AOAS Will Buy Planetary and Deep Sky Imagers

Sunday, October 10 2004 @ 06:49 am EDT

Contributed by: bobmoody

The NEW Meade DeepSky Imager
We have long wanted to dabble in the new technology of CCD Imaging with our telescopes; we now have instructions to purchase imagers and equipment necessary to practice remote telescope control and astro-imaging!

At the October 15th meeting, the members in attendance saw us find the money and the will to go ahead with plans to buy a Meade Deep Sky Imager (retail $299.95 Meade Instruments) and a Celestron NexImage Solar System Imager (retail $149 now at $99 introductory price). How did we raise $540 for the project you ask? Dr. Chuck Larson once again stepped up to the plate for his latest "homerun" effort by presenting us with a check for $500!!!

We will order the imagers after a quick check of prices and availability. We will then turn our attention to finding a way to connect our CGE 1400 14" telescope that we've dubbed "CETUS" to the two computers inside the trailer. We had considered an RF Wireless Router to communicate between the computer inside and my old laptop attached to CETUS outside. However, we have now decided to run a cable to make a solid connection between the computers in the system. Webmaster Dave Grosvold has the hardware to do this and will donate everything along with his time to make this happen. Personally, I don't know where we'd be without Dave and Dr. Larson. We'd certainly be nowhere close to where we are now without their tireless and unselfish efforts.

Our original desires to be able to provide a way for members and/or schools to access CETUS through the Internet is a much more involved and expensive process than first thought. This idea has now been tabled for an indefinite amount of time.

Regardless, the members at the October meeting have charged me with purchasing the required equipment to bring this portion of our dream into reality. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it, but I realize that it isn't going to be a simple "flip-a-switch-and-turn-it-on" task. There will be challenges along the way and I'm sure we'll all get a taste of some new keystroke functions, as well as learn a few new words in French, before we finally have the operation to a point that is functional and operational.
Stand By! Imaging SOON to be in Progress !

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