ASTRONOMY
TECHNOLOGY TODAY Your Complete Guide to Astronomical Equipment
THE HALF HITCH MOUNT • IOPTRON CUBE • CORONADO PST WORLD’S YOUNGEST SUPERNOVA HUNTER - CAROLINE MOORE OBSERVING THE NIGHT SKY WITH BINOCULARS • NORTH STAR ATM FIELD TRIPOD
William Optics FLT 98 and ZS 70ED Two of Their Newest Exotic Offerings Volume 3 • Issue 2 March/April 2009 $5.00 US
Contents Industry News
Cover Story -31 The cover image pictures William Optics’ new FLT 98 and ZenithStar 70ED Apo refractors mounted on WO’s capable Easy Touch Alt-Azimuth Mount and heavyduty surveyor-style tripod, all awaiting darkness for a night of viewing at one of Erik Wilcox’s observing sites on the Big Island of Hawaii. Erik reports enviably dark Magnitude-7 skies at his favorite viewing sites, including his backyard, with typical Unihedron Sky Quality Meter readings of 22. Most of Erik’s neighbors rely on solar power, so none waste electricity on porch lights. But all is not astro-perfect in the tropical paradise. Erik explains that the weather changes rapidly and that all too often, between the times he decides to set a scope up under clear skies and manages to actually get it out of the house, those amazingly dark skies have clouded over. Then, by the time he’s returned the scope to storage, it’s clear again. Fortunately, Erik enjoyed several nights of dark and clear skies while testing the William Optics refractors.
In This Issue 8
Editor’s Note A Glass Half… By Gary Parkerson
55 The “North Star” Field Tripod An ATM Solution to Stable Support of a Small GEM By Melvin E. Dawson
31 William Optics FLT 98 and ZS 70ED A Look at Two of the Newest Exotic Offerings from WO By Erik Wilcox
63 World’s Youngest Supernova Hunter - Caroline Moore A Lifetime Achievement at 14? By Dave Snay
37 The Half Hitch Mount Observing with a 5-Pound Jewel of a Mount By Barry Simon
66 Stephen O’Meara’s Observing the Night Sky with Binoculars An Enjoyable Read for Astronomers of All Skill Levels By Bill Pellerin
45 The iOptron CUBE, A Versatile Astrophotography Tool! An Aussie Keeps Astrophotography Simple Down Under By Jeanette Dunphy 51 Coronado PST Affordable H-Alpha Viewing By Don Schwab
68 Astro Tips, Tricks, & Novel Solutions A Spirited Solution to Leveling Mounts By Joe Campbell
11 ATT’S SDS Telescope Nets $6700 for Flanders Pavilion Fund
11 TETON TELESCOPE Now Distributing Berlebach Wood Tripods 12 EXPLORE SCIENTIFIC To Distribute Bresser Products in the Americas
14 RIGEL SYSTEMS To Offer SeleTEK Automatic Controller
15 QUANTUM SCIENTIFIC IMAGING To Unveil QSI 583 Cameras 15 OPTIC WAVE LABORATORIES Offers Semi-Enhanced Coatings to 20 Inches
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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Contributing Writers Joe Campbell works in the Information Technology field by day pushing bits and bytes around the world. However, on clear nights he can be found collecting photons from far off stars, while on cloudy ones he passes the time building things to do it better next time around.
Contents New Products 16 STELLARVUE TELESCOPES Unleashes the Carbon Fiber Raptor APO Triplet 17 VAN SLYKE INSTRUMENTS Another VSI Innovation: The Toadloader
Melvin E. Dawson is a senior analyst with an international hospitality corporation in Lakeland, Florida. Mel has maintained a keen interest in astronomy since age 12 and is a co-founder of the Vega Sky Center. He enjoys unique ATM projects and works to promote appreciation of astronomy and its instruments.
Jeanette Dunphy is a Customer Service Supervisor in Australia who cunningly uses her position to ferret out other Amateur Astronomers who live in her area. She is a mother of three boys and spends every clear night under the dark skies of her Kilcoy property in Queensland. Cloudy nights are spent on the IceInSpace forums (www.iceinspace.com.au) or reading Sci-Fi novels.
17 iOPTRON Unveils Limited Edition CubePro 19 STELLAR TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL Introduces New STI Autoguider Focuser
Bill Pellerin observes from his personal observatory 70 miles west of Houston, Texas. His primary interest is variable star photometry, but he also enjoys visual observing. He is the editor of the monthly Houston Astronomical Society GuideStar newsletter, available at www.astronomyhouston.org.
Don Schwab has been fascinated by the night sky all of his life and as he states, “Nothing sums up my feelings better than the words of the late Thomas M. Back ‘Don’t worry about what telescope you own, or its quality. Just get out under the night sky and enjoy God’s wondrous universe.’”
Barry Simon lives in New Orleans, LA, and is a longtime officer and active member of the Pontchartrain Astronomy Society and the founder of the Deep South Regional StarGaze, now in its 27th year. Special interests include binocular astronomy and refractor repair and refurbishment. He also serves as moderator of several on-line astronomy related discussion groups, including BinocularAstronomy and UnitronTelescopes. O-scale railroading is another strong interest.
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.
Erik Wilcox has been observing the sky for more than 20 years and recently started a new forum at www.starstuffforums.com. When he’s not viewing the sky, he sings and plays guitar in a rock band.
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
20 MEADE An All-New ETX, the LS 22 WOOD WONDERS New Smaller Version of Fieldcases 23 CELESTRON New CGE Pro Mount 24 ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS New Deluxe Off-Axis Guider and Precision Centering Adapter 24 AURORA ASTRO An Observing Lamp Designed by Observers 26 ASTROZAP Offers Light Shrouds for Popular Truss Dobs 27 ASTROZAP New Take On Bahtinov Focus Masks 28 ASTROSYSTEMS Offers 2-Inch Laser Collimator with Barlow Attachment
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.
Adirondack Astronomy www.astrovid.com page 27
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NEAF www.rocklandastronomy.com page 52
Scope Trader www.scopetrader.com page 19
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Explore Scientific www.explorescientific.com page 50
Obsession Telescopes www.obsessiontelescopes.com page 46
Shrouds By Heather www.teeterstelescopes.com/shrouds page 33
Astro Domes www.astrodomes.com page 40
Farpoint Astronomical Research www.farpointastro.com page 38
Oceanside Photo and Telescope www.optcorp.com page 32
Astro Hutech www.hutech.com page 13, 42
Foster Systems www.fostersystems.com page 20
Astro Physics www.astro-physics.com page 9, 56
Glatter Collimation www.collimator.com page 16
AstroSystems www.astrosystems.biz page 39
Great Red Spot Astronomy www.greatredspot.com page 34
Astrozap www.astrozap.com page 53
Green Bank Star Quest www.greenbankstarquest.org page 36
Bobs Knobs www.bobsknobs.com page 64
Half Hitch Telescope www.halfhitchtelescope.com page 58
Camera Concepts www.cameraconcepts.com page 26 Catseye Collimation www.catseyecollimation.com page 48 CCD-LABS www.ccd-labs.com page 47
Hands On Optics www.handsonoptics.com page 44 InnerPlanetary Products www.innerplanetaryproducts.com page 67 iOptron www.ioptron.com page 25
Celestron www.celestron.com page 30
Jack’s Astro Accessories www.waningmoonii.com page 22
Chronos www.chronosmount.com page 35
Optec www.optecinc.com page 19 Optical Mechanics www.opticalmechanics.com page 33 Orion Telescopes and Bionoculars www.oriontelescopes.com page 62, 72 Optic-Craft Machining www.opticcraft.com page 19 Optic Wave Laboratories www.opticwavelabss.com page 38 Ostahowski Optics www.ostahowskioptics.com page 64 PlaneWave Instruments www.planewaveinstruments.com page 54 ProtoStar www.fpi-protostar.com page 15 Quantum Scientific Imaging www.qsimaging.com page 29 Rigel Systems www.rigelsys.com page 24
Sirius Observatories www.siriusobservatories.com page 43 SkyShed Observatories www.skyshed.com page 65 Spike-A www.spike-a.com page 23 Starizona www.starizona.com page 3 Stark Labs www.stark-labs.com page 22 Stars So Bright www.stars-so-bright.com page 60 Stellar Technologies International www.stellar-international.com page 57 Tele Vue Optics www.televue.com page 70, 71 Unihedron www.unihedron.com page 41 Van Slyke Instruments www.observatory.org page 21 William Optics www.williamoptics.com page 2
Deep Sky Instruments www.deepskyinstruments.com page 40
JMI Telescopes www.jmitelescopes.com page 18
ScopeBuggy www.scopebuggy.com page 67
Deep Sky Printing www.deepskyprinting.com page 15
Lumicon www.lumicon.com page 14
ScopeGuard www.scopeguard.com page 53
Wood Wonders www.wood-wonders.com page 48
Denkmeier Optical www.deepskybinoviewer.com page 28
Meade Instruments www.meade.com page 4, 69
ScopeStuff www.scopestuff.com page 11
Woodland Hills Telescopes www.telescopes.net page 12
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ASTRONOMY
TECHNOLOGY TODAY
Volume 3 • Issue 2 March-April 2009 Publisher Stuart Parkerson
Managing Editor Gary Parkerson
Associate Editors Russ Besancon Karol Birchfield Jessica Parkerson
Art Director Lance Palmer
Staff Photographer Jim Osborne
Web Master Richard Harris
3825 Gilbert Drive Shreveport, Louisiana 71104
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info@astronomytechnologytoday.com www.astronomytechnologytoday.com Astronomy Technology Today is published monthly by Parkerson Publishing, LLC. Bulk rate postage paid at Dallas, Texas, and additional mailing offices. ©2008 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.
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
Editor’s
Note
Gary Parkerson, Managing Editor
A GLASS HALF… I was discussing some problem or another with a friend recently when she responded to my less than original concern with, “Is the glass half empty or half full?” – meaning “Check your perspective dummy! Have you considered the positive aspects?” I tried, but ended up distracted by that tired old philosophical idiom itself (fortunately my friend has patience for limited attention spans). There is something about it that’s always bothered me and on this occasion I finally realized it was the static nature of the scene it paints with which I was most uncomfortable. Static scenes don’t exist in my day-to-day reality, even when peering through a telescope. Plus, study of that half glass reminded me that Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle might have something to say about the potential futility of that exercise. If the more dynamic view I prefer showed that, yes, in that instant the liquid content of the glass equaled half of its capacity, but also revealed that in the next observable instant the level of that
content will have risen, we’d all be optimists (depending on the identity of the liquid!). Suppose the more dynamic scene showed the half glass of whatever poised below a beer tap with ripples on its liquid-to-air surface. Many of us would rejoice! Thus encouraged, I reconsidered several recurring concerns, including the perception voiced here on several occasions that we’re attracting too few kids to active involvement in astronomy. A more dynamic perspective would integrate Dave Snay’s report on the accomplishments of a then 14-year-old Caroline Moore in this issue of ATT. When Dave first told me last fall of Caroline’s feat, I didn’t immediately recall her as the young lady I’d met earlier at the Northeast Astro Imaging Conference. But once I identified that young lady as the energetic, enthusiastic volunteer who processed my press pass to the event and introduced me to its organizers, her unique accomplishment made perfect sense. I don’t recall another young lady
who’s made a more positive and lasting first impression. I’ve no doubt that Caroline’s well-published accomplishment will encourage many other youth to investigate astronomy. Bernard Heathcote is certainly a glasshalf-full gentleman. When Australia’s recent and devastating Victorian brushfires destroyed his home in early February, he wrote Sirius Observatories of Queensland Australia to report the good news – his Sirius Home Model Observatory (shown below) survived the catastrophe virtually unscathed. As to the observatory, Bernard reported, “While it was in the full path of the fire front, which destroyed the house, fences, pastures and other outbuildings, the only apparent effect on the observatory was that the outside plastic door handle was a bit melted!” As much as we hate that Bernard and so many others lost homes and far more to the fires, we admire his capacity to focus on the positive. Astronomers in other wildfire plagued areas, including the U.S. Southwest, may want to consider Bernard’s experience when selecting their next observatories. Finally, no discussion here of things half and favorable would be complete without noting the universally positive responses we received from subscribers and advertisers alike to the news that ATT was halving the publication frequency of this magazine. Frankly, I’m humbled, relieved, and far more appreciative than I can express. Thank you.
