What is the purpose of the Star Analyser 200 mounting kit?
The Star Analyser 200 is often sold as a bare diffraction grating. This mounting kit provides a protective housing for that grating, converting it into a standard threaded cell. This allows you to mount the spectroscope in a filter wheel, eyepiece barrel, or camera nosepiece just like a standard filter.
Do I need this mounting kit for my Star Analyser 200?
If you purchased the Star Analyser 200 as a standalone grating without any housing, then yes, you will need this kit to use it with your telescope and camera. If you purchased a version of the Star Analyser that was already mounted in a cell, you do not need this kit.
How does the mounting kit help me get a spectrum of a star like Vega (Alpha Lyrae)?
By securing the Star Analyser 200 grating in your optical path, this kit allows you to capture the dispersed light from a bright star. When you image Vega through the mounted grating, its light is spread into a spectrum, revealing absorption lines like the Balmer series of hydrogen, which are characteristic fingerprints of the star's composition and temperature.
Is the Star Analyser 200 mounting kit compatible with a filter wheel on my SCT?
Yes, this is one of its primary functions. The mounting kit is designed to create a cell with standard filter threads, allowing you to install the Star Analyser 200 into an empty slot in your filter wheel. This makes it easy to switch between standard imaging and spectroscopy during an observing session with your Schmidt-Cassegrain or other telescope.
Does the mounting kit include the Star Analyser 200 grating itself?
No, this product is only the mounting kit (the housing). The Star Analyser 200 diffraction grating must be purchased separately.
What tools are needed to install the grating into the Star Analyser 200 mounting kit?
Installation is typically straightforward and requires minimal tools, often just a retaining ring spanner or a similar tool to secure the grating inside the cell. Always handle the grating by its edges to avoid touching the optical surface.