Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: JCLerch on February 20, 2005, 11:53:56 AM
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All
Just curious if there were any other fellow telescope geeks that also liked to fly in AH2 :)
Here's some pictures from a recent star party I attended, to get things rolling (my scope is the home made Purple / Gold 16" Bino-Scope)
Dial Up users:
http://lerch.no-ip.com/atm/WSP_05/
Broad Band Users
http://lerch.no-ip.com/atm/WSP_05_Hi-Res/
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i think its 'Gremlin' that is an actual astronomer.
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lerch,
interesting that you should ask that. i am currently doing drawings for a small body of artwork (installational) which use a telescope as a metaphor for forward thinking perspective.
i first started working with the concept in graduate school and it has been sticking in the que since, so i started making sketches about them again.
if youd like, i can scan some of the sketches and post them for you to see, perhaps you will find them interesting.
perhaps not.
one example is a telescope which forks into two opposite directions. (looks like a "Y"). i am currently working out the schematics to make it work in such a way that two viewpoints will actually be visible when looking through the lens. (mirrors)
the difficulty that i had come across was creating tubes that could be made maliable and bendable but remained rigid. in past experiments have collapsed or buckled compressed during the bending process.
i discovered that it can only work by filling it with silica sand first which essentially allows it to remain enough rigidity that it stretches rather than collapses.
too much information?
perhaps.
but i found the question exciting.
one of the best gifts that i ever got as a child was a tasco telescope. the first time i saw the moon like that...ho boy.
i have thought it would be interesting to build my own functional telescope as a byproduct of the project.
one of the hard parts is going to be to find the right lens' i think.
anyways, i am very interested in the subject.
: )
88
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88,
How can a telescope be considered forward looking when astronomers consider it a tool to look into the past? :p :lol
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I have a 90mm Meade but haven't been real serious about it. I've looked into building a dobsinion mount scope but the tracking hardware looks quite complicated and expensive. How do you track for photographs with your scope? I've heard some people do it by hand but I can't imagine how that would be very acurate. Thats a beautiful scope by the way. I can tell you put a lot of work into it.
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Originally posted by Maverick
88,
How can a telescope be considered forward looking when astronomers consider it a tool to look into the past? :p :lol
an interesting perspective! :)
of course, all thinks being relative, all things observed really are from that viewpoint.
in this case, perhaps the properties would been better stated as looking outward rather than forward, but the essence is the core and why your observation is also interesting and true.
good point.
its the metaphor that interests me and your observation actually serves to deepen the observation and the conceptual idea. what is looking forward without looking backwards?!
:)
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I havent used mine in a while, no good looking women nearby :D
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another piece in the series involves infrared. (and voyeurism)
exiting stuff afoot i think.
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Conceptual art is so flexible, isn't it 88?
I mean... sometimes when you get thrown a curve ball you really gotta think quick on your feet.
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lol.
yes nash, you might look at it from that viewpoint.
however, as you know, art is an evolution of a concept (the cornerstone). all ideas are conceptual until brought forth whole and complete. (and even then, if they are good, they are wholly incomplete.) glad to see that you speak the language! lol!
5 things that must be taken into account in artmaking.
1. concept
2. context
3. content
4. composition
5. construction
if these five things can be accounted for and perfected without excess, the whole can exist on its own without explaination. in the best cases, the result of this endeavor leaves one with questions such as the one which was raised. thats what i love about it.
which reminds me. you take pictures yes?
curious as to what of...and what format.
:)
88
p.s. - (edited) its interesting to note that the point was made that astronomers see the telescope as a tool for looking into the past... but what we are talking about here are lenses, much like the eye, trained to observe the target in front of it... to reveal by amplifying light waves, that which is hidden. that is where the telescope lies for me...yes, you can see the past, but you are also seeking evidence in a desire to divine the future. the linear quality of a telescope naturally conveys that peering out and forward, much as a gun points forward, but without the effect.
a microscope is only different in the relative size of its quandry.
