David Arditti's observatory

Edgware, Middlesex

	Stag Lane observatory is principally dedicated to planetary and lunar imaging. Some work is also carried out on comets, minor planets and deep-sky objects, but imaging of faint objects is difficult due to light pollution. The main telescopes are a C14 SCT accompanied by a Celestron 100-mm f/9 ED refractor and a Skywatcher 80-mm f/5 refractor, mounted on a Homeyer cradle and Astro-Physics 1200GTO German equatorial; and a C11 SCT accompanied by a Celestron 100-mm f/9 ED refractor and a Skywatcher 80-mm f/7.9 refractor, mounted on a Homeyer cradle and an Astro-Physics 900GTO German equatorial. Cameras currently in use are a Lumenera SkyNYX-2-0 monochrome camera for lunar and planetary imaging, an Artemis 285 cooled CCD camera for deep-sky and cometary imaging, a Canon EOS 350D DSLR for general imaging, and a DMK 21AF04.AS monochrome camera for auto-guiding. The observatory consists of three buildings: a 2.3-m square run-off-roof shed housing the C14, a 1.5-m square run-off-roof shed housing the C11, and a warm-room shed housing the computers and telescope controls. The collimation of an SCT is considerably affected by the necessary reversal of a German equatorial mount. Therefore, to minimise movement and reduce the need for collimation, the C14 is used west of the meridian and the C11 to the east. Additionally, one SCT or one of the refractors can be used for cometary or deep-sky imaging for a long period without interruption of planetary imaging, which can be performed independently with the other SCT. The present instruments were installed in 2006/07, replacing a 6¼-inch Newt-onian, a 10-inch Newtonian and a 10-inch Dall–Kirkham (below) – which, however, are still available for my use. Full details are included on my web site.

E-mail :.d@davidarditti.co.uk. Web site : http://www.davidarditti.co.uk/observatory.html