My Backyard Test Assembly

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MapleRidge
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My Backyard Test Assembly

Post by MapleRidge »

Good day everyone...

Like most of you who are travelling to the eclipse, I made a test setup of the mount, scopes, and filters yesterday afternoon in the back yard.

I have borrowed an old Polaris equatorial mount from a friend and fitted it with a set of Vixen and Losmandy saddles to allow me to mount the William Optics 72mm and 70mm ED scopes side by side. I have a while light Baader Mylar filter for the 70mm, and have the Lunt 75mm/B1200Ha filer set on the 72mm scope.

The plan is to use the Mylar filters scope to view and image using a DSLR in the partial phases and be able to quickly remove the film at totality to photograph the views of totality. The Ha scope is mainly for another perspective of the partial phases, and will provide a preview of what may be visible in the way of prominences at totality. I will likely take a ZWO camera too...will have my laptop and could set it up as well.

I had one pic with Sandy looking through the scope, but she wasn't too happy about having it posted, so here is the hardware alone:
Scope-3.jpg
Scope-3.jpg (377.5 KiB) Viewed 4842 times
Scopes-1.jpg
Scopes-1.jpg (383.03 KiB) Viewed 4842 times
I am going to see if I can engineer a riser for the equatorial head this week...prefer no to have to stoop over the eyepiece as much.

If I were to take any more scope weight I would need a larger mount, and this kit needs to fit in the back of my SUV along with suit cases and 10 days worth of travel accessories for myself, my wife, and two teen age kids. Now that I think of it, we will only be home for a week before my son has to be moved into residence at the University of Guelph to start his first year there. I was in the same position 33 years ago, same university, just no eclipse ;) My, how time flies.

Brian


Brian Colville

Maple Ridge Observatory
Cambray, ON Canada

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/185395281@N08/albums

10'x15 Roll-off Roof Observatory
Takahashi EM400 Mount carrying:
C14 + Lunt 80ED
Deep Sky Work - ASI294MM Pro+EFW 7x36/Canon 60D (Ha mod), ONAG
Planetary Work - SBIG CFW10, ASI462MM

2.2m Diameter Dome
iOptron CEM70G Mount carrying:
Orion EON 130ED, f7 OTA for Day & Night Use
Ha Setup: Lunt LS80PT/LS75FHa/B1200Ha + Home Brew Lunt Double Stack/B1800Ha on the Orion OTA + Daystar Quantum
WL, G-Band & CaK Setup: Lunt Wedge & Lunt B1800CaK, Baader K-Line and Altair 2nm G-Band filter
ASI1600MM, ASI432MM, ASI294MM Pro, ASI174MM, ASI462MM
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Re: My Backyard Test Assembly

Post by marktownley »

Good rig! I'm just taking the DSLR and a 300mm lens.


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Re: My Backyard Test Assembly

Post by MapleRidge »

Thanks Mark.

I would be taking far, far less if I had to pack my gear on a flight...fighting for space with the family will be bad enough :lol:

Brian


Brian Colville

Maple Ridge Observatory
Cambray, ON Canada

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/185395281@N08/albums

10'x15 Roll-off Roof Observatory
Takahashi EM400 Mount carrying:
C14 + Lunt 80ED
Deep Sky Work - ASI294MM Pro+EFW 7x36/Canon 60D (Ha mod), ONAG
Planetary Work - SBIG CFW10, ASI462MM

2.2m Diameter Dome
iOptron CEM70G Mount carrying:
Orion EON 130ED, f7 OTA for Day & Night Use
Ha Setup: Lunt LS80PT/LS75FHa/B1200Ha + Home Brew Lunt Double Stack/B1800Ha on the Orion OTA + Daystar Quantum
WL, G-Band & CaK Setup: Lunt Wedge & Lunt B1800CaK, Baader K-Line and Altair 2nm G-Band filter
ASI1600MM, ASI432MM, ASI294MM Pro, ASI174MM, ASI462MM
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michael.h.f.wilkinson
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Re: My Backyard Test Assembly

Post by michael.h.f.wilkinson »

That looks brilliant


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Re: My Backyard Test Assembly

Post by Carbon60 »

Looking good, Brian. A real expedition......

Good luck to all of us!

Stu.


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Re: My Backyard Test Assembly

Post by Montana »

Looking good Brian :hamster:
I need to do some practice runs this weekend, I need to train the hubby :) although I seem to mess up each time I practice, the last one took me 5 minutes to work out why the shutter wouldn't work, I then realised I was pressing the wrong button! too late if that happens on the day. At least I know to look out for that one on the day now.
Alexandra


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MapleRidge
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Re: My Backyard Test Assembly

Post by MapleRidge »

Michael, Stu, and Alexandra...

Thanks for the positive nod on the gear ;)

I had an adapter made up this week to allow me to move the equatorial head to a different tripod...I wasn't overly happy with the eyepieces being as low to the ground as they were. It should gain a foot or so, but the less I stoop the happier my back will be :lol:

Brian


Brian Colville

Maple Ridge Observatory
Cambray, ON Canada

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/185395281@N08/albums

10'x15 Roll-off Roof Observatory
Takahashi EM400 Mount carrying:
C14 + Lunt 80ED
Deep Sky Work - ASI294MM Pro+EFW 7x36/Canon 60D (Ha mod), ONAG
Planetary Work - SBIG CFW10, ASI462MM

2.2m Diameter Dome
iOptron CEM70G Mount carrying:
Orion EON 130ED, f7 OTA for Day & Night Use
Ha Setup: Lunt LS80PT/LS75FHa/B1200Ha + Home Brew Lunt Double Stack/B1800Ha on the Orion OTA + Daystar Quantum
WL, G-Band & CaK Setup: Lunt Wedge & Lunt B1800CaK, Baader K-Line and Altair 2nm G-Band filter
ASI1600MM, ASI432MM, ASI294MM Pro, ASI174MM, ASI462MM
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Re: My Backyard Test Assembly

Post by Derek Klepp »

Good luck Brian .Look forward to your eclipse write up.How time flies my daughter just turned 20 today is nearly halfway through her degree and it looks like my Son will become my work partner.
Take care and have an enjoyable break.


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Re: My Backyard Test Assembly

Post by MapleRidge »

Thanks Derek...

Time is closing in fast, but so far everything looks good to go.

Good to hear your son is working with you, and I do remember you posting a note a while back about your daughter starting school. Time does fly, LOL.

Brian


Brian Colville

Maple Ridge Observatory
Cambray, ON Canada

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/185395281@N08/albums

10'x15 Roll-off Roof Observatory
Takahashi EM400 Mount carrying:
C14 + Lunt 80ED
Deep Sky Work - ASI294MM Pro+EFW 7x36/Canon 60D (Ha mod), ONAG
Planetary Work - SBIG CFW10, ASI462MM

2.2m Diameter Dome
iOptron CEM70G Mount carrying:
Orion EON 130ED, f7 OTA for Day & Night Use
Ha Setup: Lunt LS80PT/LS75FHa/B1200Ha + Home Brew Lunt Double Stack/B1800Ha on the Orion OTA + Daystar Quantum
WL, G-Band & CaK Setup: Lunt Wedge & Lunt B1800CaK, Baader K-Line and Altair 2nm G-Band filter
ASI1600MM, ASI432MM, ASI294MM Pro, ASI174MM, ASI462MM
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Re: My Backyard Test Assembly

Post by gabrieli »

Hi, Brian

I'll be looking forward to your results. Have a great trip!

Lou


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