Due to a power failure in our neighborhood I had to run a 50' utility cord from my car to the telescope in the back yard. The voltage drop was apparently too great to power the camera and accessories (FW8G-STT filter wheel and AO-8). I was able to connect in Maxim (v6) but clicking the Cooler button caused a constant spasm that I had to back out of. Then the power came on and I connected to AC (25' cord that I always use). My exposures during alignment were strangely streaked (see attached). It wasn't a tracking issue. Exposures of 3", 5", 7" all streaked identically. I looked down the business end of the scope and saw a "large" (magnified?) round lens or mirror tilted at an extreme angle. I deduced that this was distorting the light beam entering the scope but what was it? I thought the pickoff mirror was rectangular. I'm worried that my initial low power may have damaged something. Ideas?
Maybe a filter or other optical element fell out of its holder? I think you should carefully disassemble your equipment and inspect it.
