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[erikruud]

Look at what I did today.





The component parts.


I used an objective from a pair of old 10x50 binoculars that have a broken focuser, some pvc couplers, a diagonal, and the odd ball eye piece that I picked up at American Science and Surplus.

The view through it looks good. I may have to shorten the main body a bit to get a little more focus range.

The whole thing is about 8" long and weighs 12.9 oz.

I'll see what I can do to figure out the focal length and FOV.

[erikruud]

These are not the best shots because I haven't done much with a webcam yet and I don't quite know how to tweak the settings. They do show the difference in FOV.

This is through the 130mm ARES
www.a-ruud-awakening.com/NewScope/Capture 10_14_2011 4_08_44 PM.png[/img]

This one is through the 60mm Refractor.
www.a-ruud-awakening.com/NewScope/Capture 10_14_2011 4_21_52 PM.png[/img]

And this is through the new finder.
www.a-ruud-awakening.com/NewScope/Capture 10_14_2011 4_28_20 PM.png[/img]

[RobbW]

You will fit in just fine with this crew, young padawan!

[erikruud]

Thanks!

But I am older than you.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Erik,

I have one just about exactly like that that I used as my main finderscope on the 4.5" reflector for quite a while.

Good optics, wide filed...and best of all....handmade!



I included a focuser from a 60mm cheapo refractor in line and worked beautifully. Still have it...just in case.

PVC...is there anything that it cannot do?

[erikruud]

I wasn't able to do the suspension lift on my camper with PVC, but other than that I can't think of anything.

I don't have any spare focusers laying around, so for now I am relying on being able to slide the diagonal in and out a bit, and I can slide the eyepiece in and out a bit. It's pretty much set at infinity with everything pushed in all the way. That should be good for use as a finder.

Next I have to paint it and rig up some cross hairs.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

How will you attach the finder to the OTA?

[erikruud]

Duct Tape!

Actually that part of the design is still under consideration.

[erikruud]

Ok, I battled with the clouds and the wind and got a few pictures through the finder.

This was the first shot. Not quite in focus.
www.a-ruud-awakening.com/NewScope/Capture 10_14_2011 10_08_01 PM.png[/img]

www.a-ruud-awakening.com/NewScope/Capture 10_14_2011 10_08_02 PM.png[/img]

I am not sure how much of this is the software and how much is aberration from the lens
www.a-ruud-awakening.com/NewScope/Capture 10_14_2011 10_08_15 PM.png[/img]

Somewhat different settings on this one.
www.a-ruud-awakening.com/NewScope/Capture 10_14_2011 10_16_06 PM.png[/img]

This last one is through the 130mm ARES.
www.a-ruud-awakening.com/NewScope/Capture 10_14_2011 10_37_26 PM.png[/img]

I am going to have to get the higher res web cam that I have, set up for this.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

I think these are good first practice images on the finder.

Using a USB webcam?

Duct tape is a wonderful gift from the gods.

[erikruud]

Yes, a USB webcam on loan from Rich and using SharpCap.

I have captured some video from the session as well.

[erikruud]

This one shows what the conditions were like most of the evening.

[Paulie pchris00]

That's a heckuva finder scope, though I'm not fond of right angles. Dummy me gets lost if I can't look straight through.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

That black and white one....

I expect a lighting bolt and a shout of..."It's alive!"

[erikruud]

Oct 15, 2011 7:28:44 GMT -6 Paulie pchris00 said:

That's a heckuva finder scope, though I'm not fond of right angles. Dummy me gets lost if I can't look straight through.

The right angle is almost mandatory to be usable on the ARES 5, so I don't have to squat down to use it.

[erikruud]

Here is another video through the finder. It's hard to judge the focus while looking at the laptop screen.

[erikruud]

These two videos are from the ARES 5 for comparison.

The jitter in this one is due to the wind.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Erik,

This is very promising.

I like the crisp detail the cam is getting. Try a eyepiece filter to knock off the over-exposed parts.

[erikruud]

I got a chance to mess around with the finder some more.

I switched the objective to one from a pair of 7x35 binoculars. The 50mm set up was going to be too heavy to use on the Ares 5 scope.

I also switched to using the tubing from the ridiculus 1.5x Balow/Erecting eyepiece that came with my 70mmx800mm refractor instead of the PVC.

The coolest part is that I found the correct spot to add a reticle! I made my own reticle using Inkscape and printing the design onto an overhead transparency film. It's not the best, but I really wanted something that I could use to estimate the field of view.

These pictures were taken afocally using a Canon Powershot 230 HS at different levels of zoom.









When I tried it outside and looked at the moon, it was just about the same size as the center circle. Base on that I am getting about a seven degree FOV.

I have to make a bracket for it so I can try it out on the 102 Mak.

[patrickm]

MacGyver, I salute you, sir. You are rad.

[-=CROMAN=-]

Put a fricken laser on it - dr evil

[erikruud]

I have a laser, they don't help when locating things that aren't naked eye visible. When I make the bracket for the finder, I'll include a mount for the laser.

My plan is to put enough finders on the Mak so that it looks like the mini-me of Joe's C11. ;D

[Paulie pchris00]

That's a huge FOV. Nice.

The reason I don't have a laser attached as a finder is because I don't want the aliens to think I'm firing a weapon at them. I'd hate to see the laser they fire back at me.

[erikruud]

Read Joe's other post. The aliens would think your laser was "Quaint". ;D

[Paulie pchris00]

Just read. LMAO!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Giggle.... #bow2#

[erikruud]

I should add that I am VERY careful with my GLP, especially at home because I am very close to DuPage Airport and I don't want have any unfortunate incidents.

[erikruud]

Here are some pictures of the slimmed down finder.

[Paulie pchris00]

Very nice.

[erikruud]

Tonight I used some scrap walnut to create a dovetail base for the finder. I have to decide what to use for the stalk. I also used some of the walnut to make a new dovetail rail for the Mak. The square piece of oak wasn't quite secure enough.