Telescopes/equipment list

 

The basic setup shows the 16" Cassegrain with corrected prime focus option at f/3 and the fully corrected secondary focus at f/10. It is carried by the extremely accurate ASA DDM85-XL direct drive mount on top of a 12" concrete pier.
Good balancing of the system is essential for a perfect tracking

As secondary scope a TEC-140 ED or a FSQ-85 ED refractor is mounted via dovetail when needed at the side of the cassegrain.

The corrected primary focus at f/3 carries the STL camera for fast deep sky imaging. A motorised focuser with digital position readout enables exact focusing.

The back view shows the cassegrain focus with the 4" focuser.

At the photo rail additional lenses can be piggipacked.

The TEC-140 APO refractor also is used for mobile observing/imaging coupled to an Astrophysics AP-400 mount and a Boxdoerfer MTS4 goto control unit.
The TEC-140 is equipped with a medium format field flattener and a 3.5" feathertouch focuser to achieve very precise and stable focusing for imaging. See the setup during my stay in Hakos/Namibia in May 2006 at right.

Equipment List and Manufacturers Links

 

Main Scope

Cassegrain 400mm by Philipp Keller

Secondary Scopes

TEC 140mm FL980mm (f/7) Apochromatic Refractor with 3.5" focuser

Takahashi FSQ-85 ED Refractor (f/5.5)

Lenses

Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens, a fast lens, can be used for astrophotography when stopped down to f/2.8
100mm f/2 lens, a fast lens, can be used for astrophotography when stopped down to f/2.8
200mm f/2.8 lens, my best lens, can be used fully open for astrophotography with the Canon 10D and the STL-11000
Sigma 20mm f/1.8 lens, a good lens for wide fields, when stopped down to f/3.5

Mount

DDM85-XL direct drive mount with precision encoders, 100 kg payload, remote operation capable, integrated mount control

Telescope Control

Autoslew control software by Philipp Keller
astrometric syncronisation, unguided operation possible up to 10 minutes

Cameras

SBIG STX-16803 CCD camera
SBIG ST-8300 CCD camera
Canon 40D DSLR modified
DMK 21AU04 Imagingsource webcam

Filters and
holders

SBIG STX 5-position 65x65 mm Filter wheel
Baader 65 mm CLRGB filter set
Baader 7 nm H-alpha narrowband filter 36 mm size.
Baader 8.5 nm O-III narrowband filter 36 mm size.
Baader 8 nm S-II narrowband filter 36 mm size.
SBIG ST-8300 8-position 36 mm Filter wheel
Baader 36 mm CLRGB filter set
Baader Astrosolar solar filter
Baader continuum filter (narrow green) for solar imaging.
Atik 5x filter wheel 1,25" for the webcam setup

Heater

Home made heater system by selfregulating heating tape around the primary mirror back side ( and camera) for protection during the wet and cold season, not used during observing!

Eyepieces

40 mm Pentax XL
30 mm Baader Eudiaskopic (2x)
26 mm Meade 4000SP
18,5 mm Erfle from BW-Optik Germany (2x)
12 mm Vixen LV
7 mm Vixen LV

Barlows, converters

Astrophysics 2" apochromatic barlow
Televue 1.25" barlow 3x
Baader FFC (2 " Fluorit Flatfield Converter)
Baader short barlow 1.25"

Bino

BW-Optik Bino (equivalent to Lumicon Bino)
equipped with removable 1,8x barlow-corrector