Skypod for southern skies
Skypod for southern skies
The device described below was used to take the images available from my home page. I built it after seeing a similar device used by the Hamilton Astronomical Society. My design has a few enhancements, and I'm sure that anyone who copies it will enhance it further. Please email me if you have made any useful changes.
This camera mount has been designed for easy alignment with the south celestial pole. The main elements of the design can be seen in the picture above. The camera sits on a little alt-azimuth mount, which in turn is on a wooden plate with an arm that sits perpendicular to the earth's axis. The wheel, thread, and arm have been carefully placed so that if the wheel is turned once a minute, then the camera spins at the same rate as the earth.
The device has been fitted with three items which make alignment with the pole easy. Firstly, the tripod is placed so the pendulum points to the latitude. Secondly, the map compass shown below is aligned to the magnetic declination, and the tripod is rotated until the compass indicates it is aligned directly south. All metal fittings are either aluminium or brass so they do not affect the compass.
Thirdly, the level shown on the following picture is used to ensure the device is perfectly in line with the pole.
When the tripod is dismantled, as shown below, it packs easily into the boot of a car.
Clear skies.