I thought he meant the wasp was the bmf.

When we were visiting friends in Palm Springs a few years ago we were driving out in the desert. We pulled over to have a look around and the Mrs. spotted a tarantula. It was as big as my hand counting the legs and looked like the ones people get for halloween. I tossed a stick over near it and it moved though. Amazing creature!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Sometimes the tarantula was loses. I was thinking the tarantula wasp is a bmf because she surrenders the natural advantage of flight in order to do a peculiar ground-dance that makes the tarantula get into a “KarateKid” crane stance. You can watch it on YouTube.

Just watched it. Brutal.

Spider needs a concealed carry.

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Satan creates nothing: he only ruins everything. He does not invent: he tampers. And his followers are no different ~ Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò

This morning I spied what I thought must be a weather balloon high in the east just before sunrise. My binoc's showed a most unusual shape. Thought it was somewhat elongated but couldn't hold them steady enough and they were not strong enough to be sure. So I went and got the scope.

It was Venus. Best view I've ever had of it. It was the slimmest crescent I've even seen it as. Like a very minuature, very crescent moon. But larger than I've ever seen it, because it's on the other side of the sun from us when it's full so it's a much smaller object then.

I'm going to try and see if I can check it out again tomorrow and maybe if I'm lucky I might be able to snap a pic thru my cell phone.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Sounds very cool!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I just bought a GOTO GEM from Astronomics. A Sky-watcher EQ-6 Pro.

I tried to buy American but just can't justify $800 (and up!) more to get an equal capacity goto. Few mounts are actually made here. Most are made under contract by the same manufacturer that uses (stole?) essentially the same technology as their contracting partners. Then undersell their partners by a few hundred bucks.

Getting it before (political comment deleted) tariffs go into effect.

? Can't handle buying used ? .

Many decades ago I had a nice telescope, it was great fun to watch the stars but now I'm too busy working, my nightfall I'm usually passed out in my recliner .

Pawn Shops, County Estate sales (in Ca. at least, if you have no will the County swoops in, steals everything you owned including the property, literally tosses it into cardboard boxes then sells it all cheaply at monthly public auctions, I get some really good stuff there on the cheap .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Possibly for a second mount I will look at used. I’m still near bottom on the learning curve and am more interested in astronomy than mount mechanics and electronics and software.

But your point is excellent. I have seen mounts online that are significantly cheaper than new. Even high-end name brands. Same with telescopes. In fact, I’m comfortable enough with newt collimation that I will probably not buy a new one. There was an 8” Apetura on eBay that was extremely tempting in Maryland for local pickup. I’d like to own a 12” Apertura with an EQ platform.

Sounds good to me ~ if not for used I'd not have 1/2 the tools I do now .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Long term I’d like to build my own Newtonian telescope. But that’s a couple years down the road.

What is the causal link between buying astronomical gear and clouds? Somebody needs to look into that.

So I got the EQ Mount. Mayhem ensues.

My intent is to take the XT6 off the dob mount and put it on the EQ. Bought the mounting plate and the wrong size rings, dropped shipped from mfr. I thought I’d save a few bucks and not buy from Orion..... so ordered correct rings from Orion. Meanwhile had three beautiful, crystal clear nights.

Aaaaand I was looking for used eyepieces on eBay and found a brand new, unopened Z10 Zhumell telescope for a modest price. I lowballed that price and got it. Damn. It’s a great price for a very good quality scope. But now I have to buy rings and mounting plate or build a dob mount.

This is getting complicated.

I think I’ll stick with my original plan and put the XT6 on the EQ. It’s a smaller and lighter scope so will be easier to learn from. After I’m confident with the smaller telescope I’ll challenge the Z10 to a death match on the EQ.

Also, I’m building a roll-off observatory. The whole building rolls off with a door that opens to allow the observatory to move off the pier. Oh yeah, building a pier. I have some 8” steel plumbing pipe that I’ll put into a hole. I have a 12” auger I can attach to tractor pto. Makes digging holes really easy. I’ll set the pipe in several bags of quikcrete. Then oxyacetylene cut it off at a convenient height. Then dismount the EQ head from the tripod and attach it to a home made leveling plate made from four bars of allthread and a 1/2” plate bolted on top and bottom with bolts top and bottom to facilitate leveling. Drawing is easier than ‘splainin’.

I’m using paired 3/8” by 20’ angle iron as tracks. Vee wheels (with bearings) attached to the floor joists in two sides, 1 pair to a side. Open the door for the pier and roll the observatory away. The observatory will be framed with light angle iron using “repurposed” corrugated barn roof for sides and roof. I’m less concerned about temperature than moisture. Longer term I’d like to put a solar panel on it to charge various batteries.

So there’s my Christmas!

The

I see the bug has bitten...

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

It’s got me by the throat!

Update!

The observatory is progressing. I welded a plate to the pier to hold a car battery instead of running off a dry cell 12v battery pack. Still working on pier.

So, ...... I set up and polar aligned the mount. Ran through the controller menu. Chose 1-star alignment. Mount skewed scope 180 def from target star. Hmmmmm.

Turned off mount. Checked polar alignment. Carefully went through set up procedure referring to manual. Selected 1-star align. Slewed 180 degrees off.

Turned off mount. Unplugged from battery. Waited a couple minutes. Redid everything. 180 off, damn.

Went to CloudyNights and laid bare my soul. Turns out I had the telescope mounted BACKWARDS! Shyte!

Been cloudy ever since.