In mid-2009 I have decided to adapt my system for motorized satellite tracking (ISS, space shuttle etc.), in order to take complete video sequences of nighttime passages. The works have been carried out in two steps: - Step 1 : visual tracking with a finder - Step 2 : autoguiding Below, the EM-400 mount modified for step 1. A digital control box (hooked on the left leg of the tripod) controls the mount up to 2°/s while receiving the orders from the radio double joystick (one for right ascension, the other for declination). When this box is not connected or is off, the mount behaves as a standard EM-400. Tracking is performed visually with the help of a finder with cross-hair reticle. Design and manufacturing of this electronic modification (more tricky than expected) are the work of Emmanuel Rietsch (photo on the right, contact: emmanuel.rietsch@sfr.fr). The acquisition of the images on the Schmidt-Cassegrain is performed by a Lumenera Skynyx L2-2 video camera. Despite this! performing tracking system and hours of training on airplanes passing in the sky, keeping the space ship inside a sensor of a few millimeters at a focal length of 5000 mm and a speed over 1°/s needs a lot of concentration and training. Since October 2010, the mount is autoguided, with the help of a DMK 31AF03 Firewire video camera mounted on the finder (FL 200 mm) and of the software Videos Sky made by Emmanuel and modified by Emmanuel and myself for fast tracking with the EM400. Autoguiding and
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