|
As my old mount didn't fulfill my expectations anymore I decided to get me a new mount. Main criteria where that the mount could easily handle more than one OTA in the 25cm class, that it should be portable and that it was equipped with the latest drive and GOTO systems. After some investigation I purchased the not yet in the market known "Mesu Mount". The main reason to buy this mount was that I was very closely involved in the design from the start onwards. The mount is based on a friction drive system which is very stiff and efficient, find more info here, driven by a ServoCAT servo motor system from StellarCat (USA). For GOTO functionality StellarCat advised the sophisticated ArgoNavis GOTO controller (Australia). The mount, in this configuration, can also be controlled by a planetarium program. The mount is made by Mesu Optics (Netherlands). |
| Mount specifications | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Drive system Gear ratio Payload Meridian flip Backlash Pointing accuracy Periodic error GOTO speed Mount control Portability Power consumption |
: : : : : : : : : : : |
Friction wheels driven by Servo motors Gearbox reduction motor = 1:60,5 and friction wheel reduction = 1:150 (1:9075 in total) 2 x 65kg No No < 0,5' ± 2,0" 6 - 8 °/sec. ArgoNavis hand controller and/or PC (planetarium program) The mount divides in two parts of about 25kg each Average is 400mA (when the mount guides for 90% of the time) |
| See here for a more detailed describtion of the mount. |
 The Mesu Mount |
 The Mesu Mount disassembled |
Telescopes
| At the moment I have four telescopes which I mainly use for astrophotography. |
| This are : |
William Optics 72mm Megrez APO 150mm F/6,3 Newton 250mm F/5 Newton 300mm F/5 Newton |
 The 250mm Newton and the 300mm Newton side by side on the Mesu Mount |
Correction optics
| For each telescope I use specific correction optics in order to be able to have a fully corrected field of view in my Canon 10D DSLR. |
 |
Baader Multi-Purpose Coma Corrector for my Newton scopes, click here for a test. |
 |
William Optics 0,8x focal reducer/field flattener for my Megrez 72mm APO |
Camera's
| Planetary Webcam |
  |
|
SONY ICX098BQ CCD chip (Type 1/4") Chip size is 4.60mm x 3.97mm Image area is 3.87mm x 2.82mm ~ 325.000 Effective pixels (659 x 494 pixels) 5.6µm x 5.6µm pixel size |
| Modified Astro Webcam SC3a b/w Rawmod |
  |
| SONY ICX424AL CCD chip (Type 1/3") Chip size is 5.79mm x 4.89mm Image area is 5.12mm x 3.73mm ~ 325.000 Effective pixels (659 x 494 pixels) 7.4µm x 7.4µm pixel size |
| ATIK16IC CCD camera |
  The ATIK16IC Monochrome CCD Camera |
| Sensor | : | Type CCD - Sony ICX-424AL |
| Distance sensor to T2 threat | : | 13 mm |
| Resolution | : | 659 x 494 pixels |
| Pixel Size | : | 7.4 µm x 7.4 µm |
| ADC | : | 16 bit |
| Electronic gain | : | 0,25 e-/ADU |
| Readout Noise | : | 7 e- |
| Dark current | : | ~0,01 e-/sec. @ 25°C* |
| CCD Linearity (see graph below) | : | until 50.000 ADU (~12.500 e-) |
| CCD full well capacity (see graph below) | : | 52.000 ADU (~13.000 e-) |
| Interface | : | USB |
| Power | : | 12v DC 0.55A |
| Exposure Length | : | 1/1000 sec - Unlimited |
| Guide Port | : | ST-4 compatible |
| Cooling | : | Thermoelectric with dT=-20°C |
| Weight | : | approx. 350 gr |
| QHY10 OSC CCD camera |
 The QHY10 OSC CCD camera |
| Sensor | : | Sony Super HAD CCD sensor ICX493AQA |
| Color Method | : | RGB BAYER film on CCD, Microlensing |
| Distance sensor to T2 threat | : | 20 mm |
| Resolution | : | 3900 x 2616 pixels |
| Pixel Size | : | 6.05 µm x 6.05 µm |
| Binning | : | 1x1, 2x2, 4x4 |
| ADC | : | 16 bit |
| Electronic gain | : | 0,7 e-/ADU |
| Readout Noise | : | 8 e- at 600 Kpixel/s |
| CCD full well capacity | : | 45.000 ADU (~31.500 e-) |
| Interface | : | USB |
| Power | : | 13W @ 50% TEC power |
| Exposure Length | : | 1/1000 sec - Unlimited |
| Guide Port | : | ST-4 compatible |
| Cooling | : | Two stage TEC, dT=-45°C |
| Weight | : | approx. 400 gr |
| Hutech filters for the QHY10 | |
|---|---|
 Light Pollution Suppression (LPS-P2) Filter |
 Narrow-Band Nebula (LPS-V4) Filter |
| Modified Canon 10D DSLR |
 The Canon 10D DSLR |
| Sensor | : | Type CMOS |
| Distance sensor to bayonet | : | 43,5 mm |
| Sensor dimension | : | 22,7 x 15,1 mm |
| Resolution | : | 3072 x 2048 pixels (6,3 megapixels) |
| Pixel Size | : | 7.4 µm x 7.4 µm |
| Modification | : | Infrared blocking filter removed |
| ADC | : | 12 bit per channel |
| Electronic gain | : | 2,7 e-/ADU at ISO 400 |
| Readout Noise | : | 10,6 e- at 400ISO |
| CCD full well capacity | : | 44.200 e- |
| Interface | : | USB and RS232 |
| Exposure Length | : | 1/4000 sec - Unlimited |
| Weight | : | approx. 790 gr |
