Friday's What's Up Webcast is on the PI Finder with the founder of the device
For all you Dob owners and those without GoTo telescopes using Push To no tech, this is the non-encoder device you didn't know you needed.
I learned about the PI Finder sometime last year. It's a small Raspberry PI or smaller device that can be purchased as a kit or even 3D print at home where you install all the electronics or as a completely finished device. It weighs less than a RACI (Right Angle Correct Image) Finder scope or about what a Tele Vue Delos weighs.? It mounts in a finder saddle with an included dovetail.??
The device immediately impressed me. I'm looking forward to learning about Version 3 and why the kits are only at version 2.5.
In a word, it's fantastic looking!
The new version 3 is faster and like all Pi finders are encoderless!
Fully assembled it goes from $485? - $535. The difference being on board battery or external 5V USB-C powered.??
In kit form the prices range from $15 for the unpopulated circuit boards to $65 for the 3D printed parts and so forth. The kit version builds the v.2.5 of the PI Finder.? I'd go with the built version myself.? It's still less than a Nexus fully loaded.? Or the Tele Vue system. The encoder kit is less then $300 but the whole pod to install it with the encoders is nearly $2000.
I like the Nexus DSC Pro. At $385, it's a decent device if you have the room to mount it. It is a one man shop in Australia.? Solid product but right now there's no one that will take over for him. I asked him that question and he said he has 15 years before he can retire.?
The PiFinder is available in right hand, left hand, flat and straight through for refractors and SCTs with the eyepiece/focuser at the back.
With this episode having the Founder speak about the product, it's an excellent opportunity to learn about the products and ask questions.? That's always the best part of having a live speaker!
I got to hear a presentation with the Nexus DSC developer at a club meeting in Hawaii.? As the maker is in Australia it was the closest time zone for a talk!? For me it started at midnight!
The PiFinder website is here:
PIFinder is out of Sacramento, CA and ship everything via USPS Priority Mail 2 Day delivery.??
If you are still pushing any of your scopes to find an object and have considered an encoder system like Sky Commander (now retired and no longer available), this product is something to consider and I encourage you to attend live, Friday at 1 PM ET on the Sky-Watcher USA YouTube channel.?
John Sillasen, your gadget geek or as one member once called me, Inspector Gadget.
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Hi All,
Don't think I'm making it for the Marathon tonight or Sunday night (school/work night).? Good luck to those who do make it out.
Might go out to Salt Meadow Park here in Madison for a few short hours to catch photons on Sunday evening.
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Jeff Dunn
https://shorelineastronomicalsociety.blogspot.com/
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Tonight looks like the best night till Sunday.? Marathoners should try tonight and Sunday.? We are out of town tonight. Can go out Sunday night.? Hope you have a great session.? Mark
On Wed, Apr 23, 2025 at 6:26 AM, Amy S (Astrodog) via groups.io < glpmacgeek@...> wrote:
Hi gang. ?Carl and I are going to set up tonight either at the farm (I¡¯m going to check the status of the tractor path and field this morning) or the church field. ?Join us!
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Hi gang. ?Carl and I are going to set up tonight either at the farm (I¡¯m going to check the status of the tractor path and field this morning) or the church field. ?Join us!
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Re: Another Event on Friday
Check out the cloud forecast for April 25. Looks like Sunday will be a better night. Should we say, when it rains it pours?
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Alan Sheiness
Trail 53 Observatory, Lyme CT
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As if we¡¯re not booked enough.?
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I don¡¯t see why not. Same as a car being there.? Not sure if our agreement with Propbusters has anything about this. Mark
On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 7:43 PM, Lee P. via groups.io < lee.polikoff@...> wrote:
Can a member bring a camper to the Propbuster site to facilitate an overnight imaging session?
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Max, that's a buck and a half in my mind. Gave me that much in a smiles worth!
Hey, Deb the NASA Night Sky Network has a Public facing webpage as well as the one you use.
It would probably help us a huge amount to publish the NSN link to our club. QR code or a web link but consider the amount of work you do to support us on the NSN, it will help tue public find us PLUS the public can find our open events on our Night Sky Network calendar.? If you don't use it now, you certainly can in the future.? Besides everything there will help publicize us more.
John S. Another quarter's worth?
On Sun, Apr 20, 2025 at 1:25 AM, R. M. "Max" Maxwell via groups.io <rm.max.maxwell@...> wrote: My 2?: I suggest that the text portions be enlarged as much as possible -- fill the space/s currently occupied. Can the membership section be rotated 90 degrees to provide more space for names and phone numbers?
So, 4?, no ?
