Over The Edge side perspective

Just an image to show the Sky Crane carrying its payload 40 cm over the edge of the balcony rails. Still not all wired up in this picture - but later trial runs have proven that it works! It polar aligns using the buttons on the control box to within 1 minute arc, and it can carry more than this. Much more.

It is designed to carry the new upcoming Astro Physics 1600GTO at 52 kgs plus up to a 400mm RC reflector. Sadly the said reflector is way beyond my budget - and it wouldn't even fit through the doors I recently discovered no matter how I park... So I predict now that a much more modest Officina Stellare truss 10"RC reduced to f6 will live out there one day mated to something like a FLI16003ML or similar. That would make a three night project take only two - whilst providing a wider FOV compared to my current setup. I'll still be producing rather mediocre images due to the location and my below par processing skills - but I will do it quicker in the future... :-)