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1200GTO German Equatorial Mount
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Incredibly Rugged Incredibly Versatile Ultimate in Portability Operate with AC power or 12 volt battery Clutches and setting circles allow manual operation if power is not available Image past the meridian for a long series of exposures without stopping to flip sides Easy alignment for non-critical viewing Components are modular for ease of servicing The keypad is a handheld computer, an external computer not needed Free keypad firmware updates Remote control with personal computer, if desired
With the advent of the CCD camera, amateurs are exploring the skies to an ever increasing level of precision. This new level puts a higher demand on the precision of the equatorial mounting. Many of the finest imagers today have been using our GTO mounts as a solid platform for a wide variety of instruments. For moderately large instruments, the ultimate in capacity and portability is the 1200GTO.
www.astro-physics.com • 815-282-1513 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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INDUSTRYNEWS
ATT’S STELLAFANE DONATION SCOPE
TETON TELESCOPE
Nets $6700 for Flanders Pavilion Fund
Now Distributing Berlebach Wood Tripods
Rob Teeter’s (www.teeterstele-scopes.com) design and construction of what became known as the Stellafane Donation Scope (SDS) was chronicled in his series of four articles that concluded in the November 2008 issue of ATT. The project was intended from inception to produce a fullyauto-mated, comprehensively-equipped 12.5inch Dobsonian for donation to Stellafane to raise money for its Flanders Pavilion Fund. Teeter combined components of the highest quality to create a scope that any enthusiast would be proud to own. Each premium component was donated by the companies listed in the accompanying insert, and without their generous contributions of products and expertise, the project simply would not have been possible. The SDS, as delivered to its new owner, is a complete observing system that includes everything the owner will need, from go-to/tracking scope structure through binoviewer and dual eyepieces, to enjoy a lifetime of stunning views. The SDS was purchased at auction by a California enthusiast whose reaction to his new scope was: “What an incredibly beautiful telescope; the pictures don’t even begin to do it justice! The workmanship is extraordinary, and what a generous complement of accessories. Obviously, this is not only a fine tele-
scope, but a work of art as well! Thank you and everyone associated with this project for the opportunity to own such a wonderful telescope.” The sale netted Stellafane $6,700, a sum that makes a significant impact on its Flanders Pavilion Fund. The Flanders Pavilion was constructed to further Stellafane’s continuing outreach efforts and to enhance the experience of the thousands of telescope enthusiasts who make the annual pilgrimage to the Stellafane Convention. Along with this major infrastructure improvement, Stellafane acquired a debt and it was to assist in the retirement of that debt that the ATT’s SDS project was created. Stellafane is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization and welcomes your tax-exempt donation in any amount to the Flanders Pavilion Fund. For more information, please visit http://stellafane.org/help/pavilion.html. SDS PROJECT CONTRIBUTORS 20/20 Telescopes and Binoculars (www.2020telescopes.com) AstroSky Company (www.astrosky.homestead.com/Astrosky.html) Burgess Optical (www. burgessoptical.com) Catseye Collimation (www.catseyecollimation.com) Denkmeier Optical (www.deepskybinoviewer.com) JMI Telescopes (www.jimsmobile.com) Markless Astronomics (www.marklessastronomics.com) MoonLite Telescope Accessories (www.focuser.com) Ostahowski Optics (www.ostahowskioptics.com) ProtoStar (www.fjp-protostar.com) Rigel Systems (www.rigelsys.com) Shrouds by Heather (www.teeterstelescopes.com) StellarCAT (www.stellarcat.com) Stellarvue (www.stellarvue.com) Tele Vue (www.televue.com)
Berlebach Wood Tripods are world renowned among photography and astronomy enthusiasts alike and a close examination of any one of its remarkable products will quickly reveal why. These premium tripods are now available from Teton Telescope in configurations that are certain to accept most popular telescope mounts. The German manufacturer combines select, dried and aged (more than two years!) woods with precision milled metal accessories to create tripods that are as beautiful as they are functional. Most of its models are crafted from Ash, a wood that is known to have unique vibration damping characteristics and that is also durable and, when properly aged and finished, naturally resistant to the temperature and moisture extremes associated with astronomy. The wood tripod legs not only transmit less vibration than equivalent metal alternatives, but are also more resistant to transmission of static electricity and far less likely to cause frozen flesh in cold climates. To see the full line of Berlebach Wood Tripods for telescope mounts, please visit www.tetontelescope.com.
Telescope Accessories & Hardware FEATURING ITEMS FROM:
TeleGizmos Covers - Astrozap Dew Shields Dew-Not Dew Heaters - Peterson Engineering Antares - Telrad - Rigel Systems - Sky Spot Starbound Chairs - Smart Astronomy David Chandler - Lightwedge - Baader ScopeStuff Piggyback & Balance Kits Rings, Rails, Dovetails, Cables, ATM, Eyepieces, Filters, Diagonals, Adapters Green Lasers - And MUCH more!
www.scopestuff.com 512-259-9778
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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INDUSTRYNEWS
EXPLORE SCIENTIFIC To Distribute Bresser Products in the Americas
Huge Spring Housecleaning Sale! You’ve Got to Check This Out at www.telescopes.net! Too Many Deals to List Here!
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ST-2000XCM CCD Color Imaging Camera System
6mm Ethos Now In Stock!
8mm & 13mm Ethos Now In Stock!
17mm Ethos Now In Stock!
www.telescopes.net 12
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
Explore Scientific has announced that it has reached an agreement to become the exclusive distributor throughout the Americas of Bresser products. Based in Germany, Bresser is one of the world's largest designers and distributors of binoculars, spotting scopes, night vision, and other optical products, including the Bresser line of microscopes. Shown is the Bresser Special Astro 20x80 Binoculars with included tripod. Scott Roberts, President of Explore Scientific, said, “The Bresser distributorship is a very important milestone in our expansion of our optics and niche electronics for recreation and education. We are honored to be associated with the famous Bresser brand that has provided some of the finest products in our industry for over fifty years. Although we have just started business in 2008 with high-end telescopes, this agreement with Bresser immediately establishes Explore Scientific as a leading provider of binoculars, spotting scopes, microscopes, and other innovative products.” Helmut Ebbert, Managing Director of Bresser, said "We are all very pleased and proud about this step forward which is leading us to global distribution of the Bresser brand." For more information, visit www.explorescientific.com.
INDUSTRYNEWS
RIGEL SYSTEMS To Offer SeleTEK Automatic Controller Lunatico’s new SeleTEK Controller will soon be available from Rigel Systems. This new astronomical peripheral controller was specifically designed to offer a flexible and powerful system for control of several astronomical accessories at the same time. For example, the SeleTEK Controller can control two focus motors, two filter wheels, or one focus motor and one filter wheel, simultaneously. The unit includes output for two motors, several digital and analog inputs, and two temperature sensors (one internal sensor, included, and one optional external sensor). The controller provides a USB connection to the PC, so your PC needs to have a RS232 port. Two cables are supplied with the SeleTEK Controller: a USB 2.0 cable (PC to controller) and a power supply cable with auto-lighter plug for connection to a typical 12-volt DC power source.
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
The SeleTEK Controller is based on the powerful AT91SAM7X256 microcontroller and has 8 protected outputs capable of 1A currents, 4 analogical-digital optically isolated inputs, and an expansion connector (inside the controller), to facilitate adding new capacities in the future. Lunatico is already working on a small utility program to power a set of fans on and off for cooling of mirrors, depending on the difference in temperature readings of the sensors. Existing support software can be downloaded via the Internet or loaded from CDROM and installed effortlessly using the simple Seletek Install program. Technical specifications include Atmel AT91SAM7X256 CPU; 5 anological-digital inputs (1 for the temperature external sensor and 4 protected by optocouplers); 8 power digital outputs (up to 1A), 4 in each connector; 10 bit (0-1024) ADC; PC connection
through USB; overall size of 125 mm by 80 mm by 30 mm (including DB9 connectors); and an external power supply from 7- to 35volts DC (depending on motor used), typically 12-volt DC. Please watch www.rigelsys.com for availability and initial pricing of the SeleTEK Controller. Meanwhile, further details are available at tienda.lunatico.es.
INDUSTRYNEWS
QUANTUM SCIENTIFIC IMAGING To Unveil QSI 583 Cameras QSI’s 500 Series family of Scientific Digital Cameras will soon see the addition of a new 8.3 megapixel sibling, the QSI 583 with full-frame KAF-8300 sensor featuring micro-lens technology. As with other 500 Series cameras, the QSI 583 combines low noise, wide dynamic range performance with the critical features demanded by experienced astrophotographers. The 500 series set a new benchmark for compact design and power efficiency in a high-performance, full-featured scientific CCD camera and the new 583 builds on that tradition. Astrophotographers who have heretofore resorted to DSLRs for affordable full-frame sensors will be particularly interested in this remarkably cost-effective, premium performance option. The QSI 583 represents a huge step up from DSLRs in image quality. Its increased sensitivity and much lower noise allow the user to capture many more images in a given night of quality comparable to that
of DSLRs, or to capture images of much higher signal to noise ratio in the same amount of time. Because the optional internal color filter wheel is positioned so close to the focal plane, the QSI 583 can utilize standard 1.25-inch color filters, dramatically reducing the cost of the total imaging system. The camera is supported by industry leading image acquisition software and development tools which are available for creating custom Window and Linux imaging applications. The QSI 583wsg will be available with an Integrated Guider Port (IGP), allowing the user to guide using light from the main telescope while picking off the light from the guide star in front of the filters. The guide star signal is therefore not diminished by any low transmission or narrowband filter through which the 583’s sensor may be imaging. Specification and features include: fullframe 8.3 megapixel KAF-8300 sensor; 16bit output, USB 2.0; up to 45°C CCD cool-
ing; built-in mechanical shutter; available internal 5-position color filter wheel utilizing standard 1.25-inch color filters; available Integrated Guider Port (IGP); Maxim DL and CCDSoft drivers; Macintosh support using Nebulosity; ASCOM-compatible Windows API; Linux drivers and API. Introductory pricing for the new QSI583 starts at $3595 US and it is scheduled to ship this spring. A single-shot color version (QSI 583c) will also be available. For more information, please visit www.qsimaging.com.
OPTIC WAVE LABORATORIES Offers Semi-Enhanced Coatings to 20 Inches Optic Wave Laboratories now offers the services of its in-house coating facility to the public, providing standard protected aluminum (~89%) and semi-enhanced (~92%) coatings. Its automated deposition system will accommodate mirrors up to 20 inches in diameter and OWL will re-coat existing mir-
rors as well as coat new optics. OWL’s coating service includes free evaluation of the mirror surface figure using computerized test apparatus and a brief test report is returned with the newly coated mirror. Center spotting of the newly coated mirror is also available for a small fee. OWL’s
spotting triangle is designed to be compatible with most popular laser collimators and Cheshires. Prices for semi-enhanced coatings range from $70 US (6 inch) to $264 US (20 inch). For more information, please visit www.opticwavelabs.com.
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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NEWPRODUCTS
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STELLARVUE TELESCOPES Unleashes the Carbon Fiber Raptor APO Triplet
Print and Online Issues Now Available! ASTRONOMY
TECHNOLOGY TODAY
www.astronomytechnologytoday.com
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
Stellarvue’s new Raptor is a carbon fiber tube version of its finest 105-mm f/7 air-spaced apo triplet. The optic features Ohara FPL-53 glass and broadband full multi-coatings, and is designed to work as well for visual as for photographic use. All aluminum components are precision CNC machined for exact mechanical fit, including the six-screw push/pull flange that holds the triplet objective in perfect alignment. The Raptor features a retracting dew shield with aluminum lens cover and a 2-inch Feather Touch dual-speed focuser. It also includes Stellarvue’s heavy-duty R105 dual rings or its CNC machined clamshell. The carbon fiber tube and dew shield are lined with black velvet to tame internal reflections. All Stellarvue Raptors promise textbook star tests with zero false color and are individually assembled and personally star tested by Vic Maris. The scope is a true apochromatic triplet so it may be used to Dawes limit and above when the air is steady. Extremely high spherochromatic correction snaps into focus and cuts through the seeing revealing faint planetary details during those moments of steady air. This telescope provides a perfect star test free of false color. It works equally well for visual and astro-photographic use.
Specifications and features include: Zygo and star tested 105 mm f-7.0 apochromatic triplet objective using an Ohara FPL-53 center element; lightweight carbon fiber tube and dew shield which is velvet lined to eliminate reflections; objective lens assembly is mounted in a push pull cell for accurate alignment; it offers Aluminum CNC machined dual mounting rings with three 1/4-20 threaded holes top and bottom; mounts to various Vixen and Losmandy style plates; the OTA is 24" long with dewshield retracted and 27" long when extended and weighs 8.5 pounds with the rings weighing 11 1/2 ounces each; includes a 2" Starlight Instruments Feather Touch dual speed focuser with 2.5" travel and refractor brake to adjust tension, the focuser is permanently installed with three set screws; compression rings included on focuser and 1.25" adapter; includes a Stellarvue deluxe multi-reticle finder with clear window and deluxe switch. The C9 Heavy Duty Travel Case which holds the OTA, rings, finderscope, diagonal, eyepieces and other gear is available at half price when purchased with the telescope. Introductory pricing for the new Raptor Apo is $2,495 US. For more information, please visit www.stellarvue.com.
