Electronics

Nikon IR remote

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http://www.cibomahto.com/?p=249 uses Arduino

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ATM / Electronics

Nintendo DS camera controller

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Howdy, I’m sending this message because you inquired about a Nintendo camera controller, (probably). I’m sorry I haven’t gotten back to you about the DS camera controller thing, I’ve been inundated with […]

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ATM

Re: M31

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Art Morton wrote: > I will try that or pull that 80mm out of the box again. I do like > this image size and resolution however. I like the resolution, too. […]

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ATM / Maintenance

Trixie testing

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I got some photons on the mirror over the weekend. Still test shots. I think the new shrouds are working OK. It now complains that the pointing is off again (I shouldn’t […]

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ATM

Straight-Truss scopes

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Box Kite Al Highe Also check out Plettstone, who make Al Highe’s scopes.

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ATM

Telescope Balance calculations

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This is the balance calculation spreadsheet that I used when designing Trixie. It’s not the best-documented. I was transferring all the components from a paper napkin into the spreadsheet. The calculation (weight […]

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ATM

Trixie balance calculations

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Asi I was designing Trixie, I aimed to have the balance point be at or behind “ring 2”, which is the middle one. I put all the actual weights of things into […]

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ATM / Observing Reports

Re: Trixie Integration Testing, phase 1

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Took the scope out for another spin last night. I even fired up the Gemini and watched it swing that big scope around. Very cool. The results of my testing: there’s definitely […]

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ATM

Trixie Integration Testing, Phase 1

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I’ve just taken Trixie out for another shakedown run, this time with the full imaging rig attached; that’s the guidescope, 2 finders, and the camera, which adds about 10# to the total […]

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Astro knowledge / ATM / Optics

big, fast, light

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16” f/5 honeycomb mirror for $1500 According to the website, these optics are ~20% lighter than solid mirrors of comparable thickness. So this one might weigh only 20# instead of 26#. That […]

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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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