AlienFirstClass
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/13/09
Posts: 702
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I would like to see examples of homebuilt solar instruments that others have constructed.
Discussion, pictures and links would be appreciated so one could use the information to build similar instruments.
Sources for surplus parts for such building would be appreciated also.
Thanks
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Charl
member
Reged: 02/08/07
Posts: 81
Loc: Hants, UK
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Here is a picture of my still very much incomplete SHG. The top lens is the provisional main objective and the other two make up an Arcetri layout monochromator minus the reflective grating and mirror. On the left is a stepper motor combined with a reduction drive for rotation of the grating. The moving slits mechanism can be seen behind, also driven by a stepper motor.
Both stepper motors will be under control of a microcontroller which will directly implement the general grating equation, making it possible to specify the wavelength through a command. Bandwidth can be varied by making multiple passes, rotating the grating slightly after each pass. Image detection will be done through a linear CCD array and the microcontroller will transfer data and accept commands via USB communication.
The lenses are surplus 60mm, f15 ones that I obtained from Telescope Warehouse last year. The stepper motors came from an old floppy and hard drive and the CCD from a bar code scanner of eBay that nobody else wanted. Despite my efforts I couldn’t find a suitable used grating and eventually bought a holographic, 1800 lines/mm grating from Edmund Optics.
I plan to make the slits from brass so that they don’t “rust”. 
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Oldfield
Postmaster
Reged: 03/20/02
Posts: 5800
Loc: Hong Kong
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wow~
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The Home Astronomer from a city where most people are proud of the light pollution
Toys: Orion 100ED, Ranger with NGF-CM, SM40/BF10, TG-SP II, LXD55, DMK 31AF03, Canon 10x30 IS...
My observation log and ideas My General Blog
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AlienFirstClass
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/13/09
Posts: 702
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Thanks for the response.
Impressive work.
Keep us advised of the progress.
Do you have the microcontroller chosen and the USB interface done?
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Charl
member
Reged: 02/08/07
Posts: 81
Loc: Hants, UK
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Thanks all for the comments.
The microcontroller that I’m planning to use is the PIC18F4550 that has onboard USB connectivity, for no particular reason other than having a few lying around at home. For me writing a full USB application is a daunting task, so instead I’ll experiment with the USB communications device class, which I’m already familiar with. This is equivalent to dealing with a serial port (1 MBit/s maximum though) and the required programming effort is minimal. It should be adequate to get the system working and I’ll look at full speed USB communication at a later stage.
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Hegerberg
member
Reged: 10/24/08
Posts: 15
Loc: Atlanta Ga
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This is about as homemade as you can get.
Regards
Bruce
Sun Gun
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Ralph Marantino
Postmaster
Reged: 05/01/05
Posts: 6321
Loc: Old Bridge, New Jersey
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 Funtastic!!!
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Lunt H-alpha LS100THa/B3400
Rockland Astronomy Club
Member BAA Solar Section
Central Appalachian Astronomy Club
Astronomical League
DSPST,PST & 70mm Coronado Cal K telescope.2.2A
Zeiss 2 inch prism diagonal&Zeiss Zoom EP
2inch APM Herschel Wedge in a 94mm F7 Brandon
14.5 inch f4.2 Starmaster Dob(Zambuto mirror)
TeleView Genisis SDF with 1000 Oaks Glass filter
Zeiss 63mm f13.5 refractor 1000 Oaks Glass filter
Itty Bitty Solar Radio Telescope.
LHRIES Lite Solar Spectrometer
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blackhaz
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/20/06
Posts: 1598
Loc: Prague, Czech Republic
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Charl, that looks interesting. And that Sun Gun! Wow!
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Maxim Usatov,
Photos and Projects: http://www.bcsatellite.net/bao/
ČAS Solar Section
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BobH1357
super member
Reged: 01/15/05
Posts: 161
Loc: San Jose, CA
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Here's a picture of the solar viewing system I built for my TV-85 with Daystar filter. It was described in Amateur Astronomy #59 and "The Sun and How to Observe It" by Jamey L. Jenkins.
In use, I sit on the milk crate with my left foot on the optics box, support my left elbow on my knee, use my left hand to seal the space between my eye and the eyepiece, and manipulate the controls with my right hand. that position augments the stability of the mount in the wind generally present at the water's edge in Santa Cruz where I like to observe.
The shield on the stand keeps a shadow on my head and on the view shield between the eyepiece and filter, keeping it black so I don't need to close my other eye. Everything seen (except the milk crate) fits neatly into the baseball bat bag and the optics box.
Here's a picture of the heliostat mount alone. You can see the linkage for the Declination drive if you look closely. The TV-85 attaches to the support just to the rear of the R.A. drive control box, and with an o-ring seal to the dust cover threads. The ERF inserts between the front end scope mount and the ring of the heliostat cradle mount.
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DAVIDG
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/02/04
Posts: 1962
Loc: Hockessin, De
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Here is a picture of my Coronagraph which makes an artifical elcipse for viewing prominences.
- Dave
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Homemade 'scopes 8"f/7,6" f/5", 6"f/4, 4.25" Schief. 60mm Coronagraph,60mm H-alpha system, 4.25" White-light Solar Newtonian,solar spectroscope, 4.5" f/16 Schupmann Medial refractor, 14 Stellafane awards 7 in optics
Engineering = Taking what you have and making what you need.
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Awesomelenny
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/02/04
Posts: 2788
Loc: Long: 81.42 W Lat: 41.21 N
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Wow am I having fun reading this stuff! I would LOVE to have a look at all the scopes you guys got!!!
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Len
Meade 178 ED APO
127mm Astro_Tech ED APO
4" f/15 Model 166 Unitron with UNIWITT Pier
Televue Genesis SDF 101mm f/5.4
2.4" f/15 Model 128C Unitron
Coronado Solarmax 90 DS Telescope
Losmandy Titan; G-11; all w/Gemini
All in a "Backyard Observatory"
Spilhaus Space Clock
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."
Psalm 19:1
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colinsk
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/17/08
Posts: 2140
Loc: CA
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Bob's scope is a joy to look through. Having your back to the sun is a big advantage.
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Mahalo,
Colin Kaminski
Coulter 10.1" Dobsonian
TV-76/Baader Film White Light
LS60T/DS50/FT/BF1200
LDX-75
AT Voyager
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JAT Observatory
Got Cookies?
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 6762
Loc: Eastern PA
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Charl,
I'm impressed. Nice work.
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-Marcus
The problem with free speech is even the stupid have a voice.
http://www.jatobservatory.org
Currently a SV102A, WO 66mm & 10" LX200GPS OTA on a Paramount ME
(these OTAs subject to change without notice)
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