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dandabson
super member
Reged: 10/15/08
Loc: Dover, DE
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50mm Guidescope stroke of luck
#5632938 - 01/20/13 10:41 AM Attachment (36 downloads)
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So for a while I have been gathering pieces for a project guide scope. I was using a widefield 80mm with decent luck. I am only imaging with a 4.5 starblast imaging OTA and the guidescope was heavier and bulkier than the imaging tube. So, I purchased a used Bausch and Lomb 50mm finderscope with 3 point rings of the 'Mart'. Next came the new HP HD webcam I bought off ebay. I did the mods to the camera, removing excess plastic and lens, and tested it. I had an old 1.25 to 2 inch adapter sitting around. A lot of work with a metal file and it finally fit into the tube. I set it up on a tripod and attempted to get some video to align it to the imaging ota. I focused on the farthest point I could see away. A electricity pole box with a green LED light down the street. I focused and waited to give it a try at night. Well I set everything up and aligned the mount. I left the scope pointing at the last calibration star. I powered up the webcam expecting to see nothing, needing to adjust focus settings would take forever I thought. The window popped up on the laptop with a perfectly focused star. I slewed the scope over to M36 to try to image it. Sure enough the guidescope picked up a star. It guided perfectly for over 37 minutes. Not bad for something I cobbled together.
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CJK
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/05/12
Loc: Scenic SE TN
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Re: 50mm Guidescope stroke of luck
[Re: dandabson]
#5633242 - 01/20/13 01:34 PM
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Nice work! 
-- Chris
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microstar
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/05/08
Loc: Canada
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Re: 50mm Guidescope stroke of luck
[Re: CJK]
#5633698 - 01/20/13 06:07 PM
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I find a lot of the fun is putting together equipment and finding to my surprise it works!
...Keith
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Jaimo!
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/11/07
Loc: Exit 135 / 40° North
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Re: 50mm Guidescope stroke of luck
[Re: microstar]
#5634219 - 01/21/13 12:33 AM
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Nice work! Nothing a little elbow grease and ingenuity can't solve!
Jaimo!
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StarStuff1
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/01/07
Loc: South of the Mason-Dixon Line
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Re: 50mm Guidescope stroke of luck
[Re: Jaimo!]
#5637223 - 01/22/13 04:03 PM
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There is a lot of pride (and it should be so!) in making a useful accessory for your self and it works so well!
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ZeroID
sage
Reged: 04/21/10
Loc: Auckland, New Zealand
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Re: 50mm Guidescope stroke of luck
[Re: StarStuff1]
#5637604 - 01/22/13 07:35 PM
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My guidescope is a 50mm bino objective inside a cutoff Xerox Toner tube with a cheap plastic focusser assembly with an SPS880 webcam mounted into a hommade angle aluminium with rubber straps and adjusting knobs.
Works perfectly, 2 hour guides using PHD.
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Jaimo!
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/11/07
Loc: Exit 135 / 40° North
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Re: 50mm Guidescope stroke of luck
[Re: ZeroID]
#5637614 - 01/22/13 07:48 PM
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Quote:
My guidescope is a 50mm bino objective inside a cutoff Xerox Toner tube with a cheap plastic focusser assembly with an SPS880 webcam mounted into a hommade angle aluminium with rubber straps and adjusting knobs.
Works perfectly, 2 hour guides using PHD.
You need to post a photo of that!
Jaimo!
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