July10

ASTRONOMY

TECHNOLOGY TODAY Your Complete Guide to Astronomical Equipment

ASTRONOMIK CLS-CCD LIGHT POLLUTION FILTER • KEEPING THINGS IN FOCUS • DIY ARTIFICIAL STAR COMPUTER CONTROL OF YOUR MALLINCAM • DARK SKIES APPAREL HOODED OBSERVERS VEST HOTECH SCA LASER COLLIMATOR • SKYFI WIRELESS TELESCOPE CONTROLLER • HUBBLE ARTIFICIAL STAR(S) OPTICAL SUPPORTS TRADITIONAL MIRROR CELLS • EASY LIGHTBRIDGE DOB BASE REBUILD

Astronomik CLS-CCD Light Pollution Filter Got Light Pollution?

Volume 4 • Issue 4 July/August 2010 $5.00 US

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What is our FUN List? Literally hundreds of (Factory, Used, New) astro gear. The list changes daily and these deals get snapped up so check it out today, you might miss out tomorrow!

Zeiss, Meade, Celestron, Takahashi, Stellarvue, Vixen, Lumicon, Denkmeier, Vernonscope, Lunt, GTO, Thousand Oaks, JMI, Pentax, Sky Instruments, Proxima, Skywatcher, Coronado, Orion, Explore Scientific, Farpoint Labs and Many More!

Contents Cover Story: Pages 35 - 39 The cover image features an image of the Rosette Nebula (NGC 2237) taken by Dave Snay utilizing the Astronomik CLS-CCD Light Pollution Filter. In his article Dave compares imaging with and without the filter, and we hope you agree from Dave’s image on the cover that the filters perform very well indeed. Also, you may notice that Dave has two other articles in this issue, one reviewing Carina Mobile’s SkyFi and the other utilizing the Hubble Optics Artificial Star. Dave has certainly been busy and we want to take this time to thank him for his dedication to our magazine (he has been writing for us for over 3 years now!).

For those that don’t know, Dave receives no compensation for his reviews, and returns the equipment to the manufacturer promptly after reviewing it. Well, we can’t say he does that every time, because Dave ends up buying a lot of the stuff he reviews!

In This Issue 12 Editor’s Note Designing an Astro-Technology Magazine and Other Musings

By Gary Parkerson 35 Astronomik CLS-CCD Light Pollution Filter Got Light Pollution?

By Dave Snay 41 Keeping Things in Focus Part 2 Utilizing a DIY Variable-Speed Controller on an Off the Shelf Scope

By Rick Saunders 45 DIY Artificial Star Happy “Cheap” Collimation!

By Paul Grunwald 48 Computer Control of Your MallinCam Whether Using Your Camera for Imaging or Public Outreach, It Just Got a Lot Easier!

By Jack Huerkamp 54 HoTech SCA Laser Collimator A Newbie’s Collimation Adventure

By Heather LeBlanc 58 SkyFi Wireless Telescope Controller Carina Mobile’s New Take on Telescope Control

By Dave Snay

61 Dark Skies Apparel Hooded Observers Vest It Looks Good and Serves the Purpose!

By Erik Wilcox

Industry News 15 WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL STAR PARTY Amateur Astronomers Reach Out to the Public in New York City

16 BRITISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION Provides Members Discounted Time for Remote Telescope Imaging 17 COSMOLOGIC SYSTEMS The New Home of the StellaCam 17 OPT Now Offers EVA-Dry Dehumidifying Products

64 Optical Supports Traditional Mirror Cells A Classic Design, Revisited

By Doug Reilly 69 Hubble Artificial Star(s) Collimate Without Losing Dark Sky Time

By Dave Snay 72 Astro Tips, Tricks & Novel Solutions Easy 16-inch Lightbridge Dob Base Rebuild

By Robert Stemlock

18 MOUNTAIN INSTRUMENTS Announces Enhancements and Upgrades for its MI-250 German Equatorial Mount 19 LUNT SOLAR Advances Solar Product Line 20 LVI CAMERAS SmartGuider 2 Imaging Control System 21 FOSTER SYSTEMS Next Generation AstroMC Master Control Offers More Capability at a New Lower Price

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

9

Contributing Writers

Contents New Products 22 OPTEC Several New Product Releases

Paul Grunwald works at GE where he is a Senior Systems Architect for rugged military avionics. He served in the Navy (Submarines) for six years earning the rank of ET1(SS). He has BSCS from Western Washington University and an Executive MBA degree from the University of New Mexico.

Jack Huercamp is the President of Jack’s Astro Accessories, the US and international distributor for the MallinCam Video Observational System and an authorized SkyShed POD retailer. He has been an amateur astronomer since 1968, is the former secretary and president of the Pontchartrain Astronomy Society, and is currently the ALCOR for the PAS. He is a professional Mechanical and Environmental Engineer and has spent over 36 years working for the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans and currently its Chief of Engineering.

Heather LeBlanc teaches elementary school in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, and delights in sharing her personal astronomy discoveries and experiences with her students.

24 FARPOINT Introduces A Host of New Products 25 FINGER LAKES INSTRUMENTATION High Speed Filter Control System 26 CELESTRON Limited Edition 50th Anniversary CPC 800 GPS

Doug Reilly has 10 years of observational astronomy experience with a number of telescopes, all of which have passed over his workbench for tweaking and improvement.

Doug enjoys public outreach activities and keeps a blog about outreach and other issues relevant to observational (amateur) astronomers at punkastronomy.com.

Rick Saunders is an amateur astronomer, inveterate tinkerer and member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, London Centre. His passion is DSLR imaging and on cloudy nights he spends his time designing and building equipment to help further that passion.

David Snay is a retired software engineer living in central Massachusetts. He graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and has been an astronomer and astrophotographer for more than 10 years. David currently pursues fine art photography, specializing in traditional black/white images.

Robert Stelmock has a serious case of the astro bug, as he likes to say. He is retired and after joining his local club, Museum Astronomical Resource Society (MARS) in Tampa, Florida, he spends his time tinkering with telescopes and astrophotography.

Erik Wilcox lives off the grid on the Big Island of Hawaii, and has been observing for over 20 years. When he’s not viewing from his dark backyard sky, he works for a natural foods chain, and spends his spare time hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, and performing music. He also runs the astronomy forum at: www.starstuffforums.com.

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

27 CAMERA CONCEPTS Expands the Arcturus Brand of Products 28 WOOD WONDERS Offers Heating System for its Custom Cases 29 BOB’S KNOBS New Collimation Thumbscrews 30 ORION TELESCOPES AND BINOCULARS Several New Product Offerings 32 OPTICAL SUPPORTS Now Offering Telescope Components

ASTRONOMY

TECHNOLOGY TODAY

Volume 4 • Issue 4

Editor’s Note

July - August 2010 Publisher Stuart Parkerson

Managing Editor Gary Parkerson

Associate Editors Russ Besancon

Art Director Lance Palmer

Staff Photographer Craig Falbaum

Web Master Richard Harris

3825 Gilbert Drive Shreveport, Louisiana 71104 info@astronomytechnologytoday.com www.astronomytechnologytoday.com Astronomy Technology Today is published bi-monthly

by Parkerson Publishing, LLC. Bulk rate postage paid at Dallas, Texas, and additional mailing offices. ©2010 Parkerson Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. No part of this publication or its Web site may be reproduced without written permission of Parkerson Publishing, LLC. Astronomy Technology Today assumes no responsibility for the content of the articles, advertisements, or messages reproduced therein, and makes no representation or warranty whatsoever as to the completeness, accuracy, currency, or adequacy of any facts, views, opinions, statements, and recommendations it reproduces. Reference to any product, process, publication, or service of any third party by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply the endorsement or recommendation of Astronomy Technology Today.

The publication welcomes and encourages contributions; however is not responsible for the return of manuscripts and photographs. The publication, at the sole discretion of the publisher, reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising or contributions. For more information contact the publisher at Astronomy Technology Today, 3825 Gilbert Drive, Shreveport, Louisiana 71104, or e-mail at info@astronomytechnologytoday.com.

12

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

Gary Parkerson, Managing Editor

DESIGNING AN ASTRO-TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE AND OTHER MUSINGS Growing Pains As I’ve observed in this space before, the magazine you now hold in your hands bears little resemblance to the far-morebasic print publication we envisioned more than five years ago. Indeed, the odds are great that you are not even reading ink on paper, but are instead enjoying this issue in its online format. What was originally offered as a cost-effective consolation in answer to international demand for the magazine has now become many subscribers’ preferred format and your requests for further refinement of the online version have resulted in plans for a series of changes commencing with the recent migration of the magazine’s website to more capable servers. And that move, as many of you have by now noticed, has resulted in temporary growing pains ranging from subscriber difficulty in renewing subscriptions and accessing club discounts to intermittent interruption of email communication to and from the ATT team.

We appreciate your patience as we’ve worked through these changes.

A Magazine for Gear-Heads Although I remain a dedicated fan of Sky & Telescope and Astronomy, I found long ago that, as did many of you, I first scanned each new issue for coverage of equipment and even read their product ads before getting to the meat of the excellent astro-science content they do best. I longed for a print publication that focused on the stuff that interested us gear-heads most and that is what ATT was conceived to do.

The fact is that, as much as I have enjoyed the life-changing views and images my modest collection of astro-

equipment produces, I’ve enjoyed tinkering with that equipment even more. I spend ridiculous amounts of time training telescopes at artificial stars when real ones aren’t available and dedicate far more time to rereading decade-old issues of Telescope Making than I’ve ever lavished on past issues of the astro-science magazines. I assumed there were others who shared my fascination with astro-equipment, but had no idea just how many until you gravitated to this magazine.

ATT receives lots of feedback from its readers and your messages have revealed two consistent themes over the years: more coverage of ATM projects and of relatively inexpensive products. We hear you! Unfortunately, coverage of ATM projects has been harder to produce than we had hoped – perhaps there simply aren’t as many of us building things these days – but we are committed to increasing our efforts to uncovering more.

As for articles dedicated to relatively inexpensive products, the truth is that we live in a time that produces far more new and exciting equipment choices than ATT has space to cover. What is great news for consumers of astro-stuff is a frustrating reality for the publisher of this magazine who faces the challenge of covering the many new products that represent major trends in the current market as well as meeting your other specific demands. But, this issue of ATT strives to focus more specifically on cost-effective astro-accessories and DYI projects. In honor of my sad obsession with evaluating optical performance with magnified views of artificial stars, there’s even coverage of a remarkably affordable off-the-shelf option as well as a DIY artificial-star project. In additional feature articles, Rick

Saunders shares further details of his DYI variable-speed focus controller, Doug Reilly reports on a new mirror-cell option that will be of particular interest to ATMers, Jack Huerkamp unveils computer control for the popular MallinCam, Dave Snay covers Carina Software’s new SkyFi wireless controller and Astronomik’s CLS-CCD filter, and Erik Wilcox tests Dark Skies Apparel’s new hooded observers vest. We hope you enjoy the entire issue.

A Confession Because writing this note reminded me of it, I pulled a couple of issues of Telescope Making from the shelf (Issues 44 and 45, Spring and Summer, 1991). Oh, I really miss TM! Richard Berry and Peter Ceravolo packed amazing treasures in those two 56-page issues. Dave Kreige of Obsession Telescopes shared numerous tips for optimizing enjoyment of big Dobs (one of which I still use every time I adjust collimation of my favorite Newt) and James Mulherin took the mystery out of design and construction of a “Yolo,” to mention just two. Of course, James and Richard have already contributed to this magazine as well and we will immediately renew our pestering of Dave and Peter.

A Correction I had the pleasure of sharing my impressions of Robert Piekiel’s Celestron, the Early Years in the cover article of the last issue of ATT and committed an unfortunate error in doing so. I credited Dave Balogh with Image 2 of that article when, in fact, that 1962 photo of Tom Johnson, Dave Balogh and Lewis Chilton admiring Johnson’s novel 18.75 Dall-Kirkham was instead made by Chilton using a tripod-mounted Yashica Pentamatic SLR and ASA-160 Ektachrome slide film.

Sorry Lew. A Gift Among the Father’s Day gifts I received this year was www.whitevinyldesign.com/ solarbeat/ I hope you enjoy it as much as I.

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for quality, reliability and service throughout the can be used with telescopes and mounts that you may already own. Please check our website for a list of products that have universal appeal. Bring a little Astro-Physics to your observing sessions tonight.

www.astro-physics.com • 815-282-1513 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

13

The Supporting

CAST

The Companies And Organizations That Have Made Our Magazine Possible!

We wish to thank our advertisers without whom this magazine would not be possible.

When making a decision on your next purchase, we encourage you to consider these advertisers’ commitment to you by underwriting this issue of Astronomy Technology Today.

