Introduction

This document aims to cover the installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of the Mercury remote observatory.

This observatory is being deployed at Starfront Observatories near Brady, TX on a Lite pier. The total value of the observatory is approximately $7,800.

Hardware

The observatory consists of:

ZWO AM5N Mount

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $1,999.00

Apertura 75Q Telescope

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased (Telescope): $999.95
  • Price when purchased (Reducer): $100

ZWO ASI183MM Pro Camera

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $899.10

  • Sensor: 1" CMOS IMX183CLK-J

  • Resolution: 5496x3672

  • Pixel Size: 2.4µm

  • Frame Rate: 19fps at full resolution

  • Bit Depth: 12-bit

  • Interface: USB 3.0

  • Weight: 0.9 lbs

  • Dimensions: 78mm x 73.5mm

  • Mono or Color: Mono

  • Cooling: Yes

  • Guide Port: No

  • Sensor Illumination: Back-side illumination

  • Peak QE: 84%

  • Full Well Capacity: 15ke

  • Read Noise: 1.6-3.0e

  • Back Focus: 6.5mm

ZWO 7x2" Electronic Filter Wheel

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $359.10

Optolong Filters

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $807.20

ZWO Electronic Automatic Focuser

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $149.00

Pegasus Astro Ultimate Powerbox v3

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $644.50

Pegasus Astro Falcon Rotator

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $626.67

Beelink EQ13 Mini PC

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $179.00

Digital Loggers Pro Switch 10-port

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $189.00

Deep Sky Dad FP2 Flat Panel

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $310.55

Dew-Not Dew Heaters

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased (DN02, 6.5"): $36.80
  • Price when purchased (DN03, 9"): $37.95
  • Price when purchased (DN04, 13"): $39.68
  • Not Found Manufacturer Product Page
  • Not Found Manual

TP-Link Litewave 5-port Gigabit Ethernet Switch

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $12.99

Orion Mini 50mm Guide Scope

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $79.99
  • Defunct Manufacturer Product Page
  • Manual

ZWO ASI120MM Mini Guide Scope Camera

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $149.00

  • Sensor: 1/3" CMOS AR0130CS

  • Resolution: 1280x960

  • Pixel Size: 3.75µm

  • Frame Rate: 35fps at full resolution

  • Bit Depth: 12-bit

  • Interface: USB 2.0

  • Weight: 0.2 lbs

  • Dimensions: 36mm x 61mm

  • Mono or Color: Mono

  • Cooling: No

  • Guide Port: ST4

  • Sensor Illumination: Front-side illumination

  • Peak QE: 80%

  • Full Well Capacity: 13ke

  • Read Noise: 4.0e

  • Back Focus: 8.5mm

Sipeed NanoKVM

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $53.00

Dust Caps and Plugs

Quick Specs

  • Price when purchased: $23.40

Diagrams

Power Diagram

graph LR;
    vin(On-site connection)<--120V/?A-->power-strip-vin;
    subgraph power-strip [Digital Loggers Pro Switch]
        subgraph power-strip-switchable-ports [Switchable Ports]
            power-strip-port-1(Port 1);
            power-strip-port-2(Port 2);
            power-strip-port-3(Port 3);
            power-strip-port-4(Port 4);
            power-strip-port-5(Port 5);
            power-strip-port-6(Port 6);
            power-strip-port-7(Port 7);
            power-strip-port-8(Port 8);
        end
        subgraph power-strip-always-on-ports [Always-On Ports]
            power-strip-port-9(Port 9);
            power-strip-port-10(Port 10);
        end
        power-strip-vin(Input);
    end
    subgraph pc [Beelink EQ13 Mini PC]
        beelink-power(Input)<--120V/?A-->power-strip-port-2;
    end
    tplink-wall-wart(TPLink wall-wart)<--120V/?A-->power-strip-port-9;
    subgraph switch [TPLink 5-port switch]
        switch-power(Input);
    end
    switch-power<--12V/?A-->tplink-wall-wart;
    nanokvm-wall-wart(NanoKVM wall-wart)<--120V/?A-->power-strip-port-3;
    subgraph kvm [Sipeed NanoKVM]
        nanokvm-power(Input);
    end
    nanokvm-power<--5V/?A-->nanokvm-wall-wart;
    pegasus-wall-wart(Pegasus 20A power supply)<--120V/?A-->power-strip-port-4;
    subgraph pegasus-powerbox [Pegasus Powerbox v3]
        pegasus-powerbox-power(XT60);
        subgraph pegasus-powerbox-dew [Dew Heater Outputs]
            pegasus-powerbox-dew-a(Dew A);
            pegasus-powerbox-dew-b(Dew B);
            pegasus-powerbox-dew-c(Dew C);
        end
        subgraph pegasus-powerbox-switchable [Switchable 12V Outputs]
            pegasus-powerbox-12v-1(1);
            pegasus-powerbox-12v-2(2);
            pegasus-powerbox-12v-3(3);
            pegasus-powerbox-12v-4(4);
            pegasus-powerbox-12v-5(5);
            pegasus-powerbox-12v-6(6);
        end
        subgraph pegasus-powerbox-always-on [Always-on 12V Outputs]
            pegasus-powerbox-12v-7(7);
            pegasus-powerbox-12v-8(8);
        end
    end
    pegasus-powerbox-power<--12V/20A-->pegasus-wall-wart;
    subgraph camera [ASI183MM Pro]
        camera-cooler-power(2.1×5.5mm)--12V/3A-->pegasus-powerbox-12v-1;
    end
    subgraph rotator [Pegasus Falcon Rotator]
        rotator-power(2.1×5.5mm)--12V/1A-->pegasus-powerbox-12v-2;
    end
    subgraph flat-flap [Deep Sky Dad FP2]
        flat-flap-power(2.1×5.5mm)--12V/3A-->pegasus-powerbox-12v-3;
    end
    subgraph mount [ZWO AM5N]
        mount-power(2.1×5.5mm)--12V/3A-->pegasus-powerbox-12v-4;
    end
    subgraph dew-65-in [Dew-Not 6.5in DN02]
        dew-65-power(RCA)--12V/3A-->pegasus-powerbox-dew-a;
    end
        subgraph dew-9-in [Dew-Not 9in DN03]
        dew-9-power(RCA)--12V/3A-->pegasus-powerbox-dew-b;
    end
    subgraph dew-13-in [Dew-Not 13in DN04]
        dew-13-power(RCA)--12V/3A-->pegasus-powerbox-dew-c;
    end

