Len1257

Well when you have saved enough loot to buy 2/3 of a Senso Sesta just buy an ASI EAF and save the rest for other gear. I have one each on WO GT81, 150PDS with Baader Steeltrack Focuser, RC8 also with Baader Steeltrack Focuser. All work flawlessly with NINA. Incidentally the size of the scope and flattener has little to do with what the focuser has to cope with. It's the image train that counts i.e. camera, filerwheel, OAG etc. You haven't mentioned that at all?

Here's one I took earlier! The main board, power supply board, RTC and BME280 hang on a slide-in module. Power connector on bottom exits out through a whole in the bottom floor plate of the cylinder. Rails in cylinder mate with module. The BME280 was supposed to be in the rear portion open to atmosphere but I think I will move that to the Daughter board at a different location. Small board has the sky sensors. to be fixed into lid. I still have to work out the connection between the lid and the board module so very much still a work in progress.

I found the power supply footprints to be unrealistic so built the power supply separate on stripboard and just linked the 5V over to the main board. I use Molex KK254 connectors a lot so used these for my sensor connections. I should get some pictures taken.....................

Can you explain why? I know that acrylic can be over painted whereas silicone won't. But otherwise I thought silicone was superior?

Robert Brown has done several electronics projects related to astro. Best to follow from his menu page https://sourceforge.net/u/brownrb/profile/ I would add that some are (to me extremely so) complex so definitely read the pdf's in detail. The SQM+ is https://sourceforge.net/projects/mysqmproesp32/ Daughter Board is one of these https://sourceforge.net/projects/myesp-boards/ Anemometer for the above https://sourceforge.net/projects/mysqmproesp32/files/Wind Speed Sensor Anemometer/

The latest comment (and 3rd comment) on FLO's 224 page tells all you need to know (except it's suitablilty for a C8). You have it, why not try it?

My Ender 3 is currently printing components for Robert Brown's SQM+ and ESP32DB. Housing, anenometer, wind vane etc., so easy to produce. 3D printing is just great for the iterive prototyping process. The costs of adjusting, modifying, tweeking in any other process would just be prohibitively expensive and long winded.

Plug your numbers into https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/ and you should get some idea of image capability. What you actually see might be another matter?

An amazing image but also an amazing story behind it. (On astrobin)

Quick Google to my usual fastener sources and https://www.gwr-fasteners.co.uk/8-32-x-38-unc-socket-button-head-screws---a2-stainless-steel-71010-p.asp reveals it to be 3/32 inch size. Available all over......... Tend to stay away from Amazon for tools..........

Beautiful picture. Brought back memories of winter bothy trips to Scotland, so many stars in the sky it was difficult picking out any of the constellations.

Goodness, that's just amazing! Beautiful image.

I have always got mine from Barbara at https://dewheater.com/ I cut mine to whatever length I want and fit my own RCA plugs. I'm sure that they would make them to whatever length you need though.

I've had an Ender 3 for a number of years now. Usual mods inc Micro Swiss Hot End, updated main board. I've used PLA and PETG (can be stringy) but pretty much always PLA Plus now, either Sunlu or Esun. All modelled with Tinkercad, sliced with Cura and managed with Octoprint. Tinkercad can be frustrating to use with its simplicity but there's always a way around its limitations and a way to do everything I've ever needed. For bracketery and electronics enclosures it's a doddle.

Have a look at SIRIL it has photometric colour correction wheich seems to do a good job. Amazing software considering it's free. I just wish I had room for any sort of permanent observatory but yours is an inspiration, well done!

Just checked and looks like it didn't happen so have had to send off an enquiry. Who knows, WSC one could be different!

I machined some up but 3D printing is also a possibility? So long as the fasteners go right through shouldn't be a problem. Depends on scope perhaps!

To get a good grip you can use clear silicone rubber tube with a screw inside to grip the tube. I used something like that to grip kite line halo reels for a winder I made. Something like a M4 stainless setscrew bolted through the cover and the slicon tube just a good push grip over the protruding screw. Arrange three or four around the periphery. slot the holes to adjust the grip. I think the silicone tube came from an aquarium air tube. I can dig it out of the back of the shed if you want a photo.

I'm in the process of building the power and dew heater boxes ready for this scope and wanted to at least anticipate the need. I am likely to add some shielding to help ward off the local garden/street lights but that's a quick fix with some camping mat. Another new floodlight has just appeared in one of the local gardens, they must breed! Thanks anyway!

Thanks, John.

Just preparing the kit for an impending RC8. Do the secondary mirrors suffer with dew? I know I have had problems with my 150PDS occasionally so I would rather be prepared. Are there any dew straps that are suitable for these?

For a full blown Dew Controller see Robert Browns Dew Controller I built one and then decided it was too big to be practical for my use. I now use a 3D printed power distribution box and a seperate dew control box using the pwm modules from the bay. Simple and easy, just crank the knob to suit the conditions.

Time to invest in a 4 wheel trolley perhaps Trolley ? Would certainly help with all the gubbins! Well done and an ispirational writeup.

So a 12V dew heater instead of a 12V EAF! The move from 12V to 5V was welcomed by those who didn't like the extra 12V power cable, it now looks to be an ill considered change.

I don't want to add negative comments about the way Astroberry / INDI / EKOS hangs together but I find that NINA is just integrated significantly better. You mentioned sequencing, in NINA the Advanced Sequencer is just amazing. The plug-ins feature with multiple contributors is also noteworthy. There are plenty of YouTube videos out there if you want to explore the features.