Sue in The Royal Seven Stars, Totnes, in 2014 |
linuxcb
configuraciones entre palmeras
24 mar 2025
Sue
22 mar 2025
1x ff sv550 122
aperture ratio spacing
80 f6 81,2
80 f7 80,2
102 f7 75,3
115 f7 73,0
125 f7,8 69,7
130 f7 69,7
140 f6,5 68,0
155 f8 57,0
20 mar 2025
equinox spring 2025
4 mar 2025
21 feb 2025
clusters 35 and 44
You know galaxy season is underway when you're struggling for anything else other than, erm, galaxies to image.
The old pn208 got a clean and a new focuser. The AAF. Who needs red?
Still in the learning-to-process-with-AI stage, so process everything twice.
![]() |
open clusters m35 -top- with ngc2158 in gemini atr533c on pn208 33x3min @ hcg100 process: startools |
![]() |
process: setiastro |
![]() |
open cluster m44 la colmena in cancer atr533c on pn208 34x3min @ hcg100 process: setiastro |
![]() |
process: startools |
19 feb 2025
Touptek AAF on ES-Bresser hexafoc focuser
intro
The hexafoc is an underrated 2-1/2" rack and pinion focuser. The pinion is housed in an enclosure secured by one pair of push and one pair of pull bolts. Both pairs are located centrally to either side of the locking screw. The push-pull system is used to control the pinion to rack backlash.
Adaption to the AAF is easy.
materials
m4 bolts, 2 off, 25mm long with associated washers.
method
- Set tension and backlash correctly.
- Remove the large central locking screw.
- Remove the coarse adjustment focuser knob.
- Remove the two diagonally opposed pull screws, leaving the push screws intact.
- Fit the focuser bracket using the longer bolts (see photo for best slots) until the slack is just taken by the bolts but still adjustable longitudinally.
- Locate the motor and coupling ensuring the flats on both the focuser spindle and the AAF spindle coincide with a grub screw.
- Slide the bracket so that it is receives the AAF without distortion of the coupler.
- Torque each of the long bolts alternately in small -say 1/8th.- turns evenly until the bracket is held firmly.
- Finally, rotate the focuser until the two motor housing sockets align with the bracket slots and secure with the bolts and washers supplied with the AAF.
notes
You may wish to set the approximate focus position of the focuser and the absolute focus position of the AAF before tightening the coupling grub screws. Under INDI, we used an absolute start position of 10000.
AAF fitted to a hexafoc ES-pn208 f3.9 |
gso focuser
You can see this. But noone laugh. OK?
Gemini EAF fitted to GSO linear rail focuser with reinforced (sic) 3mm aluminium strip, epoxy glue, bits of adhesive tape and 'modified' tension screw. It works well. Sometimes.
Anyway, here are the images. An experiment using the old faithful StarTools in comparison with Franklin Merak's new-kid-on-the-block setiastrosuite 2.10.12 incorporating CosmicClarity AI with the usual large contribution for calibration and stacking from Siril 1.3.6
the -rather nice- setiastrosuite interface |
![]() |
open clusters m35 below ngc2158 in gemini atr533c on gso203 34x3min @ hcg100 process setiastrosuite |
![]() |
process startools |
![]() |
galaxy ngc3718 and friends in ursa major atr533c on gso203 34x4min @ hcg100 process seti and graxpert |