Equipment

The observatory is “almost” entirely remote-controlled from the house. The only activity that must be performed in the observatory is removing/installing scope covers and dew shields.

The image acquisition activities (i.e. roof opening/closing, centering objects, focusing, auto guiding, etc.) can also be entirely automated. This allow the me to:

•  Launch an entire image acquisition session and not have to stay up until late in the night to close the roof, park the mount, etc.

• Benefits from added comfort (i.e. Heat, humidity, cold, mosquitos).

I also installed a standing monitor/keyboard/mouse apparatus in order to make any software interventions when I am in the observatory.

German Equatorial Mount

• Celestron CGEM – Hypertuned

• Retrofitted with OnStep Telescope Controller

Astrograph

• Astro-Tech 8″ Ritchey Chretien

• Orion ED80T CF – Triplet Apochromat

Motorized Focuser

• Moonlite CS 2 inch Focuser with High Res stepper motor (Ritchey Chretien)

• Moonlite CFL 2.5 inch Focuser with High Res stepper motor (Triplet Apochromat)

Field Flattener

• SharpStar Field Flattener – 2.5″ (Triplet Apochromat)

Main Imaging Camera

• ZWO ASI294MM Pro

• ZWO EFW – 36mm

• Antlia LRGB + Ha + SII + OIII 3nm filters

Guide Scope

• APM 60mm Image Master Guidescope

Guiding Camera

• QHYCCD 1.2 megapixels monochrome QHY5L-II-M

Rotator

• Wanderer Astro Rotator Mini V2 (WR2-M54)

Flat field illumination System

• Home made “flat panel” illumination system

Observatory Computer

• Dell Optiplex 780 Windows 10. Used via Remote Desktop from the house.

• Wired Network

Power Supplies

• 0-24V 20A Drok Power Supply for Mount (set to 24v)

• Digital Loggers Web Power Switch to remotely control each individual outlets