Eric Chesak's telescope thermal focus management system is made up of three main elements: the heater, the power and temperature control system, and the thermocouple for temperature feedback.
Well, it kind of looks funky, but it obviously works. This is such a simple and straightforward idea that you wonder why it hasn't been done before. I suspect that it is the way that the original problem was put.
Your're absolutely right. Not pretty, But... it really works well. It's dark, so nobody sees it anyway. I've been using this system for about 2 years with really stunning success. It works better than I imagined it would.
Those pictures really are amazing, and do you just use a normal telescope, or is it designed for deep-space photography? Either way, thats a really cool (er, warm) way to keep something the same temperature.
Hey thanks John. You can take deep sky images with many different telescopes. It's the equatorial mount that is probably most important. The scope I use is a Takahashi FSQ-106ED, which is used for imaging a lot, as it has a very large imaging circle (can use large imaging sensors) and top notch color correction. Thanks for the comment...
Eric, I would imagine that you're taking photos of objects that you can't see, even with a telescope. How do you identify where they are and what they are?
Absolutely correct, Rob. Most of the objects are very faint and not visible with the naked eye. In this case, there are many ways to find the objects. An older technique is to use setting circles, on the mount. This provides two corrdinates, Right ascension and declination). The night sky is well mapped, so the object will have their coordinates listed. However, most modern mounts are computerized and will slew to the object automatically, once properly initially aligned.
Before I had my GOTO mount, I used to spend hours locating difficult targets, exposing, framing and re-exposing - trying to get the target framed. These days, I can look-up the target, obtain the framing angle and coordinates. I adjust the scope and punch the target into the mount's computer and 99% of the time, it's framed and ready to go.
There's a lot more involved with long exposure imaging (accurate polar alignment, active guiding, cooling the imaging sensor, etc). But just having a GOTO mount will take a lot of the work out of imaging.
The space photos are nice but as an Engineering Tech I am impressed by the workmanship on the little control box. Very well done. Although the red lion controllers are a little expensive. Automation Direct has controllers that work very well at about half the price of a Red Lion version.
Excelent analysis and perfect solution. That's what engineering is all about. This project, I would imagine could have mutiple applications, such as maintaining temperature in a birthing box or mainitain growth cultures, and so. Good workmanship!
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
3 
