the setup

This photo shows my typical setup with the new telescope. I was targeting Jupiter this particular night and I was attempting to image the planet with my small CCD camera. The gray wire running from the telescope to the USB port of the laptop is the CCD. All the other wires are the various power cords, including a 50 foot extension cord that I actually throw over the "roof" of my condo and onto my patio one flight beneath where this photo was taken. From this top flight of my complex I can see most of the southern sky.

As for imaging Jupiter, it didn't turn out all that well. I think there was a brushfire in the area and it was kicking up smoke that made the seeing terrible. I tried to slew to some deep sky objects but no success, the seeing just wouldn't cooperate. So, it was time to break down the set and despite the tangle of wires, everything was put away in about 5 minutes.