New technology for astrophotography
Feb. 11 2010. We have for some time been working on a new solution for doing long exposure astro-photography with our unique alt-az mountings.
We are now ready to give you a preview of the prototype that is being tested in these weeks.
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TTS-300 mounting installed at Samsø Observatory
The new “Samsø Observatorium” near Ballen on the Island of Samsø is nearing completion.
The new TTS-300 Telescope Mounting and the two telescopes were installed recently. The main telescope is a Gregorian-Newton with an ø300 mm primary mirror and 6000mm focal length. Track The Stars has modified the mirror cell for the tertiary mirror so that it is easy to switch to a standard Newton configuration giving a focal length of 1500mm. The second telescope is a very high quality 5.5 inch TEC-140 APO refractor. The TTS-300 mounting carries the combined weight of 48 kg instruments and 42 kg counterweights with ease.
The movement pattern of the TTS-300 mounting is perfect for a public observatory. The eyepiece position is always comfortable. Especially with the Gregorian-Newton telescope where the focuser is coming out exactly horizontally very near the altitude axis, so that it stays in exactly the same height, eliminating the need for ladders. Besides this the mounting takes up much less space than an equatorial mounting (no counter weight shaft to the side) limiting the risk that visitors bumps into the mounting.Visit the observatory homepage for more information www.samsoeobservatorium.dk
Astrotræf Stevns '09
Track The Stars attended the ”Astrotræf” at Stevns in the weekend 23.-25. October 2009.
There were lots of telescopes in the exhibition room. Track The Stars displayed the TTS-160 mounting with a TEC-140 APO refractor and Tele Vue eyepieces and accessories. Unfortunately the weather did not corporate giving no chances to try out the equipment on the sky.  On Saturday the participants went for a guided tour to see the “fish clay” layer. Stevns Klint is one of the best places on earth to see these deposits from the great meteor impact that caused the extinction of the Dinosaurs. 
More information about the fish clay layer at Stevns Klint http://www.stevnsinfo.dk/english.asp?id=60&lan=3
Participates in Astrotræf Stevns '09
Participates in "Astrotræf Stevns" 23-25 october 2009.
Picture from Stevns
23-25 October 2009.
Niels Haagh from Track The Stars will demonstrate the TTS-160 mounting on the site for visitors that are interested. He will also bring other interesting equipment, for instance the TEC-140 APO and TeleVue eyepieces, powermates and telescopes.
Stevns is one of the places near Copenhagen with the lowest light polution and is therefore the perfect place for deep sky watching.
MAF Starparty
Lecture ready for download. In the days of 17th till 20th of September Track The Stars participated at the MAF Starparty at Kompedal lejren. With the lecture "Okularer og Barlow linser" Niels Haagh from Track The Stars gave a general introduction to eyepieces. The presentation can be downloaded in PDF here: Okularer og Barlow linser (in danish). Read more about the wonderfull starparty here: Starparty.dk The booth at MAF Starparty: 
Hven '09
Track The Stars attended Astronomi Dagarna Hven.
With the historic surroundings of the old Thyco Brahe island the Astronomi Dagarna was held in the days of 28th - 30th of August. With tree days of star watching, lectures, sunny weather and 160 participants the astronomy days was a big success.
Tycho Brahe
TTS 160 mounting with TEC
Stjerneborg Hven
New website design
Look around and discover the new Trackthestars.com
For the next couple of months, Track The Stars homepage will get a lot of new content. Follow the development or sign up to our newsletter to get new info on the progress.
Information will be rearranged to hopefully make the experience better while navigating through the site. During the updating process some pages and links can be uncompleted.
Emphasis will be on our TTS-160 mount. At the moment we are developing solutions so the Alt/Az mount will do as an excellent mount for astro-imaging.
Special Drive Technology
Pioneering precission tracking
Pioneering precision tracking
The drive that operates the azimuth axis is of great importance for TTS mounts. Therefore TrackTheStars has developed EXACTdrive.
EXACTdrive combines the best of the well-known "Worm Drives" and "Roller Drives." A high precision spring loaded "Worm Drive" is used in the first stage. In the second stage a unique internal "Roller Drive" is used which provides a full rigid and backlash free transmission to the azimuth axis.
EXACTdrive excels by having only a low periodic error of less than +/- 5" and that in a very compact unit.
EXACTdrive is standard in all TrackTheStars mountings. The technology behind EXACTdrive will in a close future be elaborated here on the website.
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