WO132 Version 1.0: My first imaging platform based on the William Optics 132mm f/7 FLT APO

Date: August 5th 2019 - September 18, 2019

My First Rig - setup for one of the first times……

My First Rig - setup for one of the first times……

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    First Light…

    I retired in the Summer of 2019. I began to think about what I wanted to do with my newly found free time and I thought of Astronomy. When I was younger I was quite active with visual Astronomy, but this fell off once when life became more complicated: work became intense, I went back to grad school, I built a house, and started a family. There was no longer time or energy for astronomy. But I always had the interest and thought that once I retired, I might go back at it.

    After much research and a few phone calls to the helpful friendly folks at Highpoint Scientific, my first rig was on order! Within a week I had everything I needed to start doing astrophotography. But of course, I had no real clue how to actually do ANY of it. I barely knew how to put the pieces together much less make them work. This was the start of my journey.

    Here was my original Configuration:

    • Scope: William Optics 132mm f/7 FLT APO Refractor

    • Guide Scope: William Optics 50mm Guide scope

    • Mount: Ioptron CEM 60

    • Tripod: Ioptron Tri-Pier

    • Camera: ZWO ASI294MC-Pro

    • Guide Camera: ZWO ASI290MM-Mini

     
    Another view, this one just a bit closer.  This was the very first time I had things setup in the garage.  I barely knew how it all went together!

    Another view, this one just a bit closer. This was the very first time I had things setup in the garage. I barely knew how it all went together!

     
    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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    Astro Cart - A Mobile Computer Desk for the Driveway

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    AP130 Version 0.5: Surprise - A Second Imaging Platform - Almost!