Your Astronomy Dream Product?

[glend]

What astronomy product would you like to see developed and why?

My dream product would be:

A full featured AI Collimation System , which would have a camera to insert in the focuser, and a software app, and equipment database, to debug the image and issue you with verbal instructions and tweaks to achieve perfect collimation. It would analyse each of your steps and report back immeadiately. Sort of like Sharpcap Polar Alignment, but with much better AI function. You just need to enter what scope you are collimating, from cassegrain, to refractors, to newts, to SCTs, etc. It could have a brand pick list too.
No need to rely on your dodgy vision anymore, or lack of understanding of the finer points of each design type. It would guide you to achieve a level of perfection beyond your hours of tinkering on the bench or star testing, all achieved within a few minutes.

I would pay for this.:welcome:

[billdan]

I like that idea, you could go even further and motorise the collimation screws. Then your PC or electronic device adjusts the mirrors more accurately and quicker than we can.

For the secondary we could deploy three motorised flexi-drive cables with screws attached for collimating.
For the primary a gear bolted onto the collimation screws, and a motor geared to turn the screw (in/out).

[glend]

Bill I guess that could work for a Newt, but other types ma6be not. Come to thinking it, how do they collimate the Hubble? Surely it might need checking now and then.

[peter_4059]

Wonder if it has Bob's knobs?

[Hans Tucker]

Would sort of take the fun and challenge out of the whole process wouldn't it? Too much of the hobby has been surrendered to automation. Just my opinion .. old school RAAF Instrument Fitter with antiquated ideas.

[Xeteth]

I was thinking about this question yesterday coming up with ideas about what hardware I'd want. Then it dawned on me that what I'd really love is an all-in-one software solution for astrophotography.

Currently, in a night of imaging I use Astrophotography Tool, PHD2, CCDInspector, Stellarium, and EQMOD - then Pixinsight for processing the data. Imagine if there was a complete package that provided everything whilst also providing an API or scripting so that people could add custom functions. That's the real Holy Grail to me.

This would have a major benefit in the consistency of data throughout the whole process. You start a project, then not have to worry about the files at all - let the software handle it. Guiding data could be used to help the software eliminate bad subs etc, the possibilities are endless.

I know such a thing is likely unrealistic, it would be a mammoth undertaking in terms of development. But I'd love to fire up Pixinsight one day and have tabs up the top for stellarium, image acquisition, mount control, guiding, etc.

[Peter Ward]

I’m firmly of the notion that the GIGO principle applies to imaging i.e. “garbage in garbage out”
Anything that improves the data works for me.
Higher order, adaptive optics would be amazing (i.e. deformable mirrors )

[rrussell1962]

Can we have a 35mm to 3.5mm high quality zoom eyepiece which is par focal throughout its entire range, has 20mm of eye relief and a constant 100 degree field. Oh - and is affordable. Please.

[GrahamL]

Cloud dissapator.

[AndyG]

I reckon we have a winner here Folks.

[peter_4059]

Too late. It already exists...

https://youtu.be/kmtDVM8YgTQ

[AndyG]

Peter, good Sir... please don't do that again. I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but after watching that, I'm not sure if my IQ is even in double figures anymore.

...ouch... :face:

[Startrek]

Don’t know if they already exist but for portable EQ mounts how about motorised Azimuth and Altitude adjusters for polar alignment instead of manual adjusting bolts ( either cabled remote control or wifi remote control )
Now is that becoming too lazy ??

[peter_4059]

That might be so Andy....but did the cloud disappear?

[billdan]

My astronomy dream product would be an Atmospheric Seeing Killer.

Not those commercial AO boxes that only correct for mount imperfections, but a wave front sensor (camera) that can do at least 30 frames per sec on an average star with good SNR and a tip/tilt mirror that can keep up.

[alpal]

That is not technically possible with a small amateur telescope.
Even super large telescopes sometimes have to shine a laser to get an artificial star to help the software to control a deformable mirror.
That's because you need a very bright star to be able to control
adaptive optics using a deformable mirror.

[glend]

Well, this thread is about "Dream Products", it doesn't have to be restricted by the current state of technology .

[alpal]

I don't think the dream includes breaking the laws of physics?


Adaptive optics with EMCCD cameras:


https://andor.oxinst.com/learning/view/article/wavefront-sensor-for-high-speed-adaptive-optics-based-astronomy

[strongmanmike]

:lol: Caloowed disappear indeed....brilliant!

