Observation by Peter Anderson: The workings of the 1969 6" telesc...

Uploaded by

Peter Anderson

Observer

Peter Anderson

Observed

2018 Oct 12 - 14:00

Uploaded

2018 Oct 13 - 01:21

Objects

Observatory
Equipment

Equipment

Standard camera

Exposure

Not Relevant

Location

Brisbane, Australia

Target name

Telescope drive

Title

The workings of the 1969 6" telescope mount

About this image

This image was taken in February 1970.

The workings themselves. The bar on the top right was lifted and placed in its present position to disengage the drive - so that coarse adjustment could be made in RA.

The drive was Meccano based, driven by a rubber band via a gramophone motor spindle (240V AC). Standard small rubber bands were used. Only very rarely was their square profile a problem (rolling over). Speed adjustment was by screwing the fitting on the right up or down so that the nail on which the small pulley was mounted was raised or lowered, thus reducing or increasing the speed. A similar nail and small pulley is on the left to ensure the drive is square on to the Meccano mechanism.

RA adjustment was by small reversible 6V motor and similar rubber band drive through the Meccano gearing. The inspection bulb on the raiseable wooden arm is simply scewed in or out for on/off. The mounting block is solid concrete.

Files associated with this observation

1970 6 inch F5 Drive Feb 70.JPG (120.2 kB)

Like this image

Jeremy Shears, David Swan

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