Author Archives: dwoods

Episode 16 – Space Object Catalogues

May 25th, 2013 | Posted by dwoods in Podcast - (1 Comments)

Mike and Dave provide an overview for those rather useful star catalogues, what they are and how they came to be. Ideas too about what to call them when we run out of catalogues. ‘Comet Dave’ – Yeah keeps returning and a just little bit dim, with a big tail. So he claims.

Enjoy. 🙂

Have you got questions for the 2020 Astro team? Please send us an e-mail: podcast@2020astro.com (or message us on Twitter @2020Astro or Facebook: “2020 Astro”).

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All feedback welcome. 🙂

Mike and Dave nearly go all sensible for once and discuss combating Dew, heaters* power options for your mount and Mike’s obsession with heated clothing with lots of pockets. And we thought all along he used them for keeping his eyepieces warm… How wrong can you be.

Links below to the stuff we chat about. Enjoy. 🙂

Have you got questions for the 2020 Astro team? Please send us an e-mail: podcast@2020astro.com (or message us on Twitter @2020Astro or Facebook: “2020 Astro”).

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Turning up the Juice:

Camping Mat Dewshield (non-pink)
Dew Point info
12v High Dryer (Amazon UK)
Kendrick Dew Heaters
Astrozap Dew Heaters
Hi-Tec Dew Heater
Leisure Batteries (70Ah-110Ah)
Coleman Power Mains Transformer
Maplin UK Power  Stations (8Ah-17Ah)
CTek Intelligent Battery Charger MXS 5.0
OptiMate 4 Battery Charger
Accumate 6/12 Batter Charger
Camping Adapter (Amazon UK)
Maplin UK (heated clothing review)
Blaze-wear (Mike’s video review)
Scottivest
Celestron/Skywatcher PowerTank
Lidl Power Station 10Ah
AstroZap Dewshields

 

*Dave actually lost his dreadlocks at the tender age 34, and had to sell his ageing collection of vintage hair dryers as none were 12v. Since then, he’s just keeps a can of Frizz-Ease. Just in case. 🙂

Mike and Dave meet John Slinn, founder of DDA, imaging guru and a thoroughly nice guy to boot as he bought the beers.
They discuss the aspects of imaging from starting out to high end, with some great insider tips from John. Most importantly, for Mike and Dave, they discover what a ‘Hampshire Half’ is!

Enjoy.

Have you got questions for the 2020 Astro team? Please send us an e-mail: podcast@2020astro.com (or message us on Twitter @2020Astro or Facebook: “2020 Astro”).

Listen on iTunes
Watch our show on YouTube
Download the mp3 (right click, ‘save link as..’)

The stuff the intrepid three chatted about:

Disciples of the Dark Arts (Facebook)
Astronomia
Astronomy 4 Everyone (website)
Canon DSLR’s… again
BackyardEOS
Astro Photography Tool APT
Nebulosity 3.0
Guildford Astronomical Society
BBC Stargazing Live 2013
Registax 6
AstroArt
Microsoft Ice
Adobe PhotoShop CS6
Pixinsight

Noel Carboni’s PS Actions
GIMP

Paintdotnet
Photoshop Elements 11

 

 

Mike and Dave in another feature length Buyers Guide for the New year. We discuss the astronomy gear that makes you drool for the cost of a reasonably priced new car. Some people spend tens of thousands of pounds on the very best gear. Find out why. 30 links below on all the stuff we talked about, and recommended items for your credit card to munch on!  Listen out at the end…

Enjoy.

Have you got questions for the 2020 Astro team? Please send us an e-mail: podcast@2020astro.com (or message us on Twitter @2020Astro or Facebook: “2020 Astro”).

Listen on iTunes
Watch our show on YouTube
Download the mp3 (right click, ‘save link as..’)

The Gear

SkyWatcher NEQ6 & AZ-EQ6GT
Losmandy Mounts
ParaMount MX & MEII
Obsession Dobsonians

Skywatcher 300P
Skywatcher 190NM-PRO
Skywatcher Quattro 200
AstroTrac TT320-AG + Travel system
William Optics GTF81
William Optic Megrez 90
William Optics FLT98
William Optics FLT152/158
Borg45 ED-II APO
Officina Stellare Hiper APO
TMB Telescopes (TMB-130)
APM Telescopes (APM-152-1200ED)
Orion Optics UK
Meade RCX400 (discontinued-review)
APO Triplet Barlow (Celestron) Astronomia
Celestron Edge HD 1100 + GGEM DX Mount
Canon UK  EOS 7D DSLR
Laptop i5 Acer 15.1″ (Netbook price) (Amazon)
Apple MacBook Air (11″)
Apple iPad 32GB (UK Site)
Skywire/SkyFi
Backyard EOS
Meade LX200
Meade LX850
Takahashi Telescopes (Green-Witch Telescopes) Authorised Dealer
Altair Astro UK Telescopes

