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10' Pro-dome from Technical Innovations. It is setup for automation and follows the telescope movements. The dome, telescope and mount are controlled / monitored from the 8' x 12' control house .

The mount (AP1200) is from Astro-Physics and is housed in a 10 foot observatory from Technical Inovations. The mount can carry up to 140 lbs of telescope and accessories. Once aligned, it has a pointing accuracy of 1 arc minute. The mount can be controlled locally with its own keypay or remotely from a computer.

Astro Physics AP1200 mount

12 1/2" carbon fiber Ritchey- Chrétien telescope from RC Optical Systems. The mirrors used are hyperbolic shaped and are very difficult to manufacture. The carbon fiber tube results in low expansion/contraction rates and superior focus stability. The primary mirror is fixed and focus changes are made through the secondary mirror (1 step change in focus moves the mirror .00002". There are fans that run automatically to keep the telescope at ambient temperature.

RC Optical Systems 12 1/2" carbon fiber tube telescope

This image of the STL-11000M is from the SBIG web page also. It has 11 million pixels (4008x2672) 9 microns in size. It also holds 2" filters. This camera also has a connection for a remote guide camera. Not shown is the 8 position filter wheel and AstroDon Monster MOAG (Manual Off Axis Guider)

SBIG STL 11000 camera

Precision Instrument Rotator--Used to rotate camera assembly to properly frame the image and to locate guide stars on the OAG (Off Axis Guider.

RC Optical Systems PIR (Precision Instrument Rotator) Red anodized

FSQ 106 original (SN 0032) and Gemini Mount--Mount was sold but telescope still in use and working well.

SBIG STF 8300 CCD camera (8.3 mega Pixels)

8 position filterwheel

Adaptive Optics

Star Chaser-2 off axis guider

ZWO ASI 6200 cmos camera (62 mega pixels)

7 position filterwheel

ZWO off axis guider

Many other functions--Polar alignment assistant, pointing alignment assistant, etc.

Pixinsight--Used to calibrate images and combine them. The process involves taking many "dark frames", "flat fields" "biases" ang "Light frames" I usually take at least 15 darks, 15 biases, (15 flats for each color (L,R,G,B)) and (24 light frames for each color (L,R,G,B)) The Darks, Biases and Flats are then subtracted from the Light frames to compensate for irregularities in the imaging camera. Sounds complicated--it is.

PhotoShop 2023--This is used in the final steps of processing images. By using PhotoShop, it can change a "fair" image into an "great" image.

Digital Dome Works--The observatory dome has now been automated with motors. This program controls motion of the dome so it stays positioned with the telescope. No more going out every 15 minutes to manually move it. Auto Pilot also controls this program to move the dome to the "home" position and then close the dome shutter.

MaxIm 6.0 -- Controls operation of CCD camera, guiding the mount, obtaining images. Also used to process images.

Sky 6.0--Controls the mount and is used to coordinate where the images are taken. This program also interacts with the other programs as needed.

RCOS TCC (Telescope Command Center)-- This program controls the Precision Instrument Rotator to position the CCD camera at different rotation angles, controls fans and heaters on the telescope to keep it cool or prevent dew formation, control the focus motor either by itself or by FocusMaX.

CCD Inspector --New program used to align mirrors of the telescope, determine quality of each of the images taken.

RC Gradient Removal -- Program used to remove color gradiants in the image due to light polution

StarX terminator--Temporarily removes the stars from the image so the nebula or galaxy can be processed individually and then added back in.

NoiseX terminator--smoothes out inherent pixel noise that gives som images a rough apperance.

BlurX terminator--Compensates for slightly oval stars caused by poor seeing conditions or less than perfect mount tracking

RegiStar -- Program used to align image stars from different camera angles and focal lengths

Order placed for a Astro-Physics 160mm telescope. Order was placed on July 2002. Never received it--They stopped production