Electronics / Observatory

Dome control updates

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Getting the dome controls working at the desk was quite satisfying, and left me in the position of having a couple of quick projects to be worked on, and I’d have controls […]

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ATM / Electronics / General / Maintenance / Observatory

Dome automation 1.0

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So, that’s how we do that. Yesterday, I worked on getting the encoder and home switch cables hooked to the Dome Controller, which I hope you’ll recall is a Velleman K8055 board. […]

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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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