Category Archives: DIY

3D-printable iPhone X dovetail holder!

October 1, 2018 // by ecuador

An industrious Polar Scope Align Pro user, Zach Hartman, shared with me photos of the iPhone X dovetail (standard “Vixen” style) holder he made to use with the app’s daytime alignment tool, which follows my suggestion of extending the phone away from the saddle to reduce effects on the magnetometers: He also uploaded his design […]

Cheap azimuth adjustment bolt upgrade for Skywatcher EQ3, HEQ5, NEQ6 etc, Orion, iOptron

January 28, 2017 // by ecuador

For some reason, mount manufacturers give you azimuth adjustment bolts that are not easy to grab (in the usual freezing temperatures) and don’t have much of travel to allow you for a significant adjustment. There are some replacements sold at rather obscene (for a pair of bolts) prices, so I had bought inexpensive HEQ5 replacement bolts from an Ali […]

The easy solar filter: Baader Astrosolar Film on aperture mask cover.

March 15, 2015 // by ecuador

One of the best and least expensive solutions for observing the sun with a telescope is to use the Baader Astrosolar Safety Film. There are many places that will sell you a pre-mounted filter for your telescope, or you can make it yourself and save money. For example, by gluing strips of cardboard around the […]

DIY: Reducing DSLR Vignetting of 1.25″ Filter On 2″ Focuser

February 10, 2015 // by ecuador

We know how even with APS-C sensor you need a 2″ focuser to avoid significant vignetting. However 2″ filters are significantly more expensive (which can translate to quite some money for some nice AP filters that were recommended to me), and not as many options available (even fewer are available as clip-on and usually even […]