MORNING STAR OBSERVATORY
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Arduino Focuser

The original project is several years old and outdated now, but it can wait until I get the observatory rebuilt. I left the existing controller and mechanical information below until then.

Picture
I housed the Arduino and Adafruit motor controller in a Radio Shack project box. I interconnected the motor with the Adafruit board with a CAT-5 cable which plugs into the motor using an RJ11 connector.

I mounted a coaxial power connector on the project box and connected it to the external power input of the Adafruit motor controller so I can use an external power supply to provide power to both the motor and Arduino.

The only mod to the Adafruit board was moving the power led to the box lid.

Picture
The stepper motor and shaft adapter installed on the Moonlight focuser. The mounting bracket for the motor is cut from a 4" piece of right-angle aluminum stock. It is attached to the Moonlight focuser with one brass screw and there is a rubber washer between the bracket and the focuser.

Picture
Closeup of the shaft adapter and clutch. It is basically three pieces: (1) the left side motor adapter, (2) the center shaft lock, and (3) the right side Moonlight adapter.

(1) The motor (left) side part of the shaft adapter is a short piece of .625" aluminum rod with a 5mm center bore and set screw to secure the motor shaft. The right half has been turned down to 3/8" and threaded to 3/8-32.
(2) The shaft lock mechanism is the same as used on my C-11 to lock the mirror supports and screws onto the 3/8-32 motor adapter threads.
(3)
The Moonlight (right) side of the adapter is also .625" diameter and has a 1/4" diameter shaft extending to the left that inserts into the shaft lock mechanism. The right side inserts into the Moonlight and is turned down to 15mm in diameter and 10mm wide to match the knob that was removed. This side also has a 5mm bore to match the focuser shaft and is secured with a set screw.

Picture
To unlock the motor and manually focus the Moonlight just spin the knob.

  • Tightening the shaft lock mechanism (clockwise) on the 1/4" shaft engages the motor.
  • Releasing the shaft lock mechanism (counter-clockwise) allows the 1/4" shaft to rotate freely for manual focusing.

Picture
The focuser motor mounted to the moonlight. I placed a rubber washer between the mounting bracket and the Moonlight to keep from scratching the focuser's finish. The Moonlight already had a threaded 8x32 hole to attach the bracket. There's a second rubber washer between the motor and mounting bracket on the screw securing the motor.

Astro-Tech AT6RC Focuser Adapter

Picture
To mount the stepper motor to the Astro-Tech Crayford I made a radius block that attaches to the bottom of the focuser using two existing screw holes. To this I attached a cross bar with a plate to hold the motor.

Picture
I made a new focuser-side shaft adapter to mate the Astro-Tech focuser shaft with the existing motor adapter from the moonlight setup.

Picture
The new shaft adapter for the Astro-Tech replaces the adapter for the moonlight shaft. The other adapter parts are common to the Moonlight adapter.

Page created 1/1/2021
Last updated 2/28/2023
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  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Astrophotography
  • The Observatory
    • The New Observatory
    • - About the ExploraDome
    • - About the Lancaster Dome
    • - Building the Lancaster Dome
  • Equipment
    • CCD Cameras >
      • Orion Starshoot Pro
      • QSI 683WS
      • ZWO ASI-178MM
    • Eyepieces
    • Filters
    • Mounts >
      • Orion HDX-110 (EQ-8) >
        • New HDX-110 Setup
        • Orion HDX110 EQ-8
    • Observatory Computers
    • Telescopes >
      • Astro-Tech AT6RC
      • Celestron C-11 XLT
      • Zhumell 152mm Refractor
  • Projects
    • Arduino Focuser
    • C11 XLT Mods
    • Orion SSPRO Camera >
      • Disassembled Views
      • Noise Reduction Mod
      • Temp Controller Mod
    • Ultima 8 Mods
    • Zhumell Refractor Mods
  • Non-Astronomy
    • Amateur Radio >
      • Boat Anchor Radios >
        • BC-348N Receiver
        • Collins 51J4 HF Receiver
        • R-392 HF Receiver
      • DIY >
        • Station Boom Microphone
      • Ameco >
        • Ameco AC-1
        • Ameco OCM
        • Ameco PT-2
        • Ameco R5A
      • Heathkit >
        • Heathkit SB-102 Station
      • Knight-Kit >
        • Knight Kit Span Master II
      • Yaesu FT-817 >
        • Yaesu FT-817ND
        • LDG Z-817 Autotuner
        • Windcamp LiPo Battery
    • Antique Radios >
      • Building A Radio Workbench
      • Radio Dial Neon Clock
      • Radios >
        • 1938 Zenith 6-S-254
        • Echophone EC-1
        • Eltz Radione 2
        • Panasonic RF-5000A
        • Silvertone Model 4465
    • Geiger Counters >
      • AN/PDR-27G Radiac Set
      • Lionel CD V-700 Geiger Counter
      • RCA WF-12A Geiger Counter
    • Test Equipment >
      • DIY Test Equipment >
        • DIY Curve Tracer
        • DIY Signature Tracer
      • Military Test Equipment >
        • BC-221-AF Frequency Meter
        • LM-21 Frequency Meter
        • TS-323/UR Frequency Meter
        • TS-465 C/U Sweep Generator
        • TS-505D/U VTVM
        • TV-3C/U Tube Tester
      • Tube Testers >
        • Alternating Current Sink
        • Drug Store Tester
        • EMC Model 200 Tube Tester
        • Hickok Model 6000A Tube Tester
        • Hickok OZ-1 (550X)
        • Precise Model 111 Tube Tester
        • Precision Model 10-12
        • Supreme Model 385
        • TV-3C/U Tube Tester
      • VTVMs and Multimeters >
        • B&K Model 290 Hi-Low FET Multimeter
        • Hickok 225K VTVM
        • McMurdo Silver VOMAX 900
        • Micronta 22-220 FET Multimeter
        • Simpson 360-2 Digital FET DMM
        • TS-505D/U VTVM
      • Hickok >
        • Hickok 19X RF Generator
        • Hickok 225K VTVM
        • Hickok 288X RF Generator
        • Hickok OZ-1 (550X)
        • Hickok 6000A Tube Tester
      • Simpson >
        • Simpson 360 DMM
        • Simpson 360-2 DMM
        • Simpson 480 Genescope
      • Supreme Instruments >
        • Supreme 385 Automatic
        • Supreme 560 Vedolyzer
        • Supreme 560A Vedolyzer
        • Supreme Model 561 AF/RF Generator
        • Supreme's Model 562 Audolyzer
        • Supreme Model 562 Audolyzer circa 1941
        • Supreme Model 562 Audolyzer circa 1946
        • Supreme Model 563 Audio Generator
        • Supreme Model 576 RF Generator
      • Other Test Equipment >
        • Heathkit IT-28 Capacitor Tester
        • Rider 162 Chanalyst
        • Tektronix 326 O'scope
        • VU-Data Model 941B Oscilloscope
    • ---------------
    • Fossils
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Star Trek >
      • Star Trek Rock Mood Lamp
      • Star Trek Communicator