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  #21  
Old 05-04-2012, 09:31 AM
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scagman (John)
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Ah, ok thanks for that.
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  #22  
Old 05-04-2012, 10:26 AM
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stardust steve (Steve)
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It looks like it is coming along nicely.
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  #23  
Old 18-04-2012, 08:17 AM
LostBoyNZ (Graham Parker)
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Lots more progress has been made lately There's now a roof and some walls!

I've also ordered some solar film too, so I'll be ready for the Venus transit. Looking forward to being able to check out the sun via telescope! It's amazing what we can do with some $40 film over the front

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/I6X1P.jpg
http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/GkAmS.jpg
http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/CT0Fc.jpg
http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/FiyK.jpg
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  #24  
Old 18-04-2012, 09:29 AM
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scagman (John)
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Hi Graham,

Its looking really good. looks like you'll have plenty of room too.
How will you secure the roll off section from blowing off?
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  #25  
Old 18-04-2012, 10:19 AM
LostBoyNZ (Graham Parker)
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Thanks

It's pretty heavy with the iron on top, but just to be sure we're going for a few large padlocks to keep it down when it's closed. There will also be stops on the end too, so it won't roll off when it's open.
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  #26  
Old 18-04-2012, 03:52 PM
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I'm thinking something along the lines of these would be quick and easy http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TRAILER-L...item3374be2fa8
A couple of these along the side and end would be pretty secure, and can be locked if needed.

Cheers
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  #27  
Old 16-05-2012, 12:31 PM
LostBoyNZ (Graham Parker)
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Thanks for the link there. I had a look for similar things after seeing that, but in the end because it's connected to more of a building, we were able to use long bolts that go through the wall to keep it in place.

The iron tripod, lol. It's built using triangles for strength, and will be bolted into the concrete. This may be replaced with a pier but it'll be interesting to see how it goes:

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/riW0K.jpg

My solar filter so far. Bit messy looking, but holds firmly onto the scope even without being taped down (but of course I tape it down anyways) Basically I'm going to make a second hole for Baader Astro Film. The current film there is similar but lets a yellow / orange color through. I'll have covers for each film, so I can use either one at a time.

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/0ni78.jpg

The bolt shown below will stop people opening the roof from outside. There's also long bolts going into the rest of the shed further down, which will stop the roof from blowing off in heavy wind:

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/mJf4g.jpg

There's a door here, which just needs a padlock now:

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/Nlne7.jpg
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  #28  
Old 16-05-2012, 01:21 PM
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silv (Annette)
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marvelous! great project! fun to read, too! thanks for sharing, Graham!
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  #29  
Old 22-05-2012, 01:39 PM
LostBoyNZ (Graham Parker)
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Glad it's fun to read It's fun to make too

I created a mini solar filter today, for my guide scope. I got MUCH further this time, and actually took some photos. I couldn't seem to get the guide scope and main scope aligned this time, but it was close enough to help me a great deal.

I see what people mean by atmospheric conditions now. I found it extremely hard to focus with the microfocuser because it was constantly changing on its own. No matter what I couldn't seem to get it any sharper than the photos I took below. My DSLR with T-Mount was as far inside the microfocuser as it would go (I assume that's how it should be?)

Any tips before the Venus Transit would be a huge huge help

Baader Solar Film (white balance pushed up turn it yellow) at 1/500, ISO 1000, 5D Mark II:

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/sTvr5.jpg

100% CROP:

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/zVA8.jpg

Seymour Solar Film at 1/80, ISO 3200, 5D Mark II:

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/4SQZU.jpg

100% CROP:

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/vTzI.jpg

I wasn't able to get any better focus with the Seymour Solar Film. It was also much darker, so I had to use a much higher ISO and much slower shutter speed (that would have resulted in more blur too) to snap a photo.

My solar filter, before I added the cardboard flaps over each filter (so that I can use just 1 filter at a time without having to un-stick the entire thing from the scope):

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/LSc07.jpg

I used Live View to look at the sun and take the photos using burst mode.