Apogee Instruments www.ccd.com page 6

Equatorial Platforms www.equatorialplatforms.com page 53

Lunatico Astronomia www.lunaticoastro.com page 37

Shrouds By Heather www.scopeshrouds.com page 31

Astro Hutech www.hutech.com page 8, 78

Explore Scientific www.explorescientific.com page 74

Mathis Instruments www.mathis-instruments.com page 52

Sierra Stars Observatory Network www.sierrastars.com page 59

Astronomik www.astronomik.com page 51

Farpoint Astronomical Research www.farpointastro.com page 66

Oceanside Photo and Telescope www.optcorp.com page 56

Sirius Observatories www.siriusobservatories.com page 43

Astro Physics www.astro-physics.com page 13, 44

Finger Lakes Instrumentation www.flicamera.com page 75

AstroSystems www.astrosystems.biz page 23

Foster Systems www.fostersystems.com page 27

Astrozap www.astrozap.com page 70

Galileoscope www.galileoscope.org page 46

ATIK USA www.atik-usa.com page 79

Garrett Optical www.garrettoptical.com page 30

Bobs Knobs www.bobsknobs.com page 46

Glatter Collimation www.collimator.com page 30

Carina Mobile www.carinamobile.com page 42

Great Red Spot Astronomy www.greatredspot.com page 55

Camera Concepts www.cameraconcepts.com page 68

Hands On Optics www.handsonoptics.com page 5

Catseye Collimation www.catseyecollimation.com page 50

Hubble Optics www.hubbleoptics.com page 65

Celestron www.celestron.com page 34

iOptron www.ioptron.com page 7

Chronos www.chronosmount.com page 38

ISTAR Optical www.istar-optical.com page 25

Dark Skies Apparel www.darkskiesapparel.com page 26

Jack’s Astro Accessories www.waningmoonii.com page 24

Scope City www.scopecity.com page 16

William Optics www.williamoptics.com page 2

Deep Sky Printing www.deepskyprinting.com page 17

JMI Telescopes www.jmitelescopes.com page 14

ScopeGuard www.scopeguard.com page 59

Wood Wonders www.wood-wonders.com page 50

Diffraction Limited www.cyanogen.com page 76

Knightware www.knightware.biz page 47

ScopeStuff www.scopestuff.com page 21

Woodland Hills Telescopes www.telescopes.net page 22

Officina Stellare wwwofficinastellare.com page 59, 62, 71 Optec www.optecinc.com page 53 Optical Mechanics www.opticalmechanics.com page 30 Optical Supports www.opticalsupports.com page 62 Orion Telescopes and Bionoculars www.oriontelescopes.com page 77, 80 Optic-Craft Machining www.opticcraft.com page 70 Ostahowski Optics www.ostahowskioptics.com page 46 PATS 2010 www.rtmcastronomyexpo.org page 63 ProtoStar www.fpi-protostar.com page 18 Quantum Scientific Imaging www.qsimaging.com page 4 Rigel Systems www.rigelsys.com page 29

Skyhound www.skyhound.com page 57 SkyShed Observatories www.skyshed.com page 40 Starizona www.starizona.com page 3 Stark Labs www.stark-labs.com page 24 Stellar Software www.stellarsoftware.com page 19 Stellar Technologies International www.stellar-international.com page 44 Tele Vue Optics www.televue.com page 8, 73 Teeter’s Telescopes www.teeterstelescopes.com page 49 Unihedron www.unihedron.com page 47 Van Slyke Instruments www.observatory.org page 33, 71

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INDUSTRYNEWS

WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL STAR PARTY Amateur Astronomers Reach Out to the Public in New York City

In early June this year the World Science Festival was hosted in New York City. The festival lasted five days and featured 40 different science related activities. A centerpiece of the event was a full-scale model of the James Webb Space Telescope that was set up in Battery Park at the lower end of Manhattan, that was on display during the entire event and was the feature attraction of the event’s star party held on a Sunday evening.

Bob Moore, who many of you may know from his volunteer work with the Rockland Astronomy Club and NEAF (also he is the father of teenager Caroline Moore, famous for discovering her supernova), was the Public Outreach Coordinator for the star party portion of the event. His tall task was to coordinate the accumulation of as many amateur astronomers and their telescopes, with a goal of at least 100 scopes set up for the evening.

Bob contacted us and asked if we could help contact people to bring their scopes to the event. As you know, we don’t often send out emails to our subscribers, however in this case we felt that an exception was in order, and forwarded Bob’s request. We were extremely pleased and thankful to the generosity of our readers when Bob told us the offers to help poured in.

While we were unable to attend the event, Wan Chi Lau, Managing Editor of

Rainy Day Magazine, www.rainydaymagazine.com was able to do so, and published a nice write up of the event on his website. He was kind enough to allow us to republish a portion of his narrative here, as well as provide a couple of photos of the event. There are many other photos on his website and we encourage you to check them out.

“A full-scale model of the world’s most powerful space telescope was in New York City last week as part of the World Science Festival. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, when launched in 2014, will allow scientists to “see” the very first galaxies formed in the Universe and discover hidden worlds around distant stars. For the past six days, a fullscale model of this successor to the Hubble Space Telescope was on public view in Battery Park, on the tip of Manhattan. It was as close to a first-hand look at the telescope as most people will ever get, so on Friday we drove down for a gander.

In addition, we drove down because we didn’t want to miss the “From the City to the Stars” party. The anchor of the event was the spectacularly lit Webb telescope model. Leading scientists were on hand to talk to everyone about the design of the telescope, the challenges, and the anticipated discoveries.

The actual-size model was highly detailed. It was constructed mainly of aluminum and steel, weighs 12,000

pounds, is approximately 80 feet long, 40 feet wide and 40 feet tall. It is as large as a tennis court. The model required two trucks to ship it and assembly took a crew of 12 approximately four days. The model was lit from its base so that nighttime viewers could take in all the details.

The full-scale model of the James Webb Space Telescope was built by the prime contractor, Northrop Grumman, to provide a better understanding of the size, scale and complexity of this satellite.

Once we took in the awe-inspiring sight of the James Webb telescope, we wandered around and played with interactive exhibits, watched videos about the Webb scope, and asked scientists on hand about how the telescope works. The program was made possible with the support of Northrop Grumman, and presented in collaboration with The Battery Conservancy.

With the organizational efforts of Bob Moore of the Rockland Astronomy Club and others, the star party had a huge turnout. The evening was awesome for amateur astronomers and novices alike. Many folks brought their telescopes, shared their passion, and a lucky few even managed to get a glimpse of Mars, Saturn, and Venus as all were in the sky at the same time that evening. Even though the cloud cover hindered the viewing for most of the time, it was still a festive evening of marveling at the wonders of the cosmos.”

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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INDUSTRYNEWS

BRITISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION Provides Members Discounted Time for Remote Telescope Imaging The British Astronomical Association (BAA) is providing discounted access for association members to the Sierra Stars Observatory Network as part of its Robotic Telescope Project.

The project allows members to use remote telescope services at half the commercial rate up to a certain limit, then at full rate.

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ASTRONOMY

TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

The service was created to provide members with access to a wide range of equipment beyond a private budget. It also allows users to benefit from observing from a location with a better climate than Britain's, including access to telescopes in the southern hemisphere.

Although individual members are able to use the service for their own purposes, the project enables groups within the BAA to undertake collaborative projects, which can be educational or more research-oriented.

The Association uses the telescopes of the Sierra Stars Observatory Network - a 61cm f/10 Cassegrain in California, and the University of Iowa's 37-cm f/14 Rigel Telescope in Arizona. A 36-cm f/6 C14 Schmidt-Cassegrain at Grove Creek Observatory, New South Wales, is currently being added to the network.

Peter Meadows, pictured, was recently

appointed the BAA’s Robotic Te l e s c o p e Coordinator, a role to support and promote the use of remote telescopes by BAA Members. Applications for telescope time or other enquiries should be directed to him at robotscope@britastro.org.

One of the conditions of use of the services is that images, or results derived from images, be submitted to one of the BAA’s online observing sections, or be included as part of a paper for the BAA’s Journal.

Members have taken advantage of the opportunity to image sky objects, comets, variable stars, novae, supernovae, and asteroids and a large variety of images as well as more information are available at the BAA’s website, www.britastro.org.

INDUSTRYNEWS

COSMOLOGIC SYSTEMS

OPT

The New Home of the StellaCam

Now Offers EVA-Dry Dehumidifying Products

In struggling through one of the worst economies in recent memory, it is a testament to astronomy products company’s sound business models and customer loyalty that the vast majority of companies have survived and even thrived during this time.

However, sadly not everyone made it through this period unscathed. It is our understanding that Adirondack Video Astronomy (AVA), at least for the time being, has suspended its operations.

We have not been able to get in touch with the folks at AVA, being unsuccessful in reaching them by phone, email or the web.

We have talked to several people in the industry who have confirmed that it is their understanding that AVA is not currently in operation, but we’d like to emphasize that we have not actually been told by anyone at AVA of the current state of their operations, so all we can definitely confirm now is that we have been unable to contact them or access their website.

We have been contacted by Don Lee of CosmoLogic Systems who had been the provider of the cooling system installation on the StellaCam II and III cameras along with manufacturing of the StellaCam Wireless Controllers and servicing of the cameras for AVA. He has told us that he will be taking over the StellaCam line and is putting together his program to do so. He will be announcing more information soon at www.cosmologicsystems.com.

He is an electrical engineer and worked at Boeing in the research and development division for over 23 years designing radar jamming and radar signature augmentation systems before starting his own technology company whose products include the “Time Machine” sports timing system. Don is an avid astronomer and when he let us know that at 12 years old he went door-todoor selling greeting cards to earn enough money to purchase his first telescope, we knew we liked him!

We will publish further information as it comes available.

We love it when the industry finds items not originally intended for astronomy, yet that prove to be a valuable addition in an astronomer’s arsenal.

OPT has done this by introducing the Eva-Dry dehumidifying products which take damaging moisture out of the air of closets, cabinets, safes, darkrooms, observatories, telescope and eyepiece cases – just about anyplace you can think of. Eva-Dry dehumidifiers are spill and mess free. They reduce allergens, eliminates odors, and eliminate mold, mildew, and moisture damage.

The EDV models use a thermo-electric Peltier system to keep moisture out. The EDV 2200 ($99.95US) keeps moisture out of a 2200 cubic foot area and the EDV 1100 (59.95US) demoisturizes up to 1100 cubic feet. Both units are very compact and the EDV 1100 works on 9V DC 2.5 amp service and the EDV 2200 works on 12V DC 6 amp service.

The Eva-Dry E-500 ($34.95US removes 500 cubic feet of moisture) and

E-333 ($24.95US-removes 333 cubic feet of moisture) absorb humidity silently and operate without electricity or batteries. When they are “full” you simply plug them into an outlet to be recharged and you’re good to go again. Simply recharge the unit when the indicator changes color. No more cooking your desiccant packets in the oven!

These non-toxic, rechargeable E systems work silently and efficiently for up to 10 years.

Not only are they spillproof, but child and pet safe, as well. These renewable dehumidifiers are filled with odorless silica which absorbs many times it’s weight in moisture and lock it in so water can't leak or spill out.

When the unit is "full" renew the silica by plugging the unit into any power outlet. Heat gently releases water vapor in a few hours. When the indicator is blue again, the E-500 and E-333 units are renewed and ready to go back to work. You can repeat the process for up to 10 years!

For more information please visit www.optcorp.com.

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

17

INDUSTRYNEWS

MOUNTAIN INSTRUMENTS Announces Enhancements and Upgrades for its MI-250 German Equatorial Mount The Mountain Instruments MI-250 Go-To is a rock solid German equatorial mount that features a 7.5-inch RA and declination drive, matching worm and the Losmandy Gemini System. This robust field mount was engineered and designed for SCT’s, refractors, and Newtonians alike and offers true versatility in an affordable package without sacrificing stability.

Mountain Instruments has announced several significant new changes in the design of the MI-250. These changes have been in development for some time and are now a part of the standard package.

Among the most significant changes have been to the actual axes. The RA and declination axes have been redesigned to enable the user to access and maintain the gears at home and with the simplest of tools or mechanical understanding. In the past, cleaning or re-lubricating would require the user to send the MI-250 to Mountain Instruments for maintenance.

This is no longer the case. It is now a simple process to remove the main gear from either the RA or declination axis for cleaning or re-lubricating.

Additionally, the face of the RA and declination shafts (the part you see) is expertly CNC machined from aircraft grade aluminum and then a hard, clear anodizing keeps it corrosion free. Classic CNC engraving has been machined as an

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

added visual feature.

The updates also include a redesigned worm assembly. These improvements include a larger bearing, and improved adjustment capabilities. Also, convenient clutch knobs to adjust the RA and declination clutches are integrated into the new design.

The elevation and azimuth adjustment mechanics have been completely redesigned for heavier loads.

The changes also incorporate the means to remove azimuth lead screw backlash. Additionally, there is no longer backlash in the elevation adjustment lead screw. Fine tuning in elevation and azimuth are performed without the need of tools with smooth adjustments in both axis. Positive ratchet-type lock-down secures the elevation axis for trouble free and tool free use.

CNC machined knurled knobs lock the azimuth and help eliminate cable tangle.

No detail was too small to be improved. Mountain Instruments added finely engraved reference indicators in the elevation and azimuth axis for easier polar alignment. Additionally, large CNC’d “washers” have been added to the lower female rocker assembly to protect the powder coating surface that the knobs apply lock down pressure to.

These and other enhancements build upon a platform that has been proven in the field. The MI-250 offers a conical polar housing that is cast in a #319 aluminum alloy, heat tempered, and then exactingly CNC machined. Based in part on the Russell Porter designs, the polar shaft is also conical in shape for maximum stability. An internal slip clutch offers silky smooth movement of the RA and Dec axis. The RA and Dec worm/gears are diamond lapped for the ultimate smoothness and remain as a matched set for the life of the mount.

Periodic error is very low and smooth.

Like the polar base, the declination axis features a conical shape offering total rigidity utilizing a 7.5-inch gear and matching worm. The isolated counter weight shaft is independent of the declination shaft and is easily removed for transportation.

Mountain Instrument’s is also now offering its deluxe saddle plate as standard equipment with the mount. The springloaded deluxe version allows the user to “tip-tilt” the OTA into the saddle as opposed to lifting up and sliding down which is a real plus for heavier OTAs. Installation time is less than 5 minutes and the saddle will accept any of the Losmandy type male dovetail bars. The saddle is a perfect retrofit for those transportable users and set up is easy as this is a “drop in” type of saddle that alleviates the need to lift the OTA up high and sliding the male dovetail down. The new saddle is pre-machined to accept the Losmandy declination counter weight assembly which can be especially useful for back heavy SCTs. It takes less than a minute to install on the new saddle.

For more information visit www.mountaininstruments.com.

INDUSTRYNEWS

LUNT SOLAR Advances Solar Product Line Since the introduction of its first products just a little more than two short years ago, Lunt Solar Systems has positioned itself as a market leader in Solar astronomy technology. Its line of H-alpha Solar telescopes has grown to four offerings including the recently introduced and highly anticipated LS152. Being among the largest aperture Solar telescopes currently available, the LS152 is sure to provide the most stunning balance of resolution and performance for the intermediate to advanced user.

The scope incorporates Lunt’s new Doppler True Pressure Tuning system, which allows users to manipulate a piston, increasing the pressure inside the etalon’s sealed air chamber. This technology results in sharp focus and an amazing 3-D like experience. Alan Lunt, of Lunt Solar Systems, has provided an overview of the technology behind the Doppler True Pressure Tuning system at http://luntsolarsystems.com/blog/ pressure-vs-dopplershift-part-1. We hope to have Alan provide a write-up on this and other new technology Lunt has developed in a future issue.

The LS152 provides the largest and highest resolution image size of any single etalon dedicated scope. The 100% unobstructed system will perform to the highest level at both low and high magnifications. Utilizing advanced

hi-contrast coatings the user will be able to experience crisp, sharp, high magnification visual images, as well as utilize this system for high end digital processes. The system has an optional, interchangeable, CaK module allowing for the research of multiple wavelengthsthrough the same platform.

