sloz1664

Hi psi and a very warm welcome to the Lounge Steve

Hi and a very warm welcome to the Lounge Steve

Hi Marvin and a very warm welcome to the Lounge Steve

Yes Ray, I use two Velleman K8055 boards, one for dome rotation & the second using the switch interface for individually powering my equipment in conjunction with a Velleman 8 channel relay module. Steve

Hi mark and a very warm welcome to the Lounge Steve

Great capture Steve. Unfortunately Mr B has washed out some of the colour, especially the blue channel. But, imaging is imaging and I tend to use Ha during the moon phases. Steve

This was my project layout board. Patent Pending Steve

If you need information on motorising your dome, I would start here:- http://www.dppobservatory.net/DomeAutomation/DomeDriver.php This project uses the Velleman K8055N project board. Details here - https://www.velleman.eu/products/view/?id=404880 Steve

Ever since I purchased my Pulsar 2.1 Metre Dome I've been itching to automate it, to extend my imaging time and increase my sleeping hours. The first hurdle was how to mount a suitable drive system to rotate the mount. As anyone who posesses an older 2.1 metre Pulsar dome knows, it is not conjusive to being automated as there is no suitable means of support for driving the dome. I have decided to use the Levesdome project route. http://www.dppobservatory.net/DomeAutomation/DomeDriver.php . I have built all the electrics and it works ok. I am going to drive my dome using a toothed belt mounted onto a wooden shelf attached to the inside of dome. It will be driven by a heavy duty windscreen wiper motor, with positioning sequenced with a Mouser Encoder. The "wooden Shelf" or will be segments spanning the 16 flats of the dome, forming a complete circle and fastened from the outside by stainless steel screws. The circumference in which the toothed belt will be bonded, will be machined with a router attached "fixed" to the wall inner rim and trimmed to size by slowly rotating the dome. After bonding the timing belt in position the Motor will be mounted to the wall inner rim, with the drive gear sprung loaded onto the belt. Hope that makes sense. The drive belt mount segments were roughly cut to a master segment. They, in turn, will be individually fitted to the dome and it's manufacturing irregularities. The segments were secured to the dome with 5mm x 40mm long AB point security torx stainless steel screws. Two per segment. Photo showing the outer shell of the Dome with the torx screws in position. Photo showing the router mounted in position prior to machining. Now the "shelf / Drive Belt Mount" is positioned, secured and machined. I have now ordered the Timing Belt form Beltingonline. A type T10 toothed belt. 20mm wide & 6.250 metres long. Steve

Yes T10 belt 16mm wide and the sprocket 40 tooth. I purchased a second hand 12v car wiper motor with a mounting configuration that suited my Dome. But I had to add a motor controller to reduce the motor speed. You need to slow the motor down, so that the Dome completes a full rotation in around 90 seconds. Steve

Hi M and a very warm welcome to the Lounge Steve

Hi Rob and a very warm welcome to the Lounge Steve

I've used SGPro for around 3 years after migrating from MaximDL v5xx and could not justify paying the increase to v6. SGPro fit the bill as I'm observatory based, and, with any software that goes a long way to automating your imaging sequences, there is a learning curve. You can find lots of information youtube and astro foums, including Main Sequence (SGPro) about setting up your particular equipment. Once set correctly it runs a dream. Steve

It's been like an old friend, hoping it would last forever. One day they will find it....... Steve

Great result. A photograph showing the issue can speak volumes. Steve

Great image Steve. The subtle colours gives it a surreal 3D effect. Steve

Nice renditions. how do you keep your hands from shaking, in what must have been very cold temperatures. Steve

Very good close up of a popular subject, great detail and nicely processed. Steve

Hi Paul and a very warm welcome to the Lounge Steve

Just ordered one Steve

Hi Vicki and a very warm welcome to the Lounge Steve

Hi Gina That is exactly the type of solenoid I require for dead locking my shutter.....When I automate it this summer. Steve

That's going to be a fabulous project. 105" computer screens across the 8.5ft wall Steve

I agree with Anne, yours is the newer 2.2 Pulsar Dome and Anne & mine are the older 2.1 Pulsar Domes. When you assemble your dome, if can take some photos of the wall and dome configuration I could possibly help on how to modify it. Steve

If you feel Pixinsight is not for you. Try StarTools, it's not so icon based and a "no limit" trial version is available. Altough you cannot print with the trial version. http://www.startools.org/ Steve