Hardware white-papers

The papers on hardware are all about checking and/or correcting issues with the hardware we use:

Balancing system: discusses a balancing system for side-by-side setups.

Camera centring errors: discusses the centring errors of camera chips within the housing of ZWO cameras, their position being critical for collimation of Rithcey-Chrétien and Maksutov telescopes.

Collimator construction: discusses the construction of a collimator based on a 12" Newton telescope.

Dome automation: an algorithm for calculating the proper dome-azimuth of a side-by-side set-up.

Filter focus-offsets: shows the influence of objectives and wavelength of filters on the focus position of the imaging camera.

RC Collimation: Is a step-by-step instruction of how to collimate a Ritchey-Chrétien telescope.

Removing lens artefacts: shows how artefacts like uneven halos and irregular diffraction patterns in refractors can be mitigated.

Removing Newton-rings: Shows a method with which the Newton rings, that are often produced in solar imaging using etalon-telescopes, can be avoided.

Solar Seeing Monitor (DIY): Discusses the construction of a Solar Seeing Scintillation Monitor (SSSM) and a special housing for the sensor for use in a domed observatory.

Stability measurements: Discusses a method based on plate-solving for stability measurements of an astro-imaging setup.