The LS152 Package is an advanced narrow band hydrogen-alpha dedicated system which features a refractor based system with a 152-mm front objective and an unobstructed internal HD Etalon with the new Pressure Tuner which allows for <0.65 Angstrom bandpass, providing higher surface detail without the loss of edge detail. The system includes mounting rings and dovetail, dust caps, and is delivered in a reinforced aluminum case.

A Lunt Zoom and a Lunt B1200 Blocking Filter eyepiece are also included.

Lunt is also now offering a Remote Control System for their Pressure Tuned filters and telescopes.

The Controller allows for input pressure of compressed gasses from 10 20PSI. A closed loop system allows for both precise increasing and decreasing of the pressure to the etalon system while providing a digital readout of the supply pressure. The system is designed to run on 115-230VAC, but can be adapted to 12 volt DC upon request.

For more information please visit www.luntsolarsystems.com.

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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INDUSTRYNEWS

LVI CAMERAS SmartGuider 2 Imaging Control System When LVI introduced its innovative SmartGuider, the company provided the opportunity for astrophotogrophers to benefit from a stand-alone autoguiding camera whose advanced built-in logic provides correction for all tracking errors of any equatorial mount equipped with a standard ST4 autoguider port allowing for a direct interface with a guidescope and mount, no PC required.

The new LVI SmartGuider 2 Imaging Control System goes beyond the simple concept of autoguiding, which, while vital for obtaining clear and crisp long-exposure photos with pinpoint star resolution, is not the entire process. Final images are the result of a complex process handled by different devices which must all work together flawlessly in order to get the desired photo quality. But in many of cases, the process does not work perfectly.

The upgraded LVI SmartGuider 2 is an integrated solution which integrates the process required to make astroimages in a fast and easy way, eliminating the need for a laptop, reflex remote switch, focuser control and other gadgets in the field. The system includes a guiding camera head, control paddle unit, SmartEye parfocal eyepiece, MGA unit, hard case with shaped foam inside, No. 4 cables and an instruction manual.

The LVI MGA unit takes full control of imaging equipment (mount, DSLR and focuser) to deliver the best result from the telescope. The MGA can be easily hung on the mount with the hook on its back. This allows the remote control of all the devices connected to the SmartGuider 2 camera through one cable between the telescope and the Control Paddle. No more wire tangles or nasty vibrations when taking long-exposure images.

The features of the system include automatic star search function, noise threshold adjustable to avoid hot pixels, real time with focus and position with guide star on the 2.5inch LCD screen, automatic axes calibration with permanent saving screen backlight and beep sound adjustable, dithering for star dis-

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

placement (aggressiveness and pulse duration adjustable), sub-pixel 2X autoguiding (to allow the usage of short guidescopes), and reflex and focuser advanced control.

The Reflex section managed by MGA device controls a variety of Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony cameras by handling the same parameters that are usually managed by commercial software. These include exposure with single shots, bracketing (when switched on, the camera automatically takes a new sequence with an exposure as short as the stop down set), number of shots, pause between consecutive shots for sensor cooling, mirror lock-up to avoid vibrations caused by the mirror flip prior to the shutter release, dark framing (when switched on, the camera automatically takes a new sequence when the telescope has been capped), delayed start (when switched on, the camera starts to capture images after the set time has expired), and statistical information offered through two windows with all parameters displayed.

The focus is managed by the MGA device when focus-motor drives are plugged in. The MGA supplies power to the motor through 3 AA batteries. Features include focuser model selection from an internal database, automatic calibration for absolute positioning, temperature compensation with an external thermo probe, automatic temperature coefficient, permanent saving of one T coefficient and manual adjustment of the T coefficient, and statistical information with parameters.

The advanced and opto-coupled autoguiding port in the MGA unit enables non-simultaneous corrections to the RA and Dec axes which is useful to getting perfect autoguiding.

The Control Paddle features a wide

graphical display which enables the user to constantly monitor the tracking performance and fine-tune all of the guiding corrections sent to the mount. It also has a set of easy-tonavigate menus for fine tuning all the camera parameters (both standard and advanced), which makes the system suitable for all applications, even the most demanding.

Not having to use a laptop for autoguiding carries a number of advantages. For all those who don’t really need a PC, such as with DSLR imaging, the benefit is twofold: users save on PC hardware cost and on the energy needed to power it. CCD users can benefit as well, as the use of the stand-alone unit greatly reduces the performance overhead on the PC. This is very convenient especially with resource-hungry setups where the PC is already under heavy load (e.g. with big multiple-megapixel CCDs, electrical focusers, motorized filter wheels, etc.). This also significantly lowers the chance of dangerous operating systems crashes. As the LVI SmartGuider is sensitive enough to find a suitable guide star anywhere in the sky with exposure times of around 1 second, owners can save on the cost of a micrometric guidescope support, needed to scan the “celestial neighborhood” in case a sufficiently bright star cannot be found in the field of view.

For more information visit www.lvicameras.com.

INDUSTRYNEWS

FOSTER SYSTEMS Next Generation AstroMC Master Control Offers More Capability at a New Lower Price Foster Systems’ AstroMC is a product family of hardware, software and service components that makes life easy for the serious observer. Foster Systems has announced that its AstroMC Roll-off Roof and Observatory Control (AMC-100V2R) has been upgraded with additional control features and is now offered at a lower price. The control is available in serial or USB capable packages as well as a serialboard level product, which are all attractively priced.

A fully ASCOM-compliant roll-off roof controller, the unit controls five different types of roofs including the garage-door opener or gate-opener style, dual garage-door or gate-opener style, large motor with motor control, Backyard Observatories mechanism, as well as a roof with flap or door (requires linear actuator).

This unit offers an almost infinite number of capabilities, many of which are listed here.

Remote Power Control - Turn on/off low-voltage equipment power, line-voltage equipment power via CPS power strips and Technical Innovations’ RoboFocus Line-Voltage power accessory. By linking ACP weather connections within AstroMC, power control is also scriptable.

Remote Roll-off-Roof Control Control a roll-off roof including a fully compliant ASCOM dome driver. Four different roof mechanization styles are supported. Offers full integration with ACP and ACP Scheduler and scripting can initiate a cover open/close.

Automatic Fogging Control – Allows users to measures humidity,

observatory inside temperature and dew point, and use this data to automatically control activation of dew management and dew removal equipment (no more fogging). A Boltwood II is not required.

Prime Power Safety Monitor - Senses prime power failure and initiates safe shutdown. Via an ACP shutdown script, the user may customize the shutdown steps to suit site specific requirements and needs.

Scope AtPark Monitor – Allows for the confirmation of a scope at the park position, which is essential to remote astronomy. The Foster Systems’ AtPark Monitor is a low cost unit that will detect that a scope is safely parked and will inhibit roof movement until both the “software” and the detector agree.

Remote Aperture Dust/Pollen Cover - Cover and uncover telescope apertures (for dust protection and dark frames where there is no sensor shutter).

Integration and Monitoring of Weather Sensors - Allows users to monitor weather trends and conditions.

Integrates Foster Systems’ new WeatherSentry weather monitor plus Boltwood I or Boltwood II local or network sensors and the Extech RH401.

Alerts telescope control software via ASCOM and Boltwood one-line interfaces. Supports ACP, CCD AutoPilot and CCD Commander.

Low Cost Weather Sensor – Foster Systems’ low cost AstroAlert allows for continuous monitoring of weather conditions including sky temperature, clouds and precipitation and is fully integrated with ACP and ACP Scheduler via ASCOM Weather interface.

ASCOM Compliant - Full integration of AstroMC AstroAlert Weather Monitor, Boltwood I/II or Extech RH401 via the ASCOM weather class.

Roll-off-Roof ASCOM driver included.

Now available is ASCOM telescope driver integration of Foster Systems’ AtPark Monitor. Even if a scope cannot report park, users can assure that it is at park.

Open Integration - Support for a custom Master Control class that follows ASCOM standards and can be accessed by third party programs.

SMS Text Messaging and Email Alerts - AstroMC will now send an alert to a cell phone or email when certain conditions occur (e.g. scope not at park or roof open). Under a user’s control, up to twelve different conditions can be monitored with alerts and/or emails for each.

Foster Systems is also offering the new AstroMC Dome and Observatory Control AMC-100V2D, which is a new dome rotation and wireless shutter controller that was first demonstrated at NEAF this year. It includes all of the features of the AMC-100 Roll off Roof controller with the addition of a shutter controller which can be linked to the rotation controller.

For more information visit www.fostersystems.com.

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www.scopestuff.com 512-259-9778

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

21

NEWPRODUCTS

OPTEC Several New Product Releases

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APO-Televid 65 Spotting Scope

When researching new products we sometimes search for comments on the web about the product or company, just to see what thoughts are out there. While doing this for the new Optec releases, we found this quote on a popular forum: “Optec has some crazy adapters that allow you to connect things at weird places in your stack.”

While we won’t go so far as using the word “crazy”, we will agree that Optec has been an industry leader in providing accessories that meet unique needs. And not just a few items. A PDF of products is on their website is 20 pages long and lists hundreds of different items. The new products listed here are so new that they may just now be coming available as you read this magazine.

A great example of Optecs innovation is the Optec Lepus Reducer which is a four element reducer designed for owners of corrected SCTs like the Meade ACF and Celestron EdgeHD.

MI-1000F Equatorial Fork

Only $679.00

Only $199.00 Only $32.95

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Viper 90mm Mak-Cass

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Snap Shot Adapter

Bino-Suspenders

$2095.00

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Flexible Dew Shields

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Side by Side Saddle for Vixen NexStar 6 SE and 8 SE Style Dovetail Bars Computerized Mount

Only $199.95

NexGuide Autoguider

Only $499.95

LCM Computerized Mount

Only $1,799.95

SteadyStar Adaptive Optics Guider

Sky 90 APO Refractor OTA & Mounting Rings

Only $799.00

80mm Triplet ED Apo OTA

www.telescopes.net 22

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

Astroimagers will appreciate the 100-mm of back focus to fully illuminate a 22-mm diagonal CCD. The Lepus Reducer is compatible with the majority of CCD and filter wheel combinations including DSLR's.

The latest component of the Libra dovetail system, Optec’s new Keller EZ-Saddle makes

NEWPRODUCTS

mounting large telescopes quick and easy.

Designed by Allan Keller of PlaneWave Instruments, the EZ-Saddle provides a smart mounting platform for any size telescope but was especially designed for OTAs such as the PlaneWave Instrument 12.5-inch CDK. Featuring plenty of mounting options and bolt package kits for the Paramount Versaplate and AstroPhysics SB3622 plate, the EZ-Saddle offers a standard Losmandy “D” plate receiver saddle.

Some of the unique design improvements of the Keller EZ-Saddle include placing the clamp tensioning knobs on the bottom side making them easy to reach when mounting the telescope. Safety features include a stability bar along the bottom edge to provide enough relief to reach down to tighten the clamps located on the opposite side.

Optec’s new AP 2.7-inch Extension Tubes incorporate the ubiquitous AP2.7 inch thread which has become an astronomy industry standard thanks to the tireless efforts of Roland Christen and his team at Astro-Physics. Optec has produced this extension set and new adapters in an effort to extend this industry standard.

The extension tubes feature female threads on one end with male threads on the opposite end with knurled bases to help attach and detach these tubes. The

extensions can be combined and stacked.

These four and five piece sets provide all the needed extension for fixed focal length telescopes with 1 /4inch (12.7mm) increments using a minimum number of pieces.

All extensions and mounts are made from high-strength 6061 aluminum alloy and are black anodized. Anti-reflection threading and internal baffles on the largest extension tube help minimize internal reflections. All internal surfaces are painted and baked with a nonreflecting ultra-flat black paint.

Optec’s new Equuleus Orthogonal Adjusting device allows extremely-fine

adjustment and sports a full 3-inches of clear-aperture. Front and back connections are 3-inch x 24tpi standard female threads for maximum versatility. The new Equuleus promises to provide rigid orthogonal adjustment for the most discriminating astrophographers.

Optec products are available at a wide variety of dealers including OPT, Adorama, Starizona, and many more. For more information please visit www.optecinc.com.

SFL Quantum Finished Telescopes and SFL Telekit for f/3 - f3.9 optics!

STATE OF THE ART DESIGN Specifically for the special challenges of short focal length optics. New design features Our SFL Quantum finished telescope And SFL Telekit are full featured, easy To build, and highly portable truss Telescope available for 10" - 32".

AstroSystems

adjustment to correct for non-orthogonal optical systems. This new design “TipTilt” plate allows corrections as large as 1www.astrosystems.biz 1/2 degrees. Weighing in at only 12-oz. with a thickness around 1/2-inch, the

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include finer focus with the standard Moonlight focuser or optional Feathertouch focuser.

Finer thread pitch gives precise Collimation of the secondary and primary mirrors. Optical support components have been stiffened to hold critical collimation, plus more!

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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NEWPRODUCTS

FARPOINT Introduces Several New Products Over the last several months Farpoint has enhanced and expanded many of its product lines including additions to its line of "V" series products, complementing their "V" style dovetails, and 90-mm and 125-mm ring sets. Now Farpoint manufactures side-by-side saddle plates, "V" style to "L" adapters, V-plate with or without a handle, counter weights and their universal "V" series plates in long or short versions.

Farpoint’s "V" series accessories fit virtually all German equatorial or alt/az type mounts manufactured by Celestron, Meade, Sky-watcher, Orion, iOptron, Stellarvue, William Optics and Vixen.

Farpoint’s Astro Armour cases feature high impact ballistic cases with

customizable foam inserts and are available in 7 different sizes which provide owners with numerous options for their equipment and accessories. They have also introduced new dew control products, as well as Bahtinov masks.

For information about these and other products visit www.farpoint.com.

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

NEWPRODUCTS

FINGER LAKES INSTRUMENTATION High Speed Filter Control System

Astrophotographers will laud the new Finger Lakes Instrumentation (FLI) High Speed Filter Wheels which use high-performance servo motors featuring rare earth magnets coupled with backlash-free power transfer to provide ultimate torque which translates to ultimate speed. Filter exchange rates under 30 milliseconds are possible.

Two High Speed Filter Wheel options are available. The HS-1025 is designed to accommodate 25-mm filters.

The HS-1032 can accommodate 32-mm filters and with a 25-mm FLI Filter Insert Adapter the HS-1032 can accommodate 25-mm filters.

A benefit of servo motors is the use of encoder feedback resulting in reliable operation compared to a stepper-motorbased open-loop approach where step skipping may occur. The advantages of servo motors come at a cost of increased circuitry and controller complexity and FLI addresses this with state-of-the-art semiconductor components, a high-performance DSP (Digital Signal Processor), and a sophisticated control algorithm.

