New Open Frame Refractor
- Martin_S
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New Open Frame Refractor
We've had over a week of shocking weather here in Brisbane, so I spent a few days in the shed working on my latest project, an open frame refactor.
The 120mm refractor has been a good performer with my Combo Quark, but I discovered a few shortcomings.
It's big and bulky, it really moves about in the wind, I live on the coast so the wind gets up around mid morning and buffets the optical tube.
I have an internal ERF and have noticed the optical tube gets quite warm after a couple of hours, I think that internal air convection inside the tube
may be downgrading its performance.
I think an open frame refractor might cure all of the above .
I had some 12mm thick Aluminum plate in the shed so I spun up 3 flanges and spaced them out with some 30 x15 x2mm Aluminium box section rails.
As the frame has only 3 rails at 120 degrees apart the structure is very rigid, but light. the complete setup withTZ4 , Quark and camera weighs 6.4 kg.
My little lathe was at its capacity turning the flanges, I just had to take my time.
The frame was extended 150mm from the original tube to compensate for the TZ4 , I have 2 ERF's a 2" 7nm ha filter with a slight tilt and a Player One ERF mounted on the front of the TZ4.
My Camera is cooled with a magnetic cell phone cooler , that is vibration free.
I haven't had a chance to test this new setup yet due to the weather, meanwhile here are a few pictures.
The 120mm refractor has been a good performer with my Combo Quark, but I discovered a few shortcomings.
It's big and bulky, it really moves about in the wind, I live on the coast so the wind gets up around mid morning and buffets the optical tube.
I have an internal ERF and have noticed the optical tube gets quite warm after a couple of hours, I think that internal air convection inside the tube
may be downgrading its performance.
I think an open frame refractor might cure all of the above .
I had some 12mm thick Aluminum plate in the shed so I spun up 3 flanges and spaced them out with some 30 x15 x2mm Aluminium box section rails.
As the frame has only 3 rails at 120 degrees apart the structure is very rigid, but light. the complete setup withTZ4 , Quark and camera weighs 6.4 kg.
My little lathe was at its capacity turning the flanges, I just had to take my time.
The frame was extended 150mm from the original tube to compensate for the TZ4 , I have 2 ERF's a 2" 7nm ha filter with a slight tilt and a Player One ERF mounted on the front of the TZ4.
My Camera is cooled with a magnetic cell phone cooler , that is vibration free.
I haven't had a chance to test this new setup yet due to the weather, meanwhile here are a few pictures.
H alpha : ,Skywatcher 120mm F8 open frame refractor, a tilted 2" 7nm H-alpha filter as a sub energy rejection filter, Baader TZ4 telecentric focal extender, Player One energy rejection filter, Combo Quark Chromosphere, Naked PST etalon for double stacking, ASI74mm camera
- marktownley
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
That looks awesome!
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!
- Martin_S
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
Thanks Mark.
H alpha : ,Skywatcher 120mm F8 open frame refractor, a tilted 2" 7nm H-alpha filter as a sub energy rejection filter, Baader TZ4 telecentric focal extender, Player One energy rejection filter, Combo Quark Chromosphere, Naked PST etalon for double stacking, ASI74mm camera
- rsfoto
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
Hi Martin,
Looks great. First time I hear about " Magnetic Phone cooler "
I do not think that vibrations should have a big influence in Solar imaging as turbulence of the atmosphere is much bigger and the imaging time is too short. Just a well educated guess from my side.
What camera model from ZWO is that ? Thanks
Looks great. First time I hear about " Magnetic Phone cooler "
I do not think that vibrations should have a big influence in Solar imaging as turbulence of the atmosphere is much bigger and the imaging time is too short. Just a well educated guess from my side.
What camera model from ZWO is that ? Thanks
regards Rainer
Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico
North 22° West 101°
Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico
North 22° West 101°
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
Marvellous !!
The idea of a cell phone magnetic cooler is great !
The idea of a cell phone magnetic cooler is great !
Christian Viladrich
Co-author of "Planetary Astronomy"
http://planetary-astronomy.com/
Editor of "Solar Astronomy"
http://www.astronomiesolaire.com/
Co-author of "Planetary Astronomy"
http://planetary-astronomy.com/
Editor of "Solar Astronomy"
http://www.astronomiesolaire.com/
- Martin_S
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
Thank you Rainer and Christian. The camera is a ZWO ASI174 , the cooler is an original Black Shark Magnetic Cooler.
H alpha : ,Skywatcher 120mm F8 open frame refractor, a tilted 2" 7nm H-alpha filter as a sub energy rejection filter, Baader TZ4 telecentric focal extender, Player One energy rejection filter, Combo Quark Chromosphere, Naked PST etalon for double stacking, ASI74mm camera
- MapleRidge
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
Very nice setup with the new open tube setup Martin
It will be good to see how the system works for you!
Brian
It will be good to see how the system works for you!
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
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
- DeepSolar64
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
Martin,
I hope it performs as good as it looks!
