Last night (29/11/2012) I managed to get all 3 scopes and cameras working as one system on the mini-WASP array for the first time 🙂 Up until last night there was always (at least) one scope and camera not playing ball. As you might expect, there was also a blazing Moon playing havoc with any serious imaging – but it was a nice clear sky until just after midnight which allowed me to focus train and flatten the chip on the final TS 80/M26C imager.
So – the current state of play for the New Forest observatory mini-WASP array is:
1) Megrez 80mm guide scope with SXV guide camera.
2) Imaging Scope 1 – Sky 90 imaging scope with Robofocus, f#4.5 reducer/corrector, camera angle adjuster, filter-wheel with Hutech IDAS filter, H-alpha, H-beta, OIII and SII filters, and an M26C 10-Megapixel one-shot colour camera.
3) Imaging Scope 2 – TS 80mm triplet APO with Robofocus, 2″ TS flattener, Hutech IDAS LP filter and 10-Megapixel M26C OSC camera.
4) Imaging Scope 3 – TS 80mm triplet APO with Robofocus, 2″ TS flattener, Hutech IDAS 48mm LP filter and 10-Megapixel M26C OSC camera.
The whole imaging array sits in a massive all Aluminium framework which in turn is mounted on a Paramount ME.
Sorted just in time for this winter’s goodies. I know it’s too much to hope for clear Moonless skies as well 🙂
