Early Risers.

[monkeysarefun]

What a difference a day makes.... yesterday low thirties and everyone's at the beach. Today, 20 degrees and everyone is inside in front of the heater by the looks of it.

 

Even the improved wave height of 4 to 6 feet isn't  enough to bring the surfers out.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[Ozexpatriate]

27 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Today, 20 degrees and everyone is inside in front of the heater by the looks of it.

That's a warm summer day on the Oregon coast.  (We do joke that people put more clothes on to visit the beaches of the Pacific Northwest.)

 

Summer water temperatures average around 14°C.

 

It's supposed to be 9°C at the coast tomorrow.

 

Here we had a rainy morning which came with a cold front. It was easily 2°C colder in the mid-afternoon than during my mid-morning walk. It felt like more than that.

[jamie92208]

11 hours ago, Adam88 said:

 

I seem to recall that that happened to Winston Link when they were making a documentary about him.  He'd got all his rare magnesium flashbulbs set up for one final shot and then ...

IIRC the Bates story relates to a guy he took to photograph a chimney being demolished. The guy emerged from a cloud of brick dust, walking as if his trousers were full of talcum powder.

 

Anyway it's alleged -2 here. It was definitely  crunchy underfoot yesterday morning.  I got my foundation dug out in the morning. Went to have the new crown fitted then after lunch mixed and poured the concrete for footing no 2.  I will venture out to inspect it later.  It's still dark here.

 

First job is to barrow more logs down to the verandah from the log shed.  After that a variety of bits of unspecified potterring may occur.

 

Jamie

Edited January 19, 2023 by jamie92208

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

The walkabout continues!

 

I need some snap first though....

 

Stay safe!

 

Baz

[BoD]

27 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

IIRC the Bates story relates to a guy hectook to photograph a chimney being demolished. The guy emerged from a cloudvof brick dust, walking as if his trousers were full of talcum powder

Yes, he brought the chimney down to within a few yards of where the bloke was standing, as these skilled people can.  Probably exaggerated and a bit further away than that but it made a good story - especially that punchline.  It has stuck in my mind over the years too.

[BoD]

Thanks for the reply and photos @PupCam.  Most interesting.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Another frosty start here.  A dry day with sunny spells and variable cloud forecast.   -2°C rising to 4°C.

I went to bed early for me at 23.15 and that was a mistake as I was wide awake at 04.30, couldn't get back to sleep so got up at 05.30.

Perhaps I'm excited because it's Thursday = Bins and Sainsbury's.  Apart from that there are the postponed domestic tasks from yesterday to do and I need to do a bit of financial juggling.

Time to take tea to Management.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[jjb1970]

On the difference a day makes, yesterday was sunburn and skin cancer central outside, this is today.

 

[jjb1970]

16 hours ago, polybear said:

Fuggin' Idiot......

https://news.sky.com/story/bringing-cake-to-office-as-harmful-as-passive-smoking-uk-food-watchdog-says-12789287

 

This is why I bring asbestos, tetraethyllead and plutonium to the office as treats for co-workers, it's because I care for my fellow workers.

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, from a hungry Fraggle, blood test this morning so fasting.  Pah.

 

3c and dry here, clear skies as dawn approaches.  Haven't seen her for years.....badoom-tish.

 

NHN wants a play with Pupper's telesmocoping device, always had a passing interest in the skies beyond our globe.

 

I noticed when they righted that bus that it's frame looked square and undamaged, just the windows falling out.  Mrs NHN's Fleet Management head spoke up and reckoned they are very, very strong these days and would be repairable.  Unlike the number of dunched police cars she currently has lying about the place.  Oops.  As for the grounded BMW ones, we aren't supposed to mention them.  Or the potentially seizing engines. Ooops.  The Volvos look nice.....

[polybear]

8 hours ago, BoD said:

 

Can I plead ignorance and ask what is happening in this stacking?  

 

Bear is rather good at stacking....but that's with unbuilt kits in the cupboard of shame.  I did discover yesterday that Ikea cupboards have been designed too small though, as the one I have isn't fit for purpose; it seems that laminated chipboard shrinks over time.  Weird.

[New Haven Neil]

3 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Bear is rather good at stacking....but that's with unbuilt kits in the cupboard of shame.  I did discover yesterday that Ikea cupboards have been designed too small though, as the one I have isn't fit for purpose; it seems that laminated chipboard shrinks over time.  Weird.

 

My trousers have the same issue.  M&S must use the same suppliers.....

