Here are four quick jpgs of the "Driveway Observatory" setup, taken on September 14, shortly before dark.
Top photo: Mission Control Center
Given all the various pieces of equipment and software, I've found that three laptops makes life a lot simpler...basically one laptop to control each of the three imaging setups.
Photo two:
Photo two:
The StellarVue (908mm focal length at f/7) with eyepiece, ready for aligning the mount, and the Borg (300mm focal length at f/4) with a Hap Griffin modified Canon XT (350) in place.
Photo three:
The Takahashi Epsilon 180 (500mm focal length at f/2.8) with the SBIG ST2000XCM. The Celestron 102 is used for aligning the mount and/or as a guide scope when using the XT with the Tak for an extra-large field of view.
Photo four:
The entire suite of equipment for the driveway observatory. Obviously, a "real" observatory with piers and such would be ideal. Unfortunately, there is no site on my property suited to the placement of such a structure. Thus the Driveway Observatory. The ScopeBuggies make wheeling the mounts into place a snap....about one minute each, setting over permanent "true north" markers. Placing the vibration pads and levelling the mounts takes about two minutes each. The CGE 2 star alignment + 4 star calibration plus polar align (followed by repeating the 2 + 4 routine) requires about 10 minutes per mount. The payoff is spot on go to and virtually perfect polar alignment.
The entire suite of equipment for the driveway observatory. Obviously, a "real" observatory with piers and such would be ideal. Unfortunately, there is no site on my property suited to the placement of such a structure. Thus the Driveway Observatory. The ScopeBuggies make wheeling the mounts into place a snap....about one minute each, setting over permanent "true north" markers. Placing the vibration pads and levelling the mounts takes about two minutes each. The CGE 2 star alignment + 4 star calibration plus polar align (followed by repeating the 2 + 4 routine) requires about 10 minutes per mount. The payoff is spot on go to and virtually perfect polar alignment.
Max
2 comments:
Now if one were to point this setup at say, Yanni's house, could one see his extraordinary mustache while he played the piano?
http://www.psu.edu/ur/archives/intercom_1998/April23/Yanni.GIF
Love the blog and I'm very impressed with your work! Hope all is well in ABQ...look forward to seeing you guys next time I make it out to ABQ. Give my best to Mary!
-Lil' Chris
Chris, you'd be welcome to our part of the world anytime. As you know, Pedro lives just down the road (less than a mile away). Maybe Taos will have some good snow next year.
And yes, one could likely see Yanni's mustache, and even more, with this rig. :)
Max
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