Astro knowledge / Optics

Re: Pointing Model vs. Polar Alignment

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Art Morton wrote: > > On Jun 9, 2008, at 9:13 AM, Jimbo S. Harris wrote: > >> Art Morton wrote: >>> I also have to find out how to handle that […]

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ATM

Trixie dovetail mounting holes, answers

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According to my research, the “HS” (”hole spacing”) for the DC11 plate is 16” and 16.5” apart. The holes are at the ends of the plate only. I believe they are 1/4”-20 […]

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Re: Pointing Model vs. Polar Alignment

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On Jun 9, 2008, at 9:13 AM, Jimbo S. Harris wrote: > Art Morton wrote: >>>> How much of the Veil were you able to cram into one shot? I would >>>> […]

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ATM

Trixie dovetail mounting holes

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I’m planning to use L-brackets to attach a Losmandy DC11 mounting rail to Trixie. I need to figure out: – how far apart are the holes on a DC11? – what size […]

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Astro knowledge / Maintenance

Gemini slew speeds

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To do a CCD Polar Alignment, you need to run the mount east at 1x sidereal (the motor runs “backwards” at 1x sidereal), then run the mount west at 1x sidereal (the […]

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Technology

CCDCommander works with MaxIM 4.x but not MaxDSLR 4.x

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CCDCommander integrates with MaxIM DL 4.x vis scripting. MaxDSLR 4.x doesn’t have scripting. Perhaps MaxDSLR 5.x will have it. You can get a DSLR working with CCDCommander if you buy full MaxIM […]

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Gemini Drift – Pointing Model vs. Polar Alignment

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When I am building a Pointing Model in the Gemini (where you select and center bright stars and then the Gemini figures out hot to GOTO properly), the “residual error” which is […]

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Uncategorized

Gemini slew speeds

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I am trying to get my Gemini handpaddle to slew at exactly 2x sidereal. That is, when I press the “east” button, the drive should move at 2x (stars drift east at […]

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Astro knowledge

On Well-known objects

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M106 has been one of those “sleeper” galaxies — I’ve seen very few photos of it, but it’s big and interesting and has lots of little “friends” nearby. M57 is a tough […]

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ATM

Monster Design

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http://www.unitronitalia.it/gladio.htm This may be something you can do with the Giant Mirror? Just another idea. And Where Are The Baby Pictures Dad? A

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Techniques

Polar Alignment Calculations

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Here’s a page that derives Polar Alignment Calculations. (update 5/2020: the original site is gone, so I found the text on Wayback and am inserting it below. This is by the original […]

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Gear / Observatory / Telescope

Special Guest Star takes the mount at Hilltop O

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The Astro Jedi needed somewhere to store his light sab—- I mean, bucket, and I was only too happy to accommodate him. I have decided that I need to come to a […]

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General / Maintenance / Observatory

Dome shutter is motorized again!

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I finally decided to bite the bullet and fix the shutter motor. Things went sideways last winter, and I’ve been opening the shutter manually (and tying it shut with rope, so we […]

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ATM

Trixie 2017 – tube mods

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I finally got around to cutting the MTA-UTA tubes to length; the only eyepiece that would come to focus with the focuser spacer in place is the Televue 55mm Plossl. If I […]

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