Monthly Archives: July 2011

The mini-WASP array – over 4 years now and still counting

Tom How just pointed something out to me that came as a bit of a shock.  The mini-WASP project has been over 4 years in the making – to be precise, my first NFO post on the mini-WASP array was … Continue reading

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Twin Kecks at the New Forest Observatory

On this grey, murky, rainy day I thought I’d take a picture of something bright in the garden – a pair of Keck domes now reside at the New Forest Observatory 🙂

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The mini-WASP array is now domed :)

Mini-WASP array now fitted in the dome, side panels on the frame, everything bolted down.  Will just dry run the Paramount using the Sky 6 software and call it a day.  Next step is to manually polar align and visually … Continue reading

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Further progress today

Power now connected to the dome and the dehumidifier is running 🙂

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mini-WASP observatory flooring completed today

Turned out to be a bit of a marathon job finishing off the mini-WASP observatory flooring.  On the top you can see the Pulsar Observatories’ cushioned flooring (very nice!).  Directly underneath the cushioned floor is the Pulsar Observatories supplied waterproof … Continue reading

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View from the Tenerife Observatories – Today’s Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD)

Two images taken from the Tenerife Observatories site can be seen on today’s EPOD 🙂  Brings back magical memories of the fantastic Starmus Festival.  Thank you Jim for continuing to publish my work 🙂

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The full Monty

Here is the mini-WASP framework as fully-populated as I can manage it ready for installing into the dome this weekend.  The Starlight Xpress cnnectors between the filter-wheels and the Sky 90s arrived promptly this morning (thank you Gill Hattey!) and … Continue reading

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The new Pulsar Observatories dome has just been installed :)

Gary & Dave from Pulsar Observatories Ltd. started first thing this morning and have just finished installing the new house for the mini-WASP array.  Great job guys – quickly and expertly done – thank you.  Pulsar Observatories will appear in … Continue reading

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The mini-WASP array with three Sky 90s attached

Here is the de-wired mini-WASP framework with three Sky 90 refractors and one Megrez 80 attached.  Two Sky 90s will be used for imaging, one will be for visual, and the Megrez 80 is the guide scope in this first … Continue reading

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Demi-Mini-WASP dry-run in the study

Before taking everything apart to move down into the new observatory – here is the recently tested demi-mini-WASP array on a desk in the study.  Why demi-mini-WASP?  Because I am starting off modestly with just 2 of the possible 4 … Continue reading

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