Hello folks! hope all is well.
Earlier today i was looking at a video where there was a telescope on top of some motor. this motor was controlled by a computer. when the user wanted the telescope to point to a certain star all the user had to do was to punch in the name of the star and the telescope automatically pointed itself at the star.
now my question to you guys is....
a) During the prototyping stage of this electric motor is there a guy who sits there and literally calculates how much distance this motor turns for a certain amount of applied voltage? if yes then....
b) ....is it OK to assume that the circular distance traveled by the motor is a function of the voltage applied to it?
c) Last question.......how the heck do they measure tiny rotations as a function of voltage during the prototyping of these kinds of devices?


than you for your replies.

 

No, no, They don't. Google, "stepper motor".

 

Probabally very close to the USALS (Universal Satellite Automatic Locating System) used to rotate my satellite dish.
Max.

 

a) During the prototyping stage of this electric motor is there a guy who sits there and literally calculates how much distance this motor turns for a certain amount of applied voltage? if yes then....
b) ....is it OK to assume that the circular distance traveled by the motor is a function of the voltage applied to it?
.

If something turns, better think in terms of angle, not distance.

And if you go with steppers as suggested, it is no voltage but how it is applied and for how long.

 

The BIG telescopes I have worked on use servo motors and shaft encoders. I expect that Mead and Celestron telescopes do the same but I can't be sure.