Autumn Morning in Tsukahara

Autumn Morning in Tsukahara
Autumn morning in Tsukahara

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888)



The Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888) is formed by a special type of star which is extremely hot and massive (Wolf-Rayet). As the star sheds its outer layers, a bubble has formed. That’s what you are looking at. Eventually, the bubble will pop in an incredible supernova explosion. Maybe it has already exploded, but we won’t know for another 5000 years. It’s far away and it takes light that long to reach the Earth. The light blue shroud covering the nebula is made of oxygen atoms. The red clouds are composed of hydrogen and sulfur is also present.

Integration time was 600 minutes in Ha, OIII, and SII. Stacking was done in PixInsight and post processing was done using Star Tools. The learning curve for Star Tools was a lot less than PixInsight. However, I prefer the freedom to dial in the different processes that PixInsight has to offer. Star Tools is another tool to help bring images together. At this stage with my limited processing knowledge, I can use all the help I can get!

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

The Stairwell

The stairwell is finished except for some trim. The project took about three months to complete. The walls and existing trim were painted first. This was easier said than done. I had to make a platform so that I could safely work above the stairs. I often tell Erika that I don’t like painting. Painting requires a lot of preparation. There is no way around it. The final coat will show all of the defects that were missed during preparation…I learned that many times the hard way. Once the painting was done, I could go ahead and work on the stairs. I needed to add 23mm plywood to each step to raise them to the height of the finished upstairs floor. I then cut the laminate flooring to size and added a stainless steel nosepiece to each step. This is to prevent anyone from slipping on the stairs. All that’s left to do is add some trim pieces to give the stairs a finished look. 



Here's the after and before pictures. The walls were a boring white and the stairs had an adhesive-backed grey felt pad. The area needed to be spruced up a bit. 


The lights were moved to a different location and new globe lights were installed. The small pieces of blue tape were a reminder of what colors the walls were to be painted. Some of our students enjoyed reading the different colors...I think the parents did too. 





My least favorite thing to do is painting. Unfortunately, remodeling is all about painting. 



Standing on the platform above the stairs was a little nerve racking. I was glad when the stairwell was painted. And now for a brief pause...






PECAN PIE!!
Well, since I didn't have any pecans I used walnuts instead. It tasted fantastic. Now, back to the remodel. 




Cutting and fitting the laminate flooring required the use of a lot of templates. The laminate flooring was left over from the master bedroom remodel. The flooring was purchased in the U.S. in 2011. Time for another break...  


Erika created this masterpiece. We call it, "Apple Custard Cream Blizzard Cake." 


Wow! It tasted great. It's an experiment for one of the Christmas parties we will be hosting. BTW, most of the items we bake are given away. As I grow older, my taste for sweets has become less. Although, I will never turn down a box of chocolates. Back to work...  


The stairs are almost finished. The rubber on top of the nose pieces need to be installed. 



 Whew, I'm glad this project is done. 






Yes, the walls are green, yellow and blue. Just around the corner, a very large wall is painted adobe red. I'll save that picture for another post.



It's time for another break...maybe apple crisp pie? 
Up next, the second floor remodel will begin. I'll be posting a picture of the Crescent Nebula using a different process called "Star Tools." Stay tuned...