Hi Gordon:
You have a very interesting and ingenious set-up.
Can you supply any details on the observatory building itself(not the
latice work)?
Like plans, did you make or buy or anything else that describes the
details of the building.
Thanks

Carl

--- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, "mandellgl" <gmandell@...> wrote:
>
> Friends:
>
> Even though my suburban skys are at best mag 4.5, I'm glad that I
> have a "backyard" (its really 10' off the ground on an extension of
> my back deck) observatory.
>
> I also had to deal with my neighborhood community association.  My
> solution was to put a wooden lattice enclosure around the Tele-
> Station that matches the deck.  Most people in the neighborhood
think
> there's a hot tub behind the enclosure.
>
> He is a picture of my observatory during the Winter.
>
> http://mandellgl.smugmug.com/gallery/858342/1/38685978
>
> Gordon Mandell
> Pittsburgh, USA
>
> --- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, Wodaski - Yahoo <yahoo@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Speaking as someone who set up a C14 on a Paramount mount out in
my
> > front yard for three years (!!!), and now has an observatory, I
can
> say
> > that I vastly prefer the observatory. <G>
> >
> > I would go so far as to say if you image at all, it's worth
> considering
> > an observatory just to avoid the hassles of setting up and
tearing
> down
> > - even if your setup isn't as heavy as mine was.
> >
> > In your case, a roll-off observatory would probably work well
with
> the
> > HOA rules. It can be made to look quite ordinary and need not be
> very large.
> >
> > Ten years is a lot of setting up and taking down.
> >
> > Ron Wodaski
> >
> > eja24601 wrote:
> > > Greetings all,
> > >
> > > We had an unusual spell of five clear nights a row where we
live.
> > > Over those five nights, I only managed to go out imaging over
one
> of
> > > those nights. Since it was a weeknight, I was not out very late.
> > >
> > > I set up and tear down each session, which is one of the
various
> > > reasons why I'm not out shooting every clear night.
> > >
> > > My wife has given the green light for us to at least explore
the
> > > possibility of building us a backyard observatory. The biggest
> > > advantage this would give would be that on nights like last
week
> I
> > > can pretty much just open the roof and start shooting.
> > >
> > > There are a lot of challenges in the way of this becoming a
> reality
> > > for us (HOA rules, though I believe they have been amended to
> allow
> > > an external building within certain guidelines, etc.). One that
> I'm
> > > somewhat concerned about is light pollution.
> > >
> > > We don't exactly live in a dark area (typical suburban skies).
> I've
> > > seen a trend towards most imagers giving up on shooting from
> their
> > > backyards and either driving to or setting up observatories in
> dark
> > > sites. While I see us eventually doing this ourselves, neither
my
> > > wife nor I see this happening for at least ten years
(unexpected
> > > major life events allowing).
> > >
> > > So my question is, would this be worth doing anyway? I'm doing
a
> lot
> > > of narrow-band work this time of year, so for the most part
it's
> > > less affected by LP. I want to do hi-res work during galaxy
> season
> > > as well, and the narrower FOV's offered by that should address
at
> > > least some of the LP issues. My wife and I would also
eventually
> > > want to do some "real science" with our setup, e.g., photometry
> > > and "visitor-hunting" (comets, asteroids, supernovas, etc.).
> > >
> > > Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Any and all would be
appreciated.
> > > Thanks,
> > > Eric
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>

Is there a program available for comparing images and finding new
objects?

Terry

Stunning image, Jason!

Congrats,
Randy Nulman


--- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, "galaxy_jason" <jasone@...>
wrote:
>
> North Texas has had one of the worse droughts in years. Bad for
lawns,
> good for astro-imaging....
>
> M8 Eline.
> Instrument(s): Meade 12" RCX 400 Telescope
> CCD Camera: Yankee Robotics Trifid-2, 6303E
> Exposure: Astrodon 6nm SII,HA,OIII filters, 1:2:1 Hours
> Guiding: Meade DSI controlled by MaxIm DL
> Location: Plano (Dallas), TX
> Image Processing: MaxIm DL, Photoshop, RC-astro Sigma
>
> http://galaxyphoto.com/jw_yankee_rcx_eline_m8.htm
>
>
> --
> --
>  -Jason Ware
>
>  ---------------------------------------------------------
>        VISIT MY ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY HOMEPAGE!!
>     ASTRO IMAGES FOR DOWN-LOAD, TIPS, REPRINTS
>          URL: http://www.galaxyphoto.com
>  ---------------------------------------------------------
>        My Other Hobby....High Power Rocketry
>       URL: http://www.galaxyphoto.com/rockets
>

Dan,
I think this was very nicely done!  The background looks a tad dark
to me and also there seems to be an "abrupt" change from the edges
of the nebula to the background.  This indicates you may have
clipped the low end data and some of the fainter data was lost.  I
didn't take it into PS to verify via looking at the histograms, but
I'm pretty sure this is the case.

If you could re-work this to allow more of the faint edges to show
and "blend" into a lighter background, I think you will have a
real "keeper"....colors and detail look great, no issues there.

Randy Nulman
http://www.nulman.darkhorizons.org


--- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, "mainenebula" <dangibbons@...>
wrote:
>
> Although the weather did not cooperate for the Black Forest Star
party I
> did manage to sneak this in a couple days earlier in the week.  It
is my
> first image since I upgraded my mount(EM-200) and camera(SBIG-
2000XM).
> Not much image time given how low it is on our horizon (HaR)RGB
> 40:30:30:30.  Processed in Maxim with DDP.  Please provide your
> comments.
>
> M8 <http://www.nyskies.com/profile.html>
>
> Dan in NY
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Gordon,
That's a very impressive setup!  I can't see any way that a HOA
would have a problem with something done as nicely as this...

