I’ve nearly run out of things to write about given the situation that I find myself in. The clouds have been merciless since November. Of course, there were a few breaks in the clouds from time to time and a couple of nights where I could do some testing even though there were clouds in the sky. But in large part, it’s been nearly 3 straight months of clouds. Now, I’m in isolation singing the Covid blues. What an awesome combination for an astrophotography hobby.
Contemplating My Next Steps
Since I can’t be out imaging, I might as well get to some planning. Right now, I’m a slave to the weather. I know there are a lot of interesting targets available for imaging that are in prime locations in the sky at this time of the year. That said, I think I’m just going to have to be patient and wait for the breaks to get out and photograph. I’m going to try to build a list of targets that I want to pursue so I can maximize the limited time I’m going to have over the coming months.
I’ve finished the Lego Star Tracker project and I couldn’t be happier with how that turned out. I definitely plan on getting out with this device more and I still have a couple of ideas for non-Lego mods to make it even better. But now that I’m comfortable navigating the intricacies of tracked photography, I think I want to go ahead and build a star tracker using my 3D printer. I certainly have the time and I think I’ve got a pretty good idea of how to throw one together. At least this will keep me busy while I wait.
So that’s where I am right now. In the coming weeks, I’ll detail my prime list of targets for when the weather clears, and then I’ll start publishing about a 3D printed star tracker project. I’m going to design the electronics myself for this one so I will need to spend a little money, but I don’t expect it to be overly costly.
So, stay tuned, stay healthy, and stay safe.