I had been looking for a Coronado SM90 II etalon for a while now and was lucky enough to find a gently used one . I made an adapter ring to fit the threads in the end of the retractable dew shield . I just removed the stop ring and installed the etalon so my mod is double stacked now .
As you can omagine this made it difficult to reach both etalons for adjusting and still be able to view the live view and I needed a solution . I was using a Moonlight DC motorized focuser for this mod so I purchased a second motor made a small bracket and mounted it to a couple of existing tapped holes in the Moonlight body . For the drive I used a Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner belt and it works like a charm . My hand controler has 2 channels so this puts focus as well as internal etalon tuning on one remote control . Now I can set up with the external etalon within easy reach and adjust everything easily and maintain a good view of the screen . Here is the Moonlight with the additional motor for etalon tuning , this can also be used in my 150 Istar mod as well .
Here is the scope fully equipped and double stacked
I have only had a couple of opportunities to use this double stacked due to consistent cloud cover , these are some first light double stacked images from November 10 - 14
2 Additions to my 100mm Skywatcher Mod
-
- Ohhhhhh My!
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2013 4:51 pm
- marktownley
- Librarian
- Posts: 42269
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:27 pm
- Location: Brierley Hills, UK
- Has thanked: 20424 times
- Been thanked: 10243 times
- Contact:
Re: 2 Additions to my 100mm Skywatcher Mod
Very very nice! That works well!
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
- Valery
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 4059
- Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:13 pm
- Has thanked: 156 times
- Been thanked: 893 times
Re: 2 Additions to my 100mm Skywatcher Mod
Impressive small setup! Very good contrast and good evenness across FOV.
Valery
Valery
"Solar H alpha activity is the most dynamic and compelling thing you can see in a telescope, so spend accordingly." (c) Bob Yoesle.
Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
- Carbon60
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 14204
- Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
- Location: Lancashire, UK
- Has thanked: 8415 times
- Been thanked: 8161 times
Re: 2 Additions to my 100mm Skywatcher Mod
Nice bit of engineering. Looks great. Nice images too.
Stu
Stu
H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
- swisswalter
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 17948
- Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:28 am
- Location: Switzerland
- Been thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Re: 2 Additions to my 100mm Skywatcher Mod
Hi Mike
congratulations on the mod and the first lights which came out very fine
congratulations on the mod and the first lights which came out very fine
Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa
- Merlin66
- Librarian
- Posts: 3970
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:23 pm
- Location: Junortoun, Australia
- Has thanked: 173 times
- Been thanked: 615 times
- Contact:
Re: 2 Additions to my 100mm Skywatcher Mod
Mike,
The external (original) SM filters I found matched well to the internal PST etalon.
I used a 60mm DS system and was very impressed.
I think your results show similar results!
Well done!
The external (original) SM filters I found matched well to the internal PST etalon.
I used a 60mm DS system and was very impressed.
I think your results show similar results!
Well done!
"Astronomical Spectroscopy - The Final Frontier" - to boldly go where few amateurs have gone before
https://groups.io/g/astronomicalspectroscopy
http://astronomicalspectroscopy.com
"Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs" and
"Imaging Sunlight - using a digital spectroheliograph" - Springer
https://groups.io/g/astronomicalspectroscopy
http://astronomicalspectroscopy.com
"Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs" and
"Imaging Sunlight - using a digital spectroheliograph" - Springer
-
- Ohhhhhh My!
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2013 4:51 pm
Re: 2 Additions to my 100mm Skywatcher Mod
Thank you all for the kind comments . It has been the fine modders on this site that have inspired me to do this and of course Stephens open mindedness for providing all of us with a place where mods can be freely discussed .
If there are any Moonlight users out there that are considering remote etalon tuning I would be happy to duplicate the bracket I used to mount the motor and include a belt. The bracket will mount to existing tapped holes in the Moonlight body.
I was very lucky to find the 90mm etalon , it was on a Double stacked SM90 II that was purchased this spring so this is a later model SM II etalon with the Rich View tuning . I was able to convince the seller to sell me just the external . I don't believe that the seller had ever seen what the external could do because I had to move the stop pin 2 holes to bring it fully on band .
Merlin66 you are quite correct this SM 90 II does mate well with the PST etalon . Another piece of good advice came from Mark , I chose to mount the etalon to the dew shield so I coukd easily rotate the etalon , and yes it does make a difference . Thanks Mark and everyone else here who have offered their knowledge and inspiration .
Mike
If there are any Moonlight users out there that are considering remote etalon tuning I would be happy to duplicate the bracket I used to mount the motor and include a belt. The bracket will mount to existing tapped holes in the Moonlight body.
I was very lucky to find the 90mm etalon , it was on a Double stacked SM90 II that was purchased this spring so this is a later model SM II etalon with the Rich View tuning . I was able to convince the seller to sell me just the external . I don't believe that the seller had ever seen what the external could do because I had to move the stop pin 2 holes to bring it fully on band .
Merlin66 you are quite correct this SM 90 II does mate well with the PST etalon . Another piece of good advice came from Mark , I chose to mount the etalon to the dew shield so I coukd easily rotate the etalon , and yes it does make a difference . Thanks Mark and everyone else here who have offered their knowledge and inspiration .
Mike