Welcome to my Astrophotography Blog!

This is a journal of my adventures in astrophotography -- taking images of distant celestial objects. Please look around and feel free to add your comments, questions, and critique to any of the entries by clicking the "comments" button on the bottom of each entry -- or just say "howdy!

And don't forget to click on the images for a larger view!

So choose either the Red pill or the Blue pill and follow me down the wormhole....

JOhn

Comanche Springs Star Party

Comanche Springs Star Party
Doin' my thang at the Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus (where I often become a "red ghost")

Dallas Sky

Rancho Venado Sky

Atoka Sky

Camanche Springs Sky

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

BuckSnort Update

I know what you are saying... "why the heck hasn't JOhn posted any new pictures lately?" Well, I've been busy working on my BuckSnort Observatory!

Since the initial structure was built last summer, I have been spending several hundred hours installing all kinds of gear -- computers, mounts, cameras, weather monitoring devices, networking stuff, running/burying cables, and doing lots of programming and trouble-shooting. Whew!

But the good news is I am almost finished. Everything is working great, and I have total remote access. I have not yet done any remote imaging because I am just now putting the final procedures and safeguards in place to prevent me from doing any boneheaded mistakes (or at least reduce the likelihood). Plus, my buddy Phil Jones is bringing his new PlaneWave 12.5" and Apogee U16 to mount on my Paramount ME at the end of April. At that time we will start remote imaging in earnest!

In addition to telescopes, I have also installed a video scanner that searches nightly for meteors, fireballs, and any other nocturnal transient events (UFOs)! These events will be viewable from the BuckSnort website.

Website?

Yes! Kim and I are putting together a dedicated BuckSnort website that will display all of the live camera feeds, weather info, as well as image gallery and other neato stuff. It should be online in a couple of weeks.