Small vs Large

[leee (Thomas)]

I've been thinking. Most of my Life, certainly my career as a Microbiologist has been studying and investigating "small" tings via Microscope.
Now I kind of envy you, who have been studying "larger" things via a Telescope. I think my field is a bit more precise. Yet what Astronomy seems to me to have-- is the introduction of - imagination.
COVID 19 is of great concern. evolving with much speculation- but compared to the imagination - for example Black Holes, or the Big Bang. Seem to pale .
As Learned as I am in one field. I can still marvel at it. As unlearned as I am at your field - I can now marvel at that.

[xelasnave]

Interesting thoughts Thomas.
I am thinking of buying a microscope and have been visiting a forum to follow what folk get up to.
The preparation of specimens I find intimidating nevertheless I still find getting into it appealing.
I have been thinking of a trinocular unit (something like this https://microscopes.com.au/products/n120mt-sp-bundle-c it has a dedicated camera rather than trying to fit a DSLR.
Alex

[OICURMT]

I have a wonderful Motic stereo-microscope that I use for another hobby of mine... gemmology.

I guess it's in the middle from micro to macro... can't seen virus' and can't see the moon, but at 20x-140X I can see plenty within a gemstone such as inclusions, strain orientation (think polarization), chemical composition (think spectroscopy), bifringence (change of light based on orientation), refractivity etc...

All things small and large... that's the great thing about science. Pick something that interest you and stick with it.

My youngest is studying genetics and has a deep interest in CRISPR. He told me a couple of years ago that it'll be the cure for cancer, which considering https://www.newscientist.com/article...ells-are-safe/ he may be right.

[julianh72 (Julian)]

There's a nice short film called "Powers of 10" (made back in 1977) that zooms out from the human scale (~ 1 metre) by 24 orders of magnitude to 10^24 metres (100 million light years); then zooms back in to human scale and down by 16 of orders of magnitude to 10^-16 metres ("quark soup" scale).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0

There might be a more modern version around somewhere, which probably zooms outwards by another 2 or 3 orders of magnitude to the "edge" of the observable universe, but I'm not sure if our current theories let us get much deeper than "quark soup". (Although the Planck Length is about 10^-35 metres, so there could be another 15 to 20 orders of magnitude before you actually get to the bottom! )

[AndyG (Andy)]

Thankyou for that Julian,

I remember that very well from when I first saw it on ABC when I was 5ish yrs old. Been searching for it a few times when I could remember.

I'm going to show my kids tonight
Cheers.

[leee (Thomas)]

xelasnave. Great choice in a Scope. Might be less expensive ones out there.
Check -Ebay - Etc.

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by leee

xelasnave. Great choice in a Scope. Might be less expensive ones out there.
Check -Ebay - Etc.

Thanks mate, coming from you that means a lot to me.
The forum I visit re microscopes has a classified section, much like here, so I am using that to get a feel for things.
Actually there is another at $1200 just a little down on that..a small price to pay for the enjoyment I know I will derive.
When I was 11 years old I need budgerigar s to buy a small microscope and I enjoyed watching the little creatures...just so I retesting...on that site I saw something I remember a little thing shedding it's skin..It was 100x up to 300 I recall.
I used to get copper sulphate put it in solution and watch a drop dry out and the crystals appear in an instant ..I would love to examine that in slow motion which I expect should be possible
Thanks again for your advice as I said I really do appreciate your input.
Alex

[JohnF (John)]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

Interesting thoughts Thomas.
I am thinking of buying a microscope and have been visiting a forum to follow what folk get up to.
The preparation of specimens I find intimidating nevertheless I still find getting into it appealing.
I have been thinking of a trinocular unit (something like this https://microscopes.com.au/products/n120mt-sp-bundle-c it has a dedicated camera rather than trying to fit a DSLR.
Alex

I have a used Olympus BHB Trinocular, with both bright field and phase contrast condensers, but don't have a camera -- used these in my job as a Pathology Technician. You can find lots of prepared Microscope slides for sale, BUT what do you want to look at.

Dark field is a very nice addition, but that can be had using a Spider Stop, IF you have a filter holder under your condenser. Or interchange the condensor with a dark field condenser.


