Focal Pointe Observatory
Astrophotography by Bob Franke

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Inside The Dome
 

One of the two rotation motors.

The Azimuth Sensing Wheel


The shutter contacts and contact plates.  The dome must be rotated to make this electrical connection before the shutter can be operated.

 

Here’s the shutter windlass with some of the shutter cable system. Two magnetic reed switches are to the right of the windlass.  One stops the shutter opening and the other while closing.  The box at the bottom is the shutter relay.

 

Another shot of the shutter cables and the tension spring.

 

The box on the right is the power supply.  The switch on the top rotates the dome.  There is a switch towards the outside to open and close the shutter.

The box on the left is the Digital Dome Works.  This has connections for a PC, a remote hand control,  a 120 VAC remote power module and a weather station.  It also has built in safety features in the event of lost communication with the PC.