Tuckered Out

I finally used the new mount under the stars this evening.   I still need to set the safety limits which are really just telling the computer not to go beyond points where the scope might contact the tripod, which I am pretty sure cannot happen from this evening's work.

I still have to figure out to use the polar alignment scope.  I started out with a not even close north alignment.  Polaris was still invisible.   At first it was too dark to find my compass then I realized that the motors have such a strong magnetic field that north has no real meaning this close to the mount.   In daylight I will paint a phosphorescent line to north.

Even about 20 degrees off north the mount was tracking the Moon well enough to do some photography.   It will be tomorrow before I have the energy to see what I got.   It is still a bit of work getting used to the Gemini 2 hand controller and its myriad options.   I made the telescope shed a bit more organized so that it does threaten to become a telescope traffic accident in there.

That 8" f/7 does spectacular images.  Prime focus: 1/160th, ISO 100; 1414mm f/4.5.

The video for some reason was filming as ISO 3200, producing nothing useful.  Trying to figure out ISO setting for video in the dark was nearly impossible.

I cropped that crater in the upper left.