guiding test (Etobicoke)

Manuel invited me over for some observing and imaging. I helped lug gear outside.

10:00 PM, 20 May 2011. After we set up the 'scope, I viewed Saturn, flanked by 4 moons, 2 on each side. We were using his Celestron 9.25" with starbright xl coatings on CGEM5 mount. I was a little suprised that the CGEM didn't have a polar scope proper; it's just a sighting tube.

He was not using focal reducer. He didn't have a reticule eyepiece. I was also surprised that he didn't have any dew heating equipment.

Viewed M57, M13, and M5.

Met his neighbours John and Grace. John said that he saw an astronomy talk last summer up near Thornbury, at an orchard, by an RASC person. Dude. That was me!

12:13 AM, 21 May 2011. Manuel was trying his new guide scope, the qhy5v. And he now had a qhy9c as the main camera. He was trying the phd guiding software. I gave pointers and tips. Checked things in SkyTools3.

12:38 AM. He was done the guiding setup. But we still weren't getting great images.

I wondered if the polar alignment was too crude. I wondered if the on-board 2 or 3 star alignments screw things up... I wondered if he had done periodic error adjustments. Maybe I should read the manual...

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Spent some time clarifying (I hope) how things worked with the Carr Astronomical Observatory: how one booked, getting there, what to expect when there, etc. I really hope he'll make it up there soon.