AN OBSERVATORY FOR THE GARDEN

Discussion in 'Members Hobbies' started by ARMANDII, Aug 12, 2015.

  1. ARMANDII

    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2019
    Messages:
    48,096
    Gender:
    Male
    Ratings:
    +100,844
    Hmmmm, I forgot to mention that to them!!:dunno::wallbanging::heehee:
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
    • trogre

      trogre Gardener

      Joined:
      Feb 9, 2011
      Messages:
      379
      Gender:
      Male
      Ratings:
      +286
      Just wondering if Armandii or anyone else using a SCT telescope can answer a? There are a lot of posts on the subject on astronomy forums but just wondering on your views.

      6.3 reducer!! The opinion seems to be split into 2 camps; it is of use if using scope only for astrophotography only .Others say it is of benefit if only using scope for visual only.

      The sales point is 2 scopes in one!!! F10 + the F6.3. It is a known fact that a F6 scope will let more light in to see fainter dso`s, you can in most cases see them with a F10 scope but will be dimmer.

      Some say they use it all the time on their F10 SCT for visual only. I really cannot see any info if using the F6.3 does in fact let more light in so you have 2 scopes in one!! I cannot see that myself but as I do not own one can only go by what I read.

      If only doing visual with a F10 sct is the F6.3 reducer really worth the money.
       
    • ARMANDII

      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

      Joined:
      Jan 12, 2019
      Messages:
      48,096
      Gender:
      Male
      Ratings:
      +100,844
      Technically true, Torgre.........to a certain degree. A reducer does reduce exposure times of exposures for images but doesn't actually add to the scopes light gathering power, only aperture will do that. The more aperture the more light gathering power. Focal length is only to due with the length of the light path from front of the tube to the primary mirror to the secondary mirror to the eyepiece, the shorter the focal length So the reducer by reducing the focal length in practice only gives a wider view but at a lower magnification.
      You can use a reducer for visual work, Trogre, but why do that when by using a lower power eyepiece you can get the same effect?, only you haven't reduced the focal length by using an eyepiece.:coffee::snork:
       
    • ARMANDII

      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

      Joined:
      Jan 12, 2019
      Messages:
      48,096
      Gender:
      Male
      Ratings:
      +100,844
      I was trying to think of an analogy for how a reducer works, Trogre, and can only come up with this rough one:
      Say you've got a 4' circular window, to get to the f10 point you would have to stand back 40' from the window, so your view is going to be narrow and to a degree not bright. [taking into account for the analogy a normal bright day], remembering that Aperture is the thing that controls light gathering powers.
      So if you mimic a reducer you would have to move forwards, roughly, 24 feet towards the window to get to the 6.3 focal point, but the window [aperture]remains the same 6 feet size and so the light gathering power has not changed. What has changed, because you are closer to the window, is that you can see more outside the window.
      What the reducer does is basically the same, but it to do that it has to change the focal length by widening the light path whilst still keeping the focal point at the eyepiece. Does that make sense to you??:scratch::doh::heehee:
       
      Last edited by a moderator: Nov 24, 2015
    • ARMANDII

      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

      Joined:
      Jan 12, 2019
      Messages:
      48,096
      Gender:
      Male
      Ratings:
      +100,844
      Just as an update on the 12 inch scope that I bought. For starters the field tripod is absolutely huge and really heavy, i think it could support an Elephant sitting on it. As I don't need it I'll probably put it up for sale along with the LX200 Mount.
      I'm more than pleased with the Scope as it is in perfect, as new, condition. But the Seller also sold me a hard case which he said had "bits and bobs" in it. I didn't really take any notice as the Scope was what I was after. However, on getting it all home I eventually opened the case and had to reach for the Whiskey!

      In the hard case was:

      40mm 2 inch XL Pentax eyepiece
      26mm 1.25 inch Meade Super Plossi eyepiece
      15mm 1.25 inch Meade Super Plossi eyepiece
      9 mm 1.25inch Meade Illuminated reticle eyepiece
      Meade Type 140 2X Barlow
      Meade 2 inch/1.25 inch Star Diagonal
      Meade Flip Mirror Type 644 System
      Starlight MX7C Colour One Shot CCD Camera
      Meade Variable CCD T-piece
      Meade 2 inch Broadband Filter
      Small Astronomy Torch
      Cleaning kit

      Why did I need to make sure what I'd got? Because the case of "bits and bobs" was just bundled into the sale by the Seller for the original price as a "sweetener" but actually was worth nearly as much I'd paid for the Telescope, mount and tripod.
      The Starlight MX7C Colour Camera sells for £1005, the Pentax 40mm eyepiece sells for £335, while the rest of the "bits and bobs" total around £450. I rang the Seller and told him what was in the case but he said "It was okay. He wouldn't be using it anyway and he was glad it was going to a good "home"........I had another Whiskey.:snork:
       
      • Like Like x 4
      • Sheal

        Sheal Total Gardener

        Joined:
        Feb 2, 2011
        Messages:
        36,123
        Gender:
        Female
        Location:
        Dingwall, Ross-shire
        Ratings:
        +54,383
        The seller has obviously got money to burn Armandii, or does he know something you don't? Either way it sounds like you've got yourself a treasure chest there! :dbgrtmb:
         
