Pegasus FocusCube Version 3
I've been using the Pegasus FocusCube Version 2 for a couple of years and it's been amazing. The only problem I ever had with it was my own fault; unknowingly I tried to run it a few times past the inward limit of my focuser and that loosened the shaft coupler to the point the FC2 lost track of where it was. When I'm not trying to torture the poor thing it has always delivered a sharper focus than I ever achieved manually.
Pegasus recently introduced FocusCube Version 3, and FC3 has new features, only one of which really interested me -- it's USB 3 and only needs USB power to operate. My first thought was "wow, one less cable!"
Instead I'm having to choose between two options: buying a new, big, $640+tax usb/power hub or kludging together my existing hub and an old powered USB hub. Of course my frugal nature demanded I go with the latter option!
Why? The FC3 gives me three devices that require USB 3 power or communication bandwidth: FC3, ASI 120MM Mini guide camera, and ASI 2600MM Pro imaging camera.
Alas, my current USB hub, a Pocket Powerbox Advance Gen 2 has only two USB 3 ports. My delusional mind had assumed all four of the USB ports my existing hub (a Pegasus Pocket Powerbox Advance Gen 2) were USB 3. My delusion was reinforced by the mislabeling on the Powerbox case: |
| My Pocket Powerbox Advanced Gen 2 Collector's Edition with incorrect USB port label |
The kludge I'm putting together involves using Velcro to piggyback an old hub on the Powerbox. In the end this means instead of reducing my cable count I'm going to increase it by one. Oh well ...
On the other hand, NINA fired it all up without a glitch, so it's ready for imaging!
Moving The FocusCube 2 to the AT-65EDQ
A second reason for purchasing the FC3 was so my old FC2 could be installed on my AT-65EDQ, a small astrograph that can produce lovely images.
I plan to use the AT-65 mainly to collect stellar spectra because the camera-to-scope connection must use a 2" nosepiece. A nosepiece makes it very easy to place a diffraction grating in the optical path. And at f/6.5 it's a little better for spectra than my FSQ at f/5.
The AT-65 isn't on the list of scopes compatible with the FC, possibly because of the diameter of its fine-focus shaft. The smallest shaft coupler provided with the FC3 was 4.0mm -- much too large for the 2.5mm AT-65 shaft. Unfortunately the smallest coupler I could find for sale was 2.3mm. (Maybe that corresponds to some common non-metric size? I tried to file down the fine focus shaft, but it's made of an alloy harder than my files. I did find a nice attachment for my rotary tool that must have had emery or diamond on it, and that took the shaft down to size.
Both FCs are now working with Unity and NINA. Let's have some clear nights now!
Back from the Eclipse
We drove from Minneapolis to South Washington, Indiana. Ten hours in rain to get there the day before, but it was worth it--almost perfect sky for the entire eclipse -- and most importantly at totality. The naked-eye prominence was worth it alone, and I doubt any image will be able to do it justice.
Arriving a day early and leaving the day after meant no traffic problems. This was my fourth eclipse (1978 North Dakota, 1998 Aruba, 2017 Nebraska were the previous) and probably my last. And I'm pleased to say I took no images, I just looked upward and enjoyed.
The fact that Texas was cloudy and the Midwest clear demonstrates perfectly the difference between climate and weather.
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