[Quark (Trevor)]

Hi all,
Have just finished my light box, possibly better described as a "crate", project.

The tube for my scope is 22" OD so I have made a plywood light crate 23" x 23" x 24". Internally it is painted flat white. I used 4 clusters of 3 18,000 MCD white LED's. They run on 12 V DC and I am using the bench top power supply that I use for my Peltier cooler. That allows me to adjust the voltage between 6 and 15 V DC.

Being physically quite large I have attached toolbox handles to the crate to aid in moving it around.

I also fitted a plywood ring, the same diameter as the scope tube to act as a spacer and provide clearance for an extension that is on my spider that I sometimes attach a counterweight to. I also have fitted 4 door stops, positioned around the spacer ring, to positively locate the scope tube relative to the crate.

Have attached 4 images of the project.

Image 1 demonstrates the physical size of my creation, note the toolbox handles on the sides.

Image 2 shows the diffuser with the 4 pieces of bread board, the LED clusters with associated resistor, wiring and the strips of polystyrene shielding the direct light of the LED's from the diffuser.

Image 3 shows the diffuser fitted, the spacer ring of plywood and the door stops used to locate the crate with the scope tube.

Image 4 In this image the LED's have been switched on and are operating on just 9 V DC. Probably should have turned the lights off in my observatory.

When I can no longer image Saturn I will turn my attention to DSO imaging with my 450D.
Previously, all of my prime focus DSO imaging has been on 35mm film, but this light crate will allow me to enter the DSO digital age, strewth I must be old.

Cheers
Trevor