Randy Nulman
http://www.nulman.darkhorizons.org


--- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, "mandellgl" <gmandell@...>
wrote:
>
> Friends:
>
> Even though my suburban skys are at best mag 4.5, I'm glad that I
> have a "backyard" (its really 10' off the ground on an extension
of
> my back deck) observatory.
>
> I also had to deal with my neighborhood community association.  My
> solution was to put a wooden lattice enclosure around the Tele-
> Station that matches the deck.  Most people in the neighborhood
think
> there's a hot tub behind the enclosure.
>
> He is a picture of my observatory during the Winter.
>
> http://mandellgl.smugmug.com/gallery/858342/1/38685978
>
> Gordon Mandell
> Pittsburgh, USA
>
> --- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, Wodaski - Yahoo <yahoo@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Speaking as someone who set up a C14 on a Paramount mount out in
my
> > front yard for three years (!!!), and now has an observatory, I
can
> say
> > that I vastly prefer the observatory. <G>
> >
> > I would go so far as to say if you image at all, it's worth
> considering
> > an observatory just to avoid the hassles of setting up and
tearing
> down
> > - even if your setup isn't as heavy as mine was.
> >
> > In your case, a roll-off observatory would probably work well
with
> the
> > HOA rules. It can be made to look quite ordinary and need not be
> very large.
> >
> > Ten years is a lot of setting up and taking down.
> >
> > Ron Wodaski
> >
> > eja24601 wrote:
> > > Greetings all,
> > >
> > > We had an unusual spell of five clear nights a row where we
live.
> > > Over those five nights, I only managed to go out imaging over
one
> of
> > > those nights. Since it was a weeknight, I was not out very
late.
> > >
> > > I set up and tear down each session, which is one of the
various
> > > reasons why I'm not out shooting every clear night.
> > >
> > > My wife has given the green light for us to at least explore
the
> > > possibility of building us a backyard observatory. The biggest
> > > advantage this would give would be that on nights like last
week
> I
> > > can pretty much just open the roof and start shooting.
> > >
> > > There are a lot of challenges in the way of this becoming a
> reality
> > > for us (HOA rules, though I believe they have been amended to
> allow
> > > an external building within certain guidelines, etc.). One
that
> I'm
> > > somewhat concerned about is light pollution.
> > >
> > > We don't exactly live in a dark area (typical suburban skies).
> I've
> > > seen a trend towards most imagers giving up on shooting from
> their
> > > backyards and either driving to or setting up observatories in
> dark
> > > sites. While I see us eventually doing this ourselves, neither
my
> > > wife nor I see this happening for at least ten years
(unexpected
> > > major life events allowing).
> > >
> > > So my question is, would this be worth doing anyway? I'm doing
a
> lot
> > > of narrow-band work this time of year, so for the most part
it's
> > > less affected by LP. I want to do hi-res work during galaxy
> season
> > > as well, and the narrower FOV's offered by that should address
at
> > > least some of the LP issues. My wife and I would also
eventually
> > > want to do some "real science" with our setup, e.g.,
photometry
> > > and "visitor-hunting" (comets, asteroids, supernovas, etc.).
> > >
> > > Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Any and all would be
appreciated.
> > > Thanks,
> > > Eric
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>

Terrence R. Redding, Ph.D. wrote:
> Is there a program available for comparing images and finding new
> objects?

PinPoint has a very good asteroid finding feature.  http://pinpoint.dc3.com

Doug

-----------------------------------

Doug George
dgeorge@...

Diffraction Limited
Makers of Cyanogen Imaging Products
http://www.cyanogen.com

25 Conover Street
Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada, K2G 4C3

Phone:    (613) 225-2732
Fax:      (613) 225-9688

-----------------------------------

Hi Carl:

The roll-off roof observatory is called a Tele-Station and is
available from Pier-Tech.  Check out the following web page.  It
shows my observatory before the lattice wall was constructed.

http://www.pier-tech.com/tele-station_2_roll_off_roof_observatory.htm

Other than a few minor modifications, its the same as in the
pictures on the web site.  It is 2 years old and has worked great
for me.  In addition to the Tele-Station, I have a Pier-Tech
adjustable pier that allows me to view the horizon easily.

Gordon

--- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, "carl_creamer_2000"
<carl_creamer_2000@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Gordon:
> You have a very interesting and ingenious set-up.
> Can you supply any details on the observatory building itself(not
the
> latice work)?
> Like plans, did you make or buy or anything else that describes
the
> details of the building.
> Thanks
>
> Carl
>
> --- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, "mandellgl" <gmandell@> wrote:
> >
> > Friends:
> >
> > Even though my suburban skys are at best mag 4.5, I'm glad that
I
> > have a "backyard" (its really 10' off the ground on an extension
of
> > my back deck) observatory.
> >
> > I also had to deal with my neighborhood community association.
My
> > solution was to put a wooden lattice enclosure around the Tele-
> > Station that matches the deck.  Most people in the neighborhood
> think
> > there's a hot tub behind the enclosure.
> >
> > He is a picture of my observatory during the Winter.
> >
> > http://mandellgl.smugmug.com/gallery/858342/1/38685978
> >
> > Gordon Mandell
> > Pittsburgh, USA
> >
> > --- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, Wodaski - Yahoo <yahoo@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Speaking as someone who set up a C14 on a Paramount mount out
in
> my
> > > front yard for three years (!!!), and now has an observatory,
I
> can
> > say
> > > that I vastly prefer the observatory. <G>
> > >
> > > I would go so far as to say if you image at all, it's worth
> > considering
> > > an observatory just to avoid the hassles of setting up and
> tearing
> > down
> > > - even if your setup isn't as heavy as mine was.
> > >
> > > In your case, a roll-off observatory would probably work well
> with
> > the
> > > HOA rules. It can be made to look quite ordinary and need not
be
> > very large.
> > >
> > > Ten years is a lot of setting up and taking down.
> > >
> > > Ron Wodaski
> > >
> > > eja24601 wrote:
> > > > Greetings all,
> > > >
> > > > We had an unusual spell of five clear nights a row where we
> live.
> > > > Over those five nights, I only managed to go out imaging
over
> one
> > of
> > > > those nights. Since it was a weeknight, I was not out very
late.
> > > >
> > > > I set up and tear down each session, which is one of the
> various
> > > > reasons why I'm not out shooting every clear night.
> > > >
> > > > My wife has given the green light for us to at least explore
> the
> > > > possibility of building us a backyard observatory. The
biggest
> > > > advantage this would give would be that on nights like last
> week
> > I
> > > > can pretty much just open the roof and start shooting.
> > > >
> > > > There are a lot of challenges in the way of this becoming a
> > reality
> > > > for us (HOA rules, though I believe they have been amended
to
> > allow
> > > > an external building within certain guidelines, etc.). One
that
> > I'm
> > > > somewhat concerned about is light pollution.
> > > >
> > > > We don't exactly live in a dark area (typical suburban
skies).
> > I've
> > > > seen a trend towards most imagers giving up on shooting from
> > their
> > > > backyards and either driving to or setting up observatories
in
> > dark
> > > > sites. While I see us eventually doing this ourselves,
neither
> my
> > > > wife nor I see this happening for at least ten years
> (unexpected
> > > > major life events allowing).
> > > >
> > > > So my question is, would this be worth doing anyway? I'm
doing
> a
> > lot
> > > > of narrow-band work this time of year, so for the most part
> it's
> > > > less affected by LP. I want to do hi-res work during galaxy
> > season
> > > > as well, and the narrower FOV's offered by that should
address
> at
> > > > least some of the LP issues. My wife and I would also
> eventually
> > > > want to do some "real science" with our setup, e.g.,
photometry
> > > > and "visitor-hunting" (comets, asteroids, supernovas, etc.).
> > > >
> > > > Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Any and all would be
> appreciated.
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Eric
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

