FraserClarke

I'm not at all surprised that existing software doesn't support this. Afterall, the only common point in your system is the mount. it's not unreasonable that you'd need to get multiple copies of software to control the multiple copies of telescopes / focusers / filters / cameras that you have... However, it's a good problem and I agree though that it would be nice to have a single piece of controlling software, to help synchronize all the different systems.

Maxim allows you to connect to an "ASCOM" camera (and an "ASCOM" filter wheel, but not as far as I can see an ASCOM focuser). So I'd probably approach this by using a single copy of Maxim as the controlling programme, and developing an ASCOM driver which could handle multiple cameras. Then Maxim just deals with a single psuedo-camera, and the driver deals with all the complexity of farming out the commands/responses to the multiple real cameras. Filter wheel(s) could be similarly handled, though you need a link to know which camera has which filter wheel...

I don't know if you've written any ASCOM stuff before? It's pretty well structured and documented, and I found it fairly easy to develop the few modules I've written; though I imagine a programme like this would require extensive debugging.

Some assumptions/restrictions would could make it easier;

• You're observing the same target with each telescope
  
• The cameras are multiple copies of the same hardware
  
• You're using the same exposure time in each filter
  

I certainly have a use to piggyback a widefield camera on our main telescope (which would break at least two of the above assumptions), so I'd be happy to contribute (if I have time!)

Well, your Mak gathers (190/120)^2 = 2.5x more light (ignoring the central obstruction). However, it also spreads it out over ((190*5.3)/(120*7.5))^2 = 1.25x more area. So, if you haven't changed you camera, it is putting 2.5/1.25 = 2x more light into each pixel than before.

(though it's 4am, so I absolve myself of stupid maths errors )

Very nice!

Do you observe from a dark site, or so you find any problems with scattered light? I see you have the baffles behind the secondary mirrors, but are there any others??

I would have thought one of the problems is co-aligning the two mirrors so that the field of view is reasonably common between the eyes? I guess the brain is more tolerant of a mis-alignment than a camera, but how good does it need to be?? I guess you have collimation screws on the primaries?

What resolution are the alt/az encoders?

Sorry for lots of questions -- just interested