NEWPRODUCTS
VAN SLYKE INSTRUMENTS
iOPTRON
Another VSI Innovation: The Toadloader
Unveils Limited Edition CubePro
What’s a Toadloader? Glad you asked! It’s another new innovation from Van Slyke Instruments (VSI) that is destined to answer every version of: “I wish someone would make a focuser that…!” The Toadloader is available in 2-inch and 3-inch formats and is designed to be adaptable to any telescope, regardless of design or manufacturer. The Toadloader makes quite a first impression. Most obvious are the huge, dual 2.5-inch diameter custom machined “Gun Knobs” that incorporate lightweight polymer cores encased in thick aluminum shells. The knobs are easy to grip and rotate with minimal effort and resemble rotating “revolver” cylinders, thus the moniker. Also visually obvious are the 1-inch diameter ball bearings that insure rock-solid operation of the drawtube. The beefy 3/8-inch thickness of the 6061 T-6 aircraft-grade aluminum housing and drawtube contribute to the unusually substantial impression as well. A quick glimpse reveals that the Toadloader also incorporates VSI’s exclusive Zenith Lift System that balances focus control when the telescope is aimed at zenith. Two ZLS lift springs attach between the focuser housing and the drawtube on both sides of the focuser. Not as obvious on first inspection, but equally significant, are a number of unique features that include VSI’s exclusive Microdial (micrometer) ultra-fine focus mechanism. One full rotation of the Mircodial yields just 0.00375 inch of drawtube travel with incremental interpolation that is repeatable to an astounding 75/millionths of an inch – better than the step resolution of the finest autofocus stepper motors, including VSI’s! Of course, you can also avail yourself of temperature compensated autofocus for the best of both worlds – ultra-fine manual and autofocus capabilities. Conversion from one mode to the other is easy – the focus motor is disengaged with the turn of a single knob and the manual controls take over. The Toadloader drawtube features a hidden cavity for internal insertion of popular focal reducers and coma correctors. The result
iOptron Corporation, a division of Boston Applied Technologies, Inc., has announced the unveiling of the Limited Edition CubePro with hard case. The CubePro is a new alt-azimuth mount from iOptron that fuses the compactness and convenience of its SmartStar Series Cubes with the performance and look of the iOptron MiniTower. Now, for a limited time only, the new CubePro is available with a custom hardsided case, complete with padding and foam slots to secure all CubePro components during transport. The CubePro go-to alt-azimuth mount is an ideal portable mount for matching with any travel friendly optical tube assembly (OTA) such as 80-mm ED refractors or 100mm Maksutovs. It’s also the perfect platform for the increasingly popular solar-dedicated Ha scopes. The CubePro features iOptron’s SmartStar computerized control system with 130,000 objects and 8-line backlit LCD screen. An internal GPS, easy-alignment procedure, and accurate go-to and auto-tracking performance minimize the setup time. Also included is a stainless steel tripod with 1-inch diameter legs and metal platform and hinges for optimum stability. Assembly of the mount system takes less than 10 minutes and the standard Vixen style dovetail receiver is compatible with many different OTAs. The mount is also compatible with all ASCOM compliant planetarium programs, as well as many other popular programs including Sky X, Starry Night and Voyager. The CubePro Limited Edition is priced at $579 US. For more information visit www.iOptron.com.
is zero-profile installation of those critical accessories. The Toadloader couples directly to all VSI Zerotators, Sidewinders and Targentrons using the same flanged format, so port rings are fully interchangeable. You can stack components for any configuration you desire using coupling port rings that consume just 1/8 inch of profile. Adding a Zerotator (1-inch profile) provides zero-flexure, super-fluid, radial ball-bearing Z-axis rotation of the entire imaging train and VSI’s Altas Zerotator is guaranteed to handle any load you can throw at it. Another feature of the Toadloader that may not be readily apparent on first inspection is the use of dual pressure points on the massive Crayford drive shaft. These pressure points are supported by two pure virgin Teflon pads and permit significant force to be applied without warpage of the drive shaft. The design essentially doubles the pressure applied to the drive shaft and, in effect, doubles the holding power. By applying equal pressure along a full inch of the drive shaft as well as the entire full inch of the drawtube’s precision machined flat, the design provides a more positive rack-andpinion-like movement while halving the tactile sensitivity required to move the focusing tube. Plus, every Toadloader features VSI’s QuadLock system for rock-solid coupling of any accessory that uses a standard 2-inch barrel nose via four tightening screws. There are too many additional features to report in this limited space. For more information on the new VSI Toadloaders, visit www.observatory.org/scfmacro.htm.
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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NEWPRODUCTS
STELLAR TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL Introduces New STI Autoguider Focuser Stellar Technologies International (STI) is an industry leader in providing quick and easy solutions to one of the most vexing challenges that facing astrophotographers – achieving critical
focus at the digital sensor or film plane. Indeed, its Stiletto focuser has earned a reputation among astrophotographers as being among the fastest, easiest, and most precise ways to achieve focus with CCD cameras and DSLRs alike. With its introduction of the new STI Autoguider Focuser, the same level of focus accuracy can now be achieved with popular guide cameras, including the SBIG ST-4, STV, Meade 201XT, LPI and DSI-C, Starlight Xpress, and Orion StarShoot cameras. While parfocal eyepieces have been used to approximate proper focus, users have continued to bemoan both the difficulty and cost of those systems. The STI Autoguider Focusers, on the other hand, will put your autoguider in
perfect focus in seconds. They function in the same manner as STI’s regular Series IV focusers – all models employ high-resolution, 180-line/inch Ronchi gratings. Simply insert the STI Autoguider Focuser into your guidescope and focus until the image is free of dark bars. Then remove the Autoguider Focuser and insert the autoguider in its place. That’s it! No calibration is necessary and the design eliminates any chance of eye error – proper backfocus of the autoguider is achieved regardless of poor eyesight (great for a certain editor of an astronomy magazine!). The new STI Autoguider Focuser is priced at $99 US. For more information, please visit online at www.stellarinternational.com.
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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NEWPRODUCTS
MEADE An All-New ETX, the LS Meade’s all new ETX-LS promises to take telescope, mount and imager automation and integration to a truly new level. This scope has generated considerable buzz in recent months. Ads describe the ETX-LS as “Bring the fun back to astronomy” and we’re certainly having plenty of fun just studying photos of the new observing, imaging, and multi-media platform. Its specifications would seem fairly straightforward if not for the fact that they describe a single, integrated system rather than a collection of accessories amassed by the user from numerous sources. The foundation of the optical system is a 6-inch version of Meade’s superb Advanced Coma-Free (ACF) design – aperture plenty for a lifetime of pleasing views of the moon, planets, and most highlight deepspace objects, while small enough to remain an easily transported system. A CCD camera is integrated into the optical system for capturing high-resolution images to a Micro-SD card for viewing on a PC or displaying real-time images on an external video monitor (one of the few accessories that is not included) – all without need of an on-site external computer. And the ETX-LS engages more than just the user’s
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
visual sense with Astronomer-Inside, an audio-visual guide that is well calculated to add meaningful depth to the “viewing” experience. The same system that guides the telescope to a desired target is also capable of reporting interesting data about that target, such as distance, velocity, temperature, history, and more. Outreach anyone? Then there’s the namesake of the “LS” designation, Meade’s patented automatic self-alignment system, LightSwitch. All startup functions are performed while requiring no more of the user than the simple flip of a switch. LightSwitch automatically fixes all location, time, date, orientation and alignment data required to prepare the mount/telescope system for a night of precise go-to and tracking. The single fork altazimuth mount is as well thought out as it is substantial and that fork arm is long enough for clearance of observing and imaging accessories, even when the telescope is pointed at zenith. All controls are within comfortable view and reach – even the hand control cradle. Indeed, the overall design of the scope and mount yields a first impres-
sion of artful balance of function and form. The multitude of multimedia content includes descriptions of planets, moon, stars, clusters, nebulae, galaxies and more, as well as 30 minutes of movies and animations, plus hundreds of still images. Also included are more than 4 hours of audio featuring the voice of Sandy Wood (Star Date). Specifications and features include: Advanced Coma-Free (ACF) optical design; Pyrex glass primary mirror; focal length ratio of 1524 mm, f/10; Meade UHTC optical coatings; an aluminum single-arm alt-az fork; 4.875-inch precision worm-gear drives; powered by AC power or eight “C” batteries with a battery life of 3 – 5 hours; adjustable-height, steel leg tripod; AutoStar III hand control; 400 Megahertz Blackfin processor, 256 Megabite NAND Flash memory; Micro SD Card; USB; multimedia speaker built into mount; USB 2.0, AutoStar hand control, 12-volt power in, electric focuser, and audio out connections; and a standard SC threaded rear cell that accepts most existing Schmidt-Cassegrain accessories. Introductory pricing of the new Meade ETX-LS is $1,299 US with initial deliveries scheduled for spring 2009. For more information, please visit www.meade.com.
NEWPRODUCTS
WOOD WONDERS New Smaller Version of Fieldcases Ron Burrows of Wood Wonders has introduced a new, smaller version of his popular Oak fieldcases. Ron told us, “At the star parties I attended last year a number of people expressed interest in a smaller fieldcase but still wanted the storage. So over the last couple months I have been working on a new offering.” The results are a smaller size of the distinctive, solid Oak fieldcases of which Wood Wonders is renowned. The cases are decorated on 4 sides with 3D Celestial (also available in “Standard” un-carved) and offer the ultimate in storage and display of prized eyepieces and observing accessories. The cases offer a red LED lighting system that is activated upon opening the lid, with on/off-brightness control. With the pull-out drawer on one side, storage underneath, and the flip-down Plexiglas storage partition in the top,
there is plenty of room for all its owner’s essentials. All cases are coated with Minwax Helmsman SPAR Urethane for a protective clear finish that offers longlasting protection for the interior and exterior that is exposed to sunlight, dew and temperature changes. The eyepiece layout can be customized to match any eyepiece selection or customers can choose from 4 standard layouts. These unique eyepiece cases are eye-popping show stoppers and a “must have” for the serious enthusiast. Prices start at $189 US for the standard case and $249 US for the carved. More information can be found at Catseye Collimation’s website at www.catseyecollimation.com.
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
NEWPRODUCTS
CELESTRON To Introduce New CGE Pro Mount Celestron has announced its plans to introduce a new member to the CGE mount family, the CGE Pro. The massive mount boasts a maximum payload capacity of 90 pounds – it will easily handle Celestron’s heralded 14-inch SCT – and its large hand knobs provide no-tool adjustment of both altitude and azimuth alignment. The new computerized equatorial mount incorporates Celestron’s proven NexStar computer control technology with 40,000 object database. The system will also include Celestron’s new All-Star Polar Alignment routine for ease of setup in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Choose any bright star for a software assisted alignment of the polar axis – you’ll be ready for imaging even if you can’t see Polaris. Software features also include database filter limits, hibernate, five alignment methods, and user-defined slew limits. The hand control includes built-in mount modeling features that are essential for accurate placement of small objects in the center of a CCD sensor or highmagnification eyepiece. Alignment on multiple calibration stars creates a mathematical model of any opto-mechanical inaccuracies in the system. This model is stored in the hand control and used to compensate for any such inaccuracies for improved pointing precision. The new mount is compatible with Celeston’s CN-16 GPS accessory which, when combined with the mount’s built-in real time clock, retains and tracks location and time without requirement of reenter-
ing that information into the hand control. The CGE Pro is capable of a slew rate of more than 5 degrees per second and pointing accuracy within 5 arc minutes. Its large 0.75-inch diameter worm, precision machined gears and gear boxes, and sevenslot skewed armature motors deliver typical tracking performance of ~9 arc-seconds, which can be further improved using the permanent periodic error correction (PPEC) routine. The new CGE Pro is fully TPoint (Software Bisque) compatible for ultra-precise pointing across the entire sky. Despite its large payload capacity, the mount breaks down into compact, separate components for ease of transport and set up. An improved, fullyextendable Super HD Tripod supports the CGE with 2.75inch stainless steel legs that can be raised to a height of 55 inches. The tripod incorporates dual-leg support for maximum rigidity with an upper brace for outward preload and a lower brace for inward tension. Latitude range is a generous 10 to 65 degrees. Mount loads are easily balanced in both axes. Main shafts are crafted from 1.57-inch diameter steel tubing with 0.40-inch wall thickness and two preloaded 2.68-inch OD tapered roller bearings per axis. The 0.75inch worm is supported by two 0.87-inch ball bearings and is precision mated to the 6-inch pitch diameter gear’s enveloping brass teeth. Both RA and Dec feature 4-
point clutch systems and 4.72-inch and 4.13-inch thrust bearings stabilize each axis. Other refinements include rugged 9pin, thread-on motor cables and an RS-232 communication port on the hand control to support control of the mount via PC. Other specifications include DC Servo motors with encoders, both axes; a computer hand control featuring double line, 16-character LCD and 19 backlit LED buttons; slew speeds of nine – 5.5°, 2° and 0.5°/second, 64x, 16x, 8x, 4x, 1x, and 0.5x; Sidereal, Solar and Lunar tracking rates and North and EQ South tracking modes; 2Star, Solar System Align, Last Alignment, Quick Align, and 1-Star procedures; and a database of 40,000+ objects with enhance information of 200+; 100 user defined. Introductory dealer pricing for the CGE Pro mount is $4999 US, with initial deliveries scheduled for spring 2009.
