Telescopes

digitalbeachbum's picture

I had a meeting today with the local astronomy club and met some really cool people who make their own telescopes. This one guy showed me Jupiter and Saturn on his phone. He took the photos through a simple, home made 6 inch reflecting telescope (dobsonian). Really fucking cool stuff. He ground down the glass for the mirrors.

I'd like to build my own telescope and have been looking online for free plans. The only issue is getting the glass ground down, but they said it is fairly easy to do. You just need to be patient and not rush the work because you can really screw it up.

I got a free 4.5 inch recently so I'm going to purchase some new lenes. They told me I can get some really cool pictures if the skys are perfectly clear. 

Does any one have a telecope?

Brian37's picture

digitalbeachbum wrote:I had

digitalbeachbum wrote:

I had a meeting today with the local astronomy club and met some really cool people who make their own telescopes. This one guy showed me Jupiter and Saturn on his phone. He took the photos through a simple, home made 6 inch reflecting telescope (dobsonian). Really fucking cool stuff. He ground down the glass for the mirrors.

I'd like to build my own telescope and have been looking online for free plans. The only issue is getting the glass ground down, but they said it is fairly easy to do. You just need to be patient and not rush the work because you can really screw it up.

I got a free 4.5 inch recently so I'm going to purchase some new lenes. They told me I can get some really cool pictures if the skys are perfectly clear. 

Does any one have a telecope?

 

That does sound cool. I know I couldn't build one, I broke just about everything I tried to make in shop class in HS. I've always been a clutz.

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digitalbeachbum's picture

I ordered a 4.5mw green

I ordered a 4.5mw green laser yesterday. It should arrive next week.

I was trying to improve the aiming ability because the standard sight is total crap.

I can't wait. You simply place the laser on the outer tube of the telescope, then turn it on. A quick push of the button will give you a 1.3 second green laser. The neat thing is that the laser provides you with an optical illusion. It looks like it ends after a few hundred meters but it continues on for several miles. So yes, you gotta be careful of airplanes. I should have gotten a standard viewer but it was too cool to pass up. The one major issue is that I can't use it when the club meets. Lasers are forbidden at star gatherings.

BobSpence's picture

 I have a 4 inch Celestron

 I have a 4 inch Celestron which I haven't used for a while since having moved house  a few years ago. It is in storage, but you have inspired me that this is one more thing I must get back into action in the not too distant future. The most memorable sight I saw thru it was a small but clearly recognisable view of Saturn with the rings just tilted enough to be clearly visible. Magic!

Obviously I had seen many photographic images of this planet which were much more dramatic, but this was an image conveyed to my eyes by photons of light which had actually bounced off the planet itself....

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digitalbeachbum's picture

BobSpence wrote: I have a 4

BobSpence wrote:

 I have a 4 inch Celestron which I haven't used for a while since having moved house  a few years ago. It is in storage, but you have inspired me that this is one more thing I must get back into action in the not too distant future. The most memorable sight I saw thru it was a small but clearly recognisable view of Saturn with the rings just tilted enough to be clearly visible. Magic!

Obviously I had seen many photographic images of this planet which were much more dramatic, but this was an image conveyed to my eyes by photons of light which had actually bounced off the planet itself....

Yep. When you see it for the first time it is magic. It makes me think of those ancient astronomors who used telescopes which were not near as good as mine trying to see the moons of Jupiter. Then knowning that those massive objects were orbiting the sun rather than us, having to fight the church and the power struggle.