astrolet.cz Equipment - Astrolet
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observatory and technology

Astrolet equipment.

From my first roll-off roof observatory to the current dome and my own AAG8 astrograph. The original information is organised into clear equipment sections.

Roll-off roof observatory and dome

In 2011, while building a house, I fulfilled a big boyhood dream and built an observatory. The first variant was a house with a retractable roof measuring 6 x 3.5 m, half of which was a garden area and half of which was a separate astronomical part.

A permanent observatory saves an enormous amount of time. Everything is ready in one place, protected by an electronic security system and controllable from the warmth of home in winter.

Ten years later, in 2021, a true auto-rotating dome was added. Thanks to it, it is possible to take photos even in less favorable conditions, and the wind does not complicate the photography itself so much.

Of course, the observatory is equipped with a camera surveillance and security system.

Dome of the Astrolet Observatory Dome Original roll-off roof observatory Roll-off roof observatory

Equipment setups

Each assembly is listed separately to make it clear what it is for and what parts it is made of.

Astrolet Astro-Graph AAG8

current astrophotography setup

Astrolet Astro-Graph AAG8

A purpose-built imaging telescope of my own design: a Newtonian astrograph with a 200 mm quartz primary mirror, a carbon-fibre tube, CNC-machined parts and a 3" ASA WYNNE corrector. It is currently my main astrophotography telescope.

  • photographic astrograph AAG8 F3.8
  • 3" ASA WYNNE Corrector 0,95
  • 50 mm guide scope
  • guide camera ZWO ASI 290MM Mono
  • main camera ZWO ASI 2600 MM Pro MONO - APS-C
  • filter wheel 7x2" ZWO
  • set of 2" Baader L/R/G/B/SII/OIII/H-alpha filters
  • Falcon Rotator
  • SkyWatcher AZ-EQ6 SynScan GT Pro mount
  • HeatBox, PowerBox and N.I.N.A.
TS-Optics Photoline 102/714 refractor in Astrolet's dome

second main astrophotography setup

TS-Optics Photoline 102/714

102/714 mm, f/7 refractor from the Photoline series with two-element Super APO lens (FPL-53 + lanthanum) and excellent color correction. It functions as a second main astrophotography telescope.

  • TS-Optics 2" 0.8x reducer/corrector
  • 60 mm guide scope
  • guide camera ZWO ASI 120MM Mini
  • ZWO OAG-L 68 with possibility to insert ASI 120MM for autoguiding
  • main camera ZWO ASI 2600 MM Pro MONO - APS-C
  • filter wheel 7x2" ZWO
  • set of 2" Baader L/R/G/B/SII/OIII/H-alpha filters
  • Falcon Rotator
  • SkyWatcher AZ-EQ6 SynScan GT Pro mount
  • HeatBox, PowerBox and N.I.N.A.
Celestron SCT C11 XLT AldaMod

visual observing setup

Celestron SCT C11 XLT AldaMod

Schmidt-Cassegrain 280/2800 mm f/10 with XLT treatment, mirror fixation, blackened with velvet and supplemented with a bar for other accessories.

  • eyepiece 1.25" Celestron E-lux 40 mm
  • eyepieces 2" Celestron Ultima LX 32, 22 and 17 mm
  • Baader SteelTrack 1:10 focuser
  • Celestron 0.63 reducer
  • 2" barlow SkyWatcher 2x
  • 2" double rotating polarizing filter
  • Baader solar-film filter for the 11" SCT
  • dew heaters and dew shields
SkyWatcher EVOSTAR ED80

astroimaging setup - no longer in the equipment today

SkyWatcher EVOSTAR ED80

An 80/600 apochromatic refractor with FPL-53 glass and an SW ED 0.85 reducer, giving a focal ratio of f/6.375 and a focal length of 510 mm.

  • SkyWatcher EVOSTAR ED80
  • reducer/field flattener SW ED80 0.85
  • SkyWatcher 80/400 guide scope
  • guide camera MII G1-0300
  • Canon EOS 500D MMysMod
  • SkyWatcher NEQ6 SkyScan PRO AldaMod mount
  • Bahtinov mask, flat-field panel, dew heaters and dew shields
SkyWatcher QUATTRO 200/800 Carbon Mod

astroimaging setup - no longer in the equipment today

SkyWatcher QUATTRO 200/800 Carbon Mod

An imaging Newtonian with an f/4 focal ratio and an 800 mm focal length. Modifications include a secondary mirror holder, a primary mirror aperture mask and motorised focusing.

  • SkyWatcher QUATTRO F4 200/800 Mod
  • optimised four-element coma corrector with ED glass
  • SkyWatcher motorised focusing
  • SkyWatcher EVOSTAR ED80 guide scope
  • guide camera MII G1-0300
  • Canon EOS 500D MMysMod
  • SkyWatcher NEQ6 SkyScan PRO AldaMod mount
  • collimation tools, flat-field panel, dew shields and other accessories

Cameras, filters and field rotation

The main current setup uses a ZWO ASI 2600 MM Pro monochrome camera, a 7x2" filter wheel and a set of Baader wideband and narrowband filters. Autoguiding is provided by a ZWO ASI 290MM Mono.

The kit also includes a Falcon Rotator for field rotation, making it easy to compose subjects and repeat shots on subsequent nights.

Management and operation

The system is complemented by a HeatBox for heating, a PowerBox for power supply and automated control of the entire assembly. The goal is quick preparation and as little manual work as possible during the night.

  • ZWO ASI 2600 MM Pro MONO
  • ZWO ASI 290MM Mono
  • 7x2" filter wheel ZWO
  • Baader L/R/G/B/SII/OIII/H-alpha
  • Falcon Rotator

Mounts

The main assembly today stands on the SkyWatcher AZ-EQ6 SynScan GT Pro mount. Older builds alternated on the SkyWatcher NEQ6 SkyScan PRO AldaMod mount.

Software

For current astrophoto, the main tool is N.I.N.A. Older builds used the APT Astro Photo Tool. Image processing takes place mainly in PixInsight.