Doug, thank you for the suggestion.  I just spent an enjoyable 30
minutes reading about the product and looking at the demonstrations.

This may indeed be exactly what I need.

Terry


On Sep 1, 2006, at 3:03 PM, Douglas B. George wrote:

> Terrence R. Redding, Ph.D. wrote:
> > Is there a program available for comparing images and finding new
> > objects?
>
> PinPoint has a very good asteroid finding feature. http://
> pinpoint.dc3.com
>
> Doug
>
> -----------------------------------
>
> Doug George
> dgeorge@...
>
> Diffraction Limited
> Makers of Cyanogen Imaging Products
> http://www.cyanogen.com
>
> 25 Conover Street
> Ottawa, Ontario,
> Canada, K2G 4C3
>
> Phone: (613) 225-2732
> Fax: (613) 225-9688
>
> -
>> .
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Randy:

Honestly, I thought it looked good without the wooden lattice but the
only way that it was going to be approved was to put an acceptable
enclosure around it.  In addition, I had to agree that it would be
removed if I leave and that there were no objections from the
neighbors.  Fortunately I have an understanding wife and nice
neighbors.

Gordon

--- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, "Randy Nulman" <rj.nulman@...>
wrote:
>
> Gordon,
> That's a very impressive setup!  I can't see any way that a HOA
> would have a problem with something done as nicely as this...
>
> Randy Nulman
> http://www.nulman.darkhorizons.org
>
>
> --- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, "mandellgl" <gmandell@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Friends:
> >
> > Even though my suburban skys are at best mag 4.5, I'm glad that I
> > have a "backyard" (its really 10' off the ground on an extension
> of
> > my back deck) observatory.
> >
> > I also had to deal with my neighborhood community association.
My
> > solution was to put a wooden lattice enclosure around the Tele-
> > Station that matches the deck.  Most people in the neighborhood
> think
> > there's a hot tub behind the enclosure.
> >
> > He is a picture of my observatory during the Winter.
> >
> > http://mandellgl.smugmug.com/gallery/858342/1/38685978
> >
> > Gordon Mandell
> > Pittsburgh, USA
> >
> > --- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, Wodaski - Yahoo <yahoo@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Speaking as someone who set up a C14 on a Paramount mount out
in
> my
> > > front yard for three years (!!!), and now has an observatory, I
> can
> > say
> > > that I vastly prefer the observatory. <G>
> > >
> > > I would go so far as to say if you image at all, it's worth
> > considering
> > > an observatory just to avoid the hassles of setting up and
> tearing
> > down
> > > - even if your setup isn't as heavy as mine was.
> > >
> > > In your case, a roll-off observatory would probably work well
> with
> > the
> > > HOA rules. It can be made to look quite ordinary and need not
be
> > very large.
> > >
> > > Ten years is a lot of setting up and taking down.
> > >
> > > Ron Wodaski
> > >
> > > eja24601 wrote:
> > > > Greetings all,
> > > >
> > > > We had an unusual spell of five clear nights a row where we
> live.
> > > > Over those five nights, I only managed to go out imaging over
> one
> > of
> > > > those nights. Since it was a weeknight, I was not out very
> late.
> > > >
> > > > I set up and tear down each session, which is one of the
> various
> > > > reasons why I'm not out shooting every clear night.
> > > >
> > > > My wife has given the green light for us to at least explore
> the
> > > > possibility of building us a backyard observatory. The
biggest
> > > > advantage this would give would be that on nights like last
> week
> > I
> > > > can pretty much just open the roof and start shooting.
> > > >
> > > > There are a lot of challenges in the way of this becoming a
> > reality
> > > > for us (HOA rules, though I believe they have been amended to
> > allow
> > > > an external building within certain guidelines, etc.). One
> that
> > I'm
> > > > somewhat concerned about is light pollution.
> > > >
> > > > We don't exactly live in a dark area (typical suburban
skies).
> > I've
> > > > seen a trend towards most imagers giving up on shooting from
> > their
> > > > backyards and either driving to or setting up observatories
in
> > dark
> > > > sites. While I see us eventually doing this ourselves,
neither
> my
> > > > wife nor I see this happening for at least ten years
> (unexpected
> > > > major life events allowing).
> > > >
> > > > So my question is, would this be worth doing anyway? I'm
doing
> a
> > lot
> > > > of narrow-band work this time of year, so for the most part
> it's
> > > > less affected by LP. I want to do hi-res work during galaxy
> > season
> > > > as well, and the narrower FOV's offered by that should
address
> at
> > > > least some of the LP issues. My wife and I would also
> eventually
> > > > want to do some "real science" with our setup, e.g.,
> photometry
> > > > and "visitor-hunting" (comets, asteroids, supernovas, etc.).
> > > >
> > > > Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Any and all would be
> appreciated.
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Eric
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

I use the Sky 6 professional version,CCDSoft,Direct Guide and the
Paramount.  I have read that the sky 6 pro fills in the declination on
the autoguide tab in CCDSoft, so it is not necessary to do a
calibration every time I move the scope.  My question is about imaging
on subsequent nights.  The Paramount is very good  at going back to
where I left off the night before.  For example, do I need to
calibrate the guider again if I shut down the scope and computer on
Tuesday night and start everything back up on Wednesday night?

No, you do not need to recalibrate. I calibrate, oh, maybe once or twice
a year, or if I make an equipment change.

