I just happened to come across this image I took while setting up my scope on the evening of July 2. It was taken with my 12" Meade RCX-400 with an ST-10XME camera.
Rod
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Ooh. New scope? Do you run it on a wedge? Do you like the focuser or do you use an external one?
No, it is an old scope (2005) that is mounted in my backyard observatory. Yes, it is mounted on a concrete pier with a Milburn Wedge. The focuser is an old JMI unit with a RoboFocus motor that can be used for automatic focusing. You can see a couple of pictures of this equipment on my website using the link below.
It is not one of my favorite pieces of equipment but since it is permanently mounted, it is easy and quick to get up and running. It is also completely automated using a local Wndows 11 computer which can be accessed remotely from inside my home.
Here is a listing of the equipment that I am using for this observatory.
Equipment
| Optics | Meade 12" RCX-400 |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 2438 mm @f/8 |
| Mount | RCX-400 on Milburn wedge |
| Camera | SBIG ST-10XME w/AO7 |
| Filters | CFW-10, Astrodon CRGB |
| Focuser | JMI Focuser with RoboFocus |
| Rotator | OPTEC 3" Pyxis Rotator |
| Software | TheSkyX, FocusMax5, CCDAutopilot5, CCDStack, PixInsight, PhotoShop CS6 |
Rod
Very nice image of the Lunar X. It is one of those interesting transicent optical features of the moon that occurs for about 4 hours near first quarter phase. I am not sure who told me about it, but in April of 2020 I imaged it. Thanks for posting.
Is the roll-off roof also controlled remotely from the house?
Unfortunately no. It is a poor man’s observatory that I originally set up in 2003 using a portable building that I purchased from Sam’s for under $800. It is unique in that you can easily remove one half of the roof by removing 6 thumb screws. This design was described in one of the astronomy user groups that I monitor. I plan to upgrade it someday to a larger roll-off design that can accommodate my larger Planewave CDK 17. You can see a picture of the observatory building on my website using the link below..
Observatory-Closed.jpg (640×480)
Rod
2 Likes