The control system not only optimizes the trajectory to result in maximum speed with minimum vibration, it also adapts to the changes in load. When filters are added or removed, the controller parameters must be adjusted in

order to maintain peak performance. A built-in adaptation mechanism takes care of these adjustments providing optimum performance under any operating conditions.

Weight-reduction features have been added to the wheel design for maximum speed. High accuracy and reliable operation is achieved by using custom designed components and precision machining.

The filter wheel doubles as a pulley, reducing the number of parts necessary for efficient power transfer and maximizing the torque delivered by the motor.

Ten 32-mm filter pockets accommodate a wide selection of filters up to 9mm thick. Additional flexibility is provided by 32-mm to 25-mm adapters expanding the range of filter possibilities even further. The filters are secured in place by threaded retainers.

An oversized opening complemented by a threaded lid provides convenient access for filter replacement eliminating the need to disassemble the unit. A filterposition indicator shows the current filter selection as well as the position aligned with the filter replacement port.

All of the drive and control electronics facilitating the functionality of the High Speed Filter Wheels are contained in the filter-wheel housing. This simpli-

fied solution eliminates the need for an external controller and the associated wiring hassles. It is still possible to operate multiple filter wheels through the same serial port by connecting them in daisy-chained mode. Simply connect a computer to the incoming port and a second wheel to the outgoing one to achieve functionality equivalent to a twowheel system driven by a central control unit. Up to three filter wheels can be operated from the same serial port.

Aside from motor drive and control circuitry, the integrated circuit board features a shutter controller allowing for a direct connection of a shutter without the need of external drive electronics.

For more information visit www.flicamera.com.

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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NEWPRODUCTS

CELESTRON Limited Edition 50th Anniversary CPC 800 GPS Celestron has introduced a new take on a proven performer as it continues the celebration of its 50th anniversary with its introduction of the Limited Edition 50th Anniversary CPC 800 GPS. This familiar, yet technically advanced telescope features a hi-tech carbon fiber tube, attractive 50th Anniversary graphics and a limited-edition eyepiece kit.

Only 300 50th Anniversary Edition CPCs are being made available worldwide, making this a must-have collector’s item.

The CPC 800 GPS is a fully com-

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

puterized diffraction-limited SchmidtCassegrain telescope with Celestron’s premium StarBright XLT coatings on a fully-computerized dual-fork arm altazimuth mount.

The scope offers striking gold design accents and a sleek carbon fiber optical tube that is Fastar compatible for f/2 imaging. It is the most portable of Celestron’s top-of-the-line fork-mounted telescopes offering Celestron’s enhanced StarBright XLT coatings. The scope offers fantastic visual performance and, with the available wedge, is a serious option for astro-imagers.

Celestron has updated the drive base and drive mechanics offering smooth operation, large drive gears and a quick-release clutch on a redesigned, heavy-duty tripod.

The scope uses an internal GPS receiver that automatically downloads the date and time from orbiting satellites and pinpoints the scope’s exact location on Earth. The established NexStar computer control offers a 40,000 object database with 400 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objects.

Celestron’s SkyAlign provides users with the ability to align on

any three bright celestial objects, making for a simple alignment procedure. A 9X50 finderscope is included. Permanent PEC and a convenient remote hand-control holder allow for hands-free use. Also offered is flash-upgradeable hand-control software/motor control units for downloading product updates. An auxiliary port with RS-232 cable is also included for advanced computer control.

Included with the scope is a 50th Anniversary Edition Eyepiece Kit that features five Plossl 1.25-inch eyepieces (4, 6, 9, 15, and 32 mm) with gold design accents, 2x 1.25-inch Barlow lens, six colored 1.25-inch eyepiece filters for lunar and planetary viewing, 1.25-inch Moon filter, and an aluminum carrying case.

The Celestron Limited Edition 50th Anniversary CPC 800 GPS is available for $2,499US and comes with a two year warranty. For more information please visit www.celestron.com.

NEWPRODUCTS

CAMERA CONCEPTS Expands the Arcturus Brand of Products In addition to carrying a wide variety of manufacturers’ products, Camera Concepts also offers its Arcturus brand of telescope accessories. These products represent the perfect combination of value, quality and affordability.

The Arcturus Broadband & Narrowband Nebula Filters use the very latest in optical filtering techniques to produce a fine light pollution filter. The filter element is a material that has its passband precisely controlled through excitation by a laser. The material is then laser-cut and placed into a filter holder, resulting in a filter that blocks light at wavelengths typically found in outdoor lighting systems. The filters make a fine, affordable light-pollution supressors that pass a very high percentage of light originating from stellar sources. The filters are threaded to accept another filter or other accessory. Attached to an eyepiece, the filter protrudes an additional 5/16-inch (7.2-mm) beyond the end of the barrel.

They are available in 1.25- and 2-inch sizes.

The Arcturus 12-volt, 7-amp pocket battery back provides portable power to run and charge scopes, cell phones, camcorders, worklights, laptops, and more. Complete with AC charger and belt strap, it is easy to attach to any tripod mount.

The Arcturus Deluxe Laser Bracket offers solid construction with full articulation via six adjustable screws. This bracket

comes equipped with a quick release base that utilizes the same “T” design shoe common to most Meade saddles. The supplied base has two screw holes that will fit the standard screw pattern found on most optical tube assemblies.

The Arcturus 2-inch 45-degree Deluxe Erecting Prism offers a full 2-inch aperture and is fitted with a brass compression ring.

This new 45-degree EP will work with any 2-inch or 1.25-inch eyepiece and any scope with 2-inch eyepiece holders. It is supplied with a 1.25-inch adapter that is also threaded to accept filters. It will turn upside down images right side-up and give correct left-toright image.

For more information please visit www.cameraconcepts.com

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TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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NEWPRODUCTS

WOOD WONDERS Offers Heating System for its Custom Cases Catseye Collimation and its partner, Wood Wonders, have collaborated with Kendrick Astro Instruments to provide dependable and efficient heat for their line of field cases and eyepiece cases.

The new system helps keep accessories warm in the coldest temperatures.

The Kendrick heating pads, along with the thermal properties of the wood, create a warm environment that provides quick recovery for cold optics.

When eyepieces fog up or get cold, just put them back in the case for a few minutes and owners are back to a clear view in minutes. Add the Kendrick MICRO FireLite Controller with four power settings and eyepieces will be warm and ready on those cool to extremely cold nights.

Wood Wonders custom builds the ultimate in storage and display of prized

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

eyepieces and other observing accessories.

Its unique solid-Oak Celestial Field Case takes storage to an art form with 3D celestial carvings featured on all four sides.

Cases include a red LED lighting system, with on/off-brightness control, that is activated upon opening the lid. With pull-out drawers on both sides, ample storage underneath, and a flip-down Plexiglas storage partition in the lid, there is plenty of room for all observing essentials.

The eyepiece layout can be customized to match a specific collection or can be built from four standard layouts. The Eyepiece Case actually has more room

for eyepieces than the standard field case, but without the additional storage of the pull-out drawers.

The complete heater system, including installed elements and controller, is priced at $175US and can be included with any field case or eye case order. For more information on these products, please visit www.catseyecollimation.com.

NEWPRODUCTS

BOB’S KNOBS New Collimation Thumbscrews

Image 1

Image 2

Bob’s Knobs now offers collimation thumbscrews for a variety of new telescopes and accessory items from Meade, Celestron, Telrad, and Orion Optics (UK).

The new Meade LS-6 SC telescope (Image 1) has a simple computer sky alignment procedure, but an Allen wrench is required for collimation.

“Making knobs for the Meade 6-inch SCT was a challenging task due to the recessed secondary housing on this telescope,” reports Bob. “Our design uses a stainless steel knob and threaded stud, along with a nylon spacer to bring the knob away from the recessed housing so it’s easy to grasp, even with gloved hands.”

Celestron’s new Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes using EdgeHD optics (Image

Image 3

2) promise exceptional image quality, making precise collimation of the optics even more critical. Bob’s Knobs are now available for the full line of 8-inch, 9.25inch, and 11-inch versions of this SCT. Bob has also developed a set of knobs for no-tools assembly of the CGE equatorial mount (Image 3). Knobs are included for attaching the equatorial head to the electronics pier, the pier to the tripod, and for the counterweight bar safety stop.

Orion Optics makes a premiumquality Newtonian telescope in the UK, but their secondary collimation screws require a Phillips screwdriver to adjust.

Bob now offers knobs to replace these screws (Image 4). An added benefit is that Bob’s Knobs ships overseas at no additional cost.

Image 4

Finally, Bob offers replacement knobs for the small plastic adjustment screws for the Telrad reflex finder. “I’ve always had trouble adjusting the Telrad aimpoint using the supplied tiny plastic nuts, so we developed a 1/2 -inch diameter stainless steel replacement that has a knurled edge, making adjustment a breeze,” Bob says. “These knobs can be installed without disassembling the Telrad.”

Bob’s Knobs offers a wide variety of knobs for a number of telescopes, as well as custom knobs. Purchasers can choose from a wide selection of screw sizes and knob styles for all telescope thumbscrew and hand bolt needs.

More information is available at www.bobsknobs.com.

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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NEWPRODUCTS

ORION TELESCOPES AND BINOCULARS Several New Product Offerings 1/4â&#x20AC;?-20 threaded mounting block for easy and convenient attachment to field tripods equipped with a 1/4â&#x20AC;?-20 threaded post for more casual use.

Orion continues its tradition of enhancing its product line with the Orion Deluxe 100-mm f/6 refractor OTA, a rugged achromat loaded with features, making it an excellent telescope for a wide variety of uses. The 100-mm aperture optical tube is a capable of providing bright nighttime views of celestial objects. The refractor can also be used as a guide scope for astrophotography with its significant 3.9inch aperture and moderate focal length of 600mm. This telescope is ideal for targeting faint guide stars, which can be difficult to acquire in smaller aperture instruments.

The refractor offers fast f/6 optics which provide detail-rich views with sharp clarity and resolution, especially on widefield deep-sky objects or star fields. An extendable dew shield provides protection from unwanted peripheral glare and helps prevent dew buildup on the multi-coated objective lens. The extendable dew shield provides ample room for the attachment of tube rings or guide scope rings and the telescope optical tube features an integrated

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

A 2-inch Crayford focuser provides dual-speed focus adjustment with a 10:1 fine-focus control. The focuser features a linear track bearing, which ensures stable and steady focus adjustment, even with heavy visual or imaging accessories attached. A 2-inch-to-1.25-inch eyepiece adapter is included to allow use of 1.25-inch eyepieces and accessories.

The fast focal ratio of the refractor makes it an excellent choice for use as a guide scope for astrophotography. Guide stars are easily obtained with the 3.9-inch aperture air-spaced doublet objective lens and the relatively wide field of view provided by the 600-mm focal length. The dualspeed focuser enables users to fine-tune focus on guide stars so astrophotos are of optimal quality.

With a weight of just 7.1 lbs and a tube length of 20.6-inches with the dew shield retracted, the Deluxe 100-mm Refractor is conveniently transportable for remote viewing or imaging sessions at dark sky sites. It comes with a one year warranty and the suggested retail price is $399.95US. Orion has announced another addition to its line of ED refractors, the 80-mm

NEWPRODUCTS triplet Orion ED80T CF. With a triplet objective featuring FPL-53 extra-low dispersion glass, views come through true to color and exhibit tack-sharp resolution.

Apochromatic refractors significantly reduce chromatic aberration, or false color, compared to standard achromatic refractor telescopes due to the use of “ED” (Extra-low Dispersion) optical glass. The ED80T CF is a versatile telescope well-suited for multiple applications. With a focal length of 480mm (f/6), the scope’s fast optics yield detailrich visual views of solar system and widefield deep-sky objects. The triplet objective and ED optics minimize chromatic aberra-

tions making the ED80T CF an excellent candidate for astrophotography use when used with an imaging-capable EQ mount and CCD or DSLR camera. The scope’s relatively small size and light weight make it very portable, and the retractable dew shield makes the scope even more compact for storage and transport, with a length of 14.3inches with the dew shield fully retracted.

The telescope measures 18.25-inches when the dew shield is fully extended.

The carbon-fiber tube makes the

ED80T CF lightweight to transport and mount, weighing in at a mere 6 lbs. including the diagonal. The dovetail mounting base attaches directly to any Orion EQ mount equipped with a narrow, or “Vixenstyle,” dovetail saddle without the need for additional mounting accessories. While a motorized equatorial mount is recommended for astrophotography, the ED80T CF can be adequately mounted on a wide variety of lightweight sturdy field and photo tripods by virtue of the integrated dovetail mounting base featuring a threaded 1/4”-20 acceptor.

Included is a precision machined Crayford-style focuser that provides dual-speed focus adjustment. The smaller fine focus knob adjusts focus at a rate of 11:1 compared to the coarse focus knob, giving the ability to hone-in on just the right focal point. A 2-inch mirror diagonal with dielectric coatings provides a comfortable nighttime view orientation and optimizes reflectivity. The included 2-inch to 1.25-inch eyepiece adapter accommodates 1.25-inch eyepieces or 1.25-inch accessories. For storage and safe transport, everything fits well in the included hard case with custom die-cut foam interior.

The ED80T CF comes with a one-year limited warranty and the suggested retail price is $699.95US. The Orion SteadyStar LF Adaptive Optics Guider (AO) makes any imaging-

capable mount, even if a modest one, perform more effectively. Precise tracking is one of the most critical facets of astrophotography and tracking is limited to the accuracy of the mount, plus external factors like wind and atmospheric seeing conditions. The SteadyStar LF AO Guider overcomes these limitations and takes control with fast and accurate guiding.

The SteadyStar LF Adaptive Optics Guider is ideal for use with large format CCD and DSLR sensors, with its larger 50mm diameter optical window. The larger window provides full field illumination to take advantage of devices equipped with larger sensors, such as 35-mm format CCD cameras.

Traditional autoguiding involves moving the mount and telescope, along with all attached imaging accessories to correct for tracking errors. Furthermore, autoguiding can typically only make a single correction every couple of seconds or so; during that time tracking is vulnerable to periodic error from the mount, wind, and atmospheric seeing conditions.

The SteadyStar LF AO Guider can easily make several tracking corrections in one second without lugging the weight and inertia of the whole telescope. Rather than move all that weight, the SteadyStar LF AO Guider makes guiding corrections by tilting its on-board optical window, allowing for quick and precise movements several times faster than traditional autoguiders. A slight tilt of the optical window actually moves the (Continued on Page 32)

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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NEWPRODUCTS

ORION TELESCOPES AND BINOCULARS (Continued From Page 31) imaging plane in the camera. This refractive correction is capable of making extremely fast movements to overcome even the most severe tracking errors. Even though most tracking errors can be compensated by tilting the optical window, the SteadyStar LF can still send corrections to a mount like a traditional autoguider if the optical window’s tilt range is exceeded.