Ron

Kirk Carbo wrote:
> I use the Sky 6 professional version,CCDSoft,Direct Guide and the
> Paramount.  I have read that the sky 6 pro fills in the declination on
> the autoguide tab in CCDSoft, so it is not necessary to do a
> calibration every time I move the scope.  My question is about imaging
> on subsequent nights.  The Paramount is very good  at going back to
> where I left off the night before.  For example, do I need to
> calibrate the guider again if I shut down the scope and computer on
> Tuesday night and start everything back up on Wednesday night?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

--

Ron Wodaski
New Astronomy Press
http://www.newastro.com

Dear Colleagues,


   Please, check the news data and news time (2006/09/03 05:42:20.320 UT), images
and graphics updated for lunar impact of the SMART-1 in the homepage of the
SL/REA SMART-1 Lunar Impact Project, in the Lunar Section of the Rede de
Astronomia Observacional REA/BRASIL.
   These are the last orbit prediction we have for SMART-1.
   Revised impact predictions have been generated based on the SMART-1 orbit
determination from 1 September 2006.

   English Version: http://slrea-smart1lunar-impact-project-ing.blogspot.com/



   Best regards,


     Valmir Martins de Morais- valmirmmorais@...
   Coordinator for the SL/REA SMART-1 Lunar Impact Project - Secçăo Lunar
REA/BRAZIL
   Member of the Moon SMART Impact: Predictions and Observation Campaign.



---------------------------------
  O Yahoo! está de cara nova. Venha conferir!

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hello Group,

   I have been considering a high capacity UPS system for our mountain
observatory in the Stars End development of New Mexico.  The elevation of our
observatory site is 7,200 feet and it does get below freezing at times of the
year.  The observatory will be operated remotely from Las Cruces, NM. 
Hopefully, construction will be complete on this facility by the end of the year
-- weather permiting.

   I have investigated the APC brand of  UPS -- their Smart-UPS model
SURT8000RMXLT-1TF5.  It has the capacity for the entire observatory with a heavy
duty front-end for ligtning service entrance protection.  The down-side is that
its operating temperature is only down to 32 deg F and it is really intended for
indoor use with sensitivity to dust.

   Does anyone in the group have any expeience with an Outdoor UPS unit that can
handle the extreme temperatures (below freezing) we are likely to see on the
mountain?  Feedback is greatly appreciated.

   Regards,
   Mike Sherick



---------------------------------
  All-new Yahoo! Mail - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done faster.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

The reason the UPS has such a high temperature requirement is that at
lower temperatures the batteries will deliver less power. You will need
to consider the derating for temperature. We use the APC units in many
observatories without problems - as long as we take the temperature
derating into account. Contact the manufacturer to get the specific
temperature derating for the model you are interested in.

Another issue you will have to contend with: we have pretty bad power up
here. You will need to buy new batteries often, maybe as often as once a
year. That's a big expense to keep mind when sizing the unit. You need
enough battery power to supply during cold weather, but the more you
have, the more it costs to replace those batteries. And it is the cold
weather when  you need every bit of power that necessitates those
battery replacements - unless you increase capacity yet again for a
depletion allowance.

You could also consider building a very highly insulated space inside
your observatory (ideally on a lower floor of a multi-story building)
and keeping that space heated. We use this for certain types of
equipment that do not like low temps, but we always carefully isolate
the space thermally. No reason it wouldn't work for a UPS.

If you like, my company consults on observatory design and construction,
and we can take care of this for you. If interested, contact me privately.

Ron Wodaski

Michael Sherick wrote:
> Hello Group,
>
>   I have been considering a high capacity UPS system for our mountain
observatory in the Stars End development of New Mexico.  The elevation of our
observatory site is 7,200 feet and it does get below freezing at times of the
year.  The observatory will be operated remotely from Las Cruces, NM. 
Hopefully, construction will be complete on this facility by the end of the year
-- weather permiting.
>
>   I have investigated the APC brand of  UPS -- their Smart-UPS model
SURT8000RMXLT-1TF5.  It has the capacity for the entire observatory with a heavy
duty front-end for ligtning service entrance protection.  The down-side is that
its operating temperature is only down to 32 deg F and it is really intended for
indoor use with sensitivity to dust.
>
>   Does anyone in the group have any expeience with an Outdoor UPS unit that
can handle the extreme temperatures (below freezing) we are likely to see on the
mountain?  Feedback is greatly appreciated.
>
>   Regards,
>   Mike Sherick
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
>  All-new Yahoo! Mail - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done
faster.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

--

Ron Wodaski
New Astronomy Press
http://www.newastro.com

Thank you.
--- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, Wodaski - Yahoo <yahoo@...> wrote:
>
> No, you do not need to recalibrate. I calibrate, oh, maybe once or
twice
> a year, or if I make an equipment change.
>
> Ron
>
> Kirk Carbo wrote:
> > I use the Sky 6 professional version,CCDSoft,Direct Guide and the
> > Paramount.  I have read that the sky 6 pro fills in the declination on
> > the autoguide tab in CCDSoft, so it is not necessary to do a
> > calibration every time I move the scope.  My question is about imaging
> > on subsequent nights.  The Paramount is very good  at going back to
> > where I left off the night before.  For example, do I need to
> > calibrate the guider again if I shut down the scope and computer on
> > Tuesday night and start everything back up on Wednesday night?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >

> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> --
>
> Ron Wodaski
> New Astronomy Press
> http://www.newastro.com
>

Thanks for the comments Ron -- much appreciated.

   I had considered a separate warm room/area within the observatory for the UPS
-- it may be the route I have to go.  The observatory itself will be highly
vented so a warm are will have to be isolated.  The 16.5' dome should allow
enough space if I decide to take that approach.

   As you point out, derating the UPS capacity with temp drop is also a
consideration.  The APC unit I mentioned takes two batteries @ $350 each.   I
wonder if placing the observatory computer in the same contained space as the
UPS would serve to keep the temperature above freezing -- seems so.

   I'm estimating that I will need less than 5 minutes of UPS power for emergency
shut-down of the dome -- it take about 2 minutes for both Upper and Lower
shutters to close sequentially.  I may look for a smaller UPS to do the job.

