Projects
A few astronomy-related DIY projects and astronomy hacks, from reducing light pollution to building filters and spectroscopes. All these projects can be built with everyday household items.
A star test is a great way to learn more about your scope and make the night sky look even better.
I've just uncovered my old telescope, how do I go about making it usable again? How do I clean the mirror? How do I get everything back together properly?
The Bahtinov mask is a device used to accurately focus astronomical telescopes. It is named after its inventor Pavel Bahtinov.
A detailed guide with pictures on how to install the SynScan GoTo upgrade kit for excellent HEQ5 mounts.
Guide for modifying the Microsoft LifeCam series of webcams for use with astronomy which should fit snugly into a standard 1.25" focuser.
This guide shows you how to perform an optical alignment your Newtonian telescopes mirrors and get the most from your reflector telescope. It will look at using a homemade Cheshire eyepiece as well as using a laser collimator for accurate results.
The Hartmann mask and Scheiner Disk are simple devices for making focusing a lens easier. They require that you target is a point of light, such as a star or distant planet, therefore are no good for day-to-day use.
This is a simple construction method for a DIY solar filter to be fitted over the front of a camera lens. The filter, in this case, is a section of Baader film and is designed to fit the end of a telephoto lens. Auto focus still functions correctly on my Canon EOS 350d.
A short tutorial which shows you how to effectively reduce light pollution and orange gradients in Photoshop using a few basic filters. The resulting images will have more definition to the stars and nebulas and be without the horrible orange hue.
Align and Stack images in Photoshop or similar graphics package, allows multiple photos to be combined and has the effect of increasing signal, while reducing noise.