The SteadyStar LF AO Guider is capable of correcting motion more than 40 times per second, depending on guide star brightness, autoguider camera used, and computer speed. This means users will overcome a mount's periodic error, wind, and even compensate for some of the negative effects of turbulent seeing conditions.

The SteadyStar LF's offers broad com-

patibility with imaging cameras and autoguiders and works with any Orion CCD camera and autoguider, as well as other popular imaging cameras like DSLRs. The SteadyStar LF AO Guider was designed to fit with other astronomy gear, requiring only 90-mm of inward focus travel when used with Orion imaging cameras. Up to 30-mm worth of accessories, such as a filter wheel, can be added to the SteadyStar LF without adding to the total backfocus.

The 50-mm diameter on board optical window supports not only APS-C and larger 35-mm format sensors, it’s even large enough to accommodate the popular large format KAI-11002 CCD. SteadyStar software is included for full guiding control to

both a mount and the AO Guider, and it can communicate with MaxIm DL to enable such advanced imaging features as exposure sequences and dithering. It is Windows XP, Vista 32/64 bit and Windows 7 and ASCOM compatible.

Also included is a hard carry case as well as a 10 foot USB cable, 10 foot autoguiding cable, and 12 V DC power cable.

The unit comes with a one-year limited warranty and the suggested retail price is $2,099.95US.

Each cell features 6061-T6 aluminum construction, stainless steel mounting and collimation hardware, and a black-anodized finish. Other features include adjustable mounting brackets, locking bolts to assist in retaining collimation adjustments and preventing mirror flop, and a pattern of threaded holes for attaching an optional cooling fan.

Adjustable mounting hardware provides two key benefits to the user. The adjustable range was chosen to capture the vast majority of all mass-market telescope tubes in addition to fitting sonotubes, Hastings tubes, and most carbon fiber offerings, thereby supporting the needs of scratch-builders and retro-fitters alike. A second benefit of adjustable mounting hardware is the auto-centering of the mirror cell. If the user has accurately drilled mounting holes in the optical tube that are exactly 120 degrees apart, then they need only install the cell with bracket bolts loose in their sockets. When all three holes are aligned to the brackets and fasteners inserted,

each bracket will automatically be adjusted by an equal amount. The result is a perfectly centered mirror cell.

For customers desiring a convenient means to expedite the process of cooling the primary mirror to thermal equilibrium with ambient temperatures, an optional cooling package is available. When this option is chosen the cooling fan and additional wiring come as a complete system. Power is connected to the onboard RCA jack and can be supplied via any 12V source of the users choosing, including many popular dew heating control panels which use RCA interconnects to power their heat strips. A 6-foot standard male/male RCA cable is included in the package. A 60-mm or 80-mm fan is used depending on the model/size chosen.

For more information about this and other Optical Supports products visit www.opticalsupports.com.

OPTICAL SUPPORTS Now Offering Telescope Components Optical Supports is a newly established, family-owned business operating out of the Tampa Bay Area in south-central Florida whose mission is to provide quality telescope components to the worldwide community of amateur astronomers.

Among their initial offerings are high end mirror cells designed by Curt Walker, founder of Optical Supports. The mirror cells were developed with two groups of people in mind - 1) ATMs who are building a reflecting telescope from the ground up, and 2) people who wish to retro-fit an existing telescope with higher quality optics and hardware. Currently two different series of cells are in production. The Traditional Mirror Cell (TMC) supports standard ‘flat’ primary mirrors of various thicknesses and is available for five different apertures ranging from 4inch to 12.5-inch. The Conical Mirror Cell (CMC) supports Royce conical mirrors and can be adapted for compatibility with a few other conicals as well. The CMC series supports apertures from 6-inch to 12.5-inch.

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

Astronomik CLS-CCD Light Pollution Filter Got Light Pollution?

By Dave Snay

Got light pollution? You might benefit from a high quality filter. Most of us have some level of light pollution at our most frequently used locations. General light pollution is typically the result of street lights and parking lot lights. These lights are usually quite wasteful, sending much of their output outward and upward rather than directing it down, where it is actually needed.

I probably don’t need to tell you this, but light pollution is even more intrusive to imaging than it is to visual work, in my opinion. When observing under light polluted skies, you can use a variety of filters to reduce the impact of extraneous light. More importantly, since our eyes are not very sensitive to color in the low-light conditions of astronomical observing, we don’t see the gradients introduced by artificial light. However, plug a camera into the back of your telescope and those gradients become more notice-

able than the object being photographed!

There are a number of ways to deal with unwanted light during astrophotography sessions. Some are more socially acceptable than others. The 22-caliber light filter is generally frowned upon by local constabulary. So most of us have to rely on filtration or travel to a dark sky site.

I’m not patient enough to wait for my yearly excursion to a dark sky site, so I have chosen the filtration option.

Since I’m dedicated to imaging from my home location, I’ve chosen to use a light pollution filter that is designed for imaging demands. To that end, I have an Astronomik CLS-CCD filter installed in Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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ASTRONOMIK CLS-CCD LIGHT POLLUTION FILTER

Image 1 - M13 without CLS-CCD filter

Image 2 - M13 with CLS-CCD filter

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

ASTRONOMIK CLS-CCD LIGHT POLLUTION FILTER the end of my T-adapter that attaches to my filter wheel. That way I can simply run through my imaging session without any concern for the CLS-CCD filter.

According to the Astronomik web site, the CCD version has a narrower bandpass and has an IR-blocking layer included. This layer enables use with modified DSLRs and webcams that have had their IR blocking filter removed (those are far too restrictive for astrophotography). It can also be used for visual observation, but its narrower band pass will likely reduce some of the details in the image, but it will greatly increase the contrast of the view. The extra layer has no effect on LRGB filters that are typically used with monochrome CCD cameras and is most likely essential when working with one-shot color cameras as well. Okay, enough talk. Let’s see some results.

Image 1 shows the M13 taken with no CLS-CCD filter in line. You can see the usual softness around the brighter

stars that results from the suboptimal optics in my telescope. It’s not a bad rendition of a relatively easy subject for image.

However, it took all my editing skills (admittedly a limited set) to bring out the detail shown here.

The day after I took that image was also clear and steady, so I installed the CLS-CCD filter and I took a set of images of the same subject using the exact same exposures and settings. Processing was similar, but quite the same. That’s because I had much better data to work with.

Image 2 shows the results. I was surprised at the difference. I expected that the filter would work well on faint objects like galaxies and nebulae, but this image shows a significant improvement in my star quality. Some of this is probably attributable to sky condition changes from one day to the next, but certainly not all the improvement can be from one night to the next. Remember, this is with the same equipment and exposure settings as

the previous session.

Light pollution filters are designed to be most effective with nebulae. So let’s take a look at the results when using the filter as intended. The first nebula I had a chance to target was an old favorite, M42. The image shown in Image 3 was made with an Orion StarShoot Deep Space Imager and Astronomik LRGB filters, again through my refractor. The Astronomik CLS-CCD filter is in line between the filter wheel and the focuser, so all light reaching the camera has passed through the CLS-CCD filter.

As you can see, there is very nice contrast in this image. What you don’t see is any noticeable gradient. That’s because the CLS-CCD filter has nearly eliminated them, making processing them out much easier!

The last images I have to share with you are a comparison of NGC 2237 (the Rosette). These two images (Image 4 and 5) were made on consecutive nights using the same exposure count and durations.

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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ASTRONOMIK CLS-CCD LIGHT POLLUTION FILTER

Image 3 - M42 with CLS-CCD filter

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

They were pre-processed identically and post-processed using roughly the same adjustments in Photoshop. There are a couple of things that should jump out at you when you compare these two versions. First is the contrast difference in the two images. The one made without the CLS-CCD filters is pretty nice, but the one with the filter has significantly more contrast.

The second thing you should notice is that the version made with the CLS-CCD filter seems a little “thinner.” That’s because the filter is blocking some signal. That’s part of the design of all light pollution filters. I used the color sampler tool in Photoshop to measure the amount of data in the two images and found approximately 20% difference in signal. I expected it to be more significant than that, so I was pleasantly surprised.

You have to increase your exposure time – through either longer exposures or more of them – to compensate for the difference and you’ll have all the data you want with significantly less of the data you don’t want.

Image 5 was made with the same amount of data as Image 4. Notice the difference in contrast and detail visible in the image made with the CSL-CCD filter in place. I didn’t take the time to ensure that image was oriented the same way in both pictures. That would have made the comparison easier, but if you spend a few minutes with the online version of this document, the difference will be readily apparent.

I haven’t had a chance to use it on galaxies yet, so I don’t know what to expect. I wouldn’t be surprised if it had an impact on the details shown in larger and brighter galaxies. However, smaller ones might not benefit as much.

For me, the biggest surprise and per-

ASTRONOMIK CLS-CCD LIGHT POLLUTION FILTER haps most useful benefit is the way this filter reduces the time required to deal with light gradients in my images. Until now, I have had to spend a great deal of effort reducing gradients produced by light pollution. This filter has significantly reduced the amount of unwanted light in the background of my data, freeing me up to work on the more enjoyable task of bringing out the details of the current target.

If it did nothing more than that, I’d be happy with the results.

I’ve had this filter for several months and have been trying it on many objects to learn where it works best. What I’ve learned is that its impact on star clusters is variable. Sometimes I was able to see the startling difference shown in the images of M13 shown earlier. Other times I saw almost no difference in star quality. I have Image 4 – NGC 2237 without CLS-CCD filter only had a few chances with nebulae because of the time of year, but my results show that this filter excels at bringing out detail and increased contrast in those faint fuzzies we’ve all come to love.

The Astronomik CLS-CCD light pollution filter is available online at a variety of sources and directly from Astronomik. It currently lists for $199 for the twoinch version. If you’ve got light pollution (most of us do) and can support extended exposure times, this would be a good low cost purchase for your imaging tool box.

So there you have it. A method for dealing with light pollution that is more socially acceptable than using the neighborhood street lights for target practice – never mind the neighbor’s light bombs – at a reasonable price.

Image 5 – NGC 2237 with CLS-CCD filter

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

39

Keeping Things in Focus Part II

Utilizing a DYI VariableSpeed Controller on an Off the Shelf Scope

By Rick Saunders

Editors Note – Rick’s previous article on building the controller featured in this article was in the May/June 2009 issue of ATT. We encourage you to go to our website to view the article.

In a previous issue I talked about building a simple variable-speed controller for a DC focus motor. In this article I’ll show how I put that controller to use on my recently purchased Astro-Tech 8-inch f/4 Imaging Newtonian.

While most visual observers don't really need powered focusing; if you are an astro-photographer and work a lot from a computer, then powered focusing is, in my mind, a “must-have” accessory. Even if you don't use a computer at the telescope, powered focusing makes life very easy if you have one of the latest crop of DSLR cameras with some form of live display.

There are many commercial powered focusers on the market for just about any focuser you might have but, being a tinkerer at heart, I generally like to build my own. I also prefer to go the low-tech, simple route ease of build while not giving up

much in the way of function.

For the Newtonian I didn't want to have to modify the optical tube in any way and I almost succeeded (more later).

As the telescope will be almost purely used for DSLR imaging, I decided that instead of adding a motor mount to the optical tube I would just make use of the dovetail mount intended for the finder, something that will probably never be used anyway.

The motor that I chose was one I had used previously. When I modified the gearboxes on my HEQ5 mount I had left over two DC motors and two 132:1 gearboxes that fit them. This motor turns

nicely at around 60 rpm when supplied 12v. The only thing I modified on the motor was to wrap it with some 2-inch heat-shrink, just to keep out some of the weather. Now off to the machine shop.

(A quick aside here. This project was done in aluminum and brass in a small machine shop. If you don't have access to the tools and/or expertise to work with metals but can work with wood. then most of this can be done in a half-decently equipped wood shop. The machined dovetail fitting works just as well in birch as it does in metal and the other parts could just as well be fabricated from wood or plastic.)

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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KEEP THINGS IN FOCUS PART II

Image 1

The first thing that had to be fabricated for the project was a suitable pulley for the motor. The output shaft from the gearhead was 6-mm with a flat. My best

42 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

friend and astronomer/machinist Dave Rubenhagen, whose shop I invaded, pulled a scrap brass bar from his supply and chucked it into the lathe. The belt I

had on hand was 1/4-inch wide so Dave turned the bar down to a suitable diameter and cut a slot in the circumference just over that width. Then he bored the central hole and drilled/tapped it for an 8-32 setscrew.

The only â&#x20AC;&#x153;trickyâ&#x20AC;? part of this came next, the part that would fit into the finder mount. The dovetail used to mount the finder is a fairly simple 30 degree dovetail. A piece of 1/2-inch aluminum bar was pulled from the scrap drawer and Dave cut the dovetail angles on a mill using an adjustable-angle vise set to 30 degrees. We left one end of the part square.

This would be where the motor bracket would mount. Once shaped everything was squared off and dressed up.

A piece of 1/8-inch 90-degree angle aluminum was pressed into service for the motor bracket. This was cut to length on the band-saw and then dressed up on the mill. Three holes were drilled on one arm of the bracket to take the motor's mounting screws and to let the output shaft

KEEP THINGS IN FOCUS PART II through. Countersink the screw holes and use flat-head screws. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want the screw heads standing out of the bracket.

Slots were milled into the opposite arm that would allow mounting the bracket to the dovetail part. The slots would allow for adjustment. Properly spaced holes were drilled and tapped in the dovetail block to allow for mounting.

This was the state of the build when it was first mounted on the telescope. I had figured on just letting the belt ride on the fine-focus knob. After a lot of cussing trying to get the thing to work without the belt sliding off the focuser or the motor pulley, I threw in the towel and headed back to the machine shop with the focuser knob in hand.

The plan was to cut a 1/4-inch slot into the knob on the lathe but after looking at the size of the knob and the chuck on the lathe I decided that a new pulley was in order. This would have to do double duty as the fine-focus knob on the 10:1 focuser. The piece of brass from the

Image 2

first pulley was still in the lathe so we just used that, first knurling it to aid grip and then cutting the slot for the belt. A hole in the centre for the focuser shaft and an-

other tapped for a 8-32 setscrew and the knob/pulley was done.

