Artificial Star

[Jim Fusco]

I was looking around for a Artificial star. I like some however I decided to build my own. I seen mono and green light ones and with different light sources. So I decided to make a multi light star tester. This was where I recieved some of my info http://observatory.mvastro.org/libra...t/ArtStar.html
However I found out that all LED's are not the same, more so white. A white LED is really blue and yellow. I found this out on the first one that I built. http://ledmuseum.home.att.net/ledleft.htm offers a lot of info about this. So I decided to go here http://www.ledsales.com.au/cart.php?...ubstring=white and purchased some none phosphor white LED's.
So the materials I used
1 2' 2" PVC pipe
2 7" 3" tolet adapter
1 3" to 2" adapter
1 3" threaded adapter. One end female threaded other end femal smooth.
1 3" threaded cap" battery can rest inside.
1 2" coupling
1 2" to 1 1/4" reducer
1 1 1/4 to 1" reducer
1 3" test cap " thin piece of plastic with a lip, fits between coupling and pipe used to hold LED's
2 2" test cap used as baffels.
PVC glue
2 1/4 nuts and bolts or anything to hold the 2 plates together.
1 1000 ohm resister
1 9v battery and connector for battery.
Swithches, that depends on how many LED's will be used. Mine turned into a growing tester.
ortho 4,5,6,7 or 8.

[Jim Fusco]

Image, resize was rather small.

[Jim Fusco]

Here are some more. The brighter is just one 6mm ortho the smaller, dimmer is a duel ortho 6&7 screwed together.

[Jim Fusco]

This is the inside plate between the the threaded/glued 3" coupling.This is where the LED's are mounted. The next is the back with wires, switches resistor and battery. A better switch would have a multi pole selector switch, however this works but I need to turn the one off befor turning on the nest LED.

[Jim Fusco]

Here is looking into the tube, painted flat black and later baffeled. I found the LED's needed to be painted black on the side to keep from illumating the other LED's. Also about 1/8 should be exposed at the top. If too bright strange things happen like reflection on the walls of the tube. This is the adapter end with eyepiece. DON'T glue, they can be pressed all fittings. Maybe glue if you are really sure, but just part.

[Jim Fusco]

Here are fome focused imaged with different colors. This was done with my canon S3 T6 7mm and camera at 7-8x optical zoom. The reason they are all not the same size is because of when I had to zoom in and cut section.

[Jim Fusco]

This is a IR LED. I had to use my DBK camera and a 5x powermate because of the IR filter in the camera.

[Jim Fusco]

Here is a in and out focuse with my SAPO, canon 65% zoom S3 camera and a zeiss 10mm ortho. You need to keep in mind any air movement will effect the image, also the irus of the camera can cause issus by touching the edges.
All the images were done with my sapo. A few things I found out, the scope needs to be well adjusted at room temp. At least a full day, things like the dog walking by, heater turning on and wife yelling will mess with the image. Reading Suiter book Star testing, is a good start and has some good info. However I found the bearing, reflective Christmas balls were a waste of time as outside the air was not steady, a uncontrolled enviroment.

[Jim Fusco]

I have a few sites here of star test and info.
http://www.astrosurf.com/altaz/startest_e.htm
http://web.telia.com/~u30107354/uk/startest.htm
http://www.yarn.org.uk/documents/Star%20Test.pdf
http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/astr...ro_images.html
http://www.astronomie.be/Tranquility.Base/tmb115.htm
http://www.acatterall.com/AP160.htm
http://autocostruttori.blogspot.com/
http://www.saratogaskies.com/article...est/index.html
http://www.danielegasparri.com/eng/a..._telescope.htm
http://www.cityastronomy.com/roddier-6inchachro.htm
http://home.digitalexp.com/~suiterhr/TM/kestner.jpg
http://www.geekjoy.com/scopes/opti_quest.html#9
http://www.fpi-protostar.com/bgreer/sep2000st.htm thermal issues