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

A cold frosty start to the day here in England’s northwest corner, it’s -3C at the moment, so a little chilly. My chauffeuring services are required to get Sheila to her Zumba class, then I plan to head off to Halfords to return a tin of paint I bought just before Christmas, as I got the wrong shade! Doh! I shall call at the butchers on my way home and collect the weekly meat rations and pork pie for my dinner. Then I’ve a couple of small domestic tasks to complete, the wiring for the under cupboard lighting needs clipping back up. 

 

This afternoon, both James and Charlie are calling round for a model making session, as there’s not enough room in the workshop for all 3 of us, I’ve set up a couple of tables in the cellar and we’ll all work in there. 

 

Back later.

 

Brian

[New Haven Neil]

Mrs NHN struggling to get to work due to sheet ice on both approaches to the Big City from the north causing havoc, one route now closed due to accidents, other one gridlocked.  As she's on a bus with her boss, he understands she will be late in!

[Winslow Boy]

8 hours ago, PupCam said:

It worked! 😆

 

So, I took 272 images and selected (well, the software selected) the best 60% of them to stack.

 

Here is a typical image from that selection.   To give you an idea of the size of the field of view of the telescope, a dotted circle has been added to indicate the relative size of the moon.  

 

 

I've quickly (and roughly) processed the resultant stacked image to bring out all of the detail that has actually been extracted by the stacking process.   

If you look carefully you can make out the patterns that are just about visible in the single image.

 

 

Looking at just one of the source photographs or indeed looking through the telescope (remember it's essentially a low cost beginners job) you wouldn't believe there was so much to see in a light poluted back garden in Puppershire!

 

Fortunately I've lost my hat so I won't be able to eat it after all ....

 

And on that note, I bid you goodnight!

 

Alan

 

Very nice Mr Puppers. We will call you Next please.

 

You know this interviewing for the next Astronomer Royal is going to take a while.

[polybear]

8 hours ago, PupCam said:

 

It's a sort of related technique but in this case it is not to get a huge depth of field by merging elements at different focus points.  Instead its essentially to eliminate noise from the image, hence improving the signal to noise ratio which enables fine details and subtle shades and colours to emerge.   All of the images are taken at infinity (of course) and are essentially the same.  As the elements within the image  are constant when the images are stacked those items add to each other.   As the background noise is almost random (gross simplification) it averages out to ideally nothing but in reality a very low level and essentially disappears so that for example the subtle shades and colours of nebulae appear out of the inky darkness.     The process that the stacking software performs is extremely complex because all  of the elements in each picture have to be aligned in the frame.   So the first part of the process is to work out where each element in the picture is in relation to all of the other pictures.   As the earth is moving, even though the telescope is crudely tracking the motion, there is a slight difference between each frame.   You'll notice there's offset data for the current frame in the dialogue window that I posted and for certain types of telescope mount the field also rotates to add to the complexity.

 

Fortunately the user just selects the images and presses the go button.     Unfortunately on this occasion I was unable to record the calibration frames that improves the process further because I ran out of space on the SD card and power in the camera but never mind!

 

I see it says stacking 166 of 166 with 5 minutes remaining now 😀

 

Huh??

Unleashing that on a poor unsuspecting Bear at 0700 (or any other time, for that matter) just isn't playin' fair.

 

44 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Mrs NHN's Fleet Management head spoke up and reckoned they are very, very strong these days and would be repairable.  Unlike the number of dunched police cars she currently has lying about the place.  Oops.  As for the grounded BMW ones, we aren't supposed to mention them.  Or the potentially seizing engines. Ooops.  The Volvos look nice.....

 

It seems that Beemer have taken their ball and gone home in disgrace......

 

Bear here......

Yet more H/S/L stuff - not sure exactly what bits as yet, though it will include cutting some more wood to make the fixed upper & lower front panels more rigid.

As for the paint I ordered from The Paint Shed at 21-30 last night - well I received an email at 08-15 this morning to say it's been despatched; since 3 of the four items have to be mixed I reckon that's pretty good going.  I used the same company for the Lounge & Kitchen Paint as well; enter discount code DFUK5 for 5% off. incidentally.  If I'd ordered the same stuff from Brewers it would've cost me ninety quid extra......

Bear gone.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. The eczema was on fire again last night so not much sleep to be had. Despite the central heating and the new(ish) insulation one side of the house can get cold due to it being exposed on that side. I'm going back to bed for a while now, be back later.

[PeterBB]

15 hours ago, PupCam said:

 

Have to agree with Mr Bear.

 

From the professor concerned; "Now, OK, I have made a choice, but people were making a choice to go into a smoky pub."  that's as may-be but I never "made the choice of going in to a smoky office" did I*.      I wonder if my current respiratory difficulties have anything to do with too many cream cakes?   No, thought not.  What an utterly ridiculous comparison.   Has she been taking lessons from JC?

