Sky at Night Magazine

Hi, just a quickie....

Anyone know of any UK sources where I could get a 2" (short axis) secondary mirror for my 10" dob project?
I already know about 'Galvoptics', but was wondering if there are any other UK sources.
Thanks

Carlos

Loop alarms are like the ones used in shops to stop you walking away with the items on show... well make a load of noise if you try.

B&Q do a Friedland shed alarm kit for £10.98 which gives 15s exit and entry delay before the alarm sounds - I use one on the observatory.

The 15s delay is a bit long for a loop alarm so a bit of scoping around the circuit shows ...

I picked up a TEC Cooling kit from the Meade DSI Cameras from a guy in the US on EBay for £30 delivered ..

It took me about an hour to dis-assemble the camera , machine the case and then rebuild with the TEC, Fan and Heat spreader in place...

Here are the first "darks"

Firstly a 2 min exposure at room temp with the CCD at 31.5C as reported by the DSI II

http://www.btinternet.com/~psmithuk/stuff/2minnotec31_5C.jpg ...

Funds are tight so its bits at a time...so its scrounging time... managed to scrounge the timber for the frame...

Decided to get some walls up so at least I can rig a temporary roof when rain threatens...

Only the first fix of the timber structure so far...

12 sided aligned 12 o' North wwill haev double opening doors between 5 and 7 o'clock..

2.4m internal min diameter... to 1.5m high...

Framing will either be ...

If you are building the telescope which we had in our 'How to build your own telescope' features earlier this year, in the magazine, then why not post up some pictures and tips on how you are getting on? We've had a great response and it's great to see some pictures appearing on the forum.

Hello,

Newcastle upon Tyne Astronomical Society recently acquired a Grubb Parsons "Perseus" 225 mmm Cassegrain from a school that was about to be demolished.

Newcastle Astronomical Society Perseus Telescope

The telescope dates from 1984 and appears to be in fairly good condition but is missing the hand controller to start and stop the drives.

Does anyone have any information - or might know where we can obtain some information - so that we can fashion ...

At last my Heavily overloaded CPC has been balanced ... could hear it breathing a sigh of relief...


http://www.btinternet.com/~psmithuk/stuff/scw2.jpg

4.6kg of brass and a non-cpc counter weight rail (non CPC till I got my hands on it ) A couple of mins to make an adaptor plate to pick up the two hole rear fixing on the cpc instead of the single hole meade type...15 mins on the bandsaw to cut through the 3" diameter ...

Hello,
I just got bounced out of preview, so I hope I don't repeat myself. I recently purchased a 6" refractor from D @ G Telescopes located in central Pa. It is seven feet long and weighs approximately 20 pounds. I have already obtained the universal mounting plate and O rings, and I would now like to build an altazimuth mount constructed mostly out of wood. My only concern is that the mount would be ...

Inspired again By Skywatcher I knocked these up...

They are availabe Here in 150,300,600 and 1200 DPI formats...


I Have fitted the +/- 90 degree scales to my WO Field Flattner III and the 000-100 to the LHS knob of the Dual Spped Crayford Focuser on my "66"

Hope someone finds them useful...Use tahn as you will...

Billy...


p.s. Skywatcher your Mailbox is full


http://www.btinternet.com/~psmithuk/stuff/DegreeScale150DPI.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~psmithuk/stuff/RotationScale.jpg


http://www.btinternet.com/~psmithuk/stuff/FocusScale150DPI.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~psmithuk/stuff/FocusScale.jpg

My question, since im planning on making my own telescope but don’t want to buy and expensive large mirror, or spend ages grinding my own and sending it away to get silvered is...
Can I use many small mirrors all with the same focal length to focus incoming light to one focal point? Will this be as effective (or close to) the light gathering capability’s of a single mirror with the same surface area?