On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 8:11?PM John A. Sillasen via <jasillasen= [email protected]> wrote: Thank you!
On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 7:40 PM, Lee P. via I¡¯ll see what I can do On Apr 19, 2025, at 2:26 PM, John A. Sillasen via < jasillasen@...> wrote:
I really like the membership brochure. Thank you for adding it.
I didn't print a copy.??
Is this a Trifold document? How does the form line up?? Is this one page or two?? Dotted lines down the side would make it easier to cut and Mail if that's do-able.
I am hoping Lee can duplicate that membership form in a PDF with a Join Us link from the menu.? Along with the form can be the existing Contact Us for more information and questions with the link that goes to George.??
I am truly hoping that an actual membership form makes his job easier and instead of him having to write up send us check to:?? He can just put a link in the email to the Join Us page.
My 4.5 cents.? I wrote more paragraphs than 2 cents would be worth.
Other than that and what Jerry references, fire when all else is ready.
Lee, are you OK with doing a Join Us page??
Thank you!
John Sillasen?
On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM, Jerry T via Mark, just one comment. The image of the Waterford eclipse event has been stretched far too much to horizontally rendering the humans as, well, especially altitudinally challenged.? I think we should correct it.? Other than that, ?I love the brochure!
?
Jerry
-- ~~/)~~~(\~(\~~(\~~~~/)~~/)~/)~(\~
Fair Winds, Clear Skies, Calm Seas,
Max
860-389-0777
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My 2?: I suggest that the text portions be enlarged as much as possible -- fill the space/s currently occupied. Can the membership section be rotated 90 degrees to provide more space for names and phone numbers?
So, 4?, no ?
On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 8:11?PM John A. Sillasen via <jasillasen= [email protected]> wrote: Thank you!
On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 7:40 PM, Lee P. via I¡¯ll see what I can do On Apr 19, 2025, at 2:26 PM, John A. Sillasen via < jasillasen@...> wrote:
I really like the membership brochure. Thank you for adding it.
I didn't print a copy.??
Is this a Trifold document? How does the form line up?? Is this one page or two?? Dotted lines down the side would make it easier to cut and Mail if that's do-able.
I am hoping Lee can duplicate that membership form in a PDF with a Join Us link from the menu.? Along with the form can be the existing Contact Us for more information and questions with the link that goes to George.??
I am truly hoping that an actual membership form makes his job easier and instead of him having to write up send us check to:?? He can just put a link in the email to the Join Us page.
My 4.5 cents.? I wrote more paragraphs than 2 cents would be worth.
Other than that and what Jerry references, fire when all else is ready.
Lee, are you OK with doing a Join Us page??
Thank you!
John Sillasen?
On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM, Jerry T via Mark, just one comment. The image of the Waterford eclipse event has been stretched far too much to horizontally rendering the humans as, well, especially altitudinally challenged.? I think we should correct it.? Other than that, ?I love the brochure!
?
Jerry
-- ~~/)~~~(\~(\~~(\~~~~/)~~/)~/)~(\~
Fair Winds, Clear Skies, Calm Seas,
Max
860-389-0777
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toggle quoted message
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On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 7:40 PM, Lee P. via groups.io <lee.polikoff@...> wrote: I¡¯ll see what I can do On Apr 19, 2025, at 2:26 PM, John A. Sillasen via < jasillasen@...> wrote:
I really like the membership brochure. Thank you for adding it.
I didn't print a copy.??
Is this a Trifold document? How does the form line up?? Is this one page or two?? Dotted lines down the side would make it easier to cut and Mail if that's do-able.
I am hoping Lee can duplicate that membership form in a PDF with a Join Us link from the menu.? Along with the form can be the existing Contact Us for more information and questions with the link that goes to George.??
I am truly hoping that an actual membership form makes his job easier and instead of him having to write up send us check to:?? He can just put a link in the email to the Join Us page.
My 4.5 cents.? I wrote more paragraphs than 2 cents would be worth.
Other than that and what Jerry references, fire when all else is ready.
Lee, are you OK with doing a Join Us page??
Thank you!
John Sillasen?
On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM, Jerry T via Mark, just one comment. The image of the Waterford eclipse event has been stretched far too much to horizontally rendering the humans as, well, especially altitudinally challenged.? I think we should correct it.? Other than that, ?I love the brochure!
?
Jerry
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Can a member bring a camper to the Propbuster site to facilitate an overnight imaging session?
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toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Apr 19, 2025, at 2:26 PM, John A. Sillasen via < jasillasen@...> wrote:
I really like the membership brochure. Thank you for adding it.
I didn't print a copy.??
