DIY Astrophotography: Building a Custom Telescope Mount with Harmonic Drives and ESP32
By
waerhert
Crisp on the outside, thoughtful on the inside. A keeper.
Summary
The author shares their journey from beginner astrophotography using a basic camera setup to building a custom telescope mount with advanced components including harmonic drives and ESP32 microcontroller. Starting with simple tripod-based photography of the Orion Nebula, they progressed to using a commercial tracker before undertaking a complex DIY project involving precision engineering, electronics, and software development to create a superior tracking system for astrophotography.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledI developed an interest in astrophotography thanks to YouTubers like Nebula Photos
I managed some decent shots of the Orion Nebula from a tripod by taking 300 pictures with a 2-second exposure time and stacking them
Finding targets and achieving proper polar alignment remained challenging
I spent countless hours researching
Building a custom telescope mount with harmonic drives, ESP32, and way more engineering than necessary
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