Something odd I've noticed...

[The Warthog]

Since I put motors on my mount some time ago, I've been enjoying looking at stuff without constantly moving the RA stalk. I have noticed something odd that happens when I move the scope across the surface of the moon, and now when I move the scope while looking at Jupiter. While the scope is moving, things seem to come into better visibility. I don't think it's a matter of focus, but perhaps something to do with vibrations going away while the mount is in motion.

Tonight, while looking at Jupiter through a fairly thick atmosphere, the NEB and SEB were plainly visible when I moved the scope in any direction, but were only occasionally visible when the scope was just chugging along at 1/1436 RPM.

Has anyone else experienced this?

[barkis]

I had my 12" Newt. on an equatorial mount which was supported on an 'A' frame, made from 2" angle steel. The drive was an ac syncronous motor through a gearbox, and hence to a worm drive.

I too had tendency to keep adjusting focus because the image blurred after a while.

It transpired that the whole arrangement was vibrating to the same frequency as the motor.

Only when I touched the focuser with my fingertips did the image clear. I had to make another mount in the end, welded H Girder pieces packed with concrete. Wood would have been another solution. Of course that was my situation, yours is probably another.

Ron.

[The Warthog]

I'll try turning the motor off next time I'm observing. The motor makes so little sound it's hard to imagine it's vibrating at all. This is a 6" scope on a EQ#-2 mount. Thanks.