   Regards,
   Mike

   ---------------------------------------------

Wodaski - Yahoo <yahoo@...> wrote:
           The reason the UPS has such a high temperature requirement is that at
lower temperatures the batteries will deliver less power. You will need
to consider the derating for temperature. We use the APC units in many
observatories without problems - as long as we take the temperature
derating into account. Contact the manufacturer to get the specific
temperature derating for the model you are interested in.

Another issue you will have to contend with: we have pretty bad power up
here. You will need to buy new batteries often, maybe as often as once a
year. That's a big expense to keep mind when sizing the unit. You need
enough battery power to supply during cold weather, but the more you
have, the more it costs to replace those batteries. And it is the cold
weather when you need every bit of power that necessitates those
battery replacements - unless you increase capacity yet again for a
depletion allowance.

You could also consider building a very highly insulated space inside
your observatory (ideally on a lower floor of a multi-story building)
and keeping that space heated. We use this for certain types of
equipment that do not like low temps, but we always carefully isolate
the space thermally. No reason it wouldn't work for a UPS.

If you like, my company consults on observatory design and construction,
and we can take care of this for you. If interested, contact me privately.

Ron Wodaski

Michael Sherick wrote:
> Hello Group,
>
> I have been considering a high capacity UPS system for our mountain
observatory in the Stars End development of New Mexico. The elevation of our
observatory site is 7,200 feet and it does get below freezing at times of the
year. The observatory will be operated remotely from Las Cruces, NM. Hopefully,
construction will be complete on this facility by the end of the year -- weather
permiting.
>
> I have investigated the APC brand of UPS -- their Smart-UPS model
SURT8000RMXLT-1TF5. It has the capacity for the entire observatory with a heavy
duty front-end for ligtning service entrance protection. The down-side is that
its operating temperature is only down to 32 deg F and it is really intended for
indoor use with sensitivity to dust.
>
> Does anyone in the group have any expeience with an Outdoor UPS unit that can
handle the extreme temperatures (below freezing) we are likely to see on the
mountain? Feedback is greatly appreciated.
>
> Regards,
> Mike Sherick
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> All-new Yahoo! Mail - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done
faster.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

--

Ron Wodaski
New Astronomy Press
http://www.newastro.com






---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
  Everyone is raving about the  all-new Yahoo! Mail.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Don't know if doing something like this is feasible. I use two 100W
bulbs controlled by a thermostat to keep my computer and monitor warm
all winter. See:
http://www.intercom.net/user/shaffer/nexstar/dpII_update/dscn0657a.jpg
http://www.intercom.net/user/shaffer/nexstar/dpII_update/dscn0659a.jpg

For your use a small enclosure well insulated to house the observatory
electronics and UPS system is all that's necessary. While my setup
doesn't operate at 7600' in the mountains it does get plenty cold in
the winter. The bulbs are adequate to keep everything warm.There are
two light bulbs for redundancy. The only requirement in your case
would be you'd have to check physically about once a month or so to
insure they are both functioning or to change them out for new ones.
Just throwing this idea out as a suggested inexpensive fix.

Lenny


--- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, Michael Sherick
<michaelsherick@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the comments Ron -- much appreciated.
>
>   I had considered a separate warm room/area within the observatory
for the UPS -- it may be the route I have to go.  The observatory
itself will be highly vented so a warm are will have to be isolated.
The 16.5' dome should allow enough space if I decide to take that
approach.
>
>   As you point out, derating the UPS capacity with temp drop is also
a consideration.  The APC unit I mentioned takes two batteries @ $350
each.   I wonder if placing the observatory computer in the same
contained space as the UPS would serve to keep the temperature above
freezing -- seems so.
>
>   I'm estimating that I will need less than 5 minutes of UPS power
for emergency shut-down of the dome -- it take about 2 minutes for
both Upper and Lower shutters to close sequentially.  I may look for a
smaller UPS to do the job.
>
>   Regards,
>   Mike
>
>   ---------------------------------------------
>
> Wodaski - Yahoo <yahoo@...> wrote:
>           The reason the UPS has such a high temperature requirement
is that at
> lower temperatures the batteries will deliver less power. You will need
> to consider the derating for temperature. We use the APC units in many
> observatories without problems - as long as we take the temperature
> derating into account. Contact the manufacturer to get the specific
> temperature derating for the model you are interested in.
>
> Another issue you will have to contend with: we have pretty bad
power up
> here. You will need to buy new batteries often, maybe as often as
once a
> year. That's a big expense to keep mind when sizing the unit. You need
> enough battery power to supply during cold weather, but the more you
> have, the more it costs to replace those batteries. And it is the cold
> weather when you need every bit of power that necessitates those
> battery replacements - unless you increase capacity yet again for a
> depletion allowance.
>
> You could also consider building a very highly insulated space inside
> your observatory (ideally on a lower floor of a multi-story building)
> and keeping that space heated. We use this for certain types of
> equipment that do not like low temps, but we always carefully isolate
> the space thermally. No reason it wouldn't work for a UPS.
>
> If you like, my company consults on observatory design and
construction,
> and we can take care of this for you. If interested, contact me
privately.
>
> Ron Wodaski
>
> Michael Sherick wrote:
> > Hello Group,
> >
> > I have been considering a high capacity UPS system for our
mountain observatory in the Stars End development of New Mexico. The
elevation of our observatory site is 7,200 feet and it does get below
freezing at times of the year. The observatory will be operated
remotely from Las Cruces, NM. Hopefully, construction will be complete
on this facility by the end of the year -- weather permiting.
> >
> > I have investigated the APC brand of UPS -- their Smart-UPS model
SURT8000RMXLT-1TF5. It has the capacity for the entire observatory
with a heavy duty front-end for ligtning service entrance protection.
The down-side is that its operating temperature is only down to 32 deg
F and it is really intended for indoor use with sensitivity to dust.
> >
> > Does anyone in the group have any expeience with an Outdoor UPS
unit that can handle the extreme temperatures (below freezing) we are
likely to see on the mountain? Feedback is greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Mike Sherick
> >
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > All-new Yahoo! Mail - Fire up a more powerful email and get things
done faster.
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> --
>
> Ron Wodaski
> New Astronomy Press
> http://www.newastro.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Do you Yahoo!?
>  Everyone is raving about the  all-new Yahoo! Mail.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Thanks for the suggestion Lenny.  Many times simple is better.  I have used the
same technique for controlling the temperature of resin for composite aircraft
construction -- worked well in a small enclosure and very reliable with weekly
checks.  I might consider the same scheme for the UPS requirement.

