Usability
Oregon Star Party 2019 and Beta Drifter
It’s been a while, so there are two big things to cover. #1, showing off the beta Drifter at Oregon Star Party. #2, yes the beta Drifter is born–what’s been changed and how does it work? Oregon Star Party 2019 came and left quicker than Oumuamua but what an incredible weekend! Analog Sky set up…
Read MoreTest Driving the Magnetic Eyepieces and 3D Printing Filament Research
Magnetic eyepiece and filter attachment is awesome. Last weekend I had a chance to test out the Drifter with the right side magnetic, the left side thumbscrews. It was a chilly but clear winter night in the low 30s that brought out a surprising number of astronomers. (Here in Oregon, we’re pretty desperate for clear…
Read MoreDrifter Alpha Short Takes
Here in Western Oregon we are in the cloudy part of the year when observing sessions are few and far between. This gives rise to arguably the world’s most innovative telescope making scene, but also makes it hard to test prototypes. Still, I’ve had a few great sessions that taught me a lot. #1 Dew-Session…
Read MoreThe Moon, Updated Focuser and Tertiary
I had an observing session last week where we got clouded out pretty quickly–however it was still a transcendent experience due to the fact that we were approaching first quarter of the Moon. I trained the Drifter on the Moon as it approached the horizon. An opaque cloud cut straight through the middle, its edges…
Read MoreAnalog Sky Drifter Prototype 1 Notes
So it’s been a while since I updated this blog. That’s because the Drifter prototype 1 was finished 8-12 months ahead of schedule, in time for Oregon Star Party (OSP) 2018. I was too busy building it to post any updates. Many thanks to Jerry Oltion for helping me out of three or four jambs,…
Read MorePrimary Mirror Linear Bearings
There has been progress with the second round of focuser prints, but I’m going to take a moment to sidetrack to the primary mirror linear bearings. This is for adjustment of primary mirrors to make sure the images merge into one stereo picture rather than two side-by-side. Up to this point, I’ve been planning to…
Read MoreCustom 1.25″ Parfocal Ring Prototype
It’s hard to wait for 3d prints in the mail, so in the meantime, I designed two different parfocal rings. The first is a fixed-height ring that uses grub screws the same as the existing products on the market. 3d printing these is still cheaper than purchasing retail. The second is a little more radical:…
Read MoreFilter Cartridge Progress
While waiting for focuser pieces in the mail, I’m working on the filter cartridges: A few new features. First, chamfers around the edges. Second, finger holes at the top to help with screwing/unscrewing filters. Third, pattern on the triangular corner to help with grip and distinguish cartridges (and therefore filters) in the dark. Cartridges will…
Read MoreThe Russ Rule
I’ve already mentioned the Russ Rule in one post, so I thought I’d better explain that. Russ was my neighbor for several years. At the time of writing, he’s 100 years old. Russ has lived alone for decades, but lives a full life with minimal help of family and friends. Up until last year, he…
Read MoreFilter Cartridges
Have been working lately on the filter cartridge design, since it affects the position and design of the focusers. Filters are a pain to use on a dark night. They are delicate, fragile, and easy to smudge, scrape, or drop. So you keep them in cases that snap or screw tightly, which are difficult to…
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