Re: ATM "Clear Skies"--My foot!]

["Frank Schiralli, Jr." <schiralli@mindspring.com>]

At 05:43 PM 9/8/00 EDT, you wrote:
> I'm not the only one with bad skies. The weather is
>very unusual this year. 

I have no idea if it is particularly unusual or not.  What I am sure of is
that there ARE constructive things you can do on nights of less than
perfect seeing or nights of good seeing with a moon out.

Several things which can be done under the above conditions have paid
>>immense<< dividends on those rare good, dark nights come immediately to
mind.

1)  I collimate my scopes.  Since I am not planning any serious observing,
this can take as long as it needs to in order to get it "just so".

2)  I tweak the polar alignment of my permanently mounted scope using the
star drift method "with a twist".  (I leave the CCD camera attached and do
a normal star drift, comparing the change in declination of a convenient
star in successive images.)

3) I align my guide or finderscope with the main optics.

4)  I grind, polish or do some other ATM activity such as correct any
nagging problem with one of the scopes I've already built and "finished" (Ha!)

You get the idea.  Other members no doubt could add to this list.


Frank Schiralli, Jr.
Member, Astronomical Society of Long Island (ASLI)
N 40* 54' 28"
W 73* 19' 22"
E-mail schiralli@mindspring.com
Web Pg. http://members.tripod.com/~AstroImager/index.html

Law Office Web Page: http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/schiralli/

"Life is enriched by aspiration and effort, 
rather than by acquisition and accumulation." 
                - Scott and Helen Nearing