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Oh, no.... I'm a pretty lousy photographer. You must be thinking about MiniD?
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didnt you recently say that you make pictures?
i took you as a photographer for some reason.
what kind of pictures?
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Oh, heh I see. No, I'm a graphic designer. But you can call me Crayolla Boy.
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LOL! crayola boy!
portfolio on line?
do you freelance?
web/ print?
i am currently looking for a designer to build a site to house my work. no matter how i try, and no matter how well i may or may not have done it for others...i cannot seem to do it on my own.
to frigging critical of everything that i do with it.
ya know?
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Nice telescope! A few years ago, I bought this 3 volume book set " Amateur Telescope Making 1,2 and 3
You probably have heard of it. It's a collection of telescope making artciles going back to the early 1900's.
Well, I was getting ramped up to order a mirror blank and hand grind my my own mirror. Then I got a different job and didn't want to take the time ( lazy)
I'd love to try and make a telescope like yours, but I doubt I could make one that nice. That's some great work!
P.S. JB88, why would you hi-jack this thread? Geeze, you are so freaking anoying. You infect a cool post about telescopes and try to divert the thread into a discussion about you and trying to sound intelectual and artistic. You sound like a knob. Get lost, please.
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First, interesting avatard there 88 :)
(http://lerch.no-ip.com/ah2/88.gif)
Originally posted by JB88
lerch,
one example is a telescope which forks into two opposite directions. (looks like a "Y"). i am currently working out the schematics to make it work in such a way that two viewpoints will actually be visible when looking through the lens. (mirrors)
Very interested, post what ya got! :)
i have thought it would be interesting to build my own functional telescope as a byproduct of the project.
one of the hard parts is going to be to find the right lens' i think.
anyways, i am very interested in the subject.
88 [/B]
Perhaps you should stop thinking of Lenses and start thinging of Mirrors, they are much easier to make at home. I made both the primary mirrors in my Bino-Scope, and to date I've made about 14 variously sized parabolic primary mirrors for different projects.
Check out my web-site which details my first adventerus
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whatever nuke.
lerch, if you feel hijacked, i apologize.
nuke, please re-read the rule about backseat moderating and try to expand your worldview enough to allow others to speak on subjects for which that have a passion. (without your consistant attempts at ineffective though wishfully pernicious assails) thanks.
btw. anyone know where i can find a variety of lenses cheap?
so far i have had to rob scrapyards and various other houses of refuse.
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Originally posted by JCLerch
First, interesting avatard there 88 :)
(http://lerch.no-ip.com/ah2/88.gif)
Very interested, post what ya got! :)
Perhaps you should stop thinking of Lenses and start thinging of Mirrors, they are much easier to make at home. I made both the primary mirrors in my Bino-Scope, and to date I've made about 14 variously sized parabolic primary mirrors for different projects.
Check out my web-site which details my first adventerus
UH oh. BUSTED! LOL!
EXCELLENT! shall do.
the problem that i am seeing is that (for the artwork) i am seeking a traditional form in its construction. I.E. when one sees the object, there is no question that it is a telescope.
how would mirrors come into play in this case...and how do they work in that manner...are they concave or convex relative to the magnification desired?
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I dont build em but I own a 6 inch refractor scope.
Meade LXD55 AR-6 Autostar.
(http://eye-1.com/media/products/LXD55_AR6.gif)
Awesome views of the moon and the planets... and ive taken a few pictures of nebulae and stars but so far have been disasters since I cant get my auto-tracking mount to track well... im a noob when it comes to aligning that damn mount.
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Looks like some high class glass you have there (so does the big Takahashi). I've seen some of my favorite objects in larger telescopes (I'm partial to planetary nebulae - dont miss NGC 40. It is not on many lists of good things to look at, but is very nice, high surface brightness, like most planetaries, but unlike any others I've seen, its red), but never in binocular. Does it add a lot to the viewing experience?