The last little bit was to mount a connector to the dovetail bar so that the

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KEEP THINGS IN FOCUS PART II motor wire wouldn't trail around with me everywhere as it had on my C8. I cut a 90degree angle piece of plastic out of an old project case with my Dremel tool and mounted an RCA jack on one arm and drilled a hole on the other. Dave drilled and tapped a hole in the dovetail block and this was screwed in place. Now the motor wire would be detachable.

Even though it doesn’t look “fancy,” the unit works absolutely perfectly. There is just enough tension on the belt to turn the focuser and keep it from moving much. The focuser can be used manually by simply taking off the belt, or … the motor unit can be removed from the finder mount in seconds and stowed away if the scope is to be used visually.

Dave still wants to “sculpt” the motor bracket so that it isn’t so ugly and I offered to hollow out the knob/pulley (brass is darned heavy); but that’s for later. For now it’s time to start catching photons. I hope the weather smartens up as it’s currently dark of the moon.

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DIY ARTIFICIAL STAR

By Paul Grunwald

I have been involved with astronomy for about 15 years. As in so many hobbies, there are countless gadgets and doodads that can make your astronomy setup, alignment, and viewing much more enjoyable.

Unfortunately, most of us without the benefit of a winning lottery ticket cannot afford all of them.

I have, however, been able to make quite a few accessories for very little money.

For example, I made a dew shield with a polypropylene leaf bag spreader, some felt, and some Velcro. Total cost: $7. I also made a case for an 8-inch Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope (SCT) with a storage trunk found at a garage sale and camping pad, also for $7. My case for my current 11-inch SCT is plastic storage box from the big-box hardware store, with foam. These projects have saved me money, or at least allowed me to spend more money on gear such as eyepieces and filters (much to the chagrin of the domestic CFO)!

This article describes an artificial star that can be made for less than $2. Star testing is one of those semi-arcane topics that

I don’t fully understand, but simple Star testing for collimation is pretty easy. For me the Bible is Star Testing Astronomical Telescopes by Harold Richard Suiter, which contains more information than you’ll probably ever need, along with the math and theory.

Collimation is critical for reflectors and SCT scopes for maximum contrast and light transmission. There are several great sites on the Internet explaining the theory and practice of collimation. My favorite is Thierry Legault’s: www.astrosurf.com/ legault/collim.html. Thierry’s site has detailed instructions with pictures of what you are actually supposed to see in terms of diffraction rings.

Another great site with many actual images from different telescopes is Aberrator at http://aberrator.astronomy.net. They also have free software that generates images that show theoretically perfect optics.

One other recommendation, especially for the SCT owners, is a set of collimation thumbscrews from Bob’s Knobs (www.bobsknobs.com/). The last thing you

want to be doing is trying to reach around the telescope, while looking through the eyepiece, with a pointy Phillips screwdriver aimed at your corrector glass trying to find a screw head in the dark!

Most collimation instructions say to use a bright star for observing. The problem with using a real star is that, due to celestial motion, you must track it. Which means that if you have a motorized scope, you must be polar-aligned or tracking in two axes. If you’re using a manual scope, you must be constantly moving to compensate. Also, when you make adjustments to your scope, you must re-center the star after every turn of a collimation screw. In short, it is much easier to do these alignments if both the scope and star are static.

Artificial stars are commercially available. They have precision-sized holes useful for precise measurements for star testing. For collimation though, such accuracy is not required, and for just a couple dollars’ worth of parts at your local big-box hardware store, you can make a star sufficient for your alignment. Other suggestions Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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DIY ARTIFICIAL STAR

Image 1

that I found for star testing included mounting a silver ball bearing on a piece of wood and using it during the day with the sun shining on it as the light source, but I wanted something portable and easy to

place a distance away.

Here are the parts I bought: One 1inch PVC Coupler ($0.35) and three 8-32 3/4-inch Nylon Screws ($1.12 for two packs of two). Other items were materials I

had around the house. I used a spare LED flashlight, HVAC metal repair tape, duct tape, and clear packing tape. The metal repair tape is essentially thick aluminum foil with an adhesive backing; a 50-yard roll

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DIY ARTIFICIAL STAR

costs about $8, though you only need a few inches. Also, the screw size listed earlier is not critical; they just need to be big enough to hold the flashlight securely. If you do not have a tap and die set, choose a screw size for which you have a matching metal screw that can act like a tap and cut the threads.

I borrowed a sewing needle from the domestic supply cabinet.

Construction is fairly simple. First drill three holes 120 degrees apart around the coupler about 1/2-inch from the edge. The coupler I purchased had one smooth side and a side with some raised printing. Put the screw holes on the side near the printing so the aluminum tape can attach to the smooth side. Use a drill bit smaller than the diameter of the screw as a pilot hole for the

tap. I used a 1/8-inch size bit. Tap the holes with either your tool or the matching metal screw to make the threads for the nylon screws.

Next, cut a small piece of the metal tape so that it will have about half inch overlap on the coupler. Using the smallest sewing needle you can find and against a very hard surface such as glass, making a small pinprick in the center of the foil. The commercial artificial stars start at about 50 microns (about the width of a human hair) but it impossible to measure that at home.

A typical pinprick will be about 100 micron or 0.1mm. Again, this is a “good enough” project!

Another tip I picked up on the Internet is that if you want to try and do some

star testing measurements such as actually measuring the spherical aberration, make another hole precisely 1/10-inch next to the first. I didn’t do that on mine, but details can be found at www.mapugastronomy.net/AstroDesigns/MAPUG/Sta rTest.htm .

Remove the backing and, centering the hole over the coupler, smooth it down. You want the foil as tight and smooth over the opening as you can get it. Then cover the foil with some clear packing tape over the top of the foil to protect it. I then wrapped the outside of the coupler with some duct tape to make it tidier. Shown is a picture of the final assembly with the flashlight installed with the three screws to hold it.

Happy (cheap) collimation!!!

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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Computer Control of Your MallinCam Whether Using Your Camera for Imaging or Public Outreach, It Just Got a Lot Easier!

By Jack Huerkamp

Adjusting your MallinCam just became easier! No longer do you have to utilize the five, small On Screen Display (OSD) Buttons on the rear of the camera to make Menu changes. You can now control your MallinCam using a computer (especially beneficial for those of us who have large fingers or lack the dexterity needed to push the small OSD buttons!), and those who observe in colder climates will be able to change menu values by using a mouse without having to remove their gloves, thus saving their fingers from the cold. And by not having to push the OSD buttons on the camera,

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

vibration and the blurring of the monitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image are reduced.

To be able to control your MallinCam from a computer, three things are needed: (1) MallinCam with Computer Interface, (2) MallinCam Control Cable (3) MallinCam Control Software. Here are some quick tips on how to do so.

Step One Most MallinCam video observational systems sold in the last three to four years have a computer interface on the rear of the camera (Image 1).

MallinCams with a GREEN power LED have an RS485 computer interface.

MallinCams with a RED power LED possess an RS232 computer interface. If your MallinCam possesses either interface, a computer can control it. Proceed to Step Two. Step Two The color of the power LED determines which MallinCam Control Cable is needed, and for ease of identification, they are known as either Green or Red MallinCam Control Cables. The cable can be fabricated using the appropriate

wiring schematic found in the help file that is a part of the MallinCam Control Software (See Step Three). For those lacking either the skill or the patience needed to construct a control cable, pre-made cables in 25-feet, 35-feet and 50-feet lengths are available from Alex Zarvis of Zengineering at http://www.zengine.ho8.com (at the bottom of the page is a link to his MallinCam Control Cables).

Image 2 shows how the MallinCam is connected to the computer using the Control Cable. If your computer does not have a Serial port, you can purchase a USB to Serial Adapter.

Step Three Now you just need the MallinCam Control Software, Image 1

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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COMPUTER CONTROL OF YOUR MALLINCAM Version 1.0 of the MallinCam Control Software and the MallinCam help File.

Next download the file entitled MControl.exe and place it into the folder where you installed the MallinCam Control Software. You will be asked if you want to overwrite the file by the same name, so click “yes.” This will update the MallinCam Control Software to Version 1.7. This is the latest version of the freeware package (Image 3).

Image 2

and it’s free! Stephan Lalonde wrote the software which is available for downloading from the files section of the MallinCam Yahoo Group:

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ma llincam/.

First download and run MallinCamControl.msi. This installs

Controlling the MallinCam If you have connected the video, computer control, and power cables to your MallinCam, monitor and computer, and installed the MallinCam Control Software, you are now ready to test communication between the components.

Start the control software. If everything is properly configured, the MallinCam Control “Basic” Window will appear on your computer screen (Image 4).

However, the control software defaults to COM1, and your serial device may be assigned to a different port. If so, the following error message will be seen when the control program is first started (Image 5). If this error message appears, click the “Continue” box. Then select the “Config” TAB and the window seen in Image 6 will appear. Go to “COM Port” and select the one that your Serial device is assigned to (COM1 through COM9). Also select the Camera Type (Black and White or Color) and the Camera Revision (MallinCam or MallinCam VSS). Then click the “Save” box and exit the program entirely.

Restart MallinCam Control Software and it should open in the “Basic” window shown in Image 4. This screen contains five pre-programmed buttons for easily changing between DeepSky, Planetary, Moon, Solar, and User Defined modes. Whenever one of these buttons is depressed, the “Camera” label next to the “MallinCam” name at the bottom of the window will change to “Sending” and be highlighted in red.

COMPUTER CONTROL OF YOUR MALLINCAM This indicates that the appropriate parameters are being uploaded to the camera. Also contained on the “Config” page is “Night Vision.”

Selecting it changes the windows to that seen in Image 7.

Clicking the “Advanced” Tab brings up the window seen in Image 8. It contains a multitude of useful controls.

Through the click of a mouse, you can: Bring up a set of Crosshairs (useful when aligning your mount), bring up the Color Bar Generator to assist in initially adjusting the parameters on the monitor, change from Gamma 0.45 to Gamma 1.0, freeze the image on the monitor, and change the image from Positive to Negative (useful when looking for subtle Image 3 detail in galaxies and comets).

You can also adjust the

Image 4

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COMPUTER CONTROL OF YOUR MALLINCAM

Image 5

Horizontal and Vertical orientation of the image on the monitor to match the direction buttons on your telescope hand controller, turn the Zoom feature on and vary the amount of Zoom, adjust the White Balance, increase or decrease the gain (AGC), adjust the Exposure Control from 1/100th second to 1/12,000th second for Lunar, Solar and Planetary Observations, varying the Coronagraph Setting when viewing prominences through the use of an Hydrogen-Alpha Filter, and controlling

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the amount of internal Digital Signal Processing performed by the MallinCam’s circuitry through the use of Advanced Pixel Control (APC) H Gain and V Gain Settings.

For the MallinCam VSS it will turn the Hyper Mode OFF, ON or to Double It and for the MallinCam VSS you control the Peltier Cooler by adjusting the TEC Control parameters.

In addition, it is possible to “Save” your preferred setting for future use and then “Load” them into the camera. You

can save how you had your camera set during an observing session and send the file to your friends so that they can load them into their MallinCams in an attempt to duplicate your results with their scopes from their observing locations.

If you do not have a MallinCam VSS, you will be able to control all menu items remotely using your computer. You will not, however, be able to change the long exposure times (6 and 12 seconds in the MallinCam Hyper and 7, 14, 28 and 56 seconds in the MallinCam Hyper Plus).

Nor will you be able to turn the Peltier cooler on or off. You will still have to use the switches on the side of the camera to make those adjustments.

For owners of the MallinCam VSS, you will be able to control the MENU items and the Peltier cooler remotely and you will have the choice of two long exposure modes. If you have adjusted the Exposure Control Knob on the side of

COMPUTER CONTROL OF YOUR MALLINCAM

Image 6

Image 7

the VSS to 15 seconds, for example, then remotely you will have 2.1 seconds with hyper off, 15 seconds with hyper on and

30 seconds with hyper times 2. For most individuals, this will provide sufficient flexibility for their remote controlling of

Image 8

their MallinCams.

More information is available at http://mallincam.tripod.com/id49.html.

A big Dob on an Equatorial Platform is the ultimate observing machine. The Platform gives you precision tracking, whether you are observing with a high-power eyepiece, imaging with a CCD camera,or doing live video viewing with a MallinCam. Just check out this image of NGC3628 taken by Glenn Schaeffer with a 20-inch Dob on one of our Aluminum Platforms!

Visit our website for details about our wood and metal Equatorial Platforms, as well as our line of large-aperture alt/az SpicaEyes Telescopes. You can also call or email for a free color brochure.

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HoTech SCA Laser Collimator A Newbie’s Collimation Adventure

By Heather LeBlanc

October 30, 2008, was a special day for me. I was able to experience my very first star party at the Deep South Regional Star Gaze (DSRSG) in Norwood, Louisiana, and was amazed at the number of stars that I had never seen before in the light-polluted skies of St. Charles Parish where I grew up, not far from New Orleans.

While there I was blessed to make the acquaintance of several seasoned amateur astronomers who were more than willing to share their wealth of knowledge with me. I have heard the expression “you don’t even know what you don’t know” many times, but not until this beautiful cold evening did I fully grasp the concept. I have enjoyed learning about the stars and planets since I was a young child, but only the

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Image 1

previous year did I receive my first “real” telescope.

For my birthday in April of 2007, my husband surprised me by teaming up with the rest of my family to buy me a 5-inch Celestron Nexstar SLT. As I began to set up my equipment at the star party, I blushed at the smallness of it compared to the giant telescopes that surrounded mine, but when

I first opened its packaging it seemed so big!

I learned pretty quickly from my newfound friends at DSRSG that my telescope optics were better than expected from an “entry level” scope, but its mirrors needed an adjustment to improve the clarity of my views. Up until the star party I had never collimated its two mirrors and, at the risk of sounding like a total newbie, I had no idea

HOTECH SCA LASER COLLIMATOR that I needed to collimate them, much less how to go about doing it.

A gentleman stepped in and amazed me at the simplicity of the process using his laser collimator. Once this simple procedure was finished, each star looked like a tiny pinpoint of light. Suddenly I was seeing definition in the Andromeda Galaxy, resolving the stars of M13, and seeing other deep sky objects in a new light. I quickly coveted the cool device that made these amazing views possible.

I love astronomy because of the beauty I see through the eyepiece; I know very little about the technical side of the hobby. I seek out ways to get the most out of my telescope without a high degree of complexity.

Don’t get me wrong. I am learning more and more every day, and I have even gotten to the point where I love solving numerous mathematical formulas to figure out the magnification and field of view of my eyepieces. But I still have a long way to go. Any tool that I use is going to need to be easy to use, and the HoTech SCA Laser Collimator

GRS Jupiter Series 40-inch Dob

I acquired at DSRSG is just that.

