Using a mix of brands in a colour imaging train. Not as simple as you’d think.
The situation We have a client who has a ZWO ASI2600MC-Pro, which is a colour camera with an APS-C sized sensor. He found that he was getting flexure in his…
Read MoreA caution about USB-C power supplies
USB-C is quickly becoming the industry standard for communication between components in astrophotography rigs. Several brands have moved towards USB-C for cameras as well as focusers.
USB-C has a number of advantages that are particularly suited to astrophotography, including faster data flow, and smaller plug size. But probably the greatest advantage is that USB-C can take more current in the same cable as the data flow. Now, many of your components only need one cable rather than two.
However, this also brings a risk. While USB traditionally supplies 5 Volts, some new components use USB-C to provide higher voltages. This photo is my own rig, and you’ll notice I have a MeLE minicomputer on the refractor. It’s powered through a USB-C cable and needs 12 Volts. This is hugely convenient because there is 12V on the rig for all the other components and I can just pick up power from the Pegasus Powerbox Advanced night to the computer.
But you can see where I’m going with this, can’t you?
The MeLE comes with a power supply that gives me 12V to a USB-C plug. If I have a component like a focuser or filter wheel that has needs 5V from USB-C cable I have to be absolutely sure that I’m using the right power supply and giving the component the right voltage.
So far, we don’t know of anyone who has unwittingly blown up something expensive by giving it the wrong power, but please be careful!
Building a wide field deep sky imager for long exposure times
In this blog we put together a deep-sky, cooled camera and lens rig for wide-field autoguided imaging. We used components that fit together without having to drill new holes. This will go onto a go-to equatorial mount and give us long exposures with any camera lens. It also provides extra mounting points for autofocus motors, computers, or other components.
Encoders: what they are, do you need them, and if so, what type?
Now that Sidereal Trading is offering Paramount astrophotography mounts, we need to understand about the encoders that they use. Encoders are a way of telling your mount where it is pointing