· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar General Astronomy >> Outreach Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 amicus sidera Carpal Tunnel Reged: 10/14/11 Loc: East of the Sun, West of the M... The eyepiece target - an aid for public viewing       #5373778 - 08/17/12 08:22 PM Attachment (86 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The recent discussion here regarding the preferred eyepieces to use when inviting the public to look through one's telescope brought to mind an "aid" that I've found quite useful, and as far as I know is original with me. Decades ago, I came upon the idea of an "eyepiece target" for use with the public after one too many individuals either couldn't find the light cone or jammed their eye on the eyepiece. The "target" is a disc of Bainbridge board (also known as mat board, available in the framing department of craft stores) that fits between the focuser and the eyepiece. It's purpose is to give those unacquainted with the use of telescopes an easy way to position themselves directly over the eyepiece, as well as give them a sense of depth to avoid coming too close to it. While white is shown here for demonstration purposes, in all but the darkest circumstances this will be too reflective of skyglow, and hence distracting... a darker, neutral shade of grey will likely prove more suitable for those in moderately light-polluted surroundings. The target can also be somewhat smaller than shown, without affecting its usefulness; depending upon the focuser knobs, it may need to be positioned closer to the eye lens than shown here: Post Extras:       amicus sidera Carpal Tunnel Reged: 10/14/11 Loc: East of the Sun, West of the M... Re: The eyepiece target - an aid for public viewing [Re: amicus sidera]       #5373780 - 08/17/12 08:25 PM Attachment (84 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Below is a simulation of the view experienced by an individual who is coming to the eyepiece at night, perhaps for the first time; the white disc enables them to automatically place their eye in the proper position with ease: Post Extras:       amicus sidera Carpal Tunnel Reged: 10/14/11 Loc: East of the Sun, West of the M... Re: The eyepiece target - an aid for public viewing [Re: amicus sidera]       #5373782 - 08/17/12 08:29 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I've found this humble observing aid to be of inestimable value during public observing sessions, and the few minutes needed to prepare it will be repaid handsomely with much smoother interaction between non-astronomer and telescope. Post Extras:       GeneT Ely Kid Reged: 11/07/08 Loc: South Texas Re: The eyepiece target - an aid for public viewing [Re: amicus sidera]       #5376266 - 08/19/12 04:48 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Great idea! Thanks for bringing it to our attention. Post Extras:       StarStuff1 Carpal Tunnel Reged: 04/01/07 Loc: South of the Mason-Dixon Line Re: The eyepiece target - an aid for public viewing [Re: GeneT]       #5377483 - 08/20/12 12:39 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Excellent idea! And it keeps fingers from grabbing the focusing knobs. A few years ago someone posted that they used an eyepiece with crosshairs so the astro object could be "targeted", either by the crosshairs themselves or (if really faint)was placed in a specific quadrant. Post Extras:       amicus sidera Carpal Tunnel Reged: 10/14/11 Loc: East of the Sun, West of the M... Re: The eyepiece target - an aid for public viewing [Re: StarStuff1]       #5377561 - 08/20/12 01:16 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I've used a single-stalk finder eyepiece for pointing out dim or otherwise difficult-to-locate objects in the instrument's FOV... it works quite well, and is relatively easy to make. Here's a link to my post on this from this past April on CN's ATM forum: Single-stalk Teaching and Outreach Eyepiece Post Extras:       core scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 02/23/08 Loc: Mostly in Norman, OK Re: The eyepiece target - an aid for public viewing [Re: amicus sidera]       #5389125 - 08/27/12 02:48 AM Attachment (56 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Came out with this during a cub scout camp last year with camp supplies (can't take credit, *think* I've seen it somewhere before). Call it the 'E-Collar' it does help keep hands away from the focus knob for sure. The white can be really distracting as Frederick mentioned, but it works well for lunar/planetary work. Post Extras:       core scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 02/23/08 Loc: Mostly in Norman, OK Re: The eyepiece target - an aid for public viewing [Re: core]       #5389127 - 08/27/12 02:50 AM Attachment (54 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Just so happens the Baader Zoom has a nice removable eyecup that fits back and holds the bowl nicely. Post Extras:       amicus sidera Carpal Tunnel Reged: 10/14/11 Loc: East of the Sun, West of the M... Re: The eyepiece target - an aid for public viewing [Re: core]       #5390380 - 08/27/12 08:28 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Superb use of on-hand materials, Peter! Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 0 registered and 1 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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