Re: [APML] OT: Wind?

[Maurice Toet <mftoet@hetnet.nl>]

Hi,

Last weekend I also experienced windy conditions on my observing side
(natural park "De Hoge Veluwe", Netherlands, Europe, Earth, Mily Way
Galaxy, Local Group). I was using my 500-mm focal length flat-field
camera on a GM-8 mount. This instrument (including guidescope and
camera) weighs about 10 to 11 kilograms and is ca. one meter long. I
used an 8 kilogram counterweight for balancing the scope. I guess the
wind-force was somewhere between 3 and 4 on the scale of Beaufort
(windgusts of up to 8 meters per second). I set up my scope behind my
"cookie-tin on wheels" (a Suzuki Alto - hey, I'm just a student!).
Indeed, the guidestar wobbled some 20" when the wind gusted, though the
results came out fine. Although... I forgot to mention NOT to cut the
film in slices. One of my best images (Rosette nebula) is cut in half (I
hate Murphy's Law). Luckily just on the right of the nebula, so the
Rosette is intact. The slide is now on its way to Kodak to be scanned.

Ulrich Beinert wrote:
 
> Not so. Cal. but the Vogelsberg region in Germany was quite windy last
> weekend. Luckily, the wind died down at some point and allowed me to do some
> shooting, but it did raise one question: I was shooting with my 5" Borg and
> 90mm guidescope on my G11 (21 lb. counterweight) and the wind was causing
> the guidestar to jump up to 20-40 arcsec. even though I had parked my VW
> Golf in the direction of the wind. Is that normal for medium to strong wind
> conditions? What are your experiences with this?

Kind regards,

-- 
Maurice Toet 
http://www.amateur-sterrenkunde.nl

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