Re: ATM Presentation and Equatorial Plattforms.

[cshaw@ghgcorp.com (Chuck Shaw)]

Hello Nahuel!

An equitorial platform is a fun and relatively easy project.  I wrote an
article for folks on the net about platforms and have some design info in
the article.  You can access it on the ATM Page at:
http://www.net/users/atm/platform.html

After you read the article, drop me a line if you have questions and I would
be pleased to help you any way I can.

I know of about 15 platforms of my design that people have built.  I
currently have two.  One for my 10"f/6 newtonian and one under my 14.5"f/5
newtonian.  Both are dobsonian mounts sitting on the platforms.

I use the 14.5" scope and platform with my Cookbook 245 ccd camera and get
very good results.  Piggyback 35mm camera photography works VERY well.  Long
duration prime focus photography will need guiding (as with any mount).  To
avoid field rotation in the image you would need to stay within about 10
degrees of the meridian when making guiding inputs in declination.   CCD
photography avoids the need for guiding by being able to take shorter
exposures and electronically stacking them.

You can make the sectors for the platform out of metal (needed if the
platform will be used for photography) or out of hardwood. A bandsaw will be
handy to cut the sectors out of metal.  After than, the most sophisticated
toll you will need is an electric hand drill.  If you make the sectors out
of wood, a router will cut them very accurately.

Let me know if you decide to build a platform!

Good Luck,
Saludos!

Chuck

(by the way, your written English is just fine!)



Chuck Shaw
cshaw@ghgcorp.com  (Home e-mail)
cshaw@gp801.jsc.nasa.gov (Work e-mail)
http://www.ghgcorp.com/cshaw (feeble 1st attempt at a homepage)