      • ARMANDII

        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

        Joined:
        Jan 12, 2019
        Messages:
        48,096
        Gender:
        Male
        Ratings:
        +100,844
        Well, the seller, Sheal, was living in a gorgeous 6 bedroom House built in 1816, there was a separate huge 3 car garage/stable which you could have got 3 buses in, a top of the line big Mercedes and a garden of around an acre. He was a really nice chap but I think when he got interested in something he would buy the best and also anything he thought he might need regardless of the cost. But he seemed to jump from one hobby to another without getting hooked. He hadn't used the Astronomy kit for 5 years but kept it stored well and I think had lost sight of what he actually had. It was a shock to see all that kit.......but a nice shock!!
         
        • Like Like x 1
        • Sheal

          Sheal Total Gardener

          Joined:
          Feb 2, 2011
          Messages:
          36,123
          Gender:
          Female
          Location:
          Dingwall, Ross-shire
          Ratings:
          +54,383
          Perhaps he is looking for a hobby that suits him and is having difficulty finding something that really takes his interest.

          Meanwhile, you've got lots of nice new toys to play with, Christmas has come early! :)
           
          • Agree Agree x 1
          • ARMANDII

            ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

            Joined:
            Jan 12, 2019
            Messages:
            48,096
            Gender:
            Male
            Ratings:
            +100,844
            Well, he was just getting into photography and had bought a top end Canon Camera, several expensive lenses, but when I asked what he was going to photograph and why those lenses he grinned and shrugged his shoulders. He knew I was into photography so we had a bit of a chat but I got the impression he didn't really understand a digital camera and exactly what area of photography he wanted to do. He was interested in macro photography and seemed a bit bemused when I told him that most macro shots were taken without a tripod as he thought that was the only way you could do it. Don't get me wrong, he was a really nice chap, exceeding well educated, intelligent, and obviously had a top salary job but seemed to flit from one thing to another when it came to something to hold his interest.

            i won't be able to use the Scope until I've taken it off the Fork that it's on and that's fairly major job and also it's for use when the Observatory is up and running. I've spent the day cleaning up the "bits and bobs" after their 5 years in the hard case but won't be able to test them out until we get some decent weather........whenever that is!!:gaah::dunno::heehee:
             
            • Like Like x 1
              Last edited by a moderator: Nov 22, 2015
            • ARMANDII

              ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

              Joined:
              Jan 12, 2019
              Messages:
              48,096
              Gender:
              Male
              Ratings:
              +100,844
              This is the main scope for the Observatory that I will have to take of the big black fork.
              [​IMG]

              [​IMG]
              [​IMG]
               
              • Like Like x 6
              • joolz68

                joolz68 Total Gardener

                Joined:
                May 16, 2011
                Messages:
                4,428
                Gender:
                Female
                Location:
                alfreton uk
                Ratings:
                +5,386
                HUGE! The lens cover looks bigger than flan dish :):) x
                 
              • ARMANDII

                ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

                Joined:
                Jan 12, 2019
                Messages:
                48,096
                Gender:
                Male
                Ratings:
                +100,844
                Hi, Joolz, the glass corrector lens is 12 inches in diameter, the tube is 14 inches in diameter with what you can see weighing in at 75lbs. There's a huge tripod for it in the Garage weighing around the same so you've got a total weight of around 150 lbs so you don't want to be lugging that around, but I won't be using it as I only need the telescope.:snork:
                 
                • Like Like x 2
                  Last edited by a moderator: Nov 25, 2015
                • Sheal

                  Sheal Total Gardener

                  Joined:
                  Feb 2, 2011
                  Messages:
                  36,123
                  Gender:
                  Female
                  Location:
                  Dingwall, Ross-shire
                  Ratings:
                  +54,383
                  :wow: That's a biggy you've got there Armandii! You need somewhere to put it now. :)
                   
                  • Agree Agree x 1
                  • Friendly Friendly x 1
                  • shiney

                    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                    Joined:
                    Jul 3, 2006
                    Messages:
                    63,590
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Occupation:
                    Retired - Last Century!!!
                    Location:
                    Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                    Ratings:
                    +124,044
                    I know you're not too far from ARMANDII, as the crow flies, but surely you need a big telescope to see that from your place? :lunapic 130165696578242 5:
                     
                    • Funny Funny x 2
                    • Like Like x 1
                    • Jiffy

                      Jiffy The Match is on Fire

                      Joined:
                      Aug 25, 2011
                      Messages:
                      11,628
                      Occupation:
                      Pyro
                      Location:
                      Retired Next To The Bonfire in UK
                      Ratings:
                      +33,647
                      Nice one :dbgrtmb:
                      The mind boggles seeing the WD40 and the ear buds :snork:
                       
                      • Like Like x 1
                      • Agree Agree x 1
                      Loading...

                      Share This Page

                      1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                        By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                        Dismiss Notice