The Lowspec spectrometer

[Merlin66]

Louise,

Glad to see you're posting again.

The last year or so living with Covid etc. has slowed many of us down.

If it's any consolation, light pollution doesn't exist (well....), we can subtract the background nuisance light to allow the target data to shine through.

My friend Valerie Desnoux does her spectroscopy work from the centre of Paris!!!

[Thalestris24]

2 hours ago, Merlin66 said:

Louise,

Glad to see you're posting again.

The last year or so living with Covid etc. has slowed many of us down.

If it's any consolation, light pollution doesn't exist (well....), we can subtract the background nuisance light to allow the target data to shine through.

My friend Valerie Desnoux does her spectroscopy work from the centre of Paris!!!

Hi there!

Well I'm afraid I'm not doing any serious astro anymore.  It's really the lack of clear skies that's the problem. It's rare that I can look out and see more than a couple of bright stars. Even if it's not actually cloudy the amount of water in the atmosphere negates transparency. An exception might be frosty winter nights but, as I enter my twilight years, I can't cope with the cold anymore - not even from inside the flat.

Louise

[SteveBz]

On 04/01/2020 at 13:49, Paul Gerlach said:

Nice results! I'm a bit surprised though that he uses a f/4 newton. When using the 1800 l/mm grating and use anything faster than f/10 you will lose a lot of light that is just not falling on the grating. Even at f/10 you will lose some light with a 25 x 25 mm grating (width of the light bundle falling on to the grating is (according to SIMSPEC) 26.8 mm. That's why I advice to use a 30 x 30 mm grating in the new assembly manual.

Hi Paul,

I'm thinking about building the lowspec 3.0.  I have a small, light Matsukov, about f/14.  Is that too slow, do you think?  You talk about f/10 a lot, so my question is do I need to invest in an f/10 scope, like an RC or an SCT?

Kind regards

Steve.

[Paul Gerlach]

Hi Steve,

It's been a while sice I've been here. Only now saw your post.

A maksutov is a great telescope for planet  photography but not so for spectroscopy. The Lowspec 3.0 will work at f/14. It's just not optimal. So if you want to start with spectroscopy, then by all means, use it.
As you become more experienced and want to do some serious observations, then you can always progress to a better suited telescope.

 

Best regards,

Paul

[SteveBz]

2 hours ago, Paul Gerlach said:

Hi Steve,

It's been a while sice I've been here. Only now saw your post.

A maksutov is a great telescope for planet  photography but not so for spectroscopy. The Lowspec 3.0 will work at f/14. It's just not optimal. So if you want to start with spectroscopy, then by all means, use it.
As you become more experienced and want to do some serious observations, then you can always progress to a better suited telescope.

 

Best regards,

Paul

I want to do a survey of galaxy rotation curves for a variety of local galaxies.

Maybe use the Maksutov to build and test the Lowspec 3.0 and then when I have it working, I can upgrade the scope (there's a question here of cashflow 😄).  My current, cheap, 3D printer seems to be malfunctioning.  I was thinking of buying an Ender 3 to do the job.  Is this an acceptable quality printer?  It seems almost too cheap to be real.  Do you have a recommendation?

Kind regards

Steve.

[Paul Gerlach]

The Ender 3 is a cheap but capable printer. If you only print ones in a while than this is a perfect printer.
 

[SteveBz]

2 hours ago, Paul Gerlach said:

The Ender 3 is a cheap but capable printer. If you only print ones in a while than this is a perfect printer.
 

Great I only want to print the LowSpec 3.0, and maybe the Sol'Ex/Star'Ex from AstroSurf, if I'm successful.  It says it can handle Carbon Fibre ABA, so it looks OK.  Youtube says I have to upgrade the nozzle to stainless steel because of the temperature, and I'm also buying a heated filament dryer.

Tx 

Steve. 

[saac]

15 hours ago, SteveBz said:

Great I only want to print the LowSpec 3.0, and maybe the Sol'Ex/Star'Ex from AstroSurf, if I'm successful.  It says it can handle Carbon Fibre ABA, so it looks OK.  Youtube says I have to upgrade the nozzle to stainless steel because of the temperature, and I'm also buying a heated filament dryer.

Tx 

Steve. 

Steve,  I bought the Ender 5 a few years back;  Paul's LowSpec spectroscope was one of my first serious print runs with it and it performed really well. The Ender 5 and 3 are very similar save for a different frame design so I think you will be pleased with the Ender 3 if you go for it; build quality is certainly very good.  I've only ever used PLA with mine so I 'll follow with interest if you use Carbon Fibre ABA to see how you get on. 

Jim 

[SteveBz]

7 hours ago, saac said:

Steve,  I bought the Ender 5 a few years back;  Paul's LowSpec spectroscope was one of my first serious print runs with it and it performed really well. The Ender 5 and 3 are very similar save for a different frame design so I think you will be pleased with the Ender 3 if you go for it; build quality is certainly very good.  I've only ever used PLA with mine so I 'll follow with interest if you use Carbon Fibre ABA to see how you get on. 

