Motorized Telescope (Dobson Mount)

thingiverse

These are the STL files needed to automate my (and likely several similar) Dobsonian telescopes. I chose to use only 3D printed parts and components from an old 3D printer. If you have a spare 3D printer and a spare telescope, consider giving it a try. I've included both STL and STEP files. ## Hardware * Arduino Mega or Due * RAMPS 1.4 (for the Mega) * Or RAMPS FD (for the Due) * Two stepper motors (see below; TODO) ## Software You can find the necessary code and additional instructions at: https://github.com/ThisIsJustARandomGuy/dobson-star-tracker Run the sketch in the Arduino IDE and examine the config.h file. If anything is unclear, open an issue or comment here, and I'll address it. You can control the telescope via a serial connection (e.g., through the Arduino IDE) or using Stellarium. Stellarium is Open Source software that allows you to point the telescope at various locations. Get it at: https://stellarium.org The default baudrate is 9,600. Either check GitHub or type :HLP# in the command prompt and press Enter to see a list of possible commands. I'll expand this description and GitHub over time with additional information and instructions. Here's a video of it moving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPZlFLoSKBY **Update 21.09.2019** I pushed a few updates to the code that should significantly improve calculations. It appears to be off by around 0.01° on the azimuth axis sometimes. When tracking, there are small (but visible) jitters when the azimuth axis is moving, while the same issue does not occur for the geared altitude axis. This leads me to believe that I may need to replace the azimuth stepper with a geared one to achieve better resolution. **Update 03.11.2019** I added wiring diagrams to aid in setup. I included a display unit featuring a small star atlas and the ability to move the telescope target without using a PC. I reworked a significant amount of code to be more readable and less buggy. There is now a config setting for two control modes: Dobson and Direct axis control. Equatorial mounts will hopefully be supported in the future, but since I don't own one, I can't easily test. **Update 04.11.2019** There's an issue open at GitHub to discuss possible methods for initially aligning the telescope. I'd appreciate any discussion on that topic – either here in the comments or over at GitHub.