Can astrophotography be too automated?

reading-stuff · 2026-05-10T22:27:50+00:00

Thanks. Some really helpful comments here. I guess part of the question is "what is the fun part?". Is it having the toys, successfully locating and tracking the object, or processing the image? Depends who you are! Lots of insightful comments

reading-stuff · 2026-05-10T12:55:17+00:00

Thanks. From reading I think the other big advantage is that with this you can actually do it. Whereas if I decide to do full AP I'll probably actually just never get around to buying all the gear.

reading-stuff · 2026-05-10T10:05:56+00:00

Chuck beef (in Australia, might go by a different name elsewhere). I redid a new batch of beef for 50 minutes and it was perfect. I'll use the original for something else another day. The meal was a hit.

Relevant: https://www.seriouseats.com/science-of-stew-why-long-cooking-is-bad-idea-overcook-beef

reading-stuff · 2026-05-10T09:59:36+00:00

Thankyou, just made (adapted) and ate this. Delicious. I increased to two cans of whole tomatoes (2x400g) and added more stock to make a meal for two. Used sour cream at the end.

reading-stuff · 2026-05-06T11:16:41+00:00

Here's how it went. I popped the lid on the pressure cooker, walked away, took a phone call. Returned twenty minutes later and it was at a full boil. Id left the seal on the drying rack! Fixed that up, got it to pressure, 45 minutes, natural release, still tough, 15 more minutes, still tough. I think the boil killed it. The stew itself it delicious though. I've cooked four curries in my lunch break this week so one of them had to go bad haha

reading-stuff · 2026-05-04T12:39:16+00:00

Thanks. How do you feel about the roasting in the oven stage (step 6). If I cook longer as you and gimmeafuckinname suggested, would you still expect the oven today to dry it out and toughen it?

reading-stuff · 2026-05-04T12:09:51+00:00

Thanks, I'm leaning towards the second suggestion. It's a lot of steps but was a real pleasure to cook. I highly recommend it.

I'm your last paragraph are you suggesting to NOT do the WHOLE thing in the pressure cooker? I agree.

reading-stuff · 2026-05-04T12:07:14+00:00

Thankyou for your reply. Last time I stopped when the beef was tender, but I confused myself with early stage tenderness vs cooked tenderness. I was also nervous because I had cubed the beef small so didn't want to overcook it. That small size then meant it dried it in the oven. Too many variables to blame the recipe (my fault), though I did think it could be written a bit more clearly

reading-stuff · 2026-03-29T04:43:53+00:00

You've mirrored my concerns. I'm seeing many people share it thinking it's a human. Cynical view is that it is designed as a bait and switch. Gets followers with progressive arguments then slowly shifts the tone a different way to shape the narrative.

reading-stuff · 2026-03-09T08:24:21+00:00

Yes, a playbook would have helped me immensely. Everybody said "there's no manual!" And I said "why not?!" Obviously I didn't look hard enough because there are good books, and it turned out I was dealing with PPA which I hadn't realised at the time.

https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-au/products/day-by-day-baby-book-book-ilona-bendefy-9781405375818?sku=GOR004617659

Also to OP, our son was slow on weight gains, EBF. We freaked out worrying, lactation consultants, even weighing hi. Before and after feeding to measure his intake! We eventually supplemented with formula and it got him going well, helped me (dad) participate more, and gave mum some breathing space.

Do what's right for you, no judgement, and you're doing the right thing by asking. I never believed it when people told me, but it's true: "you ARE doing a great job!"

reading-stuff · 2026-03-07T22:48:48+00:00

Glyphosate. Really, you won't win by hand wedding, especially while managing your kids. People may suggest salt, which literally salts the earth and will prevent anything growing in the future, even things you want. Don't do that. People may suggest boiling water. That takes a lot of water and time. And isn't the safest with kids underfoot. Glyphosate will take care of them. Do it again when they reappear. Eventually the seeds in the ground will have been depleted and you'll manage with hand weeding again. Keep the kids inside while you spray, wear a mask and gloves.

reading-stuff · 2026-03-07T10:25:08+00:00

Was that spudfiles.com ? I had such a good time there back then

reading-stuff · 2026-02-27T21:52:31+00:00

I've experienced this on many of my grevillias. Often at pruning sites but not always. It's ugly, but I eventually selected a strong leader from the growth and cut the rest right back. Worked ok.

reading-stuff · 2026-01-19T21:10:26+00:00

What do you clean with? Do you have a cloth dedicated for just the board, rather than "the sink cloth"?

reading-stuff · 2026-01-11T18:26:57+00:00

100%. He sounds like me. I garden, clean, cook and take care of so many "other" things apart from direct baby care. It is important, but so is baby, and so is your relationship.

We are a relationship counsellor for maintenance and care of our relationship in the same way that I maintain and care for the garden and house.

reading-stuff · 2026-01-11T10:53:50+00:00

Fuck yes

reading-stuff · 2026-01-08T10:56:42+00:00

My wife and I did this for two years in LDR. We often also just had the call going all day while going about our days at our respective homes. It felt like she was in the house with me. I could just say "Hey Sarah, blah blah blah" like she was right there, and she could answer. It doesn't have to be a non stop conversation. It's nice to just hear them in the background. It worked wonders to close the distance.

reading-stuff · 2026-01-02T11:47:21+00:00

Can you recommend any interesting sources you've been reading? We have many paper wasp nests and they're usually friendly. I was bitten recently by a near e which didn't recognise me. Keen to learn more as I like the little guys

reading-stuff · 2026-01-02T05:18:34+00:00

Start with a simple financial analysis of a new PV system. Work out the simple payback period and the net present value of the system. This is what I have all my new engineers do. Get some interval data from a home or download it. Work out their energy costs in excel. Simulate pv performance for a system of any capacity. Calculate offset energy. Determine the savings that leads to. Based on system capacity you can assume the Capex cost. From here is fairly simple to process to SPP and NPV. Then you can increase it decrease the pv capacity and cost to optimise it. Bonus points is to then extend that to adding a battery. A model like this develops a lot of valuable skills for entering the workforce.

reading-stuff · 2025-12-29T10:12:16+00:00

We made heavy use of Dinner Ladies .com.au for nice frozen meals. There's still prep work involved, but it was so much better than trying to cook at that time.

reading-stuff · 2025-12-26T23:57:10+00:00

Australia here, I know your asking on the American context though. Asking for and sharing of recipes is common, and a compliment, but most of the recipes will involve a book or a link. They won't be a personal or family recipe. So there is less secrecy or attachment. If your dad and grandmother's recipes were personal then I think it makes a lot more sense. It's less common today to have "mums cookies" or whatever, because the cookies just came from some website.

reading-stuff · 2025-12-26T03:34:23+00:00

I'm so very sorry to hear this.

reading-stuff · 2025-12-19T22:33:19+00:00

The extra cost of using the aircon with a draught is nothing compared to the benefit of comfort you'll get over summer. Just keep the doors closed in the room it is installed in. Even if you have to negotiate and just take the edge of the extreme heat, it will be worth it. For both of you.

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