[alpal]

Welcome back Mike.
You humor was much missed.

[multiweb]

Edmund optics had a 5" deformable mirror with electronics and SDK a couple of years ago. But you have to do everything yourself.

[Peter Ward]

Was this advertised on April 1st? :)

With the demise of CCD's sadly things are going one step forward and two back, as often happens when accountants influence engineering.

The original SBIG AO was not as Bill suggests ".... commercial AO boxes that only correct for mount imperfections"

When its control software ran under DOS, the system could achieve 40Hz tip-tilt corrections to the incoming wavefront.

This is the first order AO correction that even higher order professional systems must apply.
These finely calibrated units often cost $$ to send back for correcting "defects" purely due to rough handling by FedEx/UPS etc. hence commercially had issues from the get go.

The introduction of Windoze95 slowed it down a tad, with 30Hz being more
typical. Then the design was made more robust by the use of a refractive element, but that slowed corrections by a factor of two i.e. 15Hz.

That said, 15Hz guiding can and does improve FWHM's by a good 30%
First order AO works well on nights of "slow seeing". But when guide-stars start to look like fuzzballs, sure the system has few practical benefits.

It's also worth noting, it would nigh impossible to guide a telescope + mount at 15Hz.

I regularly watch the atmosphere bounce around guide stars in Ra and Dec, that my AO-X quickly calms....

but to get 150Kg of Telescope/Mount/Counterweights etc. to ignore inertia and move at the same rate and be passed off as "mount imperfections"
sorry...I simply can't agree as being an accurate description of the physical reality ;)

[billdan]

Hi Peter,

Thank you for your insight and experience you have had with the SBIG AO-X, and a 30% improvement in FWHM is at least something that is a step in the right direction.

I was not suggesting that mount corrections were happening at 15Hz or higher, however the tip/tilt optical window is operating at that rate and a guide pulse to mount may only be once every 4 or 5 secs.

When I looked into these AO units in 2014, I ignored the SBIG product because you could only use their guide cameras and you had to use Maxim software.

The other two that were available back then ($1600 ea) was the Starlight Express SXV-AO and the Orion Steadystar AO, both of them claiming to provide up to 40Hz correction to the tip/tilt window.

Orion has discontinued their product but you can still purchase the Starlight Express unit. Except its old technology that uses a RS232 port as its interface to the computer, Orion used a USB port.

In the end I rejected both of them because of the amount of backfocus they steal (70mm for the Starlight Express and 45mm for the Orion both including the integrated OAG).

This was the sales blurb for the Orion Steadystar:-

SteadyStar's high-speed refractive correction eliminates tracking errors far more effectively than regular autoguiding, resulting in better astrophotos with rounder and more pinpoint stars

Fastest adaptive optics guider (used for amateur astrophotography) on the market today! Capable of making more than 40 corrections per second, depending on guide star brightness and computer speed to overcome your mount's periodic error, combat wind-induced vibration, and even compensate for some of the negative effects of turbulent seeing.


Bill

[JeniSkunk]

Somewhat late in learning of this thread.
What you suggest is only partially useful. What else is needed, needs to be applied, once you have the sky cleared of clouds.
Clearing out all those swarms of satellites. Being able to zap them with a signal so they make a bee-line for whatever mob ordered their launch.

[glend]

That would be the Starlink satellite swarm, which are Elon Musk's project. He pretty much seems to be ignoring the concerns of the astronomy community, other than testing painting some of them to reduce reflectivity, which i suspect is just a panacea. Unfortunately he has US FCC permission to launch these things, and that is all he needs. It pretty much follows the attitude that space is there to be exploited, which is how the planet became so messed up. Ultimately we all may have to buy time share on high orbit (above the swarm) telescope platforms, or Moon based observatories; and I am sure SpaceX will be happy to transport the gear up there (for a price).

[JeniSkunk]

Not just Musk's roll out of the spaceborne equivalent of junk mail, Glen, but ALL the military and spy satellites as well, defunct or working.
Being able to forcibly return all such space pollution to sender would be a big boost in clearing the skies for astronomy.

[Nikolas]

An equatorial mount that auto polar aligns, and plate solves. No need for adding a laptop etc to it, same for autoguiding, built in. Only need a computer to acquire images and maybe input a target

[warpsl]

Skywatcher 7 inch refractor