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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NEWPRODUCTS
ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS
AURORA ASTRO
New Deluxe Off-Axis Guider and Precision Centering Adapter
An Observing Lamp Designed by Observers
Orion’s new Deluxe Off-Axis Guider allows users to image and guide through the same telescope. The remarkably inexpensive device eliminates the need for a separate guidescope while imaging, saving equipment weight and the significant cost of such additional equipment. Imaging and guiding through a single telescope also eliminates tracking problems associated with differential flexure between the imaging scope and separately supported guidescope. The Deluxe Off-Axis Guider is compatible with autoguiders that mount via T-threads or a 1.25-inch nosepiece, as well as with 1.25-inch illuminated reticle eyepieces. It attaches to any 2-inch focuser via the included 2-inch nosepiece or onto any T-thread equipped rear cell. It also includes T-extensions in lengths of 7, 17 and 30 mm to accommodate various camera/guider combinations. The new off-axis guider also has provision for prism tilt adjustment and more than 100 degrees of radial adjustment for easy guide star location and alignment. Built-in coarse and helical fine-focus adjustments allow focus of the autoguider relative to the imaging camera. The device requires a minimum of 59 mm of inward focus travel.
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
The Deluxe Off-Axis Guider works well with Orion’s StarShoot AutoGuider and StarShoot imaging cameras, as well as popular DSLRs, and accommodates most imaging cameras and scopes (other than reflectors, due to the limited focus travel of that design). Introductory pricing of the off-axis guider is $109.95 US and units are expected to ship by mid-March 2009. Orions new Precision Centering Adapter precisely centers any 1.25-inch accessory in a 2-inch focuser. Where standard 1.25inch adapters use a thumbscrew, which pushes an inserted barrel laterally, i.e., off center, the Centering Adapter employs a helical compression mechanism that precisely centers the accessory as it is tightened in place. This adapter is especially useful with reflector telescopes for critical centering of a collimating device. It’s also ideal for centering eyepieces and imaging cameras on the center axis of a telescope's light path. It is made of machined, anodized aluminum, with a knurled twist-lock ring and the barrel is threaded for 2-inch filters. The adapter is priced at $29.95 US. For more information, please visit www.telescope.com.
Manufactured by Starwagon Lights and offered exclusively by Aurora Astro, the new Astronomers Observing Lamp is aptly named – it was designed by an astronomer exclusively for astronomers. It offers two useful illumination levels that produce no “hot spots” because of the effectiveness of its special diffuser. The unique design can be carried in hand-held mode to serve as a flashlight when walking through dark observing sites and also sits stably on your observing table for hands-free illumination of charts, eyepiece cases, and the like – no more aching jaws from holding your red flash between your teeth! The Astronomers Observing Lamp is powered by three inexpensive, standard Dsize batteries and is currently priced at $24.95 US. For more information, please visit auroraastro.com.
NEWPRODUCTS
ASTROZAP New Light Shrouds for Popular Truss Dobs AstroZap has quickly responded to the popularity of new designs of Dobsonians by developing a unique line of light shrouds. The new Astrozap Light Shrouds are each specifically designed to provide a custom fit for the challenging applications presented by the three-truss or tube designs of new open-tube Dobsonians, including the popular Meade 8- to 16inch LightBridge Truss Tube Dobsonians and the new Sky Watcher 8- to 12-inch collapsing truss-rod Dobsonians. Each Astrozap Light Shroud is constructed from light-weight, breathable black, opaque fabric to effective block both stray light and dew from the light path and optical components. Two internal ABS bands prevent the shroud from sagging into and obstructing the light path, a common problem when
shrouding three-truss or rod open-tube Dobsonians. Astrozap Light Shrouds are easy to install and can even be left in place when scopes like the Sky Watcher Dobs are stored in their collapsed position. Prices start at only $59 US. To check for a size to fit your specific application, please visit www.astrozap.com.
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YOU NAME IT…WE HAVE IT! • Televue 17mm, 13mm and 8mm Ethos in Stock and ready to ship! Free Shipping! • Complete line of Orion products Buy direct from us at reduced shipping charges! • Dew-not heaters • Baader Solar Filters • Feathertouch Focusers in stock! • DIGITAL CAMERA ADAPTERS • DESERT STORM COVERS ARE BACK! • Celestron BIG Binos at a small price tag! • CCTS Twist Pack Eyepiece Cases
ADM Accessories Antares Astronomy Technology Today Astro Systems AstroGizmos Astrovid (Adirondack Video Astronomy) Astrozap Blue Storm Productions Bob's Knobs Bushnell Canon Celestron Coronado DayStar Filters
Delkin Devices Denkmeier Diffraction Limited (Maxim DL) Doskocil Farpoint Astro Products Howie Glatter iOptron Jim's Mobile (JMI) Kendrick Leica LightWedge Losmandy Lumenera Lumicon
We travel coast to coast to over 20 star parties and events a year - check out our website for the schedule. We’ll see you there! Or Visit us at 10 South Ocean Ave Patchogue, NY 11772 • 631-475-1118
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
Manfrotto Meade Nikon Optec Orion Pelican Pentax Peterson Engineering Rigel Systems SBIG Sirius Technologies Sky & Telescope Sky Engineering Software Bisque
Solarscope StarGPS Starlight Instruments Starry Night (Imaginova) Takahashi Tamrac Televue Telrad Thousand Oaks Optical Unihedron Vector William Optics
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Arcturus Optics A CCTS Exclusive!
NEWPRODUCTS
ASTROZAP New Take On Bahtinov Focus Masks Another new innovation from Astrozap is its modification of its current line of AstroCaps to include the option of a Bahtinov mask. Unlike simple Hartman and Bahtinov masks, the new AstroCap can be opened and closed like a shutter by simply rotating the specific accessory wheel that is installed. The Bahtinov focus wheel can be removed and replace with either an off-axis Out 1
wheel or an off-axis Baader film solar filter wheel, yielding a truly multifunction focus aid. The innovative Bahtinov mask allows the user to achieve sharpest focus in seconds. Its series of slots create a unique diffraction pattern that easily and quickly demonstrates focus status. The mask produces three intersecting diffraction lines – when their Out 2
alignment is perfectly symmetrical, perfect focus has been achieved. Shown is the Astrocap Bahtinov wheel installed. Also pictured is a series of three photos of images produced by the new AstroCap with Bahtinov mask in place and a Takahashi Epsilon 180 ED inside of focus, outside of focus and finally in perfect focus. Please watch www.astrozap.com for future announcements regarding availability and pricing of the new AstroCap with Bahtinov mask. Perfect
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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NEWPRODUCTS
ASTROSYSTEMS Offers 2-Inch Laser Collimator with Barlow Attachment AstroSystems’ new 2-inch laser collimator uses a 635nm, 3.5mW, Class IIIA red diode laser that is easy to see and safe to use, whether day or night. Its precision machined body fits most focusers accurately and can be adjusted for even greater accuracy in challenging focuser applications via its nylon set screws. This precision tool not only facilitates accurate optical collimation, but is also perfect for diagnosing and adjusting mechanical issues such as loose or misaligned components. The body of the laser collimator is CNC machined from solid aircraft aluminum and then anodized in gold. The handy Barlow lens assembly is easily and securely attached to the laser by a unique magnetic connection and achieves the accuracy of a Cheshire collimator with the ease and simplicity of a laser collimator, in
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
three easy steps: (1) Adjust the mechanical position of the optical components and supports using the laser in single-beam mode (this need be done only once), (2) adjust the tilt of the secondary mirror to center the laser spot in the primary mirror center ring, again with the laser in single beam mode, and (3) attach the Barlow assembly to the laser and adjust the tilt of the primary mirror. The return image is a silhouette of the primary mirror’s center ring and is easy to see and accurately center on the white reflective surface of the Barlow assembly. Using the “Barlowed Laser” procedure, it is possible to achieve 20 thousandths of an inch centering accuracy, or better, on the return beam – precise enough for most general observing conditions. Even greater accuracy can be achieved by following up with
AstroSystems’ precision autocollimator. A thorough 12-page instruction booklet is included with the AstroSystems 2-inch Laser Collimator and Barlow Attachment kit, as well as the 2 AA batteries that are required to power it. The AstroSystems 2-inch Laser Collimator/Barlow Attachment package is priced at $129. For more information, please visit www.astrosystems.biz
William Optics FLT 98 and ZS 70ED A Look at Two of the Newest Exotic Offerings from WO By Erik Wilcox
William Optics has earned the reputation of offering high-quality gear at very competitive prices. I own and use several William Optics products and have always been a big fan, so was excited to learn that I’d be getting a chance to provide my impressions of two of their latest offerings: the FLT 98 Flouro-Star Triplet Apo and the ZenithStar 70ED refractors. The FLT 98 has a fast f/6.3 focal ratio and features optics designed by leading Russian optician Andrey A. Strakhov. This is a triplet Apo refractor which utilizes exotic flourite glass. The smaller ZenithStar 70ED features a doublet lens set working at f/6.2, one element of which is crafted from extralow dispersion glass for improved color correction when compared to traditional achromatic doublet refractors that are typically constructed of relatively inexpensive crown and flint glass elements. In the image shown here, the FLT 98 and ZS 70ED are mounted on William Optics’ Easy Touch Alt-Az Mount and HD Tripod. The mounting base of the 70 ED accommodates direct attachment to a standard camera tripod as well as the dovetail plate of the Easy Touch Mount.
The Easy Touch Alt-Az mount was more than up to the task of carrying the two refractors.
The FLT 98 Both telescopes arrived well packed and in perfect condition. I won’t bother to describe the packaging other than to note that it was more than sufficient to protect both scopes from the rigors of handling in their international journey to my door. I’d previously gotten to use some of
William Optics’ other high-end scopes and knew to expect high quality, but upon opening the beautiful red aluminum case that protected the FLT 98, I was shocked at the “top notch” first impression of this particular scope. The design and execution are simply gorgeous and fit and finish first rate. Like most of William Optics refractors, the FLT Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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WILLIAM OPTICS FLT 98 AND ZS 70ED
The drawtube of the FLT 98 is engraved with a graduated scale for precise repeatability of camera focus.
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98 has some nice touches like a micrometer on the focuser, gold trim, chrome lock screws, a sliding dew shield, and a felt-lined metal dew cap. But as far as overall build quality, the FLT 98 takes the cake! Plain and simple, the build quality is as nice as any refractor I’ve ever used and every aspect of the scope’s design and build is impressive. William Optics offers two versions of the FLT 98: one with carbon fiber tube and dew shield that sports WO’s 2.5-inch LinearPower focuser, and the metal tube version that I tested. The beefy two-speed, 360-degree rotatable Crayford style focuser is buttery smooth, and rotates inside of a monstrous 3.5-inch diameter drawtube that uses ball bearings for an incredible focusing experience. The drawtube itself is a work of art. The micrometer is engraved, and in addition to the silky smooth, machined Crayford arm that the focuser rolls on, there are two other visible chrome plated steel reinforcement inserts, which are adjustable for optimum tension (though no adjustment was needed). There is also a full 4 inches of outward focus travel and the focuser was
amazingly smooth and literally perfect with any eyepiece combination. The optical tube body has a textured ivory white finish and gold trim that is simply beautiful to behold. Photographs don’t do these scopes justice. Once I got the scope outside, I realized that it was even more beautiful to look through! Stars are crisp and tight from edge to edge, with a jet black background. Contrast was so good that, without a finderscope attached, I often had a difficult time getting Venus into the field of view. There was absolutely no glow around bright objects whatsoever – glow that I was accustomed to relying on to alert me that when the aim of a scope was nearing a bright object. Peering down the front of the scope, I could see three baffles. The inside is flat black, with nothing reflective to cause internal reflections. The objective lenses almost disappear when viewing face-on and they have a slight bluish tint when viewed at an angle. Judging by the views at night, the baffling and coatings are certainly doing the job. The FLT98 is a triplet APO, and is a fast
WILLIAM OPTICS FLT 98 AND ZS 70ED
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Note the chrome-plated steel inserts along the drawtube. William Optics’ exceptional 2inch Carbon Fiber Dura-Bright Diagonal was used in testing the scopes and combined perfectly with the premium optics to produce text-book images.
scope. So how is the color correction? Pretty darned good, I’d say. On very bright objects like Venus and Sirius, there is only the slightest hint of chromatic aberration – not enough to be noticeable unless you are specifically looking for it. On the moon, I was impressed at how black and color free the shadows cast from craters were, and the limb of the moon showed just a touch of magenta, with a bit more color as the focuser was racked in or out. On anything dimmer than Sirius, false color was simply not detectable in the least. For a scope of this aperture and fast f/ratio, I’d say that that's pretty
impressive performance. The optics are excellent and very well corrected. A Ronchi test showed razor straight lines with no aberrations whatsoever, and this scope also showed a perfect star test on both sides of focus. The FLT 98 takes power exceptionally well too, and despite its fast focal ratio, performed beautifully on the planets. But due to that fast focal ratio, this scope really excels at open clusters and viewing wide swaths of sky. I found myself mesmerized by the beauty and detail in extended objects like The Pleiades, The Double Cluster, and of course, the Veil Nebula. Regard-
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WILLIAM OPTICS FLT 98 AND ZS 70ED
The FLT 98 is surprisingly compact with dew shield and focuser fully retracted. It is shown in the included, custom aluminum hardcase.
ing The Double Cluster, I don’t think I’ve ever viewed this object with such vivid clarity in a 4-inch telescope, and I’ve used quite a number of them. Other showpiece objects were of course spectacular as well and I enjoyed comparing the views with the Zenith-
SkyWatcher Telescopes
Star 70ED, which I had mounted side by side on the William Optics EZ Touch alt-azimuth mount. The ZenithStar 70ED Speaking of the ZenithStar 70ED, it
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gets an enthusiastic “thumbs up” from me as well. I’m continually amazed at the level of quality that I’m seeing in competitively priced ED refractors these days, and the ZenithStar 70ED compares very well to other offerings. Of course, it can’t compete with the FLT 98 other than in terms of compactness and portability, but the ZenithStar 70ED is a scope that anyone would be proud to own. It too features a rotatable Crayford style focuser and has fully multi-coated optics with one element of FPL51 “ED” glass. The lens cell is precision CNC machined, and the scope has a quick mounting plate for easy mounting without tube rings. As mentioned, the most significant aspect of the ZenithStar 70ED, when compared to the FLT 98 is its portability. This scope measures less than 13 inches long with the dewshield retracted and the focuser racked all the way in. It’s also lightweight enough that it could be used on a photo tripod, if desired. Of course, for astronomy, something beefier is recommended, but the point is that this scope is very airline portable!
