As the original telescope bands did not allow the tube to be rotated a
new set of cradles and slip ring were made. This, with the addition of
Teflon sheeting applied to the inner surfaces of the cradles to help reduce
friction, allows the eyepiece to be placed in an accessible position with
relative ease.
To help with rotating the tube, I have added two plastic handles spaced
apart at about 120 degrees from the focusing mount.
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A Rigel Systems QuikFinder (a Telrad-type reflex
finderscope) has been added to aid visual location of faint deep sky
objects. It projects 1/2 and 2
degree red circles onto the sky, and has proved so
effective that I now very rarely use the 8x50mm viewfinder.
A light-baffle has been to the top
inside of the tube made from draft excluder self-adhesive foam tape.
This is thick enough to cast a shadow down the tube interior thus
helping to improve visual contrast.
A
black plastic 'sail' that can be erected above the western facing wall to
block out the sky glow from Dover Docks, also acts as a windbreak from any
prevailing westerly wind.