Telescope Leadscrew Advice

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Here’s a typical example https://www.omc-stepperonline.com/geared-stepper-motor?srsltid=AfmBOop8RgE418gb-pWmfiGDQoUZnDSn4ZOe5Y2R3ZR6Z7CMpAhO6gKU

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

I am green with jealousy!  25 years ago, I very much wanted a big Meade and putting one on a Dobsonian mount kept the cost down: people liked them for quick resetting and stability too.  Disadvantage is Dobsonian’s don’t track or provide fine adjustment, the latter issue being tackled by Dr_GMJN here.

Never happened!  At the time family commitments meant no space for a big telescope, and no time to use it.   Viewing is obstructed too, and the UK is usually under a cloud.   I compromised on a 6″ reflector on a stand – still too big, and though plenty of interest in the sky, it was rarely used.   Not getting enough sleep is bad for me!

I wondered what Meade sell today: telescopes and accessories have moved on considerably, what with GPS, star-finders, better lenses, tracking stands, digital cameras and whatnot.   Unfortunately Meade get my award for the world’s worst website.   Instead of telling me what their product range is and providing technical detail, it’s full of corporate puff.  When someone is interested in Astronomy, likely knowing that equipment can easily cost several thousands, I don’t care for the likes of:

The Meade Expert Team provides high-quality telescopes and accessories for amateur astronomers. Their products enable stargazers to explore the night sky.

I’d put up with it if the site eventually led to the technical detail I wanted, but this one doesn’t.   Meade’s official site only mentions two cheap entry level telescopes, with no sign of anything else.  Very odd, almost as if Meade don’t want to sell telescopes!    My guess is they first outsourced production to China (successfully), and have since outsourced design as well.   Possibly Meade in the US don’t have any techies, have become a sales outlet, and lost touch with customer needs.   Their site is competent, but the content is focused wrongly.   Searching retailer sites provided technical info showing that Meade still sell high-end telescopes, so someone in their team knows what’s what.   Perhaps Meade’s Sales Department and Board believe technology is a minor detail, and they have a box-shifter mindset.   If so, bad attitude for a technology company to have.

9:15AM, so no more Model Engineering for me today.  Family visiting, and if I don’t shave, tidy the house and put on a brave face, they’ll put me in a care home.

Dave

 

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

If you poke around online there are a number of telescope controllers using Arduinos and steppers. Probably also with coordinated motion for a Dobsonian. Once you can control the telescope with a processor if you fitted a ccd sensor you could observe from indoors in the comfort of an armchair!

[SillyOldDuffer]

On SillyOldDuffer Said:

I am green with jealousy!  25 years ago, I very much wanted a big Meade and […]

This is probably more to your taste, Dave:

https://www.orionoptics.co.uk/

MichaelG.

[Author]

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