With that eyepiece placement, do you have any trouble with you body heat disturbing the seeing?
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Well lerch, I sort of own a telescope...
It hasn't been out of the box for 5 years though...
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Hey there Lerch,
Been heavily into astronomy for about 20 years now. I have an 8" Celestron on a Polaris German Equatorial mount. Gone through the Messier objects and have them all checked off :-)
I never use the autoguider though. I like to find things myself instead of just pushing a button and letting my telescope find it automatically.
It's a great hobby!
Grimmy
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Originally posted by ChickenHawk
I have a 90mm Meade but haven't been real serious about it. I've looked into building a dobsinion mount scope but the tracking hardware looks quite complicated and expensive. How do you track for photographs with your scope?
This particular scope isn't setup for astro photography, but making it do so woulnd't be that difficult. The easiest method of tracking is Mel Bartel's scope drive system. If your handy with electronics, you can build the system for next to nothing (my first used old stepper motors from dead laser printers, and salvaged electronics from a couple of dead car stereo amps)
Mel's site is a pretty good read if your interested.
http://www.bbastrodesigns.com/cot/cot.html
Originally posted by ChickenHawk
I've heard some people do it by hand but I can't imagine how that would be very acurate. Thats a beautiful scope by the way. I can tell you put a lot of work into it.
Tracking by hand / eye is a thing of the past. I don't know of anyone that does that anymore..
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Originally posted by OIO
I dont build em but I own a 6 inch refractor scope.
Meade LXD55 AR-6 Autostar.
Awesome views of the moon and the planets... and ive taken a few pictures of nebulae and stars but so far have been disasters since I cant get my auto-tracking mount to track well... im a noob when it comes to aligning that damn mount.
Way Cool! Have you heard that you can use a standard web-cam to take digital photos of the moon and planets? If not check this out:
http://www.pk3.host.sk/Astro/index.htm?astrophoto_vesta_sc_mod.htm
http://webcaddy.com.au/astro/adapter.htm
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Originally posted by bunch
Looks like some high class glass you have there (so does the big Takahashi).
Yes, the Takahashi owner just got that RC scope PLUS an 8" Takahashi refractor to go with it :0
Originally posted by bunch
I've seen some of my favorite objects in larger telescopes (I'm partial to planetary nebulae - dont miss NGC 40. It is not on many lists of good things to look at, but is very nice, high surface brightness, like most planetaries, but unlike any others I've seen, its red), but never in binocular. Does it add a lot to the viewing experience?
I think so, Al Nagler (as in Tele Vue) looked at Omega Centari, got up and excitedly said "Bob as got to see this! Would it be ok if I went and got him?"
Also, many experianced observers commented on how incredibly detailed and 3D appearing the Orion Nebula looked. So many kind and remarkable things were said, it rapidly approached the point of being somewhat embarassing.
Originally posted by bunch
With that eyepiece placement, do you have any trouble with you body heat disturbing the seeing?
I have not noticed any, but all my viewing is done down here in central Florida where ambient is often very nearly equal to body temp :)
However, Dave Moorehouse in New Zealand said that on cold nights, he has to use a shroud around his 16" Bino-scope truss tubes when viewing at higher powers, otherwise he can see some body heat distorting the image.
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yeah ive read about em lerch.
Problem is, you have to seriously modify webcams and whatnot. Im not a mechanical wiz.
I prefer this puppy:
http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=319-320-323-2474
The SAC cameras have gotten stellar reviews in many websites ive seen. the latest is this one..at $300 it may be pricy, but the earlier models are under 200.
its what im saving up for ^^
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Great link Lerch, thanks.
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If you've impressed Al Nagler, you've impressed someone who knows about quality views. I've never looked in binoculars more than 100mm & that was impressive. Globular clusters through big scopes are a real favorite of mine, they have such incredible texture. Nothing else looks like that....here is another of my favorite objects - NGC 2158, the massive open cluster behind M 35