Category: Electronics
ATM / Electronics / Observatory / Technology
Dome automation-0.2-alpha – Wiring up the sensors
When we last left the dome automation project, the azimuth encoders were fried. I had a working circuit on the breadboard. I wired the cable rolled from the original, and soldered it […]
ATM / Electronics / Maintenance / Observatory
Encoders tested.
I zapped the encoders in the new assembly immediately. So I tore it apart, ordered new bits from Digikey, and breadboarded it. Once I got the interface cable worked out, I now […]
ATM / Electronics / Observatory
Observatory 2.0 – Bits and bobs
The Observatory is getting awfully close to First Light. At this point, I think the construction “to do” list (Jared doesn’t like calling it a “punch list” until he feels it’s complete) […]
Observatory 2.0 – Dome installation
Well, the day has finally arrived. After 4 years of planning, and a year of big chunks of fiberglass sitting in the shop, and weeks (and weeks) of concrete and wood, today […]
ATM / Electronics / Observatory
Observatory 2.0 – Manual dome control
I have skipped a couple of steps, here, so let me first fill you in on what’s been happening with the observatory build. When we last left, the dome had just gotten […]
ATM / Electronics / Focuser / Gear / General / Maintenance / Observing Reports / Optics / Techniques / Technology
Murphy was an optimist.
Clear Sky Clock said it would be cloudy all night, so of course it stayed 90% clear until about midnight, when it socked in. But I’m getting ahead of myself… I decided […]
ATM / Electronics / General / Maintenance
Taking the show on the road — what I really accomplished
So I picked up a deep cycle battery at Costco. It’s fairly light for its size, which makes me wonder about the plates inside, but 115Ah and pretty cheap, so that’s nice. […]
Electronics / General / Maintenance
Taking the show on the road — batteries, solar panels, and Arduino
After the powertank debacle of the past weekend, I’m beginning to think that maybe I need to maintain a battery setup in the observatory, so that when I go on the road, […]
ATM / Electronics / General
Once more into the breach – new Gizmo on the way
When I started doing DSLR astrophotography, I quickly found that the on-camera limitation of 30sec exposures was frustrating. So, bulb exposures are necessary. At the time, nothing existed to easily interface my […]
G-11 maintenance – Amperage and worm adjustment
I spent the better part of the weekend trying to get an amperage reading off of the mount. According to a knowledgeable fellow G-11 owner, if the RA worm is properly adjusted, […]
RECENT UPDATE
Polar Alignment Calculations
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 […]
Gear / Observatory / Telescope
Special Guest Star takes the mount at Hilltop O
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 […]
General / Maintenance / Observatory
Dome shutter is motorized again!
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 […]
Trixie 2017 – tube mods
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 […]
MOST COMMENTED
Observatory
Observatory 2.0 – Time has come today!
General / Maintenance
First Light, a deeper look
Mount / Observatory / Telescope
Observatory 2.0 – Result!
Observatory
Observatory 2.0 – The Pier goes in
Gear / General / Maintenance
Martin Farmer Wormblock installation notes
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
NGC2244, The Rosette Nebula
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
Another beautiful night.