My perennial project: Telescope Controller

[mclemens1969]

I keep coming back to this project over the last few years whenever I have some time. It's a joystick controller for telescope mounts (with libraries of sky objects, GPS, bluetooth, built in joystick and an external joystick connection.)

The case is 3D printed (optically, laser sintered nylon) in two materials. I've been using threaded inserts in the plastic which seem to work very well.

Mike in Alaska

[mclemens1969]

OSH park boards, I love them ! You can see I made a slot for an aluminum bulkhead to slide into the 3D printed case bottom. Very nice security for connectors.

[mclemens1969]

"Alumide"  case bezel snaps on and entraps the red lexan lens.

[Aeternam]

Great looking gizmo! How do you communicate with the mount? Is it a generic controller or for a specific make / model?

[tkuhmone]

Interesting project :-) Personally I let the ready made electronics (and firmware) control my astro mount. Currently it is non-goto model of Skywatcher HEQ-5 (with C8 SCT OTA). I have already purhased a goto kit (hand controller, cables, stepper motors), just needs to be installed....

Does the HW & SW you built, handle also sky-target aligning in your controller ? Usually couple of pointed stars needed for that.

[mclemens1969]

Great looking gizmo! How do you communicate with the mount? Is it a generic controller or for a specific make / model?

It has RS232 and bluetooth with RS232, so it could be connected to a serial port of a mount, or could connect to an ext BT adapter which was connected to the mount. At this time it is specific to Astro-Physics mounts. I have written the software though where there is a generic telescope language (park, goto etc) which then converts to brand specific actions, so it is readily adaptable.