By Austin Grant: I decided that I would dive into astrophotography long before I’d purchased my first telescope. In fact, my first foray into this dark art involved a DSLR, a 50-mm lens and a secondhand Orion EQ-1 mount with a motor drive. It was a modest start, but it […]
By Gary Parkerson If its broke, fix it! I used J-B Weld for years to repair minor cracks and breaks in metal components when I couldn’t justify the cost of a proper brazing-machining repair. It’s great stuff, but it sets quickly – within four minutes – and requires mixing the […]
By Austin Grant I remember from an early age being told not to look directly at the sun, and I’m also quite sure that my first pair of binoculars had a sticker on them instructing me to absolutely not point them at the sun. So, you can imagine my surprise […]
By Dr. James R. Dire The CGEM, CGEM II and CGEM DX mounts are a midsized class of German Equatorial Mounts (GEM) generically called EQ6 mounts They are similar to the Orion Atlas mount and the Sky-Watcher EQ6. These mounts are higher capacity mounts than the Celestron Advanced VX but […]
By Michael Deneen A few years ago, I started searching for a dimmable, battery-operated red-LED field lamp for my chart table, and I was surprised to find none on the market. I decided to build one on my own, and it has changed the way I observe. No more holding […]
Wayne Parker, creator of the SkyShed POD, POD MAX as well as a number of other astronomy related products, took some time to update us on the process of developing its unique POD MAX observatory. Wayne is also a member of the popular 80’s rock band Glass Tiger and still […]
By Klaus Brasch, Ph.D. – Ever since reading Alan Dyer’s article Astro-Physics Refractors Big & Small in the 1993 September issue of Astronomy magazine, I have dreamt of someday owning an AP-155 f/7 EDF Starfire refractor. Well, it’s taken a couple of decades but I finally acquired one a few […]
By George Stallings: George has been observing for more than 25 years, though he has only recently jumped into the world of lunar and planetary imaging. A career information analyst and lifelong science-hobbies enthusiast, he navigates the fine line between late nights imaging and early mornings consulting for the federal […]
Astronomy Shoppe’s Olde School Optics division specializes in the restoration and sales of telescopes, eyepieces and optics from a bygone era – high-quality, classic instruments that were typically manufactured in all metal – no plastic parts or computers, just excellent optics. In addition to refurbishing classic and antique telescopes, Olde […]
By Erik Wilcox Erik Wilcox lives off the grid on the Big Island of Hawaii, and has been observing for over 20 years. When he’s not viewing from his dark backyard sky, he works for a natural foods chain, and spends his spare time hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, and performing music. […]
By Gary Parkerson Astronomy Technology Today Executive Editor Gary Parkerson discovered early in his amateur-astronomy career that he was as fascinated by the tools of astronomy as by the amazing celestial objects they reveal – perhaps more so. When not writing about astro-tech, he covers industrial technology for a variety […]
Editor’s Note: To show the MiniWASP Parallel Imaging Telescope Array images in greater detail, they are included at the end of the article in large format. To view hi-res images of the ones included in this article and others visit New Forest Observatory. Astronomy Technology Today recently chronicled one man’s […]