Heart Nebula started

I did manage to get out last night and start on the Heart Nebula, only about my 2nd imaging object this winter season.

But it’s so big though I can’t fit it all on the chip with the 6MP Atik 460ex camera using my Altair Astro 80mm triplet refractor with a Televue x0.8 reducer. I might try the Astro Physics 0.67x reducer I have that I use on the Altair Astro 8” RC, even though it wasn’t designed for the 80mm, I may test it out to see if I can fit more of the image in.

Next just need to do either RGB frames or OIII frames. Shown below is just 23 Ha frames of 300 seconds each binned (uncalibrated).

Starlight Xpress Filter Wheel Constantly Rotating

I went out last night, the first clear night in ages. The last time I had been out was the morning of the lunar eclipse. I was hoping the equipment was going to work straight away after not using it for a few months. The EQ8 mount was fine, the Lakeside focuser was working well, the Windows 10 PC was working well. But the Starlight Xpress filter wheel suddenly wouldn’t stop rotating.

I first tried just unplugging the USB cable and plugging it back in, that changed nothing. I then tried restarting the PC, that still didn’t work. I then looked on the Starlight Xpress website and downloaded the ASCOM v6.1 driver then I found the Starlight Xpress filter wheel firmware I had was 2 versions behind. So I installed the installer and managed to connect to the filter wheel and update the firmware. But even after doing this the wheel was still turning constantly.

I then tried a different USB port on the PC, but the PC did not even recognise the filter wheel. So my last option was to change the USB cable to a different one. I went straight from the filter wheel to the PC with the new USB cable into the same USB port on the PC and it worked. What I previously had was a USB extension cable and then a standard USB cable into the filter wheel. So I am still not sure if the USB extension cable was at fault (they usually are) or the standard USB cable.

Another thing to check is if the USB cable is loose in the back of the PC, as sometimes USB cables don’t fit very well into the back of the PC, they can be a very loose fitting. This may also be a problem if you are using a USB hub PCI card.

But if your Starlight Xpress filter wheel is constantly rotating check the USB cable is plugged in correctly, if that does not work try a different USB cable. As the power for the filter wheel is coming through the USB cable and you may have stepped on it and damaged it.

Here is a video on YouTube I made about the Starlight Xpress USB Filter Wheel problem.

Celestron Travel Scope Telescope

Here we are discussing the 70mm aperture version of the scope which can handle 40x magnification. But there are two other versions of this scope.

Celestron TravelScope 50mm
Celestron TravelScope 60mm
Celestron TravelScope 70mm

The only real difference between the 3 different sizes is the actual aperture of the telescope. The bigger the aperture the more light you can collect and the more contrast you will see in the image, plus the more magnification you can get out of the scope. All the accessories are the same with each of the aperture sizes.

The Travel Scope is ideal for terrestrial as well as casual astronomical observation.

The Celestron TravelScope is really easy to set up and there are no tools required. The Celestron Travelscope comes with its own pre-assembled aluminium full size photographic tripod to support the scope whilst in use and ensure a stable platform for a better viewing experience.

In addition, both the telescope and tripod fit inside the handy customised backpack for convenient and easy travelling and storage so that you can take it with you wherever you go.

You also get two eyepieces, a 10mm and 20mm eyepiece together with an a finder scope and erect image diagonal. There is also some free planetarium software called The Sky X – First Light Edition. The software is a computerized sky map that features a 10,000 object database, 75 color images, horizontal projection, custom sky chart printing, and zoom capability.

All versions of the Celestron TravelScope are useful travel scopes which comes with lots of useful extras and a customised backpack. There are 3 aperture sizes of this scope, at three different prices. The smaller the apeture the smaller the price, but for the price difference I would recommend the larger 70mm apeture. You may find the 70mm may be a little heavier, but it will show you so much more detail and give you more contrast through the eyepiece. This is especially important if using it for astronomical use.

View the Celestron TravelScope range on Amazon UK

LEGO City Space Port and Lego Space Shuttle 60080

What a great Lego set this is for the astronomy and lego space fan. The full NASA space shuttle model in Lego. Only around 500 pieces, but it does look impressive when finished.

I am sure this lego city space port set will be a big hit, plus remember Lego change their range every 18 months, so it won’t be around forever.

The set contains 5 minifigures; a scientist, 2 service personnel and 2 astronauts.

It’s launch day at the LEGO City Spaceport. Load the satellite into the space shuttle and use the powerful, mobile launchpad to slowly maneuver it to the launch site.

Then deliver the astronauts with the service vehicle and get strapped in as countdown commences, 3.. 2.. 1.. liftoff! Feel the power as the main engines ignite and send the shuttle hurtling into space.

Eject the external fuel tank and rocket boosters and then open the cargo bay doors ready to launch the satellite! It’s another successful mission for the LEGO City Spaceport!

John Lewis Telescope on the Christmas TV Advert

The 2015 John Lewis Christmas TV advert is out and this year the theme is the Man in the Moon. The advert features a little girl looking through a telescope up to the moon, and she sees the man in the moon ad sends him a telescope as a gift so he can look back at her.

The John Lewis telescope in question on the John Lewis Christmas advert is the Celestron Astromaster LT 60 AZ.
This telescope is exclusive to John Lewis and has a 60mm aperture. It comes complete with a moon filter (which will take the glare and brightness away from the moon when viewing it), tripod and a 175x eyepiece as well as some planetarium software.

What can you see?

You will be able to see the moon clearly, the larger planets (Jupiter and Saturn) and of course stars and a star cluster like The Pleiades. It would also make a good land based telescope.

Please don’t think you will see very close zoomed-in views of the floor of the moon, you won’t.

