night sky. The little 90mm scope is the "Go to" scope....(Again)
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Gotta Fly...
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PS My little motor has a red light , but it doesn't work , Orion is sending me a new one.
It also wouldn't run with the extra foam around the battery , I took out one side and it worked.
But I need that light as a reminder to shut it off , 9V batteries aren't cheap.
( AstroTrack Drive for EQ-1 $63.74 ) I saw the same one cheaper somewhere else.