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| Hay Mark! DIY Telescopes! | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 18 2010, 11:55 AM (1,968 Views) | |
| George K | Aug 18 2010, 11:55 AM Post #1 |
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Finally
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http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/telescopes/ambitious-incredible-diy-telescopes?click=pm_news![]() The Shed Observatory Face it, once you’ve successfully made your own telescope, you’ll probably be hooked. The sixth telescope made by Shane LaPierre of Torrington, Connecticut, is so ambitious that, while he stores it in a shed-turned-observatory in his yard, it’s too big to be used inside. This telescope has a 20-inch mirror and is based on the Newtonian-Dobsonian design, with one big, curved mirror that collects and focuses light, while a second, diagonal mirror reflects it to a side-mounted eyepiece. See that ladder on the ground? It’s needed to reach the eyepiece at the top of the scope. Stellafane’s observatory dome is directly behind. ![]() Bowling Ball Mount There was no whimsy behind turning this bowling ball into a spherical mount that allows the telescope to be pointed in any direction. Douglas Arion says the smooth, polyurethane surface of a bowling ball makes a great spherical mount, especially when placed on a Teflon platform. He was even willing to pay retail at a big-box sporting goods store for this ball, but says they’re available used. A motorized version of this bowling-ball-mounted telescope won first prize for mechanics at Stellafane a few years back. There were no extra points awarded for the sparkles. |
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A guide to GKSR: Click "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08 Nothing is as effective as homeopathy. I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles. - Klaus, 4/29/18 | |
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| Klaus | Aug 18 2010, 12:16 PM Post #2 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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I had an 8" Dobson once. From what I heard they are relatively easy to build, and even 32" Dobson's are not uncommon anymore.
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| Trifonov Fleisher Klaus Sokolov Zimmerman | |
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| Mark | Aug 18 2010, 03:04 PM Post #3 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Talk about destroying someone's dark adaptation! Oh man I would be so pissed! |
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___.___ (_]===* o 0 When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells | |
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| Luke's Dad | Aug 18 2010, 03:35 PM Post #4 |
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Emperor Pengin
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?? |
| The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it. | |
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| JBryan | Aug 18 2010, 03:43 PM Post #5 |
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I am the grey one
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I think he is talking about the flash photo. |
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"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it". Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody. Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore. From The Lion in Winter. | |
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| George K | Aug 18 2010, 03:46 PM Post #6 |
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Finally
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http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/telescopes/4286700 Build your own:
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A guide to GKSR: Click "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08 Nothing is as effective as homeopathy. I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles. - Klaus, 4/29/18 | |
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| Luke's Dad | Aug 18 2010, 03:47 PM Post #7 |
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Emperor Pengin
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Ahh. Hey Mark, my dad just picked up one of these: http://www0.epinions.com/review/Celestron_NexStar_6SE_Telescope/content_343204793988 Nothing too fancy but it gets some pretty good reviews. Any ideas for a camera to go with it. I'm thinking about getting one for him for his birthday. It's supposed to be compatible with a good many cameras. |
| The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it. | |
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| OperaTenor | Aug 18 2010, 04:13 PM Post #8 |
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Pisa-Carp
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Oh my. Did you lose it in some sort of industrial accident? BTW, we refer to them as "Johnsons" here in the US. |
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| Mark | Aug 18 2010, 04:26 PM Post #9 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Um, from the review site you linked... ![]() I highlighted what I also already know about this telescope. It is fine for visual astronomy. |
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___.___ (_]===* o 0 When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells | |
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| George K | Aug 18 2010, 06:09 PM Post #10 |
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Finally
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A guide to GKSR: Click "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08 Nothing is as effective as homeopathy. I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles. - Klaus, 4/29/18 | |
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| Mikhailoh | Aug 18 2010, 06:21 PM Post #11 |
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
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I think he's making that 32" up. |
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Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball | |
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| OperaTenor | Aug 18 2010, 07:11 PM Post #12 |
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Pisa-Carp
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One man's 32" is one woman's 8", doncha know... |
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| Klaus | Aug 18 2010, 11:08 PM Post #13 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Ah, that Dobson I still have. But I will not talk about it. I don't want to embarass you Actually I sold the "other" Dobson a few months after I bought it. I was somewhat frustrated by the fact that I can't see anything with it that I cannot see in 100x better quality on the internet. Also, picking up this hobby more seriously would have required enormous amounts of (night) time and money (e.g. from what I understand one needs to spend at least $10K for equipment if you want to make decent astro photos). Hence I decided to give up. But it was still an interesting experience. |
| Trifonov Fleisher Klaus Sokolov Zimmerman | |
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4:34 PM Jul 10