Ad Astra Observatory

NJP 04026 is on the way back to Ad Astra Observatory!

The repair bill was paid, and it was shipped out UPS Ground from Takahashi America today. I expect I’ll receive it in a week or so.

The mount is apparently working up-to-spec at this point, which is good to hear; the guys at Takahashi America did a good job working through the maintenance and punch list.

There was a bit of a hiccup regarding the Japan leg of the trip; apparently it was not possible to remove the RA shaft from the Dec housing, so they sent the whole Dec axis (with RA shaft attached) to Japan. Takahashi graciously picked up the shipping charges for all that extra weight, though, so I only had to pay for parts, labor, and shipping the RA axis shaft itself.

The guys in Texas came to the same conclusion that I did; it seems like the mount was dropped at some point. My bet is on the way to CA from Teton Telescopes. The packing job was just OK, and big heavy box + so so packing = not the best result. But, sight unseen, my understanding is that Takahashi America have brought the mount back to correct operating condition.

I think that NJP owners who want to get their polar scope reticles replaced when they run out in 2015 should band together to help Takahashi America get an optical bench so that the replacement can be done here in the US. Some machine shop time to build them a jig and a correct target (at the correct distance) should be all that is required. I bet Takahashi America would appreciate being able to do this in-house, and it would save the NJP owners of the world a bundle on this necessary upgrade.

All told, there were just a couple of parts I needed; the reticle upgrade, and a bent Declination motor bracket. About 4.5 hours of bench time was enough to get the mount back in proper order again.

I doubt I’ll have to get the mount repaired again while I own it; It’s a very sturdy piece of hardware, and I baby it, of course.

The clouds will no doubt arrive just in time to welcome the mount back, so I have no idea when I’ll be able to get it out under the sky again, but it will be a secure feeling to have the beating heart of my observatory back, recent Dobsonian excursions notwithstanding.

Godspeed, NJP 04026. Safely go and safely return again.