 

When I had space in an office where people had smoked the head suggested after I complained about smoking that a vote would be taken to allow or not to allow smoking.  From my background and e.g. one of the reasons I never went into a pub even for the social unfortunately normally important post meeting meetings was because I was/am intolerant of smoking, was to tell him in no uncertain terms that there was no point in taking a vote as it had to be banned.  There were moans but not very long after some, who had not normally taken breaks, did so and most eventually gave up smoking.

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Morning, from a hungry Fraggle, blood test this morning so fasting.  Pah.

 

3c and dry here, clear skies as dawn approaches.  Haven't seen her for years.....badoom-tish.

 

NHN wants a play with Pupper's telesmocoping device, always had a passing interest in the skies beyond our globe.

 

I noticed when they righted that bus that it's frame looked square and undamaged, just the windows falling out.  Mrs NHN's Fleet Management head spoke up and reckoned they are very, very strong these days and would be repairable.  Unlike the number of dunched police cars she currently has lying about the place.  Oops.  As for the grounded BMW ones, we aren't supposed to mention them.  Or the potentially seizing engines. Ooops.  The Volvos look nice.....

 

That would be the ones that BMW says that's there's absolutely nothing wrong with them your just not driving them correctly, maintaining them correctly but we'll stop selling them to you and close that part of the business down would it Neil.

 

[PeterBB]

11 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

 

Crazily dangerous - no one is wearing hi-viz!

Wow, remember it being on the Pathe news in cinemas at the time!

[BSW01]

Along with the frost we'd had some snow, it was snowing when I dropped Sheila at the church hall. I got as far as the set of traffic lights at the top of the mile end road, when I decided not to go to Halfords as the roads were gridlocked, so I just went to the butchers instead, pork pie secured for my dinner, so I'll go and get changed then make a brew. 

[New Haven Neil]

38 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

That would be the ones that BMW says that's there's absolutely nothing wrong with them your just not driving them correctly, maintaining them correctly but we'll stop selling them to you and close that part of the business down would it Neil.

 

 

#cough# who knows..... 😱

 

Police service is very rough on vehicles, and they do get abused, but most brands have taken the beating for years.  One make recently, and in specific circumstances, have been found to, er, kill er, create an incident leading to the death a traffic officer in the north of England.  Not here I hasten to add.  But the result has been the withdrawal of that brand from general use here, and in some other Constabularies.  And our resident Bear and yourself haves identified a consequence of this.

 

The Vulture/Sabre and similar WW2 era aircraft engines exhibited similar reactions to similar circumstances.

Edited January 19, 2023 by New Haven Neil

[jjb1970]

Our neighbour has just given us a gift set of tinned abalone for CNY, at the risk of sounding an ungrateful so and so I now have to pick someone I can give it to as a CNY gift, oh dear...... I love SE Asian food in general but I just can't abide abalone, nor can Mrs JJB.

[New Haven Neil]

There is a national day of celebration here, BTW.

 

Having visited our local Marie Celeste, for the purposes of blood letting, I was in and out BEFORE my appointment time.  Such an event has never been known, there will be much revelry and celebration.  Especially if my HbA1c is low.....😆

[PupCam]

9 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Given that result , you should be able to get some decent Milky Way shots, without even using the telescope if its possible to bypass the telescopes  lens but  still utilise its tracking movement . A wide angle lens on the camera will get a decent swathe which gives a more impressive result than a zoomed in section (unless you are going for individual nebulae, galaxies, clusters etc.... ) .

 

July is the best time when Scorpio is visible since you are looking straight into the thickest part of the galaxy there, but  its worth giving it a burl now if possible anyway.

 

Indeed I could.  The telescope mounting clamps include standard camera 1/4" Whitworth threads (male and female) so the easiest thing in the world to mount the camera.   The only slight drawback is with the wider FoV the local light pollution would be even more intrusive.  With next door's illuminated pergola (we're surprised that a couple of Easy Jet 737s haven't mistaken it for Luton's runway ...) and half a dozen 500W+ security lights in other gardens going on and off at random it's a miracle we can see the sky at all (That might constitute a micro-rant 🤔).

 

However, not having the telescope on the mount  would make an adventure to a local "darker sky" location much easier.      Something like this would be something to aim for but I'd have to substitute Langford water tower and a puddle for the lighthouse and the sea  🤣

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5951733914904658

 

And, just to show the image was not a random collection of splodges created with Photoshop, here is the analysis of the scene.    Unfortunately no notable named stars but I deliberately avoided those to concentrate on dimer objects.     Very pleased with the result; there's a lot more "enhancement" potential with this image than any of my previous efforts that have only stacked 10 to 20 images primarily because there's much reduced background.   Small steps!

 

 

Back later.

 

Alan