   Mike

   ----------------------------------------------------------------------

lenny_shaffer <shaffer@...> wrote:
           Don't know if doing something like this is feasible. I use two 100W
bulbs controlled by a thermostat to keep my computer and monitor warm
all winter. See:
http://www.intercom.net/user/shaffer/nexstar/dpII_update/dscn0657a.jpg
http://www.intercom.net/user/shaffer/nexstar/dpII_update/dscn0659a.jpg

For your use a small enclosure well insulated to house the observatory
electronics and UPS system is all that's necessary. While my setup
doesn't operate at 7600' in the mountains it does get plenty cold in
the winter. The bulbs are adequate to keep everything warm.There are
two light bulbs for redundancy. The only requirement in your case
would be you'd have to check physically about once a month or so to
insure they are both functioning or to change them out for new ones.
Just throwing this idea out as a suggested inexpensive fix.

Lenny

--- In ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com, Michael Sherick
<michaelsherick@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the comments Ron -- much appreciated.
>
> I had considered a separate warm room/area within the observatory
for the UPS -- it may be the route I have to go. The observatory
itself will be highly vented so a warm are will have to be isolated.
The 16.5' dome should allow enough space if I decide to take that
approach.
>
> As you point out, derating the UPS capacity with temp drop is also
a consideration. The APC unit I mentioned takes two batteries @ $350
each. I wonder if placing the observatory computer in the same
contained space as the UPS would serve to keep the temperature above
freezing -- seems so.
>
> I'm estimating that I will need less than 5 minutes of UPS power
for emergency shut-down of the dome -- it take about 2 minutes for
both Upper and Lower shutters to close sequentially. I may look for a
smaller UPS to do the job.
>
> Regards,
> Mike
>
> ---------------------------------------------
>
> Wodaski - Yahoo <yahoo@...> wrote:
> The reason the UPS has such a high temperature requirement
is that at
> lower temperatures the batteries will deliver less power. You will need
> to consider the derating for temperature. We use the APC units in many
> observatories without problems - as long as we take the temperature
> derating into account. Contact the manufacturer to get the specific
> temperature derating for the model you are interested in.
>
> Another issue you will have to contend with: we have pretty bad
power up
> here. You will need to buy new batteries often, maybe as often as
once a
> year. That's a big expense to keep mind when sizing the unit. You need
> enough battery power to supply during cold weather, but the more you
> have, the more it costs to replace those batteries. And it is the cold
> weather when you need every bit of power that necessitates those
> battery replacements - unless you increase capacity yet again for a
> depletion allowance.
>
> You could also consider building a very highly insulated space inside
> your observatory (ideally on a lower floor of a multi-story building)
> and keeping that space heated. We use this for certain types of
> equipment that do not like low temps, but we always carefully isolate
> the space thermally. No reason it wouldn't work for a UPS.
>
> If you like, my company consults on observatory design and
construction,
> and we can take care of this for you. If interested, contact me
privately.
>
> Ron Wodaski
>
> Michael Sherick wrote:
> > Hello Group,
> >
> > I have been considering a high capacity UPS system for our
mountain observatory in the Stars End development of New Mexico. The
elevation of our observatory site is 7,200 feet and it does get below
freezing at times of the year. The observatory will be operated
remotely from Las Cruces, NM. Hopefully, construction will be complete
on this facility by the end of the year -- weather permiting.
> >
> > I have investigated the APC brand of UPS -- their Smart-UPS model
SURT8000RMXLT-1TF5. It has the capacity for the entire observatory
with a heavy duty front-end for ligtning service entrance protection.
The down-side is that its operating temperature is only down to 32 deg
F and it is really intended for indoor use with sensitivity to dust.
> >
> > Does anyone in the group have any expeience with an Outdoor UPS
unit that can handle the extreme temperatures (below freezing) we are
likely to see on the mountain? Feedback is greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Mike Sherick
> >
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > All-new Yahoo! Mail - Fire up a more powerful email and get things
done faster.
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> --
>
> Ron Wodaski
> New Astronomy Press
> http://www.newastro.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>






---------------------------------
Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+
countries) for 2˘/min or less.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Here is a monochrome version of the Cocoon Nebula. I have been
attempting to produce a color version but my color data is too poor. I
am using the Ted Agos Focal Reducer which causes very bad vinietting
with my system. I will have to try for more color data when the weather
permits. This is the first image that I have processed with CCDStack. I
like the software. It will take me quite a while to be able to fully
utilize its capabilities.
http://homepage.mac.com/joanlvh/Astronomy/CocoonNebula.html
George

--
George Hall
12" LX200GPS ST-8XME, AO-7
Supercharge # 3777-2012
Dallas, Texas USA
george2003 "at" sbcglobal.net
http://homepage.mac.com/joanlvh/Astronomy

Hello George,

There's plenty of data but maybe you used the wrong darks, as there are many
black specks in the final image. Looks good though.

Steve

-----Original Message-----
From: ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of George Hall
Sent: Saturday, September 02, 2006 7:02 PM
To: ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [ccd-newastro] Cocoon Nebula

Here is a monochrome version of the Cocoon Nebula. I have been
attempting to produce a color version but my color data is too poor. I
am using the Ted Agos Focal Reducer which causes very bad vinietting
with my system. I will have to try for more color data when the weather
permits. This is the first image that I have processed with CCDStack. I
like the software. It will take me quite a while to be able to fully
utilize its capabilities.
http://homepage.mac.com/joanlvh/Astronomy/CocoonNebula.html
George

--
George Hall
12" LX200GPS ST-8XME, AO-7
Supercharge # 3777-2012
Dallas, Texas USA
george2003 "at" sbcglobal.net
http://homepage.mac.com/joanlvh/Astronomy





Yahoo! Groups Links

Interesting discussion.
I wonder how many BTUs the unit itself generates when being drawn
down?  It may well be that the unit is able to supply its own heat,
if not outside but instead in a thermal enclosure.  Venting is a
question.  Does the unit have to breath?  I wouldn't think so.  If it
does not - then an icebox may well do the trick - or even a cooler/
ice chest.

