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Old 13-10-2021, 12:51 PM
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The Home Made Tracking Device For Wide Field Astrophotography

Hi Guys, the tracking device is finished and I thought I would show it off and where it will live when doing it's work.

As it happens, and this is a pure coincidence the wall it will be mounted on is actually pointing nearly 100% due Magnetic South, so that is very helpful, just a small tweak with the variation and we are set ready to fire it up.

Anyway the following photos will tell the story.

As promised shortly I will write a few words on how it was built and the Formula used to get it to this point.

Hope you like it.

Leon
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  #2  
Old 13-10-2021, 12:54 PM
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Very cool. What do you use it with? DSLRs only?
PS: love the workshop. Very tidy.
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Old 13-10-2021, 01:26 PM
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Thanks Marc, it will be used for DSLR only at this stage, I'll see how good it tracks first.

Leon
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Old 13-10-2021, 03:48 PM
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Except you don't want it to point magnetic south, you want it to point TRUE south, otherwise you are going to get some wicked elongation/star trailing.
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Old 13-10-2021, 05:06 PM
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Looks great but take a long exposure to find CSP..I think you will need to be able to adjust it to get South but with luck the wall may be already lined up...keep us posted and again very clever indeed...well done.
Alex
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Old 13-10-2021, 06:01 PM
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Thanks Guys, yes Lewis and Alex I know we need to tweak it to the correct position of SCP. did mention that in the initial post

I was just saying that it was so close to it already and pointed Magnetic South.

Leon
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Old 13-10-2021, 07:48 PM
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That is very cool. It will be really interesting to see the results!
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Old 14-10-2021, 09:21 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LewisM View Post
Except you don't want it to point magnetic south, you want it to point TRUE south, otherwise you are going to get some wicked elongation/star trailing.
11 degrees east... might need a jack hammer for the wall.
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Old 14-10-2021, 10:05 AM
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Looks great Leon.
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Old 14-10-2021, 10:27 AM
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Hey Guys I don't think you are all reading this first post right.

I know I have to adjust for true South.

Also the device can turn in a 360 degrees on the Mounting Assembly making it easy to move it a few degrees to SCP. it is not stuck to the wall "so to speak"

I was just making a point in the first post that it was actually nearly True South by pure chance, making it easy to move it a few degrees for True South.

Leon
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  #11  
Old 14-10-2021, 11:23 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leon View Post
Also the device can turn in a 360 degrees on the Mounting Assembly making it easy to move it a few degrees to SCP. it is not stuck to the wall "so to speak"

Leon
My method works best, it only takes a year... rotate one degree a day until trailing stops

Fantastic looking mount Leon, a work of art !!!

Guys, Leon's done this before, he'll find True South, he just needed the offset for this location.

RB

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Old 14-10-2021, 11:24 AM
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11 degrees east... might need a jack hammer for the wall.
But this is also an option...

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Old 14-10-2021, 12:39 PM
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But this is also an option...

Such a video would trend pretty well on social media.
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Old 14-10-2021, 12:52 PM
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I can see the look on Alice’s face now - even though having never met her - seeing Leon with a jack hammer in hand
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Old 14-10-2021, 01:49 PM
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She has seen me with worse in hand. just saying lol

Leon
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Old 14-10-2021, 02:04 PM
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Old 14-10-2021, 02:52 PM
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Ya know what RB, I reckon you stir the pot and sic em on me.

I love it

Leon
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Old 14-10-2021, 04:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leon View Post
She has seen me with worse in hand. just saying lol

Leon



I...need...bleach...now...for...my. ..thoughts...imprinted...on...my... brain.

Send me some chicken coup bleach will ya Andrew - you know, the one you use to bleach those brown eggs white for profit...
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Old 14-10-2021, 04:36 PM
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Ya know what RB, I reckon you stir the pot and sic em on me.

I love it

Leon

Nah, nah he dosen't (I had to)
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  #20  
Old 14-10-2021, 04:57 PM
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Looks great Leon.

I'd really like to know the method you use to get the rotation to the correct speed when you do your write-up.

I.e. how you get the axle to spin at a speed of 360 degrees per 24 hours

Cheers,
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