The Cheshire Astronomer

I've just notice that it's been eight months since I last posted anything in this blog. So I think it's time I made amends. I've not really been doing anything over the Summer month's, and what a Summer too. I have been able to study the Sun now I have another scope. I bought myself a nice little Acuter AZ mount and Skywatcher 102 Maksutov back in June. And surprisingly the weather didn't break. I brought the Mak for white light solar observing and imaging. And it is perfect for this. So when the Sun is visible, you'll find me at the end of my Canon EOS 1000D, merrily imaging. I typically shoot 1/1000 second at ISO 800. This helps to freeze the seeing. The images are then resized before stacking in Registax. Here is one example. I have been very busy with my local Astronomical Society too. I am the Observing Director for Macclesfield As, and I have recently been chosen to stand for committee at Octobers AGM. This is a great honour for me and I hope

Here is the first of many, I hope. Of my newly updated BLOG. The old one went the way of the Dodo, so I have been forced to create a new one. My older one. Pauls Deepsky Wanderings is still on here somewhere. But I can't access it so I can add to it. The weather at the moment is rubbish isn't it. I'm typing this whilst suffering from a bad cold. But hey. What the heck. It's Spring, yesterday in-fact at 11am GMT. Though out side. The weather feels more like late November than March 21st. And to cap it all we have Snow on the way. Now I am not pessimistic but. We now have that long awaited comet C/2012 L4 PanStarrs visible from the Northern Hemisphere, and guess what. Coupled with a big fat Moon and the day length increasing rapidly. The skies are still CLOUDY. Why does this always happen when, we have something interesting to look at? I have not been able to do any Astronomy now since the back end of last year. And like most off you. I am really sick and