Mudgee observatory

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Private observatory in Mudgee

Under a dark sky in regional New South Wales, a passionate amateur astronomer wanted to upgrade his mount in his observatory. We supplied:
  • Steel Pier
  • Telescope mount
  • Camera
  • Focuser
  • Computer
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This observatory hosts a Celestron C14 that needed a more precise mount to manage its long focal length. The telescope is installed in a Sirius Dome in a private property close to Mudgee.

Designed by Testar following the strict specification of 10Micron, our piers provide a solid base for mounts. Made from structural steel, hot dip galvanized for a long lasting corrosion protection and painted, this pier is designed to last. The base and the top steel plate have a thickness of 25mm, the tube is 9.3mm thick while the vertical reinforcements increase the frequency of resonance. In telescopes, low frequencies of resonance due to wind or motor tracking must be avoided.  

10 Micron is leader in manufacturing precise telescope mounts. The success of their products is due to their astonishing experience in precision mechanics since 1960 and the use of absolute encoders that deliver a superior tracking capability. In most cases, 10Micron mounts do not require to be guided making their mounts ideal for astrophotography. The GM3000 has a payload capacity of 100kg.

COMPUTER: Prima Luce Lab Eagle  
Embodied in a solid aluminium case, the Eagle combines a powerful computer with a handy power distribution system. Being compact and sturdy, it can connect directly on a telescope, drastically reducing the amount of cables hanging from the telescope. 

It installs the Sony IMX455 back illuminated full frame sensor that currently is among the most advanced sensors for astronomical imaging. With a QE above 90% and true 16-bit A/D, translating to a dynamic range of 14 stops. The pixels have a size of 3.76 µm and a resolution of 61 Megapixels. 

This combination offers an ultra high precision solution for focusing and rotating your camera. The Esatto 2" LP is specifically designed for telescopes with a reduced backfocus such as the Celestron Edge HD while providing a resolution of 0.03µm per step. The Arco rotator takes his name from the Arco-second precision offered by its mechanics.

Antlia is a leading manufacturer of filters for astrophotography. Their coating technology minimises the effects of halos around bright stars while delivering a high transmission for the Sulphur, Hydrogen and Oxygen bands, with a transmission band of only 3nm. 
For this observatory, we supplied and installed the equipment ordered. The challange was the installation for the pier on the pre-existing threaded bar embeeded in the concrete. Once we removed the old pier, we needed to drill 4 holes at the bottom of the pier to slide it in. Drilling through 25mm structural steel needed a heavy duty magnetic drill that carried the job very well!
The second challange was to install the GM3000 mount on top of the pier at an height of 1.3metres so we used an hydraulic jack.

The observatory is now fully fuctional and we are waiting for the first photo to be published.
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