40 replies to this topic

[Mybubbles]

I am looking for a phone mount for my telescope. I want to use Astrohopper with it.  Any suggestions?

Edited by Mybubbles, 10 August 2023 - 08:10 PM.

[ShaulaB]

Maybe attach a phone holder intended for use in a car?

[Josephus Miller]

I took apart the cheapo holder that came with one of my scopes meant to hold the phone to the eyepiece for taking pictures. The phone clamp component had several 1/4-20 threaded holes on it. My tube rings just happened to have extra holes that size on them opposite the dovetail so with a little tinkering I was able to screw the phone clamp directly and securely onto a tube ring. I just took it out last night. Worked great!

[six6]

I find this very convenient, light weight and easy to use with AstroHopper.

 

Just velcro and a cheapo phone case.

 

 

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Edited by six6, 10 August 2023 - 11:05 PM.

[Another_Dave]

I bought a cheap second phone case for something like $4 off Amazon. Then used the below patches of really potent self-adhesive Velcro. Much like sxi6 above.

 

I tried a magnetic case prior as I already had it kicking around, but it messed with the phone compass too much and was annoyingly difficult. Avoid magnets.

[star acres]

So you know, I have had very inconsistent telescope picture taking with a flat phone android. One of it's oddities is it's focusing while you're focusing. Sometimes you get nice images and sometimes you get horrible crude stuff. Some people have turned webcams into astro cameras. I believe you cut it up and mount it in a tube.

[Pipiland]

In my dobson i just use two strings to hold the top and bottom of the smarphone

[aeajr]

I like the idea of the phone case velcro attached to the optical tube.  That looks like it should work well and you can leave it on the scope.

 

I have also used two large rubber bands that stretch around the optical tube the put the phone inside the rubber bands.  Only problem is the bands do cover a bit of the screen.

 

I have this wrist band phone holder that I use so I can keep Stellarium up and handy while I am observing.  I get my AltAz coordinates from Stellarium.

https://www.amazon.c...00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

If you added a long piece of velcro you could strap it around the optical tube.

[star acres]

I was thinking those rubber straps the nurse uses if you get an injection or blood test. Do you know a nurse? See if she can mooch you two of those straps. Now carve a block of something soft to saddle your phone cradle. The straps should last a few years out of the sun. Outlast your flat phone.

[JRL40]

I went a little more expensive route, I purchased a telrad mount and scopestuff laser pointer telrad base. I attached a phone case to the telrad base and then into the telrad mount. Lots of unnecessary stuff but it works for me

[RoofMonkey911]

Don’t think the OP is looking to take photos. Wants to mount the phone to use AstroHopper for finding objects.

 

 

So you know, I have had very inconsistent telescope picture taking with a flat phone android. One of it's oddities is it's focusing while you're focusing. Sometimes you get nice images and sometimes you get horrible crude stuff. Some people have turned webcams into astro cameras. I believe you cut it up and mount it in a tube.

[jessastro]

I wanted to be able to use PS Align Pro's push-to feature with my dob, so I got a dovetail base DSLR adapter and switched my finder out for that. On top I have a tripod mount phone holder with full articulation so I can have the phone laying parallel to the scope. I was inspired by this blog article I found.

 

Edited by jessastro, 12 August 2023 - 12:48 PM.

[JRL40]

That is exactly what I'm using my setup for. I'll see about taking a picture later today, I'm headed to bed right now. But I'm able to mount my phone flat on top of my dob so I'm able to use astrohopper

[Josephus Miller]

I just discovered this: https://www.amazon.c...aps,239&sr=8-74

Seems to be a dedicated device for this. It fits in a finder shoe and holds a phone up a right angle to the tube. It’s a little dear, but it looks pretty nice.

Edited by Josephus Miller, 13 August 2023 - 06:51 AM.

[SpacedOut31416]

This YouTube dude, Reflactor (https://www.youtube....h?v=6-_58mSGz1Q), has the plans to a 3-D printable phone holder - if your scope is big enough.