One thing that concerned me about my new collimator is that I would not be able to remember how to work it once I got home. Under the supervision of the knowledgeable elders at the star party I was fine, but how would I fare when I was back home alone in my back yard? Would I be capable of adjusting the telescope’s mirrors on my own? I decided to try it out a week after the DSRSG. I set up my telescope in the back yard to take a look at the first quarter moon and pulled out the box for the collimator (Image 1).

First, I had to insert Image 2

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HOTECH SCA LASER COLLIMATOR

Image 3

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

the instrument in the eyepiece holder and twist a compression ring to secure it in place. This was a little challenging my first time, but I eventually got it good and tight once I understood how to properly use its unique Self-Centering Adapter. I now understand how important it is that a laser collimator remain precisely square to the focuser throughout the collimation process.

Otherwise, the telescope optics will be adjusted to compensate for misalignment of the collimation tool itself â&#x20AC;&#x201C; misalignment that may not be repeated by the eyepieces or cameras that are subsequently used.

Once I turned it on, a precise red laser beam was emitted that traveled down the focusing tube, bounced off of the secondary mirror, and produced a tight, round dot on the primary mirror. To align it properly, I adjusted the secondary mirror to center the laser spot in the open circle target in the center of the primary mirror. I stood in front of the tube and looked down at the open circle of the primary mirror and, using the included tool, adjusted the screws of the

HOTECH SCA LASER COLLIMATOR CROSS-HAIR VERSION

Since its introduction of the original SCA Laser Collimator, HoTech has added the option of a laser cross-hair version that is designed to make achieving precision collimation even easier. The cross-hair model still produces a precise laser spot, but adds four laser lines that extend from the central spot that are designed to make mirror adjustment even more intuitive. Simply put, these cross hairs make it easier to tell whether the central spot is indeed centered in the primary target.

With HoTechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standard SCA Laser Collimator, the spot produced by the laser eventually disappears into the central hole of the devices' built-in 45-degree return laser target. The cross hairs permit the user to further tune alignment, even when the central spot is obscured by the center port of the target. Plus, because the laser cross hairs can be adjusted to align to the references precision engraved onto the face of the return target, visual confirmation of accurate alignment is further enhanced. secondary mirror until the laser spot was in the center of the circle. Next, I twisted the adjustment screws for the primary mirror until the laser bounced back onto the secondary and hit the bull's eye on the collimatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very-handy built-in target (Image 2). What was the result of my labor? Crisp views through the scope and some great afocal shots of the moon (Image 3).

Each time I turn on the collimator I

am amazed at how misaligned the optics of my telescope have gotten since the last time it was used. How did I ever see anything B.C. (before collimation)? Because I have gotten very quick at the procedure using the SCA laser collimator, I can even collimate in the dark right before a viewing session to ensure my night is a success. HoTech has done a great job of producing a precision product that simplifies the collimation

process for success when used by the greenest astro-newbie and that still delivers outstanding, repeatable results due the precision and robustness of its construction and its clever Self-Centering Adapter.

So here I am well after my first star party. Am I still a newbie? You bet I am. But I am equipped with new knowledge and a great tool to make viewing the sky even more enjoyable.

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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SkyFi Wireless Telescope Controller Carina Software Mobile

By Dave Snay

You may already know Carina Software for their planetarium and computer control software. The Voyager program is their flagship product and is a powerful tool for exploring the universe. It has been very well designed and implemented, which is reflected in the easy user interface. Voyager is capable of serving as an education tool, observation planner, and telescope control source, all at the same time.

They are now marketing their mobile products under a new brand, Carina Mobile. They have recently released a hardware unit that allows you to control your telescope wirelessly. The concept is relatively straight-forward: create a network that supports both wired and wireless connections. You need one wire to connect the box to the

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

telescope hand box or mount. The folks at Carina Software have chosen to use an Ad-hoc (computer-tocomputer) network approach utilizing standard TCP-IP network protocol, ensuring a worry free setup. This type of network allows you to control your telescope without any wires between your computer and the mount.

Installation and configuration couldn’t be simpler. You supply power to the unit via batteries or DC power, connect it to your mount via the appropriate wire (the only communication wire required) and let it go. Once the unit has initialized, you will see a new computer-to-computer network in your list of viewable networks, as shown in Image 1. Mine happens to still have the

default network name of SkyFi. You can change this as well as enable encryption.

Once the network shows up in your system, connect your computer to the new wireless network and you are ready to go. Start Carina’s Voyager software on your computer and configure the Telescope Control Setup as described in the instructions – it’s just two settings in one window. Then you’re ready to connect to the telescope and start your session. The instructions provided with the SkyFi unit explain network configuration and telescope connection/control in more detail, including how to change

SKYFI WIRELESS TELESCOPE CONTROLLER

Image 1

the network name and enable encryption. Once you’ve done this, your telescope is under complete control of the Voyager software. All the control settings are saved, so you only need to configure everything once. After that the only thing you have to do is power everything up and connect to the network and then the telescope.

Now if you’re in an observatory, eliminating one communication wire might not seem that impressive.

However, if you’re using the same computer for multiple locations (who

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isn’t?) it reduces the amount of connections required as well as providing one less cable for you to get tangled. For me, both of those ideas make sense.

Perhaps the most productive use of this device is for DSLR imaging. If you have Carina’s SkyVoyager installed on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, you can control your telescope remotely and then let the camera store your images on internal memory cards. Think about that. You can have powerful telescope control and perform astro-photography with only one wire – the one between

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SKYFI WIRELESS TELESCOPE CONTROLLER

Image 2

the SkyFi and your mount – and the SkyFi is attached to the mount so there are no wires to trip on anywhere! If your DSLR supports wireless control, you’ve really got a wire free setup.

The SkyFi device is also very helpful for visual observation, perhaps more so. The number of objects available in the Carina database is far more massive and diverse than any hand box I’ve used. You have the ability to view object catalogs that simply are not included in the databases provided by many telescope vendors. Also, the Carina database is always expanding, so as we gain more knowledge of the heavens you can include that in your list of

potential objects.

Take this with you to a star party and control your telescope with an iPhone and you will generate conversation across the entire event. If you happen to have an iPad you’ll be the coolest astronomer at the event!

SkyFi is not limited to control via Voyager and SkyVoyager. The Carina Mobile web site includes links to tools and instruction to enable ASCOMcompliant planetarium software to connect to the telescope through the wireless network. It takes only a little effort to get it working, but if you’ve got a favorite planetarium package and would like to use it wirelessly

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you can make that work for you as well.

I chose to take their recommendation and experiment with COM2TCP, which you can find at www.astrogeeks.com (my kind of guys!).

Configuration is pretty easy. After you’ve installed the software you just start up the COM2TCP component, right click on the graphic and select the Settings function as shown in Image 2.

Set the Remote IP and TCP Port values to match the values specified in the SkyFi documentation – mine were 10.0.0.1 and 4030 – then choose an active COM Port from the pull down list. Hit the Connect key and you should see a little green light in the upper right corner of the graphic light up.

Fire up your favorite planetarium software, match the COM Port value in your planetarium software to the one you set in the COM2TCP software and you are good to go. I chose my old reliable RTGUI program (someday I’ll have to write about that one for you.) and it connected to and controlled my telescope with no problem at all.

I believe all SkyFi’s ship with the values I used, so you can see why changing your network name and enabling encryption might be a good idea in a field of astronomers. Can you imagine the confusion if 5 or 6 different astronomers had the exact same settings? Granted, it would be fun to watch them try to figure out why mount A moves with astronomer B’s Voyager and vice versa.

Carina Mobile is currently selling these for $149.95 USD. They include a serial adapter cable to allow you to use the serial cable that came with your telescope, a Velcro strip that you can use to attach the unit to you tripod/mount/pier and complete instructions. You can find more on their web site: http://www.carinamobile.com.

Dark Skies Apparel Hooded Observers Vest It Looks Good and Serves the Purpose!

By Erik Wilcox

One of the most frustrating things about observing with a large Dobsonian is constantly climbing up and down the ladder to change eyepieces. Not only is it a hassle, it can also be dangerous, especially after observing for several hours when the legs get tired. While I’ve never fallen off of a ladder or stepstool in the middle of the night, I’ve come close a few times. As a makeshift solution, some

observers wear an oversized jacket and keep a couple of capped eyepieces in the pockets. The problem with that is jacket pockets are large and it’s often difficult to find the eyepiece you’re searching for while precariously standing on a 6-foot ladder in the dark. That’s where the Dark Skies Apparel Hooded Observers Vest comes in.

Unlike the eyepiece “fanny packs”

on the market which go around the waist and resemble something that might have been worn by third-rate actors in a 1970’s Venice Beach roller skating movie, the Dark Skies Apparel Hooded Observers Vest looks good and serves the purpose. It’s lightweight, which is very important when it comes to hardcore observing and preventing fatigue over several hours.

It’s also versatile; the brushed denim

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DARK SKIES APPAREL HOODED OBSERVERS VEST vest is sleeveless and fits loosely so a jacket can be worn under it, over it, or it can be worn by itself. This was important to me because I most often wear just a t-shirt when observing and don’t like to be weighed down with a heavy jacket. The vest snaps together securely with a heavy-duty plastic snap buckle like those used on life vests.

The buckle is easy to remove or snap together, even with gloves on.

Although the vest is lightweight, the denim is thick and sturdy, yet soft to the touch. The lower left corner of the vest has a nicely stitched Dark Skies Apparel logo.

One of my favorite features of the Dark Skies Apparel Hooded Observers Vest is the oversized “monk” hood. I’m currently lucky enough to observe in dark skies here in Hawaii, but I used to most often observe in bright magnitude-4 skies when I lived in California.

I’ve tried the “observing hoods,”,which are basically just a piece of black cloth that flops over the head and the telescope like a small blanket. The hood on the Dark Skies Apparel Hooded Observers Vest is different in that it fits around your head so it’s easy to look through the eyepiece. It can also be pulled back when not needed, and it’s long enough to block out most stray and ambient light. Additionally, Dark Skies Apparel offers the observers vest without a hood. However, even under dark skies, I’ve found the hood to be

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useful. For example, I can often see the glow of our living room light through the blinds when I’m observing and my wife is inside the house. Rather than asking my spouse to sit in complete darkness so my eyes can stay fully night-adapted, I simply flip the hood on. I also don’t have to look like a pirate (arrr!) by wearing an eye patch; the hood allows me to observe with both eyes open even when the lights are on inside the house. I also occasionally observe at the Visitor Center on Mauna Kea, which often has cars driving up with their headlights on.

The hood will absolutely help in cases like this where I otherwise must try and turn my head or look down and close my eyes as tightly as I can.

On Dark Skies Apparel’s website (www.darkskiesapparel.com), it says that the Hooded Observers Vest is made (in the USA!) for astronomers by astronomers. I’d most certainly have to agree with that statement. The pockets are all in the correct place. They’re easily accessible and sized perfectly. I found that the lower pockets were perfect for oversized widefield eyepieces like the 28-mm UWAN, 31-mm Nagler, a 2-inch barlow, etc. Likewise, I found the middle pockets to be perfect for just about any 1.25-inch eyepiece and many 2-inch eyepieces as well. The lower pockets measure nearly 8-inches deep and the middle pockets each measure just over 5-inches

DARK SKIES APPAREL HOODED OBSERVERS VEST deep. This means that you don’t have to worry about your eyepieces falling out of the pockets.

As a very forgetful person (especially at 4am), I’m always losing my red flashlight. There’s nothing more frustrating than setting the flashlight down someplace and then trying to find it in complete darkness.

Misplacing the red flashlight has become such a common problem for me that I actually bought a spare (which I’ve also managed to misplace a couple of times). With the Dark Skies Apparel Hooded Observers Vest, this is no longer an issue. The top right pocket is the perfect size for most red flashlights and now it’s always right at my fingertips when I need it! The two top left pockets are the perfect size for a laser pointer, a red penlight, a pen or pencil, or a “pen-type” lens brush.

One of the things mentioned on Dark Skies Apparel’s website that I hadn’t thought of is the fact that keep-

ing your eyepieces warm next to your body in a vest helps with dew. Dew isn’t much of a problem on the dry side of the Big Island where I live, but I’ve dealt with it in the past and have had dew cut many an observing session short. So this is just another bonus of using the Dark Skies Apparel Hooded Observers Vest. In browsing the website, I also noticed some other interesting products, like the “Photo Plate” cotton t-shirts (I immediately pictured it as something Edwin Hubble might have worn as he peered over his photographic plates so many years ago). It’s nice to see a company with both innovative and great-looking products.

Dark Skies Apparel offers two sizes of the vest. One is a sort of “One Size Fits All” (Regular), as well an XL size.

I’m 6-feet tall and weigh 180 lbs. and though the vest is loose on me, it fits fine that way. The denim isn’t “stretchy” or form-fitting so I’d say that this vest would probably fit most

adult observers just fine. Dark Skies Apparel also offers a 14-day moneyback guarantee, so in the off-chance it doesn’t fit as well as one might like, it could be returned or exchanged for the XL version.

Overall, there isn’t much not to like about the Dark Skies Apparel Hooded Observers Vest. At just $75, it’s cheaper than most eyepieces and will get constant use. In addition to Dob owners, we understand that the vest is very popular with refractor/seated observers as well. And Dark Skies Apparel, as Corporate Partners with the International Dark Sky Association, donates 2.5% of every sale directly to the IDA. So, not only do they make a great product; we can also be proud of what they stand for.

The Dark Skies Apparel Hooded Observers Vest is a product I’d recommend to any astronomer who might enjoy having all their gear right at their fingertips.

Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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Optical Supports “Traditional Mirror Cells” A Classic Design, Revised

By Doug Reilly

A hole in the ATM market has been filled at last! That’s what I thought when I first visited the web page of Curt Walker’s Optical Supports. Finally, I mused, someone has realized the need for premium-quality mirror cells for the diminutive apertures.

I suppose most ATMers make larger telescopes these days, as strip mall lights slowly force us to get bigger light buckets, but at the time I visited Optical Support’s web page, I had not one but two small reflector projects on the work bench in my basement “man space,” as we call it around here.

I started in this hobby about a decade ago with a Meade Model 628 reflector, built in the early 1980s. It was a great telescope, a lightweight tube made of “Fiberlite,” (essentially Sonotube with a fiberglass coating), one of those great allmetal Japanese-produced rack-andpinion focusers, and an excellent primary mirror. Along the way, someone had upgraded the secondary spider to a Novak.

