Re: an introduction

[Tom Droege <tdroege2@earthlink.net>]

Welcome to tass.  As you know from reading the web site, we have built 
drift scan cameras as you describe and operated them for about a year at 
roughly 0 degrees.  You can find the results in the tenxcat on the web site.

I think you will have great fun doing this.  When I started building the 
Mark IV's, the interest in operating the Mark III cameras just died.  A 
pity.  If you run drift scan mode, you will find lots of interesting 
stuff.  I think it would be most productive if you plan on running a long 
time.  Say 10 years.  Then you will find a lot of long period variables 
that have not been discovered before.

One question to consider is whether to operate with a filter.  With a 
filter, you data will have greater scientific value.  Without a filter you 
will be able to measure fainter stars.  I suspect you will have more fun if 
you operate without a filter and thus measure more stars.  Early on I got 
cornered by those interested in the science, and they beat me up until I 
can no longer even consider running without a filter.  In fact the Mark IV 
cameras are designed in such a way that they cannot be operated without a 
filter.

Do not fear that you are not in the best site, or that your weather is 
bad.  You will get enough data to keep you busy.  One advantage of drift 
scanning at the equator is that you can design a shelter for your camera 
that is covered from the weather.  Thus if it stars raining in the middle 
of the night, the camera does not get soaked.  There are pictures of such a 
design on the web pages.

Possibly you can capture the old Mark III software from the web 
site.  There may even be some here that can help you get it running.  You 
might want to look at Technical Note #26 by Arne Henden which discusses 
drift scanning.

Again, welcome to tass.  We are an informal group.  Do not hesitate to make 
posts with questions or observations.

Tom Droege



At 09:37 AM 3/13/02 +0000, you wrote:
>Dear All,
>
>Please let me introduce myself to you and explain a little about the
>project I am planning.
>
>My name is Steve Chambers I live in the UK and have been a keen ATM for
>a number of years.  I also have some experience with CCD cameras,
>electronics and imaging.
>
>For the last year or so I have been looking at the possibility of doing
>my own sky survey using drift-scanning techniques.  I am close to the
>stage of building something so would be grateful for any comments.
>
>The plan is to use a fixed ST-7 and 135mm lens mounted in a box with
>some temperature control.   I believe the cost of hard disk space has
>now dropped to the point that all data from clear nights can be stored
>and archived.  I would like to make this data generally available;
>probably using an email interface.  Eg a web page could contain
>information on dates that images of a given RA are available and a
>request for the file could be made by automated e-mail.
>
>This set-up is best suited to scanning near the celestial equator.
>Could someone tell me if this region is being scanned to death?  I know
>I will run into smearing problems moving away form the equator but
>prefer to collect interesting data rather than try to replicate surveys
>done with better equipment.   The strip of sky I would be looking at
>would be about 2 degrees wide and I would probably be prepared to go up
>to a dec of 10 degrees north.  I know this doesn't give much
>flexibility but can anyone recommend a DEC.
>
>Best Regards,
>
>Steve.
>
>--