Comparing the solar films more, the Seymour film was much easier to cut. I didn't have to worry about cutting causing crinkles in the film like I did with the Baader stuff. For photography however, so far I much prefer the Baader film. For purely visual use though, the Seymour film gives that nice orange look I expect.
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  #30  
Old 29-05-2012, 06:29 PM
LostBoyNZ (Graham Parker)
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Received my 3.8 ND Baader solar photo film over the weekend, and put the third film into my solar filter today. I also put silver colored tape over the flap of that one, as a reminder for when I'm using it, that it's different and not to look through the scope when that one is open (photographic use only).

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/X87Hu.jpg

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/1vBSa.jpg

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/FsoZO.jpg

There's a gap on the top there, where it fits around my dovetail rail.

I took some photos today, although they aren't what I'd call sharp. Also the bottom of the sun kept going darker when the sun got lower in the frame. I wonder if I made the off axis filter for the photographic film too big. I can't think of any other reason, because it doesn't happen with the other filters. Easy fix though, just make a smaller ring to go on top of it. I'll try that tomorrow.

I'll give Registax 6 another big go with these photos and see if I can figure out how to use it this time, hehe. Will post the results
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  #31  
Old 05-06-2012, 11:06 AM
LostBoyNZ (Graham Parker)
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EEK! The weather for New Zealand is not looking good at all for tomorrow... snow / sleet / cloud all over the place. Here it's gonna be a high of 5 degrees with "Rain, turning to snow. Bitterly cold southerlies.". Yet Thursday is sunny and fine. Doh! Today there was some clear sky towards mountains near here, but I'll have to hope for the same tomorrow.

Recently I figured out how to get the scope to track the sun, so that's a big help. Also I learned a bit more about how the microfocuser works (I can see it physically retracts or extends the tube).

Wasn't able to figure out why the bottom of the image gets darker though. It doesn't look like that at all in Live View, only when I actually see the photo it took on the screen. Reducing the size of the filter hole didn't seem to help. Hmm.

Quite happy with the focus on this particular shot (YAY!!!!) but it also demonstrates how the bottom is darker. Since that's where Venus will be, I'm hoping to figure that out. As a last resort though, I can try and adjust to compensate for it in Adobe Lightroom.

1/4000th Shutter Speed / ISO 640 / 5D Mark II

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/XWZby.jpg

100% Crops:

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/pPAtU.jpg
http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/YzVNQ.jpg
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  #32  
Old 06-06-2012, 08:21 PM
LostBoyNZ (Graham Parker)
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Despite being surrounded by snow when I woke up today, my quest to see the Venus transit was an interesting one, hehe. I posted a photo here http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...804#post860804
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  #33  
Old 13-06-2012, 08:24 AM
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Hi Graham,
Have just seen all this for the first time, what a great read! Well done. I really like the iron tripod pier thing what a piece of art

I'm just about to start my own wooden tripod for my 6" frac that will be 1.8 metres tall and I thought that was going to be large and heavy until I saw your set up. Hope yours is finished soon.
Cheers Matt
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  #34  
Old 13-06-2012, 04:02 PM
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The never say die approach to problems faced and D.I.Y'ness to get out of trouble goes a long way in this game.
Good on ya
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  #35  
Old 26-09-2012, 07:14 PM
LostBoyNZ (Graham Parker)
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Thanks guys! Matt, hopefully your woodern tripod has gone well?

Things were pretty quiet on the observatory front over the winter, plus I was kept busy with other things, but… now at last I’ve been able to do more on it, and it’s nearly finished!

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/FYhS9.jpg
http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/R7pZV.jpg
http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/gSndT.jpg

Yesterday the iron tripod was bolted to the concrete. Two drill bits later (oops!), and after a fair bit of levelling, the iron monster was attached to the ground. The Mitty Euro Wedge was then attached, followed by even more levelling. Ending with the bubble meter almost perfectly centred, I think we did pretty well. I’m sure it’s not pointing exactly north yet, but it’s within a few degrees, which is adjustable on the wedge. After all that, finally the telescope was lifted up to its new home!

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/s5F3f.jpg

Sitting high up there, it looked good, it looked very good! Plus there was enough room above the scope to close the roof safely. Phew!! Our measurements were correct.