Terry

On Sep 2, 2006, at 12:40 PM, Wodaski - Yahoo wrote:

> You could also consider building a very highly insulated space inside
> your observatory (ideally on a lower floor of a multi-story building)
> and keeping that space heated. We use this for certain types of
> equipment that do not like low temps, but we always carefully isolate
> the space thermally. No reason it wouldn't work for a UPS.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hello all. I know many people use dew heaters and such to keep their
scopes free of dew while observing but I was wondering last night about
appropriate solutions for imagers. Can anyone give some tips?

Regards,
Brian

That won't work - the heat has to get into the batteries, and that would
take a LOT of heat and it would take a lot of time to get the heat into
the batteries. One could consider a heating arrangement, but really you
want that battery power on demand, so you either have to maintain heat
or oversize the unit.

Ron

Terrence R. Redding, Ph.D. wrote:
> Interesting discussion.
> I wonder how many BTUs the unit itself generates when being drawn
> down?  It may well be that the unit is able to supply its own heat,
> if not outside but instead in a thermal enclosure.  Venting is a
> question.  Does the unit have to breath?  I wouldn't think so.  If it
> does not - then an icebox may well do the trick - or even a cooler/
> ice chest.
>
> Terry
>
> On Sep 2, 2006, at 12:40 PM, Wodaski - Yahoo wrote:
>
>
>> You could also consider building a very highly insulated space inside
>> your observatory (ideally on a lower floor of a multi-story building)
>> and keeping that space heated. We use this for certain types of
>> equipment that do not like low temps, but we always carefully isolate
>> the space thermally. No reason it wouldn't work for a UPS.
>>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

--

Ron Wodaski
New Astronomy Press
http://www.newastro.com

> Hello all. I know many people use dew heaters and such to keep their
> scopes free of dew while observing but I was wondering last night about
> appropriate solutions for imagers. Can anyone give some tips?

I made a dew shield from foil-covered plastic bubble wrap insulation
available from home-improvement stores.

Take a look at the Observatories page on my Web site and scroll down to
the Dew Shield section (about 65% down) for a description and photo.

Mike

--

Mike Dodd
Montpelier, VA  (37 49'N, 77 42'W)
Celestron CGE 9.25", SBIG ST-8XM
http://astronomy.mdodd.com

Hi Brian:
Anybody trying to image with refractors in high humidity locations _has_ to
use dew heaters. I use the Kendrick system but others (eg, DewZapper) and
home-made devices work fine. It takes a while to find the right minimum
level of warming to keep the dew off while not causing air currents, but
that's a case-by-case trial and error process.
Reflectors are somewhat more immune to the problem, so a long dew shield may
do the job. However, even with a dew shield, in my location I can count on
the secondary dewing up pretty fast most nights, so I heat the secondary.
Bert

katzung1@...
www.astronomy-images.com
www.visionlightgallery.com/katzung/


----- Original Message -----
From: "brian_clever" <brian_clever@...>
To: <ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 02, 2006 3:36 PM
Subject: [ccd-newastro] Dealing with dew?


> Hello all. I know many people use dew heaters and such to keep their
> scopes free of dew while observing but I was wondering last night about
> appropriate solutions for imagers. Can anyone give some tips?
>
> Regards,
> Brian
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

I use the DewBuster controller with DewNot strips.

    ...Neil

--- brian_clever <brian_clever@...> wrote:

> Hello all. I know many people use dew heaters and
> such to keep their
> scopes free of dew while observing but I was
> wondering last night about
> appropriate solutions for imagers. Can anyone give
> some tips?
>
> Regards,
> Brian
>
>
>
>
>

Ron it is my belief that the unit generates heat while plugged in
treating power, and charging its battery.  I further believe the
battery gives off heat as it discharges and the inverter likewise
having loss, produces heat. Restated, I believe the battery gives off
heat when being charged, and gives off even more heat as it
discharges.  Plus I believe both the converter and inverter produce
heat.  The least heat is most likely associated with the circuit that
produces a sign-wave regulated output - but event that circuit should
be a source of heat

In a small closed space the heat produced in these four processes
should be sufficient to deal with cold temperatures, if the only
thing we are trying to keep warm is the UPS.

I looked for references on the Internet - but all dealt with heat
dissipation but gave no figures, such as heat in BTUs or calories. I
found one discussion that expressed frustration because the
manufacturers fail to provide this kind of information.  I did not
find any discussions that sought to use the UPS as a source of heat.
But I don't see why it couldn't be done.

I am on travel again, so I am not in a position to test my theory.
But it should be simple to do.  If I was home I would measure the
inside and outside temperature of an active UPS unit.  Simple to do
with the availability of battery powered indoor outdoor thermometers
that provide readouts to the nearest 10th of a degree.

Then I would place the UPS in an ice chest just to see how high I
could get the temperature, and then cut power and see if the
temperature increased during the discharge cycle, as I suspect it would.

Electricity passing through a wire produces heat. It is not a matter
of trying to place heat in a battery.  The battery store chemical
energy and produces heat - related to inefficiency - as it charges or
discharges.

Terry


On Sep 2, 2006, at 8:13 PM, Wodaski - Yahoo wrote:

> That won't work - the heat has to get into the batteries, and that
> would
> take a LOT of heat and it would take a lot of time to get the heat
> into
> the batteries. One could consider a heating arrangement, but really
> you
> want that battery power on demand, so you either have to maintain heat
> or oversize the unit.
>
> Ron
>
> Terrence R. Redding, Ph.D. wrote:
> > Interesting discussion.
> > I wonder how many BTUs the unit itself generates when being drawn
> > down? It may well be that the unit is able to supply its own heat,
> > if not outside but instead in a thermal enclosure. Venting is a
> > question. Does the unit have to breath? I wouldn't think so. If it
> > does not - then an icebox may well do the trick - or even a cooler/
> > ice chest.
> >
> > Terry



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

That's not completely true. Careful planning and a properly sized
insulated dew heater will get you through the night even with very high
humidity. I dealt with this in Seattle, where it was so humid that we
would often get fog by the wee hours. My experience has been that dew
heaters create aberrations with 5" and 6" refractors, and I will do
anything to avoid having to use one.

Moving air can be effective with secondaries. A fan blowing on the
secondary will do an amazing amount to reduce or eliminate dew. Until I
discovered this, non-heat methods of dealing with the secondary were not
working for me.