James
I hope it performs as good as it looks!
James
Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces
Visual Observer
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Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces
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- Rusted
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
Congratulations on your neat design and workmanship.
I like the way you have provided a rear support.
A vital component in any extended H-alpha OTA.
I look forward to confirmation of improved seeing with an open tube.
Not an easy task given the usual variability.
It would probably have to show consistent improvement averaged over time.
3rd attempt to post on the forum. The connection keeps being dropped.
I like the way you have provided a rear support.
A vital component in any extended H-alpha OTA.
I look forward to confirmation of improved seeing with an open tube.
Not an easy task given the usual variability.
It would probably have to show consistent improvement averaged over time.
3rd attempt to post on the forum. The connection keeps being dropped.
http://fullerscopes.blogspot.dk/
H-alpha: Baader 160mm D-ERF, iStar 150/10 H-alpha objective, 2" Baader 35nm H-a, 2" Beloptik KG3,
Lunt 60MT etalon, Lunt B1200S2 BF, Assorted T-S GPCs or 2x "Shorty" Barlow, ZWO ASI174.
H-alpha: Baader 160mm D-ERF, iStar 150/10 H-alpha objective, 2" Baader 35nm H-a, 2" Beloptik KG3,
Lunt 60MT etalon, Lunt B1200S2 BF, Assorted T-S GPCs or 2x "Shorty" Barlow, ZWO ASI174.
- Martin_S
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
Thanks for all your comments. I forgot to mention that everything is now remotely controlled . I have 2 cables from my study to the telescope , a power cable and an active USB 3.0 cable. I made my own motorised focusers which are controlled by a cheap remote unit from Ebay.
H alpha : ,Skywatcher 120mm F8 open frame refractor, a tilted 2" 7nm H-alpha filter as a sub energy rejection filter, Baader TZ4 telecentric focal extender, Player One energy rejection filter, Combo Quark Chromosphere, Naked PST etalon for double stacking, ASI74mm camera
- Alun_H
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
Fantastic project,thank you for sharing. You have inspired me to convert my old Bresser 152.
Alun
Alun
Lunt 50THa solar scope
Lunt CaK B12 module
SW Evostar 72ED for full disk imaging
Sol'Ex SHG
80mm f/7 achromat used with pressure tune module off the Lunt with Lunt 100mm ERF
Bresser 90 f/10 achromat used for CaK & white light imaging & PST mod with Lunt 100mm ERF
Coronado SM40 (pre Meade) and BF10 filter set + SMII 60 richview DS etalon
Skywatcher EQ6 Pro and Ioptron CEM60
Then there is all the night kit which is far too long a list to write up here!
More images on view on my Flickr page...https://www.flickr.com/photos/alun_h/
Lunt CaK B12 module
SW Evostar 72ED for full disk imaging
Sol'Ex SHG
80mm f/7 achromat used with pressure tune module off the Lunt with Lunt 100mm ERF
Bresser 90 f/10 achromat used for CaK & white light imaging & PST mod with Lunt 100mm ERF
Coronado SM40 (pre Meade) and BF10 filter set + SMII 60 richview DS etalon
Skywatcher EQ6 Pro and Ioptron CEM60
Then there is all the night kit which is far too long a list to write up here!
More images on view on my Flickr page...https://www.flickr.com/photos/alun_h/
- rsfoto
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
Hi MArtin,Martin_S wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:08 pm Thanks for all your comments. I forgot to mention that everything is now remotely controlled . I have 2 cables from my study to the telescope , a power cable and an active USB 3.0 cable. I made my own motorised focusers which are controlled by a cheap remote unit from Ebay.s-l1600.jpg
Interesting remote control. How many functions can you control and how ?
Please paste the link so we can take a look at it.
Thanks
regards Rainer
Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico
North 22° West 101°
Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico
North 22° West 101°
- Martin_S
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Re: New Open Frame Refractor
rsfoto wrote: ↑Mon Mar 06, 2023 12:05 amHi MArtin,Martin_S wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:08 pm Thanks for all your comments. I forgot to mention that everything is now remotely controlled . I have 2 cables from my study to the telescope , a power cable and an active USB 3.0 cable. I made my own motorised focusers which are controlled by a cheap remote unit from Ebay.s-l1600.jpg
Interesting remote control. How many functions can you control and how ?
Please paste the link so we can take a look at it.
Thanks
Hi Rainer, sorry for the late reply, I did not see your post. I have stopped using this remote as it was unreliable . I have since gone back to using a long cable for focusing.
The available options were momentary forward & reverse or latched forward and reverse.
There are plenty of these on ebay as they are just a generic remote control.
Martin
H alpha : ,Skywatcher 120mm F8 open frame refractor, a tilted 2" 7nm H-alpha filter as a sub energy rejection filter, Baader TZ4 telecentric focal extender, Player One energy rejection filter, Combo Quark Chromosphere, Naked PST etalon for double stacking, ASI74mm camera