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WILLIAM OPTICS FLT 98 AND ZS 70ED FLT 98 Specifications and Features ZenithStar 70ED Specifications and Features Aperture: ............................98 mm Focal Ratio:............................ f/6.3 Focal Length: ......................618 mm Tube Length: ...............503 mm (fully retracted)/600 mm (fully extended) Tube Weight: ................4.6 kilograms (10.2 pounds) Retractable Dew Shield Heavy duty tube rings and custom aluminum case included
Performance wise, it does show a touch of chromatic aberration on bright objects. I’d say that the level is comparable with other entry level ED scopes in the 66-80mm aperture range that I’ve used – not intrusive, but it is there on bright objects if you’re looking for it. For serious planetary viewing (at least as serious as one can get with 70 mm of aperture), I’d probably prefer to use a minus blue filter. I didn’t have one, but I found that a variable polarizing filter on a low dimming setting worked well, as did color filters, depending on the specific object being viewed. The 10-to-1 Crayford-style focuser works very well, although this particular sample did have a couple of minor rough spots near the end of the drawtube travel. Of course, I suspect that I’m being a bit unfair to the ZenithStar 70 ED, given that I had the FLT 98 and its phenomenal focuser mounted next to the 70ED most of the time! In all seriousness, the ZenithStar 70ED is an excellent entry level ED scope with very good build quality and optics. It’s much, much better than typical achromatic scopes of this aperture, and a lot more compact and portable as well. It too handles magnification well (I enjoyed views at magnifications of more than 200x on the moon with very good results) and, even unfiltered, performs nicely for casual planetary viewing. For deep sky, I found that the ZenithStar 70ED performed well, despite that some might consider it a bit aperture-challenged on many dimmer objects. Its combination of a relatively short 430-mm focal length and ability to accommodate 2-inch, long focal length eyepieces, makes for an unusually effective rich-field instrument. Combined with my William Optics 28-mm UWAN, it pro-
Aperture:...............................70 mm
Tube Length: ...308 mm (fully retracted),
Focal Ratio: ..............................f/6.1
370 mm (fully extended)
Focal Length:........................430 mm
Tube Weight: .................2.3 kilograms
Objective Type: .......Air-Spaced Doublet,
(5.07 pounds)
SMC Coatings
Backpack Dimensions: ..12.5x17.5x6.2 in
Lens Shade: ....................Retractable
(31.8x44.5x16 cm)
Focuser: ......50.8-mm (2-inch) Crayford,
Backpack Weight: .............4.05 pounds
Dual-Speed, 360° Rotatable
(1.84 kilograms)
duces a gorgeous true field of view of pinpoint stars that exceeds 5 degrees! It also performed perfectly well on the brighter Messier objects, such as M42 and was particularly impressive when displaying the full extent of M31 from the very dark skies of my home observing site. Like the FLT 98, the ZenithStar 70ED is well baffled, and shows a jet black background. These two new scopes from William Optics are very worthy additions to their already impressive lineup. The FLT 98 is truly a one of a kind scope – something that might
actually keep any refractor lover and/or astrophotographer content for an entire lifetime. The build quality and mechanics are absolutely nothing short of perfect, and the optics are exceptional. The ZenithStar 70ED is a very nicely designed grab and go scope – perfect for someone with a larger main scope (such as the FLT 98!), or as a first scope for someone that wants something better than the standard small achromat, and at an excellent price. I recommend both scopes highly.
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The Half Hitch Mount
Observing with a 5-Pound Jewel of a Mount
By Barry Simon
Back in late October I had the opportunity to test the new Half Hitch alt-azimuth mount from Charles Riddell (Half Hitch Telescope). This mount was sent to me for the express purpose of a magazine article/review. I have to say that I like it very much and I am now scheming as to just how I can purchase it. That being said, here are some of my impressions after using the Half Hitch over several nights at the Deep South Regional Star Gaze. Packaging? Unbelievable! Charles packaged the mount in a very nice zipper camerabag style case. It is compact and this mount, along with a folding tripod, and a 3- to 4-inch f/8 or shorter refractor, or up to a 6-inch MakCassegrain or an 8-inch Schmidt Cassegrain, is a “Miata ready” set-up. (Note - I later found that the nice camera bag was purchased specifically for this mount that was sent to me. The same bag, or one that is very similar, may be available as an option, as is a tripod similar to those that accompany Tele Vue’s Gibraltar mounts.) The tripod I used with the Half Hitch mount was a modified Davis & Sanford tri-
pod with a solid bar stock aluminum pier cut to my specifications by Ken Dauzat, owner of Ken’s Rings. The aluminum “pier” attaches to the tripod hub via a 3/8 -16 Allen screw after first going thru a modified “Martha Stewart” pie pan used as an accessory tray (Gotta love Martha Stewart – she might be an ex-con, but she makes some great astronomy accessories!). The mount itself, a 5.3-pound CNC machined and anodized work of art, will have any techno geek studying it for quite awhile; there is simply nothing else quite like it. The way the encoder housings are melded to the mount is especially impressive. While the pictures should show a lot, studying the mount up close and seeing it in action will reveal a lot more. Truly a lot of thought went into this mount. The first scope I mounted up was my “built like a tank” Stellarvue 80/9D refractor (750- mm focal length). This combo looked good and, with an approximate 12-pound payload with finder and 2-inch eyepiece and diagonal, suits the Half Hitch well. I then mounted my Takahashi TSA 102, and again
the mount held it well. I believe a scope like this would be pretty much near the upper limit of capability for the Half Hitch (17pound payload with a hefty 2-inch eyepiece, plus tube cradle and a 50-mm finder and bracket). I finally settled on my University Optics 80-mm f/6.25 as a good size match for this mount (see Images 1 and 2). This scope is highly modified with a Feather Touch focuser and interface, as well as a brass counterbalance and weights mounted to Unitron Uni-Clamps (brass counterbalance made by Ken Dauzat). This is a fairly heavy little tube assembly the way I have it outfitted – about an 8-pound payload – but still lighter than both the Stellarvue 80/9D and the Tak TSA. With this combo, I could make most eyepiece and focusing changes without having to adjust the balance beyond maybe some slight adjustment of the mount’s unique “Balance Trimmer.” The Balance Trimmer is an option that rides on the right side of the mount. It can be moved fore and aft to help facilitate optimal balance and also serves as a nice movement handle. I believe it is a very nice option
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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THE HALF HITCH MOUNT stress that balance is critical. However, the Half Hitch gives you full capability to really tune the balance. With a well-balanced scope, there is really no need to fine tune the altitude brake, which is not a clutch. If the payload is not balanced, the slow motions will slip and you will not be able to Image 1: The authors highly modified University Optics 80-mm f/6.25 overcome that refractor mounted on the Half Hitch. slippage by tightto get with the Half Hitch – especially useful ening the altitude brake; that will only cause with longish scopes like the very popular 4further slippage. So, balance the payload for inch f/8 refractors. great operation. To that end, the supplied inAfter using the mount for awhile, I will structions are very clear and they include pho-
38 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
tos to help. One thing I have to say about the Half Hitch is I like the way the payload sits (centered) above the azimuth axis of rotation, unlike many of the other alt-azimuth mounts I have seen. This eliminates some balance issues that I believe could be a potential problem with other mounts – not so much in function, but potentially a problem if someone stumbles into the mount/telescope at night, as I believe that, when too much weight is off to the side as opposed to being balanced over three legs, the potential for a knockdown is increased. Having an expensive tube assembly off to the side of the azimuth axis without counterbalance is something that concerns me. Happily, this is not the case with the Half Hitch. I did have the opportunity to use this mount along with the University 80 and even with an AstroTech AT66 (red tube iteration) at the Deep South Regional StarGaze. We had 5 perfect days and nights with skies consistently reading 6.3 mag, and flirting with 6.4 mag before midnight and improving further
THE HALF HITCH MOUNT to about 6.5 mag after 2 a.m. (verified with a Unihedron Sky Quality Meter). With the attached Sky Commander (which tucks up and out of the way very nicely when the mount is stored), moving from object to object was a breeze. I really had a blast with this mount. Unlike my “Light Speed Wagon” dual-fork mount, also by Charles Riddell, the Half Hitch is silent. When pushing or pulling it into position, there is dead silence, whereas the “Wagon” produces noticeable noise. The Sky Commander setup was easy and always dead on. I was using fairly low powers, but the combo of Half Hitch and Sky Commander worked great. Considering the price of the Half Hitch, you may as well go for broke and add the encoders and Sky Commander to the package as the option certainly completes the very nice package. I can imagine using this combination at a Messier Marathon and just waiting for the advancing sky to catch up so I can complete a night of observations. At the Deep South I could jump from object to object as fast as I could think of them and as long as they were above the tree line. Uranus, and then as soon as I got my fill of that planet, Neptune a few seconds later. I had never done that before. The objects were always right there in the center of the field. I like this combination! I suppose with every mount there has to be a down side. If that downside exists with the Half Hitch, the talk that I hear has to do with price. The Half Hitch is not your typical basic alt-azimuth mount or entry level fluid pan head tripod that can be obtained for $200 to $300. It does cost considerably more than such options, but its price is certainly not out of line when compared to other higher end mounts that also include digital setting circles as part of the package. Competitors at the high end would include options such as the TeleVue Gibraltar or the DiscMount DM-6. All of these mounts have their fans and their respective advantages and disadvantages. The Half-Hitch competes very well in the high-end class. If you are considering an encoder equipped alt-azimuth mount, you really owe it to yourself to give the Half Hitch your full attention. Seek opportunities to see
it in action. I know you will like it. Another nice feature is the counterweight bar which helps balance the payload fore and aft. You can shift its position with a twist and it also serves as a great grab handle in moving the mount in either altitude or azimuth. As with most mounts, balance is critical. When I had a misbalance, the altitude slow motion control would slip and the only way around this was better adjustment of balance. I Image 2: Note the custom pie pan accessory tray. believe that this will be As with all of Charles Riddell’s products, more of an issue with heavier payloads such as the Half Hitch is a work of art as well as a very with my TSA 102, however, as I’ve already functional piece of hardware. A lot of talent noted, careful balance should take care of this. went into designing and crafting 5-pound Fortunately, achieving that balance is very easy jewel! given the refinement of the Half Hitch.
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THE HALF HITCH MOUNT
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Using the Half Hitch Alt-Az Mount The Half Hitch mount is specifically designed for grab-‘n-go observing with compact telescopes as large as 4-inch refractors or 8-inch SCTs. Its design goals included high stiffness-to-weight ratio, greatest accuracy, smooth operation, attractive, long lasting finish, and ultra-precision, no-slop fit. The mount’s rigid, machined structure features elements specifically designed to eliminate twisting and bending. Its interlocking pattern of braces work in concert to convert twisting and bending forces into tension and compression loads, while maintaining a compact, easily transported overall profile. The Half Hitch’s fingertip-light roller drives feature controls that are so intuitive, they quickly become second nature. Riddell prefers to describe these as “motion” controls rather than “slow-motion” controls, because they allow the user to pan quickly or make the tiniest adjustments, all with the same comfortable set of control knobs. The unique design also eliminates the slightest backlash in either axis. The altitude and azimuth control knobs are seen
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www.deepskyinstruments.com 40 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
Image 3: The altitude and azimuth motion control knobs are positioned for comfortable reach.
THE HALF HITCH MOUNT in Image 3. In some areas of the sky (often including planetary observing zones), the tracking motion is dominated by movement in the azimuth axis. In such instances, the user simply rests his or her left hand on the base of the mount and uses a fingertip to “freeze” the target within the field of view by applying steady, light tangential pressure to the azimuth control knob (see Image 4). The effect is very similar to observing with an accurate motorized tracking mount. In many instances, only small altitude corrections are periodically needed and this is easily done with the user’s right hand so as not to interrupt the steady “tracking” that is accomplished with the index finger of the left
Image 4: Demonstrating the ‘Magic’ Tracking Method.
Image 5: Two-axis balance adjustments are quick and intuitive.
Image 6 & 7: “The adjustable saddle plate is shown in its fully up and fully down positions.”
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THE HALF HITCH MOUNT
Image 8: The DSC Controller bracket is shown folded against the mount for storage.