You may see images of the moon like this through the John Lewis telescope.

You won’t see craters like this below that are featured in the TV advert from this telescope, you would have to have a very large telescope in order to see views like this and then there is the atmospheric turbulence to compete with.

What does the telescope come with?

The John Lewis telescope comes complete with a StarPointer which makes it easier for you to point the telescope at the object you want to look at.

You get a 175x eyepiece, but the telescope has a 700mm focal length and a useful magnification range of between 8x to 142x.

You get a deluxe accessory tray and a solid metal tube legged tripod, some astronomy software called The SkyX – First Light Edition. This is astronomy software with a 10,000 object database it also allows you to print out sky maps, it also includes 75 enhanced images.

The John Lewis telescope currently retails for £99.95 with free delivery but they do also sell a cheaper version of the same telescope for £85.95 which does not include the moon filter or eyepiece. View this here.

Buy the John Lewis telescope for £99.95

So is it a good telescope to buy?

Celestron is a good brand in the telescope world, and you don’t want to spend too much money on a telescope if it’s not going to get used that often. But it is fun to use and children will love looking at the moon, stars and planets, especially when they see the ringed planet Saturn.

But you could up your game and spend a little more in order to get a telescope with a larger aperture which means more light gathering capability, so you will see more space objects. If you wanted to spend around £200 you could get a telescope with an aperture like 130mm, a good example of this is the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ-MD Telescope which John Lewis also sell. Compare prices of the AstroMaster 130EQ telescope.

Then there are the computerised GoTo telescopes which help you find objects in the sky as once set up you tell the telescope what you want to look at and it will go off and find the object for you, this can save a lot of time and hassle. An example of this is the Celestron SkyProdigy 102 Computerised Refractor Telescope also sold by John Lewis.

If your budget does not stretch to £100 then John Lewis do sell a ‘Make Your Own Telescope’ kit for £8.

Other retailers you may want to look at for telescopes includes Amazon and WEX Photographic.

Celestron 130EQ Astromaster Reflector Telescope

NOTE: The John Lewis version is more money, as it comes complete with the tracking motors, the others do not.

For views of the brighter deep space objects like galaxies and nebulae, we recommend the larger aperture and light gathering ability of the Newtonian reflectors such as this one.

The Celestron 130EQ Astromaster comes with a StarPointer which makes it easy to find any object, a lot easier than with a traditional finderscope.

The Celestron 130EQ Astromaster is quick and easy no-tool setup, it has a permanently mounted StarPointer, has Erect image optics – Ideal for terrestrial and astronomical use. It also has a German Equatorial mount with Setting circles – to accurately locate and track sky objects. The tripod is a rugged pre-assembled tripod with 1.25″ steel tube legs – Provides a stable platform, this is something that is very important when viewing distant objects.

Celestron NexStar 4SE Computerised Telescope

The Celestron 4SE telescope is a 4 inch Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope with StarBright XLT high transmission coatings and the proven NexStar computer control technology. It also has nearly 40,000 object database and is also GPS-compatible with optional CN16 GPS Accessory.

The box contains the NexStar 4 Pre-assembled Telescope, a 25mm Eyepiece 31.7mm, Star Pointer Red Dot Finderscope, Adjustable Steel Tripod with built-in Wedge, The SkyTM Level 1 Astronomy Software, NexRemote Telescope Control Software, RS232 Cable, Camera Shutter Cable, Computerised Hand Control with nearly 40000 Object Database and Manual and Quick Set-up Guide.

Celestron NexStar 102 SLT Computerised Refractor Telescope

NASA Mars Rover Book by Haynes Book Review

NASA Mars Rovers by Haynes – Owner’s Workshop Manual

1997-2013 (Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity)

This is one of Haynes’ astronomy owner’s workshop manual books. I have reviewed a few of these already including the Space Shuttle and the Lunar Rover books. Please note this book won’t take you through how to repair the Mars Rovers or how to build your own, but they do manage to provide the reader with an amazing collection of information about the Mars Rovers in one book.

You get some brilliant cross-sectional diagrams and photographs. This book also comes with some amazing full colour images of the Mars terrain which have been taken by the Mars Rovers.

The book begins with an introduction to Mars, and then there are details on the early missions to Mars, including Mariner 4 and Mariner 9 as well as information on the Viking lander.

There is then a section on the newer missions to Mars including the Mars Global Surveyor and the Pathfinder missions.

A large part of the book is given over to Spirit and Opportunity. In this chapter both Mars Rovers are covered in very precise detail, from the planning stage, to taking the reader through each part of technology that the Rover carried on board. This chapter even gives a small mention to Beagle 2!

After this chapter we come onto Curiosity. Again through many full colour images and diagrams the reader is taken from concept stage through to engineering, building and testing. There is also lots of information on the advanced landing system that was used with the sky crane. Each scientific device on Curiosity is thoroughly covered. This chapter ends with some really great panoramic images of the Mars surface taken by Curiosity.

I love this book, for me it’s more like having a full colour encyclopaedia on the Mars Rovers, this Haynes manual on the Mars Rovers is thoroughly recommended. A great Mars Rover Book.

NASA Mars Rover Manual by Haynes is available at Amazon

Lunar Eclipse Animated GIF

** Please click on the image above to see the animation **

This is a quick lunar eclipse animated GIF I put together in Photoshop of the Total Lunar Eclipse in September 2015. This phase is when the moon is coming out of the eclipse and going back to its normal full moon.

The original images were taken by a Canon 550D SLR attached to an Altair Astro 80mm triplet telescope on top of a Skywatcher EQ8 mount set to lunar tracking rate.