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The telescope was home made using a plastic tube, with the
base made from ¾ plywood. As can be seen from the photograph
the tube, stand and base can quickly be disassembled for easy
transport to a dark site.
The mirror is 8.5” f6 giving a focal length of 52”.
The mirror is mounted on a ¾” ply cell which
can be removed and replaced without losing collimation. The
diagonal is 2” mounted on a 4 vane spider.
A feature of the scope is the ability to rotate in the central
box ensuring comfortable viewing positions at all times. The
finder is made from the eyepiece and objective from an old
pair of 10 x 50 binoculars and gives an inverted image as
the telescope does. The cross hairs were grown on the head
of John’s granddaughter, and fitted by John. The telescope
runs on PTFE bearings and is very sturdy, if a little heavy
to carry.
Eyepieces are of various makes, including Televue, Celestron
and others comprising the following:
7mm 10mm 19mm 32mm 2.5 x Barlow
These give usable magnifications from 40x with the 32mm to
315x with the 10mm and 2.5x Barlow. (315x is only practical
in good seeing conditions). The telescope has now seen 9 years
service without the need to re-aluminise then optics. Photography
is normally limited to the brighter objects (Moon & planets)
but can be used to “piggy back a camera for long exposures
when used with the home made driven “English cradle”
mounting.
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