42 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
hand on the azimuth control knob. With just a little practice, this technique quickly becomes second nature, requiring no conscious thought. Placing the left hand on the base of the Half Hitch mount introduces no vibration, even at high magnifications. Two-axis balance is easily accomplished using the mount’s unique balance system and is accomplished without the need of counterweights. The design permits easy adjustment of the optical tube assembly both fore-aft and up-down in relationship to the mount axes. A machined track on the saddle plate provides the up-down adjustment and the dovetail plate/saddle arrangement facilitates fore-aft adjustment (see Images 5, 6 and 7). Together, these adjustments allow the mass of the telescope to be centered on the altitude axis so that the scope is stable when pointed to any elevation and so the user does not have to work
against gravity when moving the scope. The rigid dovetail plate is included with the mount, as is the saddle assembly. The optional “Balance Trimmer” (which attaches to the front of the saddle plate – and is clearly visible in Image 1) makes zeroing out balance differences introduced by varying eyepiece weights quick and easy. It is strategically positioned to effect balance of both axes. That said, most eyepiece changes require no balance adjustment whatsoever thanks to the unique altitude brake. It is a true caliper disc brake that squeezes the disc from both sides. The braking action is therefore extremely uniform as well as finely adjustable. Adjustment is accomplished without need of tools. Fully integrated encoders support an optional DSC controller that mounts on a bracket that folds neatly along the side of the mount with the DSC controller in place as shown in
THE HALF HITCH MOUNT
Image 9: Large binoculars mounted on the Half Hitch.
Image 8. The encoders are precisely aligned to the centerlines of each axis and enclosed in machined housings that blend smoothly with the contours of the mount. There are no cables to wrap or tangle and the DSC bracket positions the control panel within easy view and reach. An optional binocular/spotting
Image 10: Mount, tripod and small refractor stored safely in a small soft-side case compartments.
scope/telephoto bracket is available to permit use of a variety of instruments with the Half Hitch mount (see Image 9). The bracket retains the two-axis balance feature so that each instrument can be used at any orientation. Setup is as easy as 1-2-3: (1) set the tripod to the desired height, (2) attach the
Half Hitch with a single knob, and (3) attach the scope by engaging the included dovetail plate. A simple two-star alignment is all that’s needed to for accurate use of the digital setting circles. The tripod, mount and scope are easily stowed in a package that is about the same size as a picnic basket (see Image 10).
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The iOptron
CUBE, A Versatile Astrophotography Aussie Keeps Tool! An Astrophotography Simple Down Under By Jeanette Dunphy
Since I first put my eye to the lens of my telescope, I’ve logged what I’ve observed. But reading back through my log books, I could never get back that feeling of how it felt to actually look at the object. What I really wanted was a visual log book. One I could look back on at a later date and say yes, that is exactly how it was that night. I also wanted it to be a record of my journey through the learning curve of astronomy as well as astrophotography. It’s very satisfying to look back at images you took only weeks before, compare them to what you took last night, and see how much you’ve improved your techniques in such a short time. I know that what I produce is not at all like the pretty pictures you find on the back pages of the astronomy magazines,
but I’m not doing it for anyone else’s pleasure but my own. And, I’m very happy with what I’ve achieved with the equipment that I have. I’ve been dabbling with astrophotography for a couple of years now. Starting with the simple afocal method, butting the lens of my Canon S3IS up to the eyepiece of my 10-inch Dobsonian to capture what I feel are some quite good images of the moon. Most amazing was what I managed to pull out of my elderly Panasonic DV camera. Shaky AVI files transformed (with the help of RegiStax) into detailed images of Jupiter, revealing shadow transits of the Great Red Spot (GRS). It was all good fun and I even managed to get a series of GRS shadow transit images published in one of the Australian astronomy magazines.
But I wasn’t just observing Solar System objects. Inevitably, I had to find a way to start imaging DSOs. Seeing how most of my experience to that point had been with video astronomy, I put my research to that end and found out about imaging with an Integrating Video Camera (IVC). I ultimately decided on an Australian product, the GStar-EX. As are most IVCs that are optimized for astro imaging, this camera is extremely sensitive and capable of internally stacking images to produce a single frame that contains a lot of data. Even though the longest exposure of which the GStar-EX is capable is only 2.56 seconds, what it can capture is extraordinary. While I knew that I didn’t have the ideal scope for imaging Deep Space Objects (DSOs), I didn’t let that stop me Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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IMAGING WITH THE iOPTRON CUBE
The iOptron Cube is shown with a Canon 20d mounted on the dovetail plate. The mount’s accurate tracking permits exposures of up to 60 seconds before field rotation seriously diminishes the results.
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
from having a go. By keeping the integration rate of the camera down to 32x, or one frame every 0.64 seconds, I managed to keep star trailing down to a minimum. With much patience I managed to capture some good detail within the Tarantula, Lagoon and the Orion Nebulas. Not being able to fit the entire object within the field of view was a trial. I learned a lot about creating mosaics during this time. My next step was to combine the IVC with a 16-100 mm CCTV lens simply mounted stationarily on a standard camera tripod. By doing this, I widened the image field of view and made it possible to utilize the camera at its full sensitivity without star trails. This camera-lens combination made for great live viewing and I have the fondest memories of zooming in on Comet Holmes, observing as well as recording AVIs as night after night it swelled in size. During the Taurid Meteor shower, a meteor grazed the edge of the comet (amazing viewing) and the few frames I captured of the event turned into
a great little animated GIF file. The first time I visually observed the Flame and Horsehead Nebulas on the monitor in real time was amazing too. But still I was limited to the number of frames I could capture before the target object drifted from the field of view. As I really wanted to use this incredibly sensitive little camera to its full potential, I needed some sort of tracking. I’d been reading about the new iOptron Cube in the astro mags for a while and, after a bit of research on the net, I thought that it may just be what I was looking for. Best of all, the price was right, keeping me under my self-imposed $500 budget limit. I ended up buying the basic iOptron Cube/80-mm (f/5) refractor combination as well as a 5000 object go-to data base from Sirius Optics here in Queensland, Australia. Setting up the Cube is pretty straight forward. To get accurate tracking and gotos it is very important to: (1) make sure the location coordinates that you input
IMAGING WITH THE iOPTRON CUBE
This image of the Sagitarius field was comprised of four 60-second exposures captured with a Canon 20d mounted on the iOptron Cube.
are correct, (2) make sure the mount is level (I bought two levels and use them both at the same time rather than rely only on the included round bubble level), (3) recheck levels to insure that the scope is level when in the “park” position after it is installed on the mount, (4) use a reliable compass when orienting the mount to “south” (Or north for many of you.
Don’t forget that you will need to offset a certain number of degrees specific to your location.), and (5) once you do your one or two star alignment, perform a few “Sync to Target” routines to fine tune the go-to alignment. Initially, I used the iOptron 80-mm refractor as is, straight out of the box, with some success, but soon made a few mod-
ifications to suit my specific needs. First, I exchanged the smaller finder that came with the scope for the 50-mm right-angle finder scope from my Dob. Later, I replaced the rack and pinion focuser of the 80-mm refractor with a 10:1 Crayford style focuser that allows me to make much finer focus adjustments. The subsequent purchase of an extra
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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IMAGING WITH THE iOPTRON CUBE dovetail plate allowed me to use the iOptron Cube for astrophotography three different ways: (1) with the IVC at the prime focus of the 80-mm refractor; (2) with the IVC mounted directly to the Cube using a variety of CCTV and Canon SLR lenses for wide-field photography, and (3) with my Canon 20d DSLR mounted directly on the Cube to capture up to 60-second exposures using Canon’s “Nifty 50” f/1.8 lens. Using the 80-mm f/5 refractor with the IVC at prime focus, M42 fills the frame. When a 0.63 focal reducer is added to the assembly, the field of view increases accordingly and The Running Man is also included. I’ve not used a Barlow with this setup because the extra weight unbalances the scope, but this can be fixed by fitting a longer dovetail bar to the scope. I simply haven’t gotten around to doing this as yet. As the IVC is very sensitive to infrared, an IR cut filter is essential. I capture AVIs using the GStar capture program that is a free download from
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
www.myastroshop.com. It makes capturing video so simple. Just select your integration rate, the number of frames you want to capture, and click a button to start. Then put the dust cap on the scope and capture your darks. Using the Point and Zoom tool within the program makes focusing the camera very easy as well. Any adjustments come up on screen within a couple of seconds. The next stage is processing the video. I open the AVI in VirtualDub, and cut any segments of the file that may have inadvertently been ruined by meteor trails, aircraft lights, or star smears from when the scope was bumped (by the dog, cat or me). I then save the image sequence to file ready for stacking. Deep Sky Stacker is used for stacking and Paint Shop Pro and PhotoShop for post processing. My IVC can be used with a wide range of 1/2-inch c-mount or csmount lenses. Though you can get away with 1/3-inch lenses, you will get some vignetting around the edges. You can spend
as little as $15 on a fixed focal length lens or, for around $45-$65, you can pick up a nice vari-focal lens. For recording meteor showers, a 2-mm lens should cover enough sky to pick up most meteors. Using a C-Mount-EOS adaptor from Mogg Adaptors, I can use all of the lenses that fit my Canon 20d. I find my 70-300 mm Sigma lens perfect for Astro Outreach nights, exploring the Milky Way in wide field, and then zooming in on specific objects of interest. I recently managed to pick up a second-hand Canon 20d for a very reasonable price, so naturally I just had to see how well it would perform on the iOptron mount. The best results so far have been obtained using the Canon 50-mm f/1.8 lens. I’ve pushed exposures up to 60 seconds before field rotation became too obvious. If you are careful with framing your image, you can go a little longer and crop the rotation from the final image. My biggest issue so far has been coma from the lens itself. From the short time I’ve been using the Canon 20d, I’ve learned to take as many images as I can – the more the better. The more you can stack, the better the final image. Capture in RAW mode and use the DSLR’s mirror lockup function to prevent any vibrations. I also recommend using the in-camera dark-frame subtraction method. I know it’s a pain to wait the extra time, but it’s less boring than having to take the required darks at the end of the imaging session. I’ve really enjoyed using my current set up. In fact, I’ve only used my 10-inch Dob a couple of times since I’ve bought the iOptron mount. The views I get live on my computer monitor through the 80mm refractor and the IVC are, in fact, far better than what I can see visually through the Dob. Why squint through an eyepiece when you can sit back in a comfy chair and observe real time with an image scale that is very easy on the eyes? To me it’s the perfect grab and go unit. It’s just so simple to use. I took the
IMAGING WITH THE iOPTRON CUBE iOptron mount and scope to Queensland Astrofest this year, leaving my big scope behind, saving my back and giving me much needed additional car space. The little scope’s reception on the field was mixed. I’m sure some felt that my “toy” telescope had no right to be sharing the same field with their “real” scopes (no doubt the “Astroboy” sticker I’d put on the front of the mount may not have
helped dispel such impressions). But, there were those who were curious to see just how well this little blue Cube could perform. I’m pleased to report that all who took the time to stop and see the iOptron in action were suitably impressed. And at the Barambah Dark Sky Camp it was the only scope and camera on the imaging field that was reliably
working and imaging for the entire time. Before the event ended, every other set up (some worth many thousands of dollars) had stopped working due to various hardware and software problems. It was very difficult not to show how smug I felt about that. There is a lot to be said about keeping it all simple and the iOptron alt-azimuth go-to mount and scope simply work.
Images from the author’s ‘visual log book’ captured with an Integrating Video Camera mounted on the iOptron Cube and 80-mm f/5 refractor. Image 4: “The Keyhole” Image 5: “Large Magellanic Cloud” Image 6: “Orion Nebula” Image 7: “The Hamburger”
Image 4
Image 5
Image 6
Image 7 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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CORONADO
PST
Affordable H-Alpha Viewing By Don Schwab
My first “white light” view of the sun in the 1970s was through a 2.4-inch (60-mm) Jason achromatic refractor. The solar filter included in the “department store” telescope package consisted of a light-weight film set in a plastic disc. For solar viewing, this disc was threaded onto a 0.965-inch eyepiece – much like the lunar, planetary, nebula, and light pollution filters that are now available for attaching to eyepieces or imaging equipment. Having this chance to view “our” star was thrilling, but also very dangerous. Switching eyepieces and forgetting the filter could easily result in blindness – not fun! My next chance came a couple of years later through an 8-inch SCT. That whitelight solar filter was also made from film (Mylar?) that was set between two pieces of thin metal. The apparatus was held onto the front of the telescope by a magnet fastened to the center plate on the corrector lens. A heavy breeze could be disastrous!
