16+inch+F4+Instrumentation

The information below is for historical reasons only. The telescope is now a 16 inch F3 with a 5 inch flat. The camera (installed December 2015) is no an Atik 314L+ mono with Atik filter whell and 100 Star Analyser as well.

The primary CCD for the 16 inch F4 will be a spare Starlight Xpress SXV M7 that I have.

The camera is mounted in the centre spider along with a bespoke focus mechanism. Limits for in and out travel are fitted. The focuser will be ASCOM compliant.

The focuser is driven from a motor gearbox pair that has a very high gear ratio. At 9V one rotation is approximately 2 seconds. There is no backlash worth worrying about, and no axial slop either.

The mechanism is mounted in a black drain pipe tube that can be removed for inspection and alignment of the optics.

A larger camera can be installed by a new interface section if required up to the diameter of the drain pipe, but this set up will give similar field area to the 20 inch Telescope and Observatory



You can see the camera mechanism (and additional upper baffle) installed in the centre spider position below.



Image below shows the wiring of the control system well under way August 2012. Unfortunately the project had taken a 3 month delay due to my Dad being taken into hospital.