The mirror cell was the old stalwart design, two cast/machined metal rings with three collimation thumbscrews, and mirror clips to hold the primary down.

I put a lot of light years on that

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scope. 6-inch is a great aperture. I used to set up next to my friend Peter at star parties like Black Forest in Pennsylvania.

Peter would find faint fuzzies in his great 17-inch Discovery Truss, and I’d try to find the same in little 628. Under a dark sky, the 6-inch did really well, and we were always surprised what it could see compared to the big light bucket. And along the way, I guess I became a little obsessed with squeezing every bit of performance I could from that tiny aperture. It’s still a challenge I’m working on.

I changed to a three-vane Protostar

spider and higher-quality secondary. I added a 2-inch Crawmach Crayford focuser and flocked the tube. And then I got to thinking about things like secondary size. The Fiberlite tube is narrow by modern standards, just over 7-inches wide. With the low-profile focuser and the short distance between the secondary and focal plane, could I drop the secondary size and thus increase contrast.

And then I saw an ad online for a 6inch f/5 mirror ground by Mark Harry with some impressive test results, and my mischievous mind started thinking: Could I preserve the high-contrast per-

OPTICAL SUPPORTS “TRADITIONAL MIRROR CELLS” formance of the f/8 scope but gain the rich field of the f/4.7, and essentially use the same 1.3-inch diagonal, representing a pretty low 21% obstruction?

I sold that honey of an f/8 and bought the Mark Harry mirror, and then chopped off a portion of the tube. The secondary and focuser would stay. I started contemplating the mirror cell.

Should I just reuse that old Meade cell?

Collimation was a primary concern (no pun intended); with a short focal length of f/4.7, collimation would need to be spot on to get the maximum performance out of this scope on planets.

It was about this time that Optical Supports announced their “traditional mirror cells.” There isn’t much to choose from in this sector of the market; if you need a sub-10-inch mirror cell you have the choice of University Optics cell, a stalwart and functional design that’s been around forever, buying a cell on the used market, or constructing your own.

Optical Supports’ TMC line represents the highest end of the off-the-shelf small cell market. I liked the build, which matched my other machined components, and I liked the thought put into the design, like stalks holding the mirror instead of clips which, aptly-named, clip off a bit of the light-gathering capacity of the mirror. Most importantly, I liked the precise and lockable collimation the cell promised. I contacted Curt Walker and reserved one of the first of his production

Image 1

run. Since my scope is stored in an unheated garage, I did not get the cooling fan option.

Looking at the 6TMC out of the well-packaged box (Image 1), the lineage back to the Meade, Cave, and Optical Craftsman cells of the past is evident – at least, the basic form is there. But the traditional cell form has been given the fully modern, machined makeover. The superfluous rings have been shed, and the supporting interior triangles have been carved out and made more beefy. The three spring-loaded collimation bolts have been joined by three locking bolts to help preserve collimation between view-

ing sessions. Instead of mirror clips that block a tiny portion of the primary mirror’s surface, Curt has designed vertical stalks that would grip the mirror on the sides. Curt even designed in a way to neatly-attach a mirror-cooling fan to help bring the mirror to ambient temperature before an observing session. I decided to uninstall the fan (since I have one attached to my rear telescope tube cap) and can only comment that the fan is neatly integrated into the cell structure, as you can see in Image 2.

The mirror cell is extremely well machined and appointed. Everything is top quality, down to the stainless steel hard-

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OPTICAL SUPPORTS “TRADITIONAL MIRROR CELLS”

Image 2

ware. Curt designed each cell to fit as many different tube diameters as possible, which includes the most popular offthe-shelf ATM tubes, including Protostar’s blacklite tube, the aluminum

irrigation tubes sold by Hastings, and even the ultra-high-end carbon-fiber tubes. And, although it’s not listed on the website, the 6TMC would fit perfectly the old fiberlite Meade tube.

The 6TMC came with a very thorough and nicely laid out manual, including more information than you ever want for what is essentially a very simple device deserves. But it’s very helpful. The mirror floats on several felt pads, their position maximized according to the new mirror-support paradigms. It’s held in place by the afore-mentioned three stalks.

Installing the mirror was a little trickier than I first thought. The directions were not entirely clear on this point (Curt is clarifying this for future manuals).

First, you separate both mirror cell plates.

Once the mirror is sitting on the felt pads, I marked the mirror’s side with a pencil where the mirror stalks will attach.

Then, I loosened the stalks and pulled them out as far as they could go. This gave me the room to place three dabs of silicone glue on the pencil marks. Then, I slid the stalks back in until they were 1/8 of inch or so from the mirror edge and the glue was a nice flat patty shape.

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OPTICAL SUPPORTS “TRADITIONAL MIRROR CELLS” Then, I let it dry. I was a bit concerned that the mirror might shift around on the felt pads, but once it was dry, I lifted the mirror and cell and shifted it around. The mirror stayed put.

Installing the reassembled cell into the tube was a more simple process; I just drilled three holes into the tube at 120degree increments. The supports that connect the tube to the cell also slide in and out—that’s what gives the cell their flexibility as regards to tube diameters, and they also shift slightly side to side in case your holes are not perfectly drilled.

As Curt describes on the Optical Supports website, the 6TMC self-centered itself in the tube as I tightened everything down. (Image 3) So, how does it work? First light of the scope was pure joy. I collimated the scope first with a laser, then with a Catseye Cheshire, then with an autocollimator. The collimation bolts are quite precise. Based on several observing sessions, the locking bolts and general precision put into the mount’s machining does contribute to consistent collimation.

My only caveat is that the locking bolts do effect collimation slightly, enough that for me it became a kind of give and take between the collimation bolts and the locks, until it was both zeroed in and locked down. There’s a learning curve, but I appreciate the precision. I still check the collimation each time I go out, but I find that most of the time I don’t have to tweak the scope at all.

I don’t have any evidence of pinched optics or introduced aberrations by the cell’s support structure. The views provided by the finished scope (Image 4) – both planetary and deep sky – are exemplary. In fact, they far exceeded the original Meade 628 and the scope gave me the second-best planetary views I’ve ever seen in a 6-inch scope. (The best come from the other 6-inch scope project on my workbench, an off-axis reflector that’s a subject for another review.)

The bottom line: Curt Walker’s Op-

Image 3

Image 4

tical Supports Traditional Mirror Cells do everything their forebears do, but with precision machining and enhanced functionality that demanding modern ATMers are looking for as they put together

optical systems designed to push the envelope of performance per inch of glass.

If you are interested in the Optical Supports mirror cells visit www.opticalsupports.com.

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67

HUBBLE ARTIFICIAL STAR(S)

HUBBLE ARTIFICIAL STAR(S) Collimate Without Losing Dark Sky Time

By David Snay

You can do it during the day. You can’t do it at high noon, but early morning and twilight hours are fine, twilight is best. You don’t have to worry about keeping a moving star in the field of view. I know, I know. It’s not the star that’s moving, but you know what I mean. Perhaps best of all, the artificial star(s) and your telescope only need to be approximately 20 feet apart, maybe 30 if you are operating at very long focal lengths.

We all know that proper collimation can make the difference between pretty

good and stunning views at the eyepiece of any telescope. This is even more important when you’re imaging the heavens. Like most astronomers, I hate to use valuable clear sky time on anything but viewing and/or imaging. Every now and then I give it go, and usually end up stopping when I get a reasonably good set of diffraction rings. I know it could be better and that I really should take the time to get it “right,” but I run out patience and deem the image quality good enough.

Not only do I not want to spend

night time collimating, but when I’m trying to be steady enough to do a good job of collimation it seems like I have a “Fresh Meat” sign plastered to my back to attract all the mosquitoes, gnats and other flying and biting insects in a 10 mile radius. I also feel like I spend as much time re-centering the target star as I do adjusting the alignment of the optics.

All Stars Lit One Star Lit To solve these problems, I picked up a Hubble Artificial Star(s) device to use Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

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HUBBLE ARTIFICIAL STAR(S)

Image 1 - All Stars Lit

for collimating my telescopes. This little device is pretty slick. At first glance it looks like nothing more than a little flash light. However, when you look a little closer you realize that it’s got 5 really bright LEDs and 5 pinholes of varying sizes, as shown in the “All Stars Lit,” (Image 1). You only need to use one of the stars at a time. You choose which opening to use based on the size and focal length of your telescope. The device comes with a small magnetic mask that you place on the front to block all but the one “star” you are using at the moment. You can see the mask in the “One Star Lit,” (Image 2).

70 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

Image 2 - One Star Lit

But Does it Really Work?

Okay, enough about the concept.

Does this thing really simplify collimating a telescope? The short answer is absolutely yes! Not only does it work, it’s quite simple to use. I attached my telescope to a heavy duty camera tripod for simplicity.

Then I just placed the Hubble Artificial Star(s) on the stone wall (resting on a towel) that separates my yard from the local golf course. I’ve suspected that my scope was out of collimation but I hadn’t realized how far off it was. When I aimed this little gem at the optics and defocused the light, it was immediately clear that I had work to do. I’ve never collimated a re-

fractor before, but I have collimated my SCT and quite a few reflectors so I understand the objective pretty well. In fact, I can collimate my SCT in under 5 minutes after hauling it across Massachusetts for the Summer Star Party hosted by the Rockland Astronomy Club every year.

But a refractor doesn’t have any mirrors.

So how do I adjust the lenses? I had previously done some online research (I love the net!) and found some information on where to find the collimation screws for my telescope. I even tried to collimate using a real star, with no success.

The movement of the star and the small set of rings frustrated me before I was able

HUBBLE ARTIFICIAL STAR(S) to get the thing well collimated. I’m not very patient sometimes and trying to figure out how to do this on a small refractor that should have been perfect on delivery wasn’t a recipe for success. Besides, I have other telescopes that are ready to go and the clear skies have been very infrequent this year.

Enter the Hubble Artificial Star(s) and I can now do this while it’s still too light to see or image anything non-terrestrial. I quickly realized why collimating a short focal length refractor is harder than my 8-inch SCT. The diffraction rings are much smaller and harder to discern in the view presented by the refractor. But eventually (I’m a little slow sometimes) I managed to interpret the rings and the effect of each of the adjustment screws. From there it was a matter of tweaking the adjustments until I was satisfied that the diffraction rings were even and consistent on both sides of focus. When I was done, I could see the smallest details on the towel holding the artificial star. I could also see ants crawling around on the wall and the towel. At first I thought it was on the telescope objective, but then I remembered I can’t focus close. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear they were taunting me.

Because I’d never successfully collimated a refractor (or a short focal length telescope) before, it took me over an hour to get this done. I would never have had the patience for this if I had to use a real star and account for its relative motion.

But the Hubble Artificial Star(s) really

made life easier for me. Next time, if there is one, I’m sure it will go much quicker. As I was finishing up, my neighbor was just cranking up an impromptu party with friends and family, including young children. I moved the telescope to a small equatorial mount, pointed it at the moon and invited them all over for a view.

At the risk of sounding my own horn, I was a hero! The kids loved it, as expected.

My past experiences with star parties prepared me for the reactions of the adults.

As usual, they spent more time at the eyepiece than did the youngsters.

My own view through the telescope confirmed that I had everything properly aligned. The image was clear, crisp and free of false color. I didn’t take the time to switch from a tired old plossl (which is what I always use when sharing with strangers) to one of my high end eye pieces because the mosquitoes had found me and I needed to take cover. I’d been working outdoors all day and the combination of heat and hard labor made me particularly attractive the little pests.

In my opinion, this is probably the best $20 (the introductory price) astronomical investment I have ever made. If your telescope can be collimated, you owe it to yourself to get a Hubble Artificial Star(s) and save every minute of dark sky time for your visual and/or imaging enjoyment. You can find them at: http://www.hubble-optics.com/artificialstars.html and many other astronomy equipment retailers.

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71

ASTRO TIPS tips, tricks and novel solutions

Easy 16" Lightbridge Dob Base Rebuild Project

By Robert Stemlock After retirement I’ve had much more time to tinker around and, like many others, I have a corral of scopes at home, including a 10-inch Meade LX200, a William Optics ZenithStar 110 and 66, Astro-Tech AT8RC, and a new Celestron C6. For my aperture fever I purchased a 16-inch Meade Lightbridge. Hey, I had a 12-inch Lightbridge for about 8 months but then the 16-inch went on sale and is now my big scope!

I like the 16-inch very much: nice optics and a good price but I decided that I wanted a sturdier base. Now mind you that the stock base works very well, its smooth and very functional, but I wanted a more sturdy material and a size that works better for my uses. So a rebuild project was in order.

I’ve wanted to do this project for some time, but just didn’t know how to go about it. I’m no wood worker, but I finally figured out that with just a jigsaw and drill it can be done!

Submit Your Astro Tip! Astronomy Technology Today regularly features tips, tricks, and other novel solutions. To submit your tip, trick, or novel solution, email the following information: • A Microsoft Word document detailing your tip, trick or novel solution.

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Please send your information to tips@astronomytechnologytoday.com

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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

The main enhancement I wanted to make was to improve the portability of the scope, specifically to make the base lighter, as well as smaller to fit through doors. I like the smoothness and the functionality of the original base and wanted to emulate that in the new base.

So to begin I went to Home Depot and bought a 4'x8' piece of 3/4-inch birch plywood for $39. I had them cut it for me to my specifications which saved me a lot of work. I ended up with two 24"x24" pieces for the base ground board (23 7/8" cut), two 22"x22" for the sides and one 12"x20 1/ 4" piece for the back. Left over was a 30"x48" for another project. Anther bonus of having the pieces cut for me is that it made it easier to get the wood home.

Having the main pieces cut makes starting the rest of the project relatively simple. I used the hardware from the existing base to build the new base. I found the center of the base pieces and drilled a hole to fit the original hardware and then installed the round bearings, plates, the three Teflon pads and center-bolt hardware. I added three small casters to the bottom piece which makes rolling the base around easy.

I then put the new back and sides pieces together using four bolts and used six bolts to attach them to the base boards.

I used the original mount side pieces as a guide to trace out the form of the sides and used a saber saw to make the cuts. I added

hole cut outs to help transport the base. A little sanding and it was ready to stain and varnish. I did some customization adding holes in the sides and back of the mount, and attached an eye piece holder as well.

Well it works great, and is buttery smooth. I ended up with a much smaller mount and it is now about 20% lighter. A better quality of plywood would have been nice, but this one works well. Not bad for getting Home Depot to do most of the work, and a one-day project that should last a lifetime.

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