Finally, I advanced to a quality whitelight glass filter that fit snuggly over the objective end of my 94-mm apochromatic refractor. This proved to be a much safer method and provided a very pleasing view of the sun's ever-changing surface. Any sunspots that might be present at the time were sharp and showed lots of detail. So, what filter would I use to see those fascinating “flames” shooting up from the limb of the sun? An H-alpha filter or dedicated H-alpha telescope would be the answer. How can I afford one without morgaging the house? The answer was, “I can't” – until a couple of years ago when the Coronado PST (Personal Solar Telescope) changed everything. H-alpha filters had been around for awhile, but were always way beyond my budget. Just a few years ago, dedicated H-alpha solar scopes were still priced between $1700 for a 40-mm refractor to $12,000 for
a 90-mm and individual H-alpha filters were in the $900 range. The prices had come down some, but were still quite high for the average amateur astronomer. Fortunately, I had an opportunity to attend a local star party in 2006 and was doing my own "daytime tour" of all the astro gear setup on the grounds when I came upon a nice young man (of course he was nice, he was an astronomer!) who had a PST setup on a tracking platform. He invited me to take a look. Well, that did it for me! The small wispy tongues waving on the limb of the sun were mesmerizing. This daytime astronomy could become an addiction – and if so, when would I sleep? My next step was to watch for a big sale before I could even think about purchasing this magic little scope that allowed views normally seen only during an eclipse. That turned out to be a little bit of a wait, but it was well worth it. I eventually found a scope Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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CORONADO PST Image 1
on sale in my price range and there was even a rebate - how cool was that? The 1.6-inch f/10 PST refractor arrived a week after I placed my order (I don’t think it's necessary to mention that clouds arrived with it. Isn’t that standard with any piece of
52 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
astro gear?). Included was a Cemax 20-mm 1.25inch Kellner eyepiece rendering 20x at the 400-mm focal length, end caps, and a nice precut foam liner that was perfectly functional as a permanent liner for the optional
leatherette case. You could also cut the liner to fit in a custom case of your choice. While waiting for the sun to show its face (we're talking northern Michigan in December where most sane people go south or west if they want sunshine), I decided to fabricate a dovetail type bracket to hold the PST on my Orion SkyViewPro equatorial mount. Finally, about three weeks after receiving the scope, the sun showed up! While waiting for the sun to rise above the treetops in my yard, my impatience got the best of me.I loaded the mount, the PST package, and my eyepiece case in the truck and drove a couple blocks to a clearing. The view through the small refractor was just as I remember it from two years earlier – small red ball with an occasional “flame” stretching outward from the surface – awesome! By now I was uttering oohs and aawws under the cloak that I had thrown over my head to block the stray light. Image 1 shows the PST mounted on the Orion SVP set up in an alt-az configuration. The hardwood “dovetail” provides a very secure means of quick setup. This image also
CORONADO PST shows an 8- to 24-mm zoom Image 2 eyepiece in the permanently housed diagonal. I prefer a zoom in the PST rather than a fixed focal length eyepiece because it allows more time for observing and less time changing oculars. In my case, I’ve found that an 8- or 10-mm setting is ideal for the most sharp views. Be aware though that some of the zooms and eyepieces on the market will not reach focus with the PST, so be sure to check that before purchasing a dedicated zoom, eyepiece or Barlow. If you’re anticipating the purchase of a PST and need some questions answered, I would suggest that you visit the “solar” forum at Cloudy Nights Telescope Reviews on the Internet. Some wonderful, knowledgable folks frequent the site and I’m sure they'll be glad to share their experiences and thoughts concerning solar observing and the Coronado PST. The image on page 51 provides a closeup view of the PST and shows the small focus knob at the back of the scope that moves the internal prism rather than the eyepiece to reach focus. This has its advantage in that there are no external moving parts to collect dust or moisture. The larger knurled rotary collar at the base of the optical tube is used to fine-tune the filter etalon for the sharpest image. You’ll find that this comes in handy for “tuning” the best view of prominences or detail on the sun’s surface. The tuning collar has “soft “ stops on either end of its travel, so care must be taken when turning it for the best view. Too much muscle could damage the tuner. The PST has a very unique and functional finder. With its little window built into the top of the housing, the “Sol Ranger” is a no brainer. Swing the scope while looking at, not through, the finder. When the sun's disk shows up in the window – voila' – good ole sol will be in the field of view of your main
Image 3
eyepiece. Images 2 and 3 are my somewhat feeble attempts at some quick photography with the PST. I simply handheld a Canon DSLR up to the eyepiece. Image 2 is an example of what you can expect to see through a low power
eyepiece. Notice the small proms on the limb. Image 3 is a magnified image of the proms. Some great photos, taken by others, are available on the Web and show the awesome capabilities of this lightweight and affordable 40-mm H-alpha refractor.
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The “North Star” Field Tripod By Melvin E. Dawson
As my friend and Vega Sky Center colleague, Gary Barabino, (The Vega Sky Center is an outreach program that Gary and I started many years ago to share our love of astronomy) began making preparations to vacation with my family in Florida, tragedy struck. The victim, Gary’s modified 8-inch f/5 Konus 200-mm Newtonian mounted on a CG-5 German Equatorial Mount (GEM). The culprit was a 2006 Chrysler Magnum station wagon which hardly noticed the Konusky unwittingly placed in its path. Damages to the Konusky’s lower extremities were serious,
The completed, height adjustable VSC “North Star” Field Tripod.
An ATM Solution to Stable Support of a Small GEM
which required immediate amputation of all of its legs. Though we can now inject some humor, it was not so for Gary when the incident occurred. For it was only a week prior, that Gary had replaced one of the original legs of the tripod because of another altercation. With the second accident, Gary was quite frustrated and vowed not to replace the legs again. His attention turned instead to purchasing a stronger tripod. Knowing that Gary had not planned on budgeting for a new tripod, I suggested that we try building a base for his telescope.
The unit I had in mind would support the telescope and mount much better than the original tripod. I generated a design and presented it to Gary, who approved the build. This is how the Vega Sky Center “North Star” Field Tripod was born. Material and Parts Cost was definitely a major factor in deciding which materials to use for this project. So, reflecting on a previous forkmount project, I recalled using very inexpensive 48-inch long, 2-inch by 2-inch (2x2) hard-pine stakes (shown in Image 2) Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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THE “NORTH STAR” FIELD TRIPOD hardware can be a bit expensive, so zinc or galvanized plated hardware can be used as an alternative. Zinc plate hardware will accept enamel paint quite easily, whereas galvanized components will not. Even the coated drywall screws take paint quite well. Strap hinges were selected to attach the accessory tray to the legs utilizing T-Nuts and eyebolts to work in conjunction with strap hinges that provide a means of locking the legs when extended. Pan-head screws and waterproof polyurethane adhesive were combined for optimum strength of the leg assemblies.
Image 2
to stiffen the fork mount base platform. We purchased nine of these stakes to form the three legs of the tripod – three pieces for each leg – after spending a good bit of time making certain each was fine grained, straight, and knot free. These qualities
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
assured that the legs would hold up to the weight of the telescope. For weather resistance, stainless steel hardware was used in connecting the equatorial mount head and legs to the field tripod’s pan-head. Of course, stainless steel
Design Overview (Note from the Editor - A complete set of schematic renderings and plans for this project are available in the online version of this article at www.astronomytechnologytoday.com. Due to the size, intricate detail, and number of the renderings Mel has provided of this project, there is simply not enough space for them to be included in the print edition of the magazine.)
THE “NORTH STAR” FIELD TRIPOD
Image 3
The design is similar to that of popular commercial tripods, but differs in how the individual wood members (the stakes in our case) are joined to form the legs. Typically, with commercial wood and aluminum tripods, three metal straps or bands are use to hold the leg elements together. For the “North Star” tripod, 3/4-inch plywood faceplates were installed to the front and back “faces” of each leg assembly and attached to the two outer main leg support members with polyurethane adhesive and woodscrews – a combination that works quite well in holding the leg sections together throughout the extension range of the center leg extensions. No more than 3/4 of the center leg extension should protrude from the main leg support assembly when fully extended. The tripod pan-head is comprised of four glued layers of 3/4-inch cabinet grade birch plywood. The layers were traced from a single template made from stiff manila card stock and the top layer includes the recess that accepts the CG5 equatorial head. The pan-head was quite thick in our prototype design. The dimensions of the pan-head can be altered with the number of layers increased depending on the size and weight of your specific mount and telescope. Placement of the horizontal leg attachment holes in the pan-head fingers is another consideration. Three individual holes were drilled in the lower portion of the assembly. This allowed for more material to be positioned above the
Image 4
leg attachment points to take advantage of the strength of the upper layers, thereby reducing flexure. I recommend that you do not drill these holes through the glued seams between the plywood layers – even though it is common belief that glued joints are stronger than the plywood itself, I prefer to not test that theory. Made from a single triangular piece of 3/4-inch cabinet-grade plywood, the accessory tray provides a wealth of space for storing eyepieces, dust covers and
such, and constructing the tray is quite easy. The tray is simply an equilateral triangle, the tips of which were cut off to the width of the legs in preparation for connecting to the inside faceplates. Each connection point on the tray has two holes. These are used to attach the accessory tray to the legs with the strap hinges. As an added feature, a red LED lamp can be installed to the underside of the pan-head, or attached to the inside faceplates of one or more legs to illuminate accessories without depriving night
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THE “NORTH STAR” FIELD TRIPOD vision. Unfortunately, the prototype accessory tray we built for our field tripod does not have side rails or a lamp, but the next version will include them. Construction Overview Image 3 (Shown previous page) shows one of the completed leg assemblies. The tops of the two 2x2 stakes used as the main leg supports were rounded and a hole drilled in each for attachment to the Pan-Head as shown in Image 4 (shown previous page). Next, the bottom inside edge of one of the main leg supports was notched at a 45-degree angle as shown in Image 5 to allow the pivot joint of a strap hinge to lay flat for use as the height adjustment locking system. The lower inside of the leg was fitted with a T-Nut for
Image 5
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insertion of an eyebolt and the two main leg members were spaced using a 3-inch length of 2x2 block along with a 1/8inch thick piece of craft plywood to increase their separation to allow the adjustable center leg section to move freely between. Next, between 1/32 and 1/16 inch of material was removed from the side of the adjustable center leg that faces the back faceplate of the tripod leg with several passes of a spinning drum sander cylinder on a drill press to ease the fit between the front and back faceplates and prevent binding. Then, everything was sandwiched between the two 3/4inch inch plywood panels which formed the front and back faceplates. Woodscrews, and drywall screws, in conjunction with waterproof polyurethane adhesive were used to attach the faceplates to the main leg support members. I recommend pre-drilling holes for all screws to reduce the chance of splitting the wood As shown in Image 4, a hole was drilled through both of the main leg support members, about 1.5 inches below the curve at the top of the leg to accommodate a 6 inch long by 5/16 inch carriage bolt for marrying to the pan-head. To pull it all together, two 3 inch long drywall or deck screws are used on one side, and one on the other. The 3 inch length of 2x2 spacer block serves several purposes: (1) It separates the main leg support members to allow adequate clearance for the adjustable center leg section. (2) It acts as a height stop when the legs are retracted. (3) It provides additional strength by reducing twisting and flexure of the legs at the Pan-Head connection. Image 5 shows the bottom end of one of the tripod legs with the adjustable center leg section removed to reveal its height adjustment locking mechanism, which consists of a 3-inch strap hinge, three small wood screws, a T-Nut, and an eyebolt. This simple design works quite well in securing the center leg section
THE “NORTH STAR” FIELD TRIPOD
Image 6
Image 7
when it is extended. The 1/4x20 T-Nut (hidden behind the strap hinge) is attached to the inside wall of one of the 2x2 main leg supports and installed in a 5/16-inch hole drilled about 2 inches from its bottom. A 2 inch long 1/4x20 eyebolt is then screwed into the T-Nut from the opposite side. At the end of the same main leg support member, a bevel has been cut at a 45-degree angle to accommodate the protruding pin of the pivot joint of a 3inch strap hinge. One half of the strap hinge is inserted up the interior and is positioned in front of the T-Nut inside the opening. It is designed to push against the center leg member by tightening the eyebolt. The other half of the strap hinge is then attached to the bottom end of the same main leg support assembly with two small woodscrews. The remaining overhang of the strap
hinge is bent around the bottom outside edge of the main leg support assembly. Finally, another small woodscrew is used to secure the tip of the bent overhang to the outside of the main leg support, just below the eyebolt entry hole, all as shown in Image 6. The bottom end of one of the main leg support assemblies is shown in Image 6 with the center leg section removed. The eyebolt is tightened to force the inside hinge strap against the center leg section, locking it very effectively. This height adjustment locking mechanism works well to prevent marring of the center leg section when the eyebolt is tightened, while still providing for positive locking of the extended center section whether fully or partially extended. Once assembly of all three legs was completed and each was thoroughly sanded, they were sealed with several
coats of marine-grade spar varnish. All edges were slightly rounded or “eased” using an orbital sander and 220-grit disk. The accessory tray is an important component in the design of the tripod. It not only holds accessories, but also supports the legs and overall structure of the tripod. The top and bottom views of the installed accessory tray are shown in Images 7 and 8 (Image 8 shown following page). A number of factors were considered in determining its dimensions. First, we assembled the legs and panhead. Then, with the adjustable center leg sections fully retracted, the legs were angled from the Pan-Head to see how far we wanted to set their spread. Next, using a rule, we determined the height we wanted to place the accessory tray in relation to the spread of the legs. Once the accessory tray’s aboveground height was established, we could measure the
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THE “NORTH STAR� FIELD TRIPOD
Image 8
distance between the legs to determine the width of its three main sides. This distance was reduced by a couple of inches per side to accommodate for clearance between the tray and the inside faceplates of the angles legs. Next, we trimmed off the three tips of the tray
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
Image 9
base to the same width as the faceplates. With the dimensions calculated, we drew the triangle onto a piece of 3/4-inch plywood and cut out the pattern using a band saw. The tray is attached to the tripod legs with six 3-inch strap hinges (two per
leg) connected to the inside faceplate of the legs. The strap hinges, six 1/4x20 1.5- inch bolts, six 1/4 x20 wing nuts, and twelve 1/4-inch inch ID/1.25-inch OD washers were used to make the connections. You can use higher quality hinges if you prefer. Just make certain to
THE “NORTH STAR” FIELD TRIPOD
Image 10
select hinges that do not require placing a screw through the middle of the inside faceplate of the legs. Any screws that penetrate the faceplate will make contact with the adjustable center leg section and interfere with its movement. It is best to use narrow hinges that can be attached with long woodscrews or nuts and bolts, penetrating only the twin main leg support assembly members. In our prototype, we used hinges made of stamped steel, which will be changed in the next model to more robust heavy gauge hardened steel hinges. With the accessory tray completed, we moved to the “feet” of the tripod legs.