Jim 

Guys,

Are ABA and ABS the same thing?  It would appear so.

Kind regards

Steve.

[saac]

2 hours ago, SteveBz said:

Guys,

Are ABA and ABS the same thing?  It would appear so.

Kind regards

Steve.

Yes I think the ABA may be a typo and it should be ABS perhaps. 

Jim 

[Paul Gerlach]

Although ABS is a very common filament, it has its problems. Warping due to rapid cooling is a big problem. Especially with relatively big objects like the Lowspec main body.
I Use Green Tec Carbon from Extrudr. It has little warp and is, as the name suggest, filled with carbon.

Paul

Edited June 27, 2022 by Paul Gerlach

[SteveBz]

On 27/06/2022 at 12:24, Paul Gerlach said:

Green Tec Carbon from Extrudr

Done.  On order.  Thanks guys.

[SteveBz]

Doing a test run of the autoguide tube. First one was very wrong, but looking OK so far...

[SteveBz]

Doing the main body in the 'GreenTec Carbon', but to fill in time until its arrival I'm building non-critacal parts in this rather strange blue PLA.  Can I do multiple parts like this?

[skybadger]

Yes

[SteveBz]

On 27/06/2022 at 12:24, Paul Gerlach said:

Green Tec Carbon from Extrudr

It's arrived. I'm about to start printing.  I'll have to run some tests, but it might save some time if you can tell me whet temperature(s) and resolution you used on your printer.

Tx.

Steve.

[SteveBz]

Jeulin is proving a bit of a challenge.  I raised a request for a quotation last week (for the slit).  They sent me the request, but I don't know how to pay it.  If I go into it on the site, it says locked for edit by another user with no indication of how to progress the quotation.  If I go into the 'Contact us' screen, it demands a phone number, but won't accept an English phone number.

OMG

[Thalestris24]

19 minutes ago, SteveBz said:

Jeulin is proving a bit of a challenge.  I raised a request for a quotation last week (for the slit).  They sent me the request, but I don't know how to pay it.  If I go into it on the site, it says locked for edit by another user with no indication of how to progress the quotation.  If I go into the 'Contact us' screen, it demands a phone number, but won't accept an English phone number.

OMG

Just go here: 12 simple radial slots - 40 mm diameter token - Jeulin

Add to basket. I think you have to create an account.

It's 3 yrs since I bought mine so not sure if anything has changed....

Louise

[SteveBz]

3 hours ago, Thalestris24 said:

Just go here: 12 simple radial slots - 40 mm diameter token - Jeulin

Add to basket. I think you have to create an account.

It's 3 yrs since I bought mine so not sure if anything has changed....

Louise

Hi Louise,

Thanks for that.  Do I get the one with the holder, or just the raw disk?

Kind regards

Steve. 

[SteveBz]

3 hours ago, Thalestris24 said:

It's 3 yrs since I bought mine so not sure if anything has changed....

Brexit.  🥴  You now have to get a quote, you can't just buy it with a credit card.  After the quote it all fall into an abyss from which there appears to be no return

[Thalestris24]

2 minutes ago, SteveBz said:

Hi Louise,

Thanks for that.  Do I get the one with the holder, or just the raw disk?

Kind regards

Steve. 

You only need the disk itself tho I got one with the holder not realising at the time you could get one without, d'uh. However, they are quite fragile.

Have fun!

Louise

[SteveBz]

It strikes me that some of my fellow astronomers might have outgrown their LowSpecs.  If someone would like to sell me one or just its components, or a half built one, please do send me a PM.   I will receive your message with open arms.

Steve.

Edited June 30, 2022 by SteveBz

[Thalestris24]

1 minute ago, SteveBz said:

Brexit.  🥴  You now have to get a quote, you can't just buy it with a credit card.  After the quote it all fall into an abyss from which there appears to be no return

You may do. I can't remember now but I'll have a look back through my emails. Make sure you are buying from Jeulin, not Ovio.

Louise

[Thalestris24]

I found some stuff - invoice and registration ack.

Looks like I created an account then registered on the web site. Not sure if export@jeulin.com is still their correct email. If it is you can contact them to check the ordering procedure, if you need to. 

 

Part of invoice - the shipping and handling adds a fair bit...

Louise

[SteveBz]

13 minutes ago, Thalestris24 said:

I found some stuff - invoice and registration ack.

Looks like I created an account then registered on the web site. Not sure if export@jeulin.com is still their correct email. If it is you can contact them to check the ordering procedure, if you need to. 

 

Part of invoice - the shipping and handling adds a fair bit...

Louise

Excellent. Thanks. I'll email them.

Kind regards

Steve.