USB Diagram

graph LR;
    subgraph main-camera [ZWO ASI183MM Pro]
        main-camera-usb(USB-B 3.0 Device Interface);
        subgraph main-camera-hub [USB Passthrough Hub]
            main-camera-hub-usb-1(USB-A 2.0 Port 1);
            main-camera-hub-usb-2(USB-A 2.0 Port 2);
        end
    end
    subgraph guide-camera [ZWO ASI120MM Mini]
        guide-camera-usb(USB-C 2.0 Device Interface);
    end
    subgraph rotator [Pegasus Falcon Rotator]
        rotator-usb(USB-B 2.0 Device Interface);
    end
    subgraph focuser [ZWO EAF]
        focuser-usb(USB-B 2.0 Device Interface);
    end
    subgraph filter-wheel [ZWO EFW]
        filter-wheel-usb(USB-B 2.0 Device Interface);
    end
    subgraph mount [ZWO AM5N]
        subgraph mount-one-of [One of]
            mount-usb-b(USB-B 2.0 Device Interface);
            mount-usb-c(USB-C 2.0 Device Interface);
        end
    end
    subgraph flat-flap [Deep Sky Dad FP2]
        flat-flap-usb(USB-C 2.0 Device Interface);
    end
    subgraph kvm [Sipeed NanoKVM]
        kvm-usb(USB-C 2.0 PC Interface);
    end
    subgraph pc [Beelink EQ13]
        subgraph pc-front-usb [Front USB]
            pc-front-usb-a(USB-A 3.2);
            pc-front-usb-c(USB-C 3.2);
        end
        subgraph pc-rear-usb [Rear USB]
            pc-rear-usb-a-1(USB-A 3.2);
            pc-rear-usb-a-2(USB-A 3.2);
            pc-rear-usb-a-2.0(USB-A 2.0);
        end
    end
    subgraph powerbox [Pegasus Powerbox v3]
        powerbox-usb-in(USB-B 3.1 Device Interface);
        subgraph powerbox-usb-out [USB Hub]
            powerbox-usb-out-1(USB-A 3.1);
            powerbox-usb-out-2(USB-A 3.1);
            powerbox-usb-out-3(USB-A 3.1);
            powerbox-usb-out-4(USB-A 3.1);
            powerbox-usb-out-5(USB-A 3.1);
            powerbox-usb-out-6(USB-A 3.1);
            powerbox-usb-out-7(USB-A 2.0);
            powerbox-usb-out-8(USB-A 2.0);
        end
    end
    main-camera-usb<-->powerbox-usb-out-1;
    guide-camera-usb<-->powerbox-usb-out-2;
    rotator-usb<-->powerbox-usb-out-3;
    focuser-usb<-->powerbox-usb-out-4;
    filter-wheel-usb<-->powerbox-usb-out-5;
    mount-one-of<-->powerbox-usb-out-6;
    flat-flap-usb<-->powerbox-usb-out-7;
    kvm-usb<-->pc-rear-usb-a-1;
    powerbox-usb-in<-->pc-rear-usb-a-2;

Optical Train

graph BT;
    camera[ASI128MM]--6.5mm backfocus-->efw
    efw[Filter Wheel]--20mm backfocus-->m48mtom42m
    m48mtom42m[M48 male to M42 male adapter]--1mm backfocus-->5mmspacer
    5mmspacer[M48 spacer]--5mm backfocus-->halfmmspacer
    halfmmspacer[M48 spacer]--0.5mm backfocus-->m48tom54rear
    m48tom54rear[M48 female to M54 male adapter]--2mm backfocus-->rotator
    rotator[Falcon Rotator]--18mm backfocus-->m54tom48
    m54tom48[M54 male to M48 female adapter]--2mm backfocus-->telescope
    telescope[Telescope 55mm total backfocus]

Installation

Maintenance

Troubleshooting