Image 11
As shown in Image 9, we beveled the tips of the adjustable center legs sections so the tripod sits flush on a flat surface. To do this, with the tripod assembled on a flat surface, we used a compass to scribe a cut line parallel to the floor by placing its needlepoint end on the floor and adjusting the pencil point end to coincide with the height between the floor and the outward facing edge of the center leg section. The center legs sections were then removed from the tripod and cut along the scribe line. A neoprene pad was attached to the bottom end of each leg for protection and surefootedness. There are many alternatives to this sys-
tem – in our next version, I plan to install a pivoting mechanism, which will aid in stabilizing the tripod on irregular surfaces. Image 10 shows me standing behind the completed tripod in its lowest configuration and Image 11 shows Gary Barabino leans on the fully raised tripod. That completes our prototype “North Star” Field Tripod. Our other ATM projects are described in detail at www.vega-sky-center.com. If you are interested in building a similar tripod and would like to contact me for more details please email me at vsc-astronomers@vega-sky-center.com. Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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THE “NORTH STAR” FIELD TRIPOD - DESIGN DIAGRAMS FOR THE PROJECT
Figure 3a and 3b: Opaque and x-ray diagrams of the tripod leg sections.
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
THE “NORTH STAR” FIELD TRIPOD - DESIGN DIAGRAMS FOR THE PROJECT
Figures 4a and 4b: Top view opaque and x-ray diagrams of the pan-head assembly.
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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THE “NORTH STAR” FIELD TRIPOD - DESIGN DIAGRAMS FOR THE PROJECT
Figures 5a and 5b: Angled perspectives of the panhead assembly.
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THE “NORTH STAR” FIELD TRIPOD - DESIGN DIAGRAMS FOR THE PROJECT
Figures 6 a and 6 b: Top and angled views of the accessory tray assembly.
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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World’s Youngest Supernova Hunter Caroline Moore A Lifetime Achievement at 14? By Dave Snay
On November 13, 2008, Caroline Moore and the Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search team were recognized by the International Astronomical Union for their discovery of a supernova, designated Supernova 2008ha in galaxy UGC 12682 in Pegusus. While this is a remarkable accomplishment for any amateur, Caroline’s is especially so for, at the ripe old age of 14, she has also been recognized as, most likely, the youngest person to make such a discovery. Caroline has a long history with astronomy; well, long for a 14 year old. Her dad, Bob, sparked her interest when she was very young (3 or 4) when he borrowed a telescope from a friend and shared views of Saturn and Jupiter with the neighborhood. Caroline received a nice, big 10-inch Dobsonian when she was 10. (Hmmm, a 10-inch scope at 10 years old. There’s an interesting coincidence.) There have been many scopes since then – she thinks there have been about 8 in all – but the trusty Dob remains her favorite. Caroline and her dad are members of both the Rockland Astronomy Club and the Orange County Astronomical Association. However, her accomplishment would not have been possible without an invitation from Tim
Puckett (of Apogee Instruments) to join his Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search team. Rumor has it Tim was a little hesitant to have someone as young as Caroline on his team, as its success requires far more focus and persistence than we normally associate with such tender youth. If he only understood her desire and dedication, he may have asked her sooner! I’ve known Caroline since 2006 and first
met her while chatting with her dad the morning after a long night of astronomy during the 2006 installment of the Rockland Astronomy Club’s annual Summer Star Party. Bob and I were talking about equipment, as astronomy geeks generally do, when I heard a grunt and a thud. Now these are not welcome sounds on a field filled with expensive astro-gear. When I looked to see what had happened, Bob chuckled, told me not worry, and then proceeded to
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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WORLD’S YOUNGEST SUPERNOVA HUNTER - CAROLINE MOORE
advise Caroline on her technique. You see, she was practicing her Shot Put skills for the upcoming track and field season. For the rest of the week you could find Caroline heaving the shot put under the shade of a big tree at the edge of the observing field, making big dents in the turf – and remarkably far from where she was throwing! Since that first meeting, Caroline has taken a more active role in the annual Star Party. She now has her own equipment on the field and spends a lot of her time sharing views with others. Last year she even took on the task of organizing and running all the kids’ events,
including a scavenger hunt. Caroline volunteered for this job when she learned that there was not going to be one, because there was no one willing to run it. From all accounts, it was a rousing success. Caroline tells me that nebulas are her favorite deep-sky objects – she loves their variety of colors and shapes. The fact that stars are born within some and that her supernova discovery may itself become a nebula some day is exciting for her as well. It’s a shame she won’t be able to see the life cycle of Supernova 2008ha, but modern medicine hasn’t found a way to extend our lives quite that long.
Caroline’s dad, Bob, is very active in the organization and execution of the annual NorthEast Astro Imaging Conference (NEAIC), for which he serves on the board and takes on an active role in recruiting speakers. While attending the 2008 edition of NEAIC, I ran into Caroline (go figure). She was “manning” the check-in table and helping to keep her dad calm when I was scheduled to present and hadn’t shown up yet, even though my presentation was only a few hours away. At least Caroline had faith I’d be there in time. While astronomy is truly a passion for Caroline, it is hardly her only activity. She has been singing for as long as she can remember and getting more serious with that lately. She attended the New York Summer Music Festival this past July, where she auditioned for placement in the program and was accepted to the most elite programs in the festival. Carline is also on her school’s varsity ski team. She also skates, practices yoga, is on the Academic Challenge team, the debate club, and the student senate. There really doesn’t seem to be anything this young lady can’t handle. Even though Caroline is only 14, she has already started thinking about potential career paths. One of her current interests includes a career in music, possibly attending Julliard or the Crain School of Music. Other career options include that of reconstructive surgeon. I suspect the later is partly due to an injury she sustained that has prevented her from continuing practice of her Shot Put skills. She also loves politics and might pursue in a career in that field. Look out Washington!
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WORLD’S YOUNGEST SUPERNOVA HUNTER - CAROLINE MOORE THE PUCKETT OBSERVATORY WORLD SUPERNOVA SEARCH The Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search, organized by Tim Puckett of the high-performance CCD Camera source, Apogee Instruments, Inc., is a multi-national effort that currently coordinates data acquisition from five facilities located in the United States, Canada and South Africa. Associated observatories image thousands of galaxies each clear night using computer-controlled
robotic telescopes. The resulting data is organized and analyzed by a team of volunteers from around the globe and it was while serving on this team that Caroline Moore discovered Supernova 2008ha. The Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search is credited with 191 discoveries since 1994. It is actively seeking additional observatory locations in the
Southern Hemisphere, especially in Australia, to increase its data production capabilities. For more about this non-profit organization, including contact information, please visit www.cometwatch.com. ATT plans expanded coverage in a future issue detailing the equipment and techniques employed by the Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search to accomplish its impressive list of discoveries.
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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Stephen O’Meara’s Observing the Night Sky with Binoculars An Enjoyable Read for Astronomers of All Skill Levels By Bill Pellerin
Whenever Stephen O’Meara produces a new book, it’s almost an automatic purchase for many amateur astronomers. There’s no one who loves the sky (day or night) and its phenomena more than Stephen, and nobody does a better job of describing what he or she sees in that sky and of helping us experience some of that enjoyment for ourselves. So, I was excited to discover that Stephen had come out with a new book, Observing the Night Sky with Binoculars. There are other references that cover the general subject – many with similar names – so be careful to ensure that you are, in fact, selecting Stephen’s new book.
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Observing the Night Sky with Binoculars introduces the subject of the night sky by taking the reader on a tour of the Big Dipper. This is a good choice because it’s almost always up and available for viewing, although from southern latitudes in winter the Big Dipper is only partly above the horizon by mid-evening and not well placed for viewing until around midnight. That said, the author assumes no previous experience at finding things in the night sky and takes reader by the hand in locating the asterism. This is more detail than most experienced amateurs will need, but it makes the content of the book accessible to more readers.
O’Meara discusses the constellation’s lore, angles in the sky, the brightness of its stars, and observing techniques, and only then gets into detail of objects that the reader can find with binoculars in the Big Dipper. One of the dangers that he flirts with is that he is such an astute observer that he sees things in the sky that few of the rest of us can readily pick out. Some of the objects that are suggested as binocular targets may prove difficult for less experienced observers. The book continues by dividing the discussion into objects available in each of the four seasons, further subdividing the material by month within the seasons. There is considerable opportunity for overlap, of course, but this seems like a reasonable approach for this book. For January, O’Meara reports, “If you go outside at 9:00 p.m. on New Year day and look high in the south you will see two distinct star patterns…” He goes on to describe the “V” shape of the Hyades cluster and the (very) little dipper shape
of the Pleiades. Even if you’ve observed these clusters many times, as I have, the book is very likely to reveal aspects of which you were unaware. Observing the Night Sky with Binoculars shares histories of these highlight clusters, including such insights as, “The stars of Taurus have been seen as a Bull since at least 4000 B.C. ...”, and reports little known details such as, “Theta (Tau) is a yellow G-type giant…”, and encourages the reader to compare Theta with the color of Aldebaran. How many of us actually actively look at the objects through the telescope and see everything that the object has to offer? How much more is there yet to know and understand? All such detail contributes to our sense of wonder as we observe the sky and this is where Stephen O’Meara’s expertise really comes into play. He’s an observer and wants to help the reader become one too. The January section continues with a discussion of the Pleiades, an absolutely beautiful open cluster of stars
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that have only recently, in astronomical time, turned on. There is a discussion of Perseus, too, and of the Double Cluster. So, for those nights when you don’t want to bother setting up the telescope and you still want to get out under a clear dark sky, this book is the ticket. A lot of us now own small refractor telescopes for quick looks at the sky and these are also good matches for the objects and observations described in the book. One thing – there’s very little discussion in this book about buying binoculars. There are many good sources on selecting binoculars, including experienced amateur astronomers and equipment vendors, but know that you don’t have to pay a lot to get acceptable performance. Stephen O’Meara tells us that he used two pairs of binoculars in writing the book: one bought at a yard sale and the other at a Radio Shack store – total cost $25. The 158 page book is published by Cambridge University Press and priced at $34.99.
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ASTRO TIPS tips, tricks and novel solutions
A Spirited Solution to Leveling Mounts
By Joe Campbell While struggling to improve the go-to accuracy of my LXD-75 mount, the idea struck me that more accurately leveling it would greatly assist that effort. However, the mount lacked a built-in level indicator. In the past, I’d used a single bubble find-the-centerstyle circular level placed on the tripod spreader, but it was difficult to find the “true center” with that crude tool. While I could get the little bubble in the center circle, it never seemed to be spot on to my liking. Then one day as I was browsing in a telescope parts store also known as Harbor Freight, I noticed some small, spirit-filled (thus “spirit level”) bubble levels on sale for 99 cents each. The idea struck me to remove the bubble level tubes and glue them directly to the mount at 90-degree angles to each other. This would provide for precise, perpendicular leveling of the mount verses the significant margin of error of circular levels. A word on safety is in order. As always, wear safety glasses when working with tools and operate all tools in a safe and responsible
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manner. Also, some spirit levels may contain liquids that are less than friendly. Indeed, while ignoring the latter rule, I managed to break one such tube and the smell of the liquid was pretty nasty. So caution should be used to avoid inhalation of fumes or getting
the potentially harmful liquid on sensitive tissues, namely your eyes. After getting the levels home (and yes “levels,” as in plural – since they were only 99 cents, I purchased a couple of them as prototyping can sometimes lay a bit of waste), I set
to figuring out how to liberate the sprit-filled tubes from their plastic bodies. First, it was clear when I purchased the levels that the tubes were simply set into the level bodies with the plastic formed around them. I suggest that you look for something similar when shopping as this simplifies freeing of the tubes. I ended up using a sharp saw to cut into the plastic just close enough to the bubble openings to be able to wiggle the tubes out. Some of the tubes where lightly glued and took a bit more wiggling (as mentioned above, I did break one this way, so recommend greater care during the “wiggling” phase). Once removed, some bubbles had a bit of excess plastic on the ends that I removed with a light pass with sandpaper. I then sighted two tubes on the mount base where they would be easily visible, represent a true level of the base, and be out of the way of any moving parts. Once the locations where decided, I used a cyanoacrylate adhesive to “glue” the bubble level tubes in place. That’s about it. Because this solution worked so well, I’ve since made the same modification to all of my German Equatorial mounts.
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