Scopes & Mobility Issues?

[Shark Bait]

I have been asked about setting up a viewing session for some adults who are restricted to wheelchairs. Even though objects near the zenith will probably be out of reach, I am sure that this can be managed with my Dobsonian mounted Newt.

Has anyone on IIS done this before?

Any advice on how to make the evening an easy and enjoyable event for these people?

[h0ughy]

I have used 100mm binos on a cantilevered arm that can be raised and lowered to suit any chair height and allows the user to view at zenith – that’s the best I could do.

Also had a grab post

[Kunama]

I don't suppose you are set up for video astro?
This would be the perfect scenario for a live feed to a monitor, although nothing beats having your eye to the scope.

[glend]

You could always place the dob lower, either with a hole, or raise them with a ramp. It's doable, even at zenith.

[mental4astro]

Wheel chairs present a very unique set of difficulties for their users. The degree of mobility from person to person varies greatly, even with the least restricted, will have a lot of trouble accessing an EP. Remember, wheel chair bound people can have no way of using their legs to push against to maintain balance when leaning over a long way to reach the eyepiece. A ramp is not a viable option either. It could actually be dangerous. I say this from a unique experience I had. But, it presents another opportunity that makes wheelchairs a nonevent.

A few years ago I did a session at the children's hospice Bear Cottage. All of the boys were very restricted in their movements, all were in wheel chairs, and of the 7 boys only one of them would have had any chance of actually looking into an eyepiece, even though the scope I had set up, my C5, had the EP very low set. The hero of the occasion was my little modified webcam that I took on a dumb hunch. I had also taken my 17.5" dob not being fully aware of the condition of the patients there. Not only was it not set up, but it wasn't even missed.

The whole night was spent just on Saturn and the Moon, watching it on my laptop. While the webcam was limited to just the Moon and planets, what the little camera was able to do totally captivated the lads.

This experience showed me the power of video astronomy. But it is not limited to people with mobility difficulties. On the back of the above experience, I bought a G-STAR EX colour camera, knowing that this was the only way to be able to show novices in the big smoke galaxies and colour in nebulae.

With a little bit of tinkering to sort out which is the optimal scope to use with the camera, I settled on a cheap as chips Tasco 114mm f/4.4 reflector. I found it was the best combination of aperture, focal length and TFOV for my purposes. My C8 yes has more aperture, but the focal length, even with a focal reducer, resulted in a TFOV that is just too small.

Two months ago four fellow IIS'ers and myself were invited to hold a star party at Wiley Park Girls' High. There was a range of scopes from a C8 through to a 13" dob, plus my little 114 hooked up to a little portable DVD player as the monitor. This humble little rig was able to show not only the red hue of Eta Carina, but its intricate lacework of dark pillars. Omega Centauri totally filled the screen, and its signature "Eye", only seen visually, was actually there and not burnt out. And finally, both Centaurs A and M104 (Sombrero Galaxy) were clearly identifiable. Both these galaxies were completely invisible in all the scopes on the night.

Matt suggested video astronomy. Do not underestimate the power of this as a tool. I am a dedicated visual nut, and have no real interest in imaging. I too understand the appeal of an actual sticky-beak through an eyepiece. But it must also be understood that a novice does not have the understanding or experience to make out the subtle details, and have no chance in hell of seeing a galaxy under urban skies. And if the audience has mobility problems, video is probably the only way. It is not 'ripping them off' as the whole thing is live, as the scope moves the image on the screen moves.

The gear that's needed doesn't need to be top of the line. That is what also appealed to me about the video rig I've made for myself. Oh, and it cost me $3 - the 114 scope is my son's, the fork mount is an old Meade fork destined for the scrap heap when I rescued it, the wedge is DIY, and the tripod I've had for over 20 years. The $3 was for the three bolts that couple the fork mount to the wedge.

The second pic below shows the portable DVD player I use. In the pic it is showing the Jewel Box cluster.

Mental.

[mental4astro]

PS - one more thing about using a video rig that appeals to a mug like me, alignment doesn't need to be 100%. That the target slowly drifts across the screen adds an element of reality to the experience. I'm happy enough to set up the scope before dark, and a compass guided alignment is good enough (I make sure though that I've taken into account the 12* west position of true north). There are better things to do for me than stuff around with drift alignment during the night when there are crowds of people around me. Sometimes a hit upon an alignment that is just about perfect. Other times the target takes 1/2hr to drift across the screen. A wide TFOV helps here too.

All I'm getting at here is that this doesn't need to be a demanding exercise to set up. Star parties are busy. The easiest time you have in setting up adds to your sanity. But if details are important to you, no problem either.

[Shark Bait]

Thanks for the feedback and apologies for my delay in reply. I have been away and am playing catch up with email and IIS.

I will be able to borrow a G-star camera for this event. It is just a matter of sorting out a time and hope for clear skies.

With a little luck the 80mm GOTO refractor might suitable for some visual if the target allows the EP to remain at eye level.

[jjjnettie]

:) That would have been my suggestion too.