Ron Wodaski

Bert Katzung wrote:
> Hi Brian:
> Anybody trying to image with refractors in high humidity locations _has_ to
> use dew heaters. I use the Kendrick system but others (eg, DewZapper) and
> home-made devices work fine. It takes a while to find the right minimum
> level of warming to keep the dew off while not causing air currents, but
> that's a case-by-case trial and error process.
> Reflectors are somewhat more immune to the problem, so a long dew shield may
> do the job. However, even with a dew shield, in my location I can count on
> the secondary dewing up pretty fast most nights, so I heat the secondary.
> Bert
>
> katzung1@...
> www.astronomy-images.com
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> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "brian_clever" <brian_clever@...>
> To: <ccd-newastro@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Saturday, September 02, 2006 3:36 PM
> Subject: [ccd-newastro] Dealing with dew?
>
>
>
>> Hello all. I know many people use dew heaters and such to keep their
>> scopes free of dew while observing but I was wondering last night about
>> appropriate solutions for imagers. Can anyone give some tips?
>>
>> Regards,
>> Brian
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--

Ron Wodaski
New Astronomy Press
http://www.newastro.com

You can assume that 5-15% of the current flowing through the UPS will be
converted to heat (it depends on the efficiency of the unit, which
should be stated in the specs).

This is different from what I originally thought you meant, which was
that when you actually started using the unit at high current (e.g., to
close a dome), that the heat thus generated would be used to warm the
batteries. That will not work.

The problem you face is that you do need to also be able to prevent
overheating. If the insulation level required to retain the small amount
of heat generated (a typical observatory is going to use at most a few
amps at peak, less continuously) is significant, then you have to be
able to deal with warmer parts of the daily/seasonal cycle and vent heat
to maintain the correct temperature range.

I have a 3kVA unit in an observatory here, and it generates very, very
little heat. Much less than a computer generates. However you heat it,
you need to be able to respond properly (and very consistently) to
temperature changes. My experience has been that it is easiest to
oversize the unit to deal with the cold (especially since larger units
typically provide cleaner power!), but other approaches can be tried if
one has an interest.

I can tell you that, during winter, a typical UPS's batteries can get
extremely cold, nearly down to ambient, so there just isn't a lot of
heat available in a typical situation.

If someone wants to do some measurements or share some calculations,
that would be useful. But I think conjecture will just be confusing the
issues. We ought to stick to data or theories that are grounded in the
equations and actual values that can be plugged into those equations. I
really want to avoid speculation on the list - maybe after you have a
chance to try some of this out, you can post some results.

Ron Wodaski

Terrence R. Redding, Ph.D. wrote:
> Ron it is my belief that the unit generates heat while plugged in
> treating power, and charging its battery.  I further believe the
> battery gives off heat as it discharges and the inverter likewise
> having loss, produces heat. Restated, I believe the battery gives off
> heat when being charged, and gives off even more heat as it
> discharges.  Plus I believe both the converter and inverter produce
> heat.  The least heat is most likely associated with the circuit that
> produces a sign-wave regulated output - but event that circuit should
> be a source of heat
>
> In a small closed space the heat produced in these four processes
> should be sufficient to deal with cold temperatures, if the only
> thing we are trying to keep warm is the UPS.
>
> I looked for references on the Internet - but all dealt with heat
> dissipation but gave no figures, such as heat in BTUs or calories. I
> found one discussion that expressed frustration because the
> manufacturers fail to provide this kind of information.  I did not
> find any discussions that sought to use the UPS as a source of heat.
> But I don't see why it couldn't be done.
>
> I am on travel again, so I am not in a position to test my theory.
> But it should be simple to do.  If I was home I would measure the
> inside and outside temperature of an active UPS unit.  Simple to do
> with the availability of battery powered indoor outdoor thermometers
> that provide readouts to the nearest 10th of a degree.
>
> Then I would place the UPS in an ice chest just to see how high I
> could get the temperature, and then cut power and see if the
> temperature increased during the discharge cycle, as I suspect it would.
>
> Electricity passing through a wire produces heat. It is not a matter
> of trying to place heat in a battery.  The battery store chemical
> energy and produces heat - related to inefficiency - as it charges or
> discharges.
>
> Terry
>
>
> On Sep 2, 2006, at 8:13 PM, Wodaski - Yahoo wrote:
>
>
>> That won't work - the heat has to get into the batteries, and that
>> would
>> take a LOT of heat and it would take a lot of time to get the heat
>> into
>> the batteries. One could consider a heating arrangement, but really
>> you
>> want that battery power on demand, so you either have to maintain heat
>> or oversize the unit.
>>
>> Ron
>>
>> Terrence R. Redding, Ph.D. wrote:
>>
>>> Interesting discussion.
>>> I wonder how many BTUs the unit itself generates when being drawn
>>> down? It may well be that the unit is able to supply its own heat,
>>> if not outside but instead in a thermal enclosure. Venting is a
>>> question. Does the unit have to breath? I wouldn't think so. If it
>>> does not - then an icebox may well do the trick - or even a cooler/
>>> ice chest.
>>>
>>> Terry
>>>
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--

Ron Wodaski
New Astronomy Press
http://www.newastro.com

Hi all:

Yesterday I did another H-alpha RGB image, this time of  NGC896 a nebula
in the northern part of the Heart Nebula.

I am happy with this one. Details of setup and processing are below, as
always there's a link for the Luminance and for the H-alpha (HR) GB

Televue NP101 capturing with an ATIK16HR
Televue TV85 Guiding with an ATIK1HS
Losmandy G11 mount
6nm H-alpha Astronomik filter
RGB Astronomik filter Set

Exposure Times:

H-alpha - 11X20 minutes (total of 3 Hours and 40 minutes)
R and G - 6X5 minutes
B - 6X6 minutes

The H-alpha and RGB were Log Streched in Maxim
The H-alpha was combined with the Red Color using Lighten mode.
H-alpha was also used as Luminance
A minimum filter was used to reduce the halos on the RGB image followed
by a fade of 70%
The luminance Corrected Cannistra method was also applyed using a
opacity of 20%

The results:

Luminance:
http://astrosurf.com/paulobg/dso/ngc896.jpg

H-alpha (HR) GB:
http://astrosurf.com/paulobg/dso/ngc896hrgb.jpg

I hope you like it

Coments and suggestions are welcome

Cheers
Paulo