The French Blatting Company

Life at La Foie

ASTRONOMY

The Equipment.

We have a Celestron CPC800. 

The specification (for those interested) is:

General Features

• 8" diffraction limited Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
• Celestron's premium StarBright XLT coatings
• Fully computerized dual fork arm Altazimuth mount
• 8x50 finderscope to help accurately find objects
• Newly designed heavy-duty tripod makes attaching the telescope so easy you can do it in the dark; also features sturdy 2" steel legs and accessory tray
• Ergonomic design - Comfortably lift and move the telescope from location to location
• Star diagonal provides more comfortable viewing position when observing objects that are high in the sky
• Convenient remote hand control holder - Allows you to view information hands-free while using the scope

COMPUTERIZED MOUNT FEATURES

• Proven NexStar computer control technology
• 40,000 object database with over 100 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objects
• Custom database lists of all the most famous deep-sky objects by name and catalog number; the most beautiful double, triple and quadruple stars; variable stars; solar system objects and asterisms
• Re-designed drive base and drive mechanics - Quiet operation; large drive gears, quick release clutch
• SkyAlign allows you to align on any three bright celestial objects, making for a fast and easy alignment process
• Flash upgradeable hand control software and motor control units for downloading product updates over the Internet
• Permanent PEC
• Auxiliary port for additional accessories such as Autoguider, GPS accessory
• NexRemote telescope control software and RS-232 cable included for advanced control of your telescope via computer

Along with this we have a kit of eyepieces.

These are all 2" eyepieces, eyepieces are available in 1.25" and 2". The telescope comes with a 1.25" diagonal and a 40 mm eyepiece.  This kit has:

a Diagonal

an extension tube

a 26 mm eyepiece

a 32 mm eyepiece

a 40 mm eyepiece

a 2x Barlow lens (magnifies by 2)

A set of filters

All in a smart ali case.

I have fixed up the 12v cigar lighter power lead to a battery in the observatory which is permanently connected to a battery conditioner. We also have a small heater for the cold nights - don't want our little baby getting cold.

We have invested in a Baader zoom eyepiece. This is for convenience as it goes from 3.5 mm to 24 mm. It also has a 2.25 Barlow. It should reduce the number of times we change eyepieces, which for a grumpy old git like me isn't easy in total darkness.

We have a dew shield and a dew heater. The heater is just a strap that wraps around the head of the telescope and runs off the 12v battery. It keeps the front lens warm to stop it misting up. The dew shield stops the dew from settling on the front lens.

I've also bought a "wedge" This converts the mount from a fork to an Equatorial. You need an equatorial for photography as the objects are moving across the sky a fork mount will produce blurred pictures but the equatorial mount follows the objects. It fits between the tripod and the telescope.

Not exactly equipment but I have made a wiring management system from 2 copper pipes. The problem is that if the cables are trailing across the floor they will get wound around the telescope as it goes round from one side of the sky to the other and we were always tripping over them. Remember this is in almost total darkness. If the cable to the computer is pulled out you have to go through the whole alignment process which can take 10 minutes. The pole on the telescope splits into two so it can be removed when the telescope is put away. In practice the wires will be taught. I have now made a spring system to keep it taught (some rubber bands!)

I will take some pictures when the observatory and concrete pad are completed. I have done this back to front to the normal (see "starting" to see why). We wheel the telescope out of the "shed" whereas everyone else who does this fits a small garage on wheels and wheels the garage away from the telescope. There you go, I've just got to be different!

Over the next few weeks I will "tart" up some of the stuff I've done and make it look "pretty". I always make the stuff work then make it look OK. Better than making it look pretty but it doesn't work.

I've made a "lens" for a solar filter. 

See the full story at "Solar Filter"

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