AP130 Version 1.5: The Tri-Pier Arrives

Astro-Physics 130mm Platform
Written By Patrick A. Cosgrove

Dates: August 22, 2020 - December 10, 2020

The IOptron Tri-Pier with the extention column is now all set. All Setup and ready fro a night of running twin platforms..

The IOptron Tri-Pier with the extention column is now all set. All Setup and ready fro a night of running twin platforms..

Table of Contents Show (Click on lines to navigate)

    Standardizing the base

    Finally, the Tri-Pier and its extension column arrived. This allowed me to standardize the base of the two telescope platforms. There are several reasons that made this useful. First - everything is the same when you are handling things in the dark. And secondly, I was in the process of revolutionizing how I set up at night. Currently, I keep the base and the mount in the garage - without scope or counterweights - sitting on caster wheels(as can be seen on the right). This lets me move the base around the garage easily but when I leave the garage I have to lift the unit and place it on the driveway. Then I put the counterweight on, followed by the Scope tube assembly. This is hard and tricky - especially at 5:30am when you are bleary-eyes and trying to take things down. But I was building something that would allow me to keep each scope fully assembled in the garage and then lift the scope and move it to the driveway easily! However - to do this, I needed to have the same Tri-Pier to connect it to. I will give a teaser photo here to show you where I am going….

    Here is the mount as it is currently stored in the garage - no scope, no counterweight, on casters.

    Here is the mount as it is currently stored in the garage - no scope, no counterweight, on casters.

    Here is the future - My Scope Lifter/Tranpsorter will lift the scope and allow it to be transported to the precise spots on the driveway!

    The Rotator

    I found that I really like having a camera rotator on the William Optics Platform, so I decided to bite the bullet and add one on this platform as well.

    Current Configuration

    So here was where the AP130 Platform is at now:

    • Scope: Astro-Physics 130mm F/8.35 Starfire APO built in 2003

    • Guide Scope: Televue TV76 F/6.3 480mm APO Dublet

    • Focus Motor: Pegasus Astro Focus Cube 2

    • Mount: IOptron CEM60 - new

    • Tripod: IOptron Tri-Pier with column extension - new

    • Main Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM-Pro

    • Filter Wheel: ZWO EFW 8x31

    • Filters: ZWO Gen II LRGB and Narrowband Set

    • Rotator: Pegasus Astro Falcon Camera Rotator

    • Guide Camera: ZWO ASI290MM-Mini

    • Power Dist: Pegasus Astro Pocket Powerbox

    • USB Dist: Startech 7 slot USB 3.0 Hub

    Patrick A. Cosgrove

    A retired technology geek leveraging his background and skills in Imaging Systems and Computers to pursue the challenging realm of Astrophotography. This has been a fascinating journey where Art and Technology confront the beauty and scale of a universe that boggles the mind…. It’s all about capturing ancient light - those whispering photons that have traveled long and far….

    https://cosgrovescosmos.com/
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    AP130 Version 1.0: A Second Imaging Platform is Born!
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    WO132 Version 2.0: A major upgrade to the William Optics 132mm FLT Platform