3 replies to this topic

[RalphMeisterTigerMan]

Okay, so there I was just minding my own business and then...WHAM! When it finally hit me...I haven't played aound ( using it) with my Orion ST80. I have used it as finder on my Orion Apex 102mm Mak-Cass but that 's about it. I was wondering how close my ST80 was able to focused? So, I ventured on a "quest" to see "how close it could focus".

 

Time to set up my little experiment. First, I placed a towel on the dining room table. Moved the table a bit to get the best view. Next, I brought out my equipment. Laid the scope across the table in order to get the best vantage point. Then I fished out the TV 1.25-inch Everbright star diagonal. I carefully opened the small plastic bag that it came in, yes this was it's frist "maidin" look. Yes it's true, I purchased it late last years because I couldn't observe because of the terrible weather. Plus, because it had been in my dresser drawer and completey forgot. Yeah, I know! Now because of this incident the Nobel committee is saying they'll take back my Nobel Physics Award.

 

So, needs an eyepiece, right? Now comes my trusty Pentax 1.25-inch, 20mm LXD ocular. Placed the Everbright diagonal into the focuser then the eyepice into the diagonal. Using my trusty towel, which I was using as a "tripod" to lay the OTA onto. I moved the chair under the right spot under the table. Outside the living window had a pretty good view of trees, various bushes, etc. 

 

Now the moment I'd been waiting for. Peering into the Pentax, I has to rack the focus almost all the way out...and there it was. The "boisenberry tree", about 20 or so metres away...Holy Crap. The view was amazing. I also looked at other terestrial targets. The amazing apparent field of view was almost too much. Then my real objective, Plants in the living room "ledge", about 9.8 metres from the Telescope. Guess what, they came into beautiful focus. I had always been envious the the Quester3.5 and it's sibkibgs with their ability to become "long distance microscopes".

 

Okay, I have to admit that was a bit like cheating. I believe that the views were so incredible (If there was any false colour, I surely couldn't see it (and stop calling me shirely! )) Both the eyepiece and star diagonal, almost cost about twice as the ST80. I have to say it was quite a rewarding experince.

 

Clear skies and keep looking up!

RalphMeisterTigerMan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jlex]

You picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue Shirley.  

[RichA]

Okay, so there I was just minding my own business and then...WHAM! When it finally hit me...I haven't played aound ( using it) with my Orion ST80. I have used it as finder on my Orion Apex 102mm Mak-Cass but that 's about it. I was wondering how close my ST80 was able to focused? So, I ventured on a "quest" to see "how close it could focus".

 

Time to set up my little experiment. First, I placed a towel on the dining room table. Moved the table a bit to get the best view. Next, I brought out my equipment. Laid the scope across the table in order to get the best vantage point. Then I fished out the TV 1.25-inch Everbright star diagonal. I carefully opened the small plastic bag that it came in, yes this was it's frist "maidin" look. Yes it's true, I purchased it late last years because I couldn't observe because of the terrible weather. Plus, because it had been in my dresser drawer and completey forgot. Yeah, I know! Now because of this incident the Nobel committee is saying they'll take back my Nobel Physics Award.

 

So, needs an eyepiece, right? Now comes my trusty Pentax 1.25-inch, 20mm LXD ocular. Placed the Everbright diagonal into the focuser then the eyepice into the diagonal. Using my trusty towel, which I was using as a "tripod" to lay the OTA onto. I moved the chair under the right spot under the table. Outside the living window had a pretty good view of trees, various bushes, etc. 

 

Now the moment I'd been waiting for. Peering into the Pentax, I has to rack the focus almost all the way out...and there it was. The "boisenberry tree", about 20 or so metres away...Holy Crap. The view was amazing. I also looked at other terestrial targets. The amazing apparent field of view was almost too much. Then my real objective, Plants in the living room "ledge", about 9.8 metres from the Telescope. Guess what, they came into beautiful focus. I had always been envious the the Quester3.5 and it's sibkibgs with their ability to become "long distance microscopes".

 

Okay, I have to admit that was a bit like cheating. I believe that the views were so incredible (If there was any false colour, I surely couldn't see it (and stop calling me shirely! )) Both the eyepiece and star diagonal, almost cost about twice as the ST80. I have to say it was quite a rewarding experince.

 

Clear skies and keep looking up!

RalphMeisterTigerMan

I put a 2ft extension tube on the back of a C8 once and focused on a houseplant at a distance of 5ft and could see down the cellular level.

[RalphMeisterTigerMan]

Hey RichA. Speaking about house plants, I observed a fly on that plant "in the house" that I was observing. It was really quite fascinating. I could even see details On The Fly.

 

As for sniffing glue, I found out the hard way how powerful it can be. I was quite the model builder when I was younger and using the best glue I could find. Verdict: Not Recomended!

 

Don't forget that the whole point of this excercise was to dtermine how close I could focus and to have fun! Sometimes, especially I just love to pull out all of my equipment (not a whole lot mind you) and just have some fun. What's wrong with just having fun?

 

Clear skies and keep having fun!

RalphMeisterTigerMan

 

P.S. In the immortal words of "Wang Chung", "Everybody have fun tonight!"