3. Astronomy - mounts ( The Wedge)

 

The DIY wedge can be finely adjusted using the two turnbuckles to increase or decrease the angle to line up with the North Pole. There is some slip between the wood base and the plastic base to allow for a slight azimuth adjustment during polar alignment.

The wedge allows stars to be tracked using my Nexstar scope. Adjustments of the RA axis are usually enough if the alignment is correct.

The Nexstar GoTo mount has an equatorial mounting mode. In this mode only the RA axis is advanced automatically. The mounting can be easily slewed using the handset to to quickly change the field of view.

Three woodscews are all that are needed to fix the Nextstar mount to the wedge.
Take the scope away and attach the camera carrier to the mounting and you have a very portable set up. The camera carrier is made out of high density foam and attached with strong 50mm wide elastic straps - bought from the local dressmaking shop!
The mounting cup is removed from the tripod and attached to the wedge by three wood screws. Three holes drilled in the mount are the only modifications needed.

 

The results were surprisingly good but can be improved with a better polar alignment.

If I didn't have access to barn door mounts for astrophotography then I would definitely put this wedge on a pier as a permanent set up.

 

 

 

 

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