I took off the Orion 80mm ShortTube that I’m going to use as a autoguide scope and put the Meade finder scope back on. Pointing it towards a little water tower down the road, I lined it up with the main scope. To be honest I expected that part to be harder, but the adjustments on the finder scope worked well. Then I decided to point it at something more interesting, and had no troubles finding the moon up there in the blue afternoon sky.

Even in the daylight, seeing such a close up view of the moon with my 26mm eyepiece was literally a real eye opener! I could see each crater like I’d only ever seen before on TV, but this time it was with my very own eyes. Seeing the rough surface, I thought about what it would have been like to see the moon being slammed into by such huge asteroids. Switching to my 10mm eyepiece, I was amazed again at the detail I could see, this time around the edge of the craters. As the sun went down and the stars came out, I stood there just watching the moon.

The setup worked really well, and knocking on the iron tripod did cause some vibrations, but they dissipated very quickly indeed. Attaching a camera and taking some photos will be a better test, but so far it looks promising.

The next step will be filling up gaps in the building with filler, to keep rats out. One left a nice little (well, not so little actually!) gift for me on the shelf the other day. Then a few last touches, like a lip on the shelf to make it more earthquake safe, and a dew guard for my netbook to sit under.

Telescope wise, I have the challenge of polar aligning it next. I’ll have to read up on how to do that.
Last year with my DSLR, a 400mm zoom lens and a 2x tele-convertor I was able to just make out a couple of dots that were moons around Jupiter, but the planet itself was just a white blob. There’s not much to see planet wise here right now, but when they do come out, I can’t wait to see their colors. Then of course there’s all sorts of other targets to set my eyes on.

I’ve dreamed of having a telescope since I was a little kid, and now with one here, I can explore the universe… from an old chicken shed

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/5wOIT.jpg
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  #36  
Old 26-09-2012, 08:37 PM
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Kiwi Engineuity, at its best Graham . I have been following this from day one , Great job .
Enjoy mate .
Brian.
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  #37  
Old 26-09-2012, 09:40 PM
LostBoyNZ (Graham Parker)
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Thanks very much Brian!

I certainly will enjoy, for years to come. I'm sure I'll excitedly post any astro photos I take on this forum somewhere too
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  #38  
Old 27-09-2012, 02:43 AM
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GrampianStars (Rob)
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Cool

Quote:
Originally Posted by LostBoyNZ View Post
The setup worked really well, and knocking on the iron tripod did cause some vibrations, but they dissipated very quickly indeed. Attaching a camera and taking some photos will be a better test, but so far it looks promising. [/IMG]
NOT good mate.....
some more cross bracing needs to be welded on
apart from that well done
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  #39  
Old 27-09-2012, 07:15 AM
LostBoyNZ (Graham Parker)
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... doh!

I don't intend to be in the Observatory when it's taking photos but I assume the motor in the telescope causes vibrations down the 'tripod' and back up it as well then?

If they can be greatly reduced by more cross bracing though, that's no so bad. I was worried if this didn't work, I'd have to dig the whole thing up and go the pier route. But for the price this cost, it's worth a try.

When you knock on the pier or tripod or such, should I be expecting to not see any shaking through the eyepiece?

Thanks!
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  #40  
Old 27-09-2012, 07:55 AM
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ZeroID (Brent)
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Hi Graham, looking good, that is certainly an Iron Monster !! Any pier will have some residual vibration factor unless it weighs about a million tons or something. It's how fast it will be damped that is the real question. Surprisingly wood dampens vibrations better than steel hence a lot of astro's replace metal legs on their tripods with nice solid wooden ones or use old surveyors tripods etc.

The motors on the drive for the scope are very unlikely to create enough vibration to affect the scope. My concrete pipe pier tensioned down to the concrete slab will 'ring' if i give it a bump but it damps out within half a second and as it is isolated from the ob floor then I don't have a problem.

If you want to reduce the ring effect even more you could add more steel, more bracing, more mass but you could also try some sheet ply panels firmly attached over a few of the triangular sections of the Iron Monster. 17mm ply maybe bolted on will brace and absorb. might be a bit of a mission to drill all the holes but could help a bit if you think its a concern.

My suggestion: try the system as it is and modify if you have a problem. It looks solid enough so I think you'll be sweet.
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