​​​​​​​Tools

Collimation

The Keller/ASA Cassegrain collimated

* By taking advantage of the barlowed Gryzbowski collimator, a Chesire collimator, a Laser collimator (adjustment of secondary mirror) and finally by a real star test at the sky (adjustment of primary mirror) 
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Chessire Collimator
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Gryzbowski Collimator

​​​​​​​Flatfield

The new flatscreen of Gerd Neumann

* It contains a illumination flatfield foil (high voltage/low current) embedded in a plastic frame sandwich covered with transparent foils of various grey scales (exposure adaption)
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​​​​​​​Primary Corrector ASA400

The Primary Focuser of the ASA/Keller Cassegrain is located in f3/1200mm.

* It is driven by a Faulhaber motor and linked to an encoder all triggered by a SmartFocus controlbox and software.

* The Primary Corrector (diagram by P Keller). For fast speed and huge fields. The prime focus is permanently installed in front of the secondary mirror and by removing the secondary in its holder you allow the light path to reach the prime focus.
Switching between the 2 focal configurations takes only 1 minute. The spot diagram shows a field diameter of 64mm, so you are ready even for very large CCD's with this telescope. The backfocus is 79.31 mm measured from the front of the lensring. 
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Secondary Corrector ASA400

The Secondary Focuser of the ASA/ Cassegrain is located in f9/3600mm.

* It is driven by a stepper motor, linked to an encoder SMCI33/ Nanotec and the Amardillo/Seletek Controller respectively, all triggered by software.

* These are the spot diagrams for the 2-lens Corrector (diagram by P Keller), which is placeable in the secondary focuser as a Flattener and Coma Corrector. This Corrector does not change the focal length. Full usable field is 80mm diameter. The backfocus is 139.57 mm measured from the center of the lensassembly. For the SBIG STX16803 the 139.57mm are reached by ( 22.6mm Center of Secondary-Corrector-Lens to the front of Rotator+38mm Rotator+13mm Adapter+33mm Filterwheel+33mm SBIG-CCD distance)
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Autoguiding DeepSky ASA400

The MaximDL5 software autoguiding parameters:

* 0.25x guiding correction speed in RA

* The RA and DEC corrections are not linked!!! The LX200 protocoll was not capable to trigger both in parallel... now it works with an average of a minimum of 1 pixel on the 80kg equipment frontsite...

* 2x2 Binning on guiding chip (with one autodark) at 4 sec exposures and 0.5 sec delay in between 
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Solar Guider Hinode

* The Hinode Solar Guider is a fully self­contained unit designed to track the sun and control a motorized astronomical telescope mount.

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AiryLab
Solar Scintillation Monitor

* The sensor measures the quality of the sky during the capturing of the sun. It allows the observer to evaluate the best local conditions during the daytime.
* In order to protect the Selen Photodiode from the UV Light of the sun an UV Filter is placed in front of the sensor.
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Lunatico Pocket CW2                            -mobile weather alert-

* Configurable alarms for any of the readings, safe, unsafe,  battery level and data age (“watchdog” function), however you want to set them—with snooze, ignore period. PC compatible and smartphone app)                             

* Cloud detection

* Relative humidity measurements.                       

* Ambient temperature readings.                           

* Brightness readings (Sky brightness measurements in mpsas (magnitudes per square arc second)).                                                               

* Ability to measure sky quality

* Atmospheric pressure readings

* Wi-Fi

* Full ASCOM compatibility 

* PC connection through USB-C, martphone app

* Power supply now through USB-C; or with a rechargeable LIPO battery

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Pocket size 7x7 cm
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Android App
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PC Software Win


Heating of Primary Mirror with a Digital Dew Controller

* The primary Lomo Mirror 400mm is taped from the back with a flexible heating cable which is controlled by the Humidity Controll II (Lucky Reptile).

* It keeps the mirror dry during the storage time in the observatory (80-100% huminity leads to active heating) It is switched off about 6 hours before an observation session in order to allow the equilibration to ambient temperature.
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Heating of the ATIK filter wheel (9 positions) and the SBIG camera/ SBIG Filter wheel with a Digital Temperature Controller and Silicon Heater cord

* Some filters are fusions of special coated filters, separated by Canada Balsam. The CB is sensitive against huminity and freezing temperatures. A heater box was build to keep the filters save during storage at very cold days.
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2 meters of the 4 meter long heating cord (type 15 Watt/ 220V terrarium heater) is fixed in the back of the heater box (aluminium). A sensor element measures the temperature at the bottom. The controller is a digital INKBIRD ITC-308. The other 2 meter of the 4 meter long heating cord a guided outside to the SBIG storage bag.
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The three ports of the heater box.
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The ATIK filterwheel with the tempearture sensitive filters in front of the heater bos.
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The heater box slided over the ATIK filter wheel with Wanderer Rotator V1.
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The whole construct fixed over the ATIK/ Wanderer rotator and the back focuser of the ASA 400 in action...
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The external 2 meter heater cord is guided to the storage box of the SBIG camera and the big SBIG filter wheel and heats internally the stored setup at cold days. The controller is fixed to plus 5 degrees celsius, avoiding temperatures below + 5 C degrees or even freezing minus temperatures. This saves some special filter constructs.


Safety against Fire and 'Uninvited visitors'

* CO2 Fire 5kg Extinguisher (automatic release at 57 degrees celsius)
* The electric network is protected against lightning strikes and cross currents by a special network wiring
* Burglary Protections (several inside and several outside)... 


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