Modified mirror cell installed: results looking good!

Yesterday I picked up the modified mirror cell at Astrosystems Holland. After installation in my Newtonian I quickly found out that collimation is very precise now. Moving the telescope in various directions does not alter the collimation anymore. Before the moon came up I watched the Andromeda galaxy, with M31, M32 and M110 (very easily) in my 33mm William Optics SWAN. After that I watched Jupiter and its great red spot in the 10mm Vixen LV Plossl. With the same oculair I watched many mountains on the moon. It has been a lot of work, but the result is very rewarding.

Mirror cell of primary mirror upgraded

The primary mirror cell has been upgraded by Astrosystems Holland. The weakest point were the collimation screws and the lack of springs behind the mirror. This has been corrected by ASH. Also the backplate has been modified so that it can be fitted with a cooling fan. The cooling air is forced around the mirror.
Tomorrow I will pick it up, I am very curious how it looks in real.

Primary mirror cell upgrade

Astrosystems Holland is designing a new mirror cell for the primary mirror of my 200mmF5 Newtonian reflector. Calculations with the famous program "plop" show an error of 1.44e-5 rms using a simple 3 point support. The only thing that needs upgrading now is the adjustment and cooling opening.

Open day at model airfield Netersel

 Unbelievable nice airplane: a Witch flying her broomstick!

 Cockpit of a Tiger Moth.

Beechcraft flying very low....

NGC281 "Pacman nebula"

Last clear thursdaynight I shot this picture of NGC281 in Casiopeia, also known as the "Pac-man" nebula. This picture was shot with my 200mmF5 Newtonian reflector fitted with an Artemis cooled CCD in its primary focus. This is a combination of 3 1200s exposures.
The nebula is lit up by a bright young multiple star in its center, HD5005. Over the nebula lies a dark lane of dust which gives the nebula its "Pac-man" appearance.

Takahashi EL panel

Today I received the secondhand 300mm EL panel/foil that can be used for shooting flatfields with the Takahashi. Only thing is that we need to think of a good way of installing it on the nose of the Takahashi E-300.