Steve Paxton's photos

I will take the Do not Fence me in.

This is the NEQ6 Pro a much heavier mount (head and legs 20kg 12kg EQM35 with weights.) and better tracking. I will in the end of august get the mount upgraded with belts and all gears are taken out so no backlash. From back to front ZWO(red) camera next to camera filter draw , Reducer, spacer rings for Focuser, Red Square ESSATO auto Focus and ED 80 Skywatcher scope. On top Guide scope and camera. the plastic bag covers the power board and plugs from the very heavy dew. I also have a plastic sheet on top of the guide and electrical point on top (not shown here as I removed) to keep safe all the electrical parts from the heavy dew. As well as this two Dew heaters one for scope and one for guide scope. All the wires are wrapped around scope to keep things tight and no loose wires. Under the silver sheet and towel is the computer in a 55lt box that all the deep space parts fit and doubles as computer cover as well, towel is to kill the light from the computer screen. the mount is sitting in a 2m square that is one side fence, one side shed and two sides shade cloth to cut light and cut wind. my aim here it to use three cameras. D810 full frame 600mm ZWOASI071MC DX crop 900mm ZWOASI183MC 1" sensor 1800mm all on the same scope and depending on the target which camera gets used. My EQM35 was sold to my wide field milky way partner plus a whole lot of help notes and set up in the hope he will get a bit of his Mojo back and take photos again.

I found out the ZWO make a connector and filter draw to fit a Nikon lens. I am able to use the ZWO cooled camera and Nikon lens and add to that I am able to fit the Optolong LeNhance filter that kills light polution and to a big extent the moon as well. This also releases my D810 to be used as a normal camera I making this I ran into a whole new problem the 5kg weight that is with the NEQ6 is way to heavy so I had to make my own. two 1.25kg weight lifting plates sitting on hose on the shaft and hose clamps each side $11 all up.

The one time I kicked my self for not taking a longer lens on the bus trip. "I will not be seeing any birds" 120mm is just not long enough but what a colour statement, moral of the story never say never..

I have placed a few PIPs on the shot so you can see just where the night shots have come from over the years I have been coming here. Sadly you can now the the industrial scare top of shot that all the light is now coming from. the one pip that will not work.

This it the very first time I have ever seen so much colour on any one of my Elms. It has been a longer than usual Cold winter . Even on the Coast its gotten very cold at night.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_Nebula Snake is almost dead center of the shot next to Jupiter. this is 44 shot on the only night in lock down to be able to shoot now its back into rain and clouds. 44 Shots 10min each till the tree got in the way. when you see the number of stars in this one shot really puts thing into perspective. ZWO ASI071MC Pro @ -10c Prima Luce Essato Focus , Optolong LeNhance filter, Skywatcher Black DiamondED80 OTA Skywatcher NEQ 6 Pro Guided PHD2, SGP DSS, Pixinsight, Ps.

two plants I have at home as well living well.

The dull day the Sun Breaks through.

The build up of clouds in Albany King George sound.

Another of the Sundews living happily in the city. Note all the folded ones have insects trapped in them. the only special treatment this group get is end of rains for the year they get taken off the bonsai stand away from water. the plants gets dried out and turn orange only to become green once the winter rains start again. this is all of 80mm high above the small plants its came with. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drosera_menziesii

Flowers are all over the whole eco group as it has each year I have had it in the city. you can see why I got a shock where I first sat on them out in the dark of night all those needles.

Sundews use sticky mucilage to lure and entrap prey, and the trap hairs then bend over to bring more digestive glands into play. Some then slowly curl the leaf over the victim. In some species the longer snap-tentacles on the outer edge of the leaf can fold over in a matter of seconds. this is the first year I have noticed this plant on the rock plate.

I hope I have learn't some thing and done my mentors image proud. It finally came my turn as the Milky way moved this into view I was going to do a two shot panorama but went against it as no more clear night nothing but rain for two weeks. things did not completely work out tree go in the way and shooting stopped at 4:30 am and lost 90 min shot time. my first real attempt at this group. 86 shot 5 min each in as much clear night as I could get. ZWO ASI071MC Pro @ -10c Prima Luce Essato Focus , Optolong LeNhance filter, Skywatcher Black Diamond ED80 OTA Skywatcher EQM35Goto Guided PHD2, SGP DSS, Pixinsight, Ps. if you wish to see where this is found on the milky way.

The look out on the very small safe harbour in a storm

The Bridge is slowly falling down as water eats away at all the seams. This is not a photo you could take on a rough day the spray from the waves is Huge.

the two types of rocks in the area of Albany you can see,