{"id":22201,"date":"2017-08-16T01:00:51","date_gmt":"2017-08-16T11:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/darkerview.com\/wordpress\/?p=22201"},"modified":"2019-09-15T12:47:08","modified_gmt":"2019-09-15T22:47:08","slug":"frankenscope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/darkerview.com\/wordpress\/?p=22201","title":{"rendered":"Hodgepodge"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the end it is a Celestron C8 telescope drive and forks containing custom electronics<\/a>, a Meade heavy duty wedge from an LX-90, a hand-made tripod<\/a>, holding a Televue 76mm APO telescope, using a Vixen style dovetail base, with a Baader film solar filter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It is tempting to call it Frankenscope after the similarities with the classic monster.<\/p>\n

\"Hodgepodge\"<\/a>
Hodgepodge setup on the side of Mauna Kea with the TV-76mm and Telrad on the plate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To further add the the Mary Shelley plot similarities, much of this was revived from the junk pile. I very nearly decided to toss the drive and fork<\/a>, they were that bad, peeling paint and rusty bolts. A great deal of work was necessary to re-animate these components.<\/p>\n

The wedge came from a telescope that was killed in an unfortunate incident with an aquarium heater. The heater was used to de-humidify the OTA and prevent fungus on the optics<\/a>. Note: Aquarium heaters are not made to operate out of water.<\/p>\n

\"Hodgepodge\"<\/a>
The Hodgepodge mount assembled for the first time<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Several new aluminum parts were machined from scraps, some of which were scavenged when the observatory shop was being cleaned out and a lot of metal stock was tossed.<\/p>\n

Many of the electronic components used to build the drive corrector<\/a> were also scavenged parts from dead electronics, this includes the 1.8432MHz crystal that forms it’s beating heart. This heartbeat keeps the mount turning at exactly sidereal rate.<\/p>\n

Yeah, you could call it Frankenscope.<\/p>\n

But I will call it Hodgepodge.<\/p>\n