A new alt-az mount for allsky1
This is the housing and the mount for Allsky1, a raspberry pi and ZWO ASI camera based system. It has not been truly allsky since the last wideangle lens broke a year or two ago, so now it is more correctly a “partialsky camera system”.
So.. let’s turn it into more of an aurora cam and point it down closer to the northern horizon. Only we cannot because of the existing mounting system of a hose clamp to a piece of wood.
So.. it needs an Altitude-Azimuth mount… do we have any that would work? No..
ok can we build on.. how complicated could it be? 🙂
The answer is: not very hard at all.. these are the supplies… a 2″x3″, and two 5/4×6 cedar leftover pieces.
They were cut to size, approx 5.5″ for the cedar and approx 12″ for the 2×3.
This is the before image of the old mount:
It was removed, the 4×4 post was shortened enough to be able to adjust the new alt-az mount by hand, without the need for a ladder.
A carriage bolt was countersunk from the bottom and 4 long screws were countersunk from the top, to secure the new base.
The rotating section was then added on .. Just a wingnut is used to tighten the az axis. The 2×3 is attached with three long screws, countersunk from the bottom).
a 1/4″ hole was drilled in the side of the housing and a 1/4×20 x3″ bolt with washed was installed from the inside. The bolt head was covered with duct tape so it would not short out the raspberry pi.
another wingnut tightens the altitude axis and the 2×2 piece of wood goes back as a bird diverter landing spot (instead of the dome)
And a side view showing the network, 5vdc power supply cable and the 12vdc power supply cable going into the housing along with the fan hose going in the bottom.
Additionally the amount of sky facing dome has been lessened now that it is pointed downward, so the heat loss and dew issue should also be reduced.
The black cardboard mask has also been removed as it may have been impeding airflow.. and now that it is pointing north, the sun and the moon should rarely if ever light up the camera surface so that it reflects in the dome
A local horizon image was taken to be used as reference in helping to identify any local light pollution.
So.. here is the first midnight image showing the horizon, some local houses and their lights.
It also appears the lens focus was nudged a little too much and will be needing a refocus at the next opportunity.