Is this a Trifold document? How does the form line up?? Is this one page or two?? Dotted lines down the side would make it easier to cut and Mail if that's do-able.
I am hoping Lee can duplicate that membership form in a PDF with a Join Us link from the menu.? Along with the form can be the existing Contact Us for more information and questions with the link that goes to George.??
I am truly hoping that an actual membership form makes his job easier and instead of him having to write up send us check to:?? He can just put a link in the email to the Join Us page.
My 4.5 cents.? I wrote more paragraphs than 2 cents would be worth.
Other than that and what Jerry references, fire when all else is ready.
Lee, are you OK with doing a Join Us page??
Thank you!
John Sillasen?
On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM, Jerry T via Mark, just one comment. The image of the Waterford eclipse event has been stretched far too much to horizontally rendering the humans as, well, especially altitudinally challenged.? I think we should correct it.? Other than that, ?I love the brochure!
?
Jerry
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I really like the membership brochure. Thank you for adding it.
I didn't print a copy.??
Is this a Trifold document? How does the form line up?? Is this one page or two?? Dotted lines down the side would make it easier to cut and Mail if that's do-able.
I am hoping Lee can duplicate that membership form in a PDF with a Join Us link from the menu.? Along with the form can be the existing Contact Us for more information and questions with the link that goes to George.??
I am truly hoping that an actual membership form makes his job easier and instead of him having to write up send us check to:?? He can just put a link in the email to the Join Us page.
My 4.5 cents.? I wrote more paragraphs than 2 cents would be worth.
Other than that and what Jerry references, fire when all else is ready.
Lee, are you OK with doing a Join Us page??
Thank you!
John Sillasen?
On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM, Jerry T via groups.io <jerry@...> wrote: Mark, just one comment. The image of the Waterford eclipse event has been stretched far too much to horizontally rendering the humans as, well, especially altitudinally challenged.? I think we should correct it.? Other than that, ?I love the brochure!
?
Jerry
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Mark, just one comment. The image of the Waterford eclipse event has been stretched far too much to horizontally rendering the humans as, well, especially altitudinally challenged.? I think we should correct it.? Other than that, ?I love the brochure!
?
Jerry
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Re: Sad News About Fred Espenak
Yeah sorry I forgot to mention that at the meeting. I knew him just a bit through DayStar at SolarFestUSA & he was College roommate to one of my ASGH Club members I've known since I joined. Scott said he was destined for greatness back then and he was right!? Huge loss to us all and a very personable gentleman.?
Sad indeed.? Thank you, Lee.
John?
On Sat, Apr 19, 2025 at 1:22 PM, Lee P. via groups.io <lee.polikoff@...> wrote:
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Sad News About Fred Espenak
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Yes. ?Thanks, Deb!
Any corrections before we print up a bunch?
Mark
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great brochure!
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
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-------- Original message -------- From: "Deb Fennell via groups.io" <debskifennell1617@...> Date: 4/17/25 19:55 (GMT-05:00) Subject: [TAASCT] Brochure
Deb
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Deb Fennell
Debskifennell1617@...
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Re: Event: TAAS Monthly meeting. - Thursday, April 17, 2025
#cal-reminder
Missed it. I have been imaging/viewing in Leo tonight.
Great meeting. Thanks everybody. Did anybody see the double double next to Jupiter after the meeting? Mark
On Thu, Apr 17, 2025 at 6:28 PM, Lee P. via < lee.polikoff@...> wrote: Also we need to discuss the following:
On Sat 5/17 the SAS club, in cooperation with the Town of Madison is doing a public outreach event at?
in Madison. It would be great if the club could assist by bringing scopes to this inaugural event.
On Apr 17, 2025, at 6:11 PM, Mark Strollo via
<
mark@...> wrote:
Oh.? That¡¯s right.? Thanks, Leslie.?
Updated Agenda:
?- TAAS Club growth topics.? Mark - most of meeting.
? ?- Outreach
? ?- Social Media
? ?- Turnover
- Conn College Observatory update.? Leslie - 2 minutes.
- Outreach/Night Sky Network.? Deb - 2 minutes.
- Treasurer report.? George - 2 minutes.
- Calendar.? Mark / Deb 5 minutes.
? ?- Hamden Library Hubble Telescope Anniversary & Solar Observing 3-5 PM
? ?- Lyme Land Trust Friday April 25 8 PM
? ?- Messier Marathon Fri April 25 or Sat 26
? ?- Groton STEAM Day April 29 5-7 Catherine Kolnaski School
?- NEAF discussions/bragging/apology for upcoming clouds. Remainder of meeting.
?
See you at 7.
Mark
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Mark Strollo
Alan Sheiness
Lee P.