Aga Stoves
Smallbone of Devizes Bespoke Kitchens

Episode 13X – 2020 Astro Buyer’s Guide Part Deux :)

December 29th, 2012 | Posted by dwoods in Podcast - (0 Comments)

Mike and Dave in another feature length Buyers Guide for the festive season. More Gear, more time. It’s complicated stuff, made simple so you can buy astro-related gear with confidence…

Enjoy. 🙂

Have you got questions for the 2020 Astro team? Please send us an e-mail: podcast@2020astro.com (or message us on Twitter @2020Astro or Facebook: “2020 Astro”).

Listen on iTunes
Watch our show on YouTube
Download the mp3 (right click, ‘save link as..’)

Camera Discussion/Debate/War:

 

Episode 12X – 2020 Astro Buyer’s Guide. 2012

December 7th, 2012 | Posted by dwoods in Podcast - (2 Comments)

Mike and Dave in a feature length 60 Minute Buyers Guide. There’s more to come. Complicated stuff, made simple. Oh, and an amazing rant from dave at the end. Epic!

Enjoy. 🙂

Have you got questions for the 2020 Astro team? Please send us an e-mail: podcast@2020astro.com (or message us on Twitter @2020Astro or Facebook: “2020 Astro”).

Listen on iTunes
Watch our show on YouTube
Download the mp3 (right click, ‘save link as..’)

Camera Discussion/Debate/War:

 

*Dave is now over 18, but due to his lack of height has his Pint in a ‘Short’ glass and pretends it’s a Whisky. With froth.

Episode 11 – Canon vs Nikon – The Great DSLR Debate

November 3rd, 2012 | Posted by dwoods in Podcast - (1 Comments)

Mike and Dave go head to head over a pint to work the differences between these two camera manufacturers. Aren’t you glad they serve Pints in plastic cups..? It’s for safety* y’know.

Links below to the stuff we chat about. Enjoy. 🙂

Have you got questions for the 2020 Astro team? Please send us an e-mail: podcast@2020astro.com (or message us on Twitter @2020Astro or Facebook: “2020 Astro”).

Listen on iTunes
Watch our show on YouTube
Download the mp3 (right click, ‘save link as..’)

Camera Discussion/Debate/War:

 

*Dave is now over 18, but due to his lack of height has his Pint in a ‘Short’ glass and pretends it’s a Whisky. With froth.

Extra Time for November, 2012 – Part 1

October 29th, 2012 | Posted by dwoods in ExtraTime - (0 Comments)

This 5 minute astronomy news podcast for 2020 Astro is for the 1st – 15th Nov 2012

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Extra Time Show Links!
South Downs Planetarium, Sussex
Red Bull Stratos
INTECH Planetarium
HantsAstro Classes @Petersfield, Hants
North Essex Astro-Society – StarFest II 

Episode 10: The Moon, Moon and Full Moon… :)

October 21st, 2012 | Posted by dwoods in Podcast - (0 Comments)

Mike moons and Dave joins the Moonies in this twenty minute lunar episode!

Links below to the stuff we chat about. Enjoy. 🙂

Have you got questions for the 2020 Astro team? Please send us an e-mail: podcast@2020astro.com (or message us on Twitter @2020Astro or Facebook: “2020 Astro”).

Listen on iTunes
Watch our show on YouTube
Download the mp3 (right click, ‘save link as..’)

Links to the Lunatic Stuff

Moon DVD (Amazon UK)
Moon Blu-Ray  (Amazon UK)

Full Moon (Amazon UK) £111.40? I should co-c0!

Extra Time for October 2012 – Part 2

October 13th, 2012 | Posted by dwoods in ExtraTime - (0 Comments)

This 5 minute astronomy news podcast for 2020 Astro is for the 16th – 31st Oct 2012

Listen on iTunes
Watch our show on YouTube
Download the mp3 (right click, ‘save link as..’)

Extra Time Show Links!
South Downs Planetarium, Sussex
INTECH Planetarium
Peter Harrison Planetarium –  Royal Observatory Greenwich
Mars Curiosity (NASA)
Dawn Spacecraft (NASA)
HantsAstro Classes @Petersfield, Hants
North Essex Astro-Society – StarFest IIÂ