 

He has a link to download the file with the above video.

 

Looks simple and cheap, if you can get it printed out somehow.

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Edited by SpacedOut31416, 13 August 2023 - 11:55 AM.

[SpacedOut31416]

Also, I have some info on this thread (see link below) - but this is not the cheapest option, and it may take some trips to the hardware store depending upon your setup.

 

https://www.cloudyni...inding-objects/

 

Some of the other suggestions people have offered to your post seem simpler and easier than what I ended up doing.

 

This mount works better if you are using an app like SkEye - though I was able to get SkEye to work in the horizontal position like AstroHopper. 

Edited by SpacedOut31416, 13 August 2023 - 12:10 PM.

[SpacedOut31416]

One more....the fellows at Scope Stuff have an interesting solution using the finder-scope foot - if it will fit with your telescope.

 

http://scopestuff.com/ss_pmos.htm

 

You can email them, and they will help you out.

Edited by SpacedOut31416, 13 August 2023 - 11:55 AM.

[jessastro]

I saw this one when I was shopping for a solution! I wanted to be able to have the phone flat though, so that’s why I ultimately went with what I did. Plus there is reusability for it if I need to shoot photos or videos with my phone on a tripod, which has actually come up more than zero times 😂

I just discovered this: https://www.amazon.c...aps,239&sr=8-74

Seems to be a dedicated device for this. It fits in a finder shoe and holds a phone up a right angle to the tube. It’s a little dear, but it looks pretty nice.

[ecuador]

I just discovered this: https://www.amazon.c...aps,239&sr=8-74

Seems to be a dedicated device for this. It fits in a finder shoe and holds a phone up a right angle to the tube. It’s a little dear, but it looks pretty nice.

Note that will only work for planetarium style apps. Polar Scope Align Pro needs to be parallel to the tube, not perpendicular. You can literally just just strap it on, as if you use the "hop to target" functionality, it is quite a bit tolerant to nearby magnetic fields (like the tube) or misalignments.

[Andy's Deli]

I just got these magnets from Harbor Freight

 

https://www.harborfr...q=craft magnets

 

I use an iOttie magnetic phone mount in my car, so my phone has a metal plate on the back. The Harbor Freight magnets stick to my metal OTA, and I attach the phone to the magnet via the metal plate that is already on the phone.

I haven't found it to interfere with using Astrohopper.

 

Good luck finding a solution that works for you.

[JRL40]

Here's a pic of my setup.  I don't have my phone in the phone case because I needed it to take the picture.  I messed up and had to cut the inner foam case from otter box, but other then that it works great.

Edited by JRL40, 13 August 2023 - 10:01 PM.

[RiderRoy]

I have the original telrad base that I stuck to my tube and then later took the telrad and put it on a synta base riser. So I have an open spot for a phone holder. Found a file on thingverse that was for a telrad base and I'm currently attempting to use tinkercad to build a top on the base that will hold my phone. Then I'll be able to tip it on and off the telescope as needed. 

Once I get a working design I'll put the file up for all to use. 

[cbowlsby]

Bookmarking this thread for future reference.  Very interesting idea and a nice inexpensive way to get push to on an alt-az mount!!

[kimcheese]

An arm band phone holder with additional length of ~2"(5cm) wide velcro.  Added a piece of close cell foam on the "arm" side for better grip to the optical tube. Allows easy switching from the refractor to the reflector. 

 

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[Josephus Miller]

The arm band is a good idea! Just tonight I arrived at my new favorite solution for this problem, more or less by chance. I pulled a phone mount (for photography through the eyepiece) out of my box of scope stuff, and just happened to be looking at my Twilight I mount. Gee... that big knob on there looked like a good fit for the clamp on the phone holder! Sure enough:

 

 

Very steady, and worked like a charm. I was astrohopping all over the place as soon as I was set up.