Articles
Click on the links below to display a pdf document of my various articles.
How to build a roll-off roof observatory
A step by step guide, with approximately 50 photos, documenting my roll-off roof observatory build.
Guide and image at f6 with a Celestron C11
This article describes my imaging equipment and the mechanical and software setup and tweaks required to get reliable imaging and guiding at f6 with a Celestron C11, Celestron OAG, Celestron f6.3 focal reducer and PHD2.
Collimate your SCT
This article describes how to collimate a SCT and how to make a simple collimation tool.
Accurate Polar Alignment
Many mount controllers and software packages (e.g. PHD2) include polar alignment tools. While these are usually very good, depending upon the algorithm implemented and the engineering tolerances of your mount they may give inconsistent results, here is the way that gives you a definitive verification of your polar alignment. Your eyeball wont lie but software may!.
How to construct a PST to DSLR adaptor
This article describes how to construct a Coronado PST (Solar Telescope) to DSLR camera adaptor for taking photographs with a DSLR and Coronado PST.
LRGB Image setup and acquisition
This article describes my equipment and software setup (including EQMOD and ASCOM integration for acquiring LRGB images. See the article below for how to subsequently process the images.
LRGB Processing
This article describes processing DSO LRGB light images with bias, flats and darks to produce a single LRGB image. See the article above for how to firstly acquire the images.
Sky Watcher EQ6 Pro mount modifications and service
The Sky-Watcher EQ6 is a good mount for the money but the Altitude adjustment mechanism can result in bent altitude bolts and stripped threads. This article explains a modification to make your altitude adjustments silky smooth and how to address backlash and noise issues with the RA and Dec gear assemblies. Two video snippets showing the post servicing silky smooth and quiet motor and gear assemblies are here and here (no EQ6 coffee grinder slew sounds anymore!)