Rotating a Dome

[JSeaman]

Hi all

I'm shortly going to be getting my first dome set up and would very much like to make it move. I'm wanting the simplest solution I can and so far I've got two ideas but would like some other views:

1. A simple pulley with a bucket acting as a weight to pull as it fills with water. Purely mechanical solution, no speed control at all though (see the crude drawing)

2. Have a metal strip down the orifice the scope sticks out of and put a proximity switch on the scope (on an arm) and connect it to a relay which will then fire a wiper motor on a toothed belt when the scope gets near it. Bidirectional, automated, works on the scope's speed control

I don't greatly want to make a PCB and ASCOM controlled set up unless I have to. Any other thoughts/suggestions?

James

[Carbon Brush]

A variant on metal strip and proximity switch.

Use an optical proximity switch intended for reflective applications.
Generally these give longer range than inductive (metal detecting) proximity switches.

This means you get more time to stop the scope if the dome does not rotate.
Also you have the possibility of placing the switches on the mount, rather than on the scope.

David.

[JSeaman]

Thanks, I think option 2 is looking like the one!