![Celebrating The [Jack Ells] Computerized Photometric Telescope](https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jack_ells.png "Celebrating The [Jack Ells] Computerized Photometric Telescope")
Right here at Hackaday, we take pleasure in presenting the most up to date hacks and the most efficient of what’s occurring these days on this planet of {hardware} hacking. However every so often, we bump into a hack from the previous so compelling that we’ve were given to convey it to you, so we will all wonder at what was once conceivable within the Prior to Occasions.
This one, an absolutely homebrewed computerized photometric telescope, was once designed and constructed by way of the father-son workforce of [Jack Ells] and [Peter Ells]. From the elder [Ells]’ box notes, the telescope noticed its break of day in 1988, giving us some concept of the size of issues that needed to be conquer to get this glorious device running. The optics are easy, as least as telescopes cross — it’s an f-4.0 Newtonian reflector with an 8.5″ (221 mm) number one reflect on an equatorial mount. The telescope may be very rugged-looking certainly, or even stands on brick piers for steadiness. The telescope’s mount is managed by way of a BBC Micro operating customized BASIC device.
For the photometric portions, the [Ells] boys put in a photo-multiplier tube at the focal point of the telescope. Extra exactly, they used a liquid gentle information to attach the eyepiece to a rack filled with apparatus, which incorporated the PM tube, its high-voltage energy provide, and a chain of sign conditioners and counter circuits. The speculation was once to view a unmarried superstar thru a pinhole masks over the target of the telescope and rely the speed of photons won over the years. Doing so would disclose periodic adjustments within the superstar’s brightness. As of late we’d use equivalent knowledge to seek for exoplanet transits; whilst we don’t assume that was once a factor again in 1988, it looks as if this telescope may simply have treated the task.
Unfortunately, [Jack Ells] died simplest two years after completing the telescope. However he left it along with his son, who ultimately moved it to a location with higher seeing stipulations, the place it accrued knowledge for any other 8 years. The standard of the paintings is astounding, and as father-son tasks cross, this one is hard to overcome.
