The Instruments at BAO.
Main instrument, 8 inch f/6 Newton reflector.
- This telescope was the main reason for building the observatory
in the first place. We got tired of pulling it in and out of trunks,
and freezing our fingers off by operating it on a tripod. It was
purchased from a compagny called "Astro Mekanik", and had a mirror
of unknown orgin (probably Meade). We have recently replaced the
mirror with a Grupp Parson mirror of the same specifications.
Guide telescope, 114mm catadioptric f/8.8.
-
On the picture above you see the guide scope mounted on the homemade
guideplatform. The guideplatform is not mounted on the telescope
itself, but directly on the telescope mounting. It's easy to use
- when you want to locate a guidestar, you just move the guideplatform
in the X- or Y-axis, by turning two knobs. We have our CCD guidecamera
mounted on this telescope and with carefull alignment, it's quite easy
to find guidestars on the CCD. Don't pay any attention to the rubber band
around the telescope!
PC Lynxx CCD camera.
- This camera was ordered from the SpectraSource company
during the summer of 1991, and we received it in early
1992. Right from the beginning, this camera proved to be
a real revolution in comparison with our early adventures
into conventional astrophotograpy. The Lynxx camera is
based on a Texas TC-211 chip with 192 x 165 pixels, thermoelectrically
cooled using a 1-stage Peltier element. There is no temperature
regulation so we have to take dark frames regularly during
the night, but this is not really a problem. However, the
dark current is rather significant and we have had
various plans on cooling the CCD better. The A/D converter
is 12 bit which seems to quite reasonable for this camera.
The CCD guidecamera.
-
The guidecamera is produced by
BAO hardware division, and is also based on the Texas TC-211
chip. Since this camera is intended to be used for guiding only,
it has an 8-bit A/D converter and no cooling.
Andrea
- Sorry, we don't have a picture of it yet.. But Andrea
is an 8 inch F:6 Dobsonian telescope which is used for
visual observations when the main telescope is making CCD images
(which is the case most of the time). After we have computerized the
main telescope we spend most of the time in the control room,
which is a pitty because the night sky is really nice to look at. Andrea
is an attempt to bring this "real feeling" of astronomy back again.
Last updated: October 5th, 1996.
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