If I can help in any way do contact me via PM.

Am trying to sell many Microscope accessories. Had a second Olympus BHB with a binocular head, but have donated that to a missionary Medical Clinic in PNG. Have to refurbish it first, before the Cesna 180 takes it up on their next trip.

[JohnF (John)]

Something like a Olympus BHB can be had second hand for around $600. Could arraign for you to borrow mine, to try it out first -- it is sitting in a friends shed. Th BHB with its accessories was around $4000 when new.

[JohnF (John)]

There is a difference between a Stereo Microscope and a Compound Biological Microscope, and one used for minerals, etc. Very different sorts of Microscopes. I also have an Olympus Stereo Microscope, very different to the BHB which is a Biological Microscope. So All, tell me what sort of things you do want to do with that Microscope.

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by JohnF

I have a used Olympus BHB Trinocular, with both bright field and phase contrast condensers, but don't have a camera -- used these in my job as a Pathology Technician. You can find lots of prepared Microscope slides for sale, BUT what do you want to look at.

Dark field is a very nice addition, but that can be had using a Spider Stop, IF you have a filter holder under your condenser. Or interchange the condensor with a dark field condenser.


If I can help in any way do contact me via PM.

Am trying to sell many Microscope accessories. Had a second Olympus BHB with a binocular head, but have donated that to a missionary Medical Clinic in PNG. Have to refurbish it first, before the Cesna 180 takes it up on their next trip.

Thanks John.
I will be in touch when I get back up North re 12 inch..if I can ever get out of Sydney.
I have little direction as to what to do...when I was a kid I would let slime grow on slides I left in the fish pond..that kept me happy looking them over discovering new creatures...take some photos and videos of things..I will be limited as I can't see myself doing well with preparation.
Alex

[JohnF (John)]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

Thanks John.
I will be in touch when I get back up North re 12 inch..if I can ever get out of Sydney.
I have little direction as to what to do...when I was a kid I would let slime grow on slides I left in the fish pond..that kept me happy looking them over discovering new creatures...take some photos and videos of things..I will be limited as I can't see myself doing well with preparation.
Alex

you can buy lots of slides with subjects already mounted on them -- at least you could when I did look some years ago. Depends what you look at. Think I could make a spider stop for dark field. A drop of blood under dark field is marvellous -- look at you tubes. No you may not know every thing you are seeing. If we get together, could spend a couple of hours teaching you one things.

I topped my High School, many decades ago, in Biology -- 98% in the Biology exam. Pity that I never studied, and just scraped through Maths, English, etc. Only studied Biology as that is the subject that I liked. And did become a Pathology Technician, a 4 year TAFE course. Then did all but two subjects of a 2 year Pathology Technician's Higher Certificate. It was the last year that one of these subjects ran, as that course was replaced by an Associate Diploma. See our Baby Daughter did die, and I had medical problems probably due to the stress, and was put in Hospital for 6 weeks. Ad could no longer do one of this two subjects, as it was the last year it ran. The replacement Cours was not equivalent. We did lots of Microscopy in Haematology, Histology and the Microbiology subjects.

[xelasnave]

I have sent you a PM hope you get it.
There no point me buying one today..but even if it was _1200 that's not bad...the camera is there ..and it would do all I want...as I said a slow motion of crystals forming..lots of them to check...you could do a time lapse of slim growing..that would be cool and all the little creatures appear.
Alex

[JohnF (John)]

Can lend you microscope for a few weeks Alex, once I do get it back from last Gentleman I lent it to.

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by JohnF

Can lend you microscope for a few weeks Alex, once I do get it back from last Gentleman I lent it to.

Thanks let me know when it becomes available.
Alex

[JohnF (John)]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

Thanks let me know when it becomes available.
Alex

The Olympus Stereo Microscope is available now. The compound Microscope, the BHB, will let you know. Guy who has it wants my phon number. I still have to learn how to drive my phone -- Smart Phones are too mart for
me

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by JohnF

The Olympus Stereo Microscope is available now. The compound Microscope, the BHB, will let you know. Guy who has it wants my phon number. I still have to learn how to drive my phone -- Smart Phones are too mart for
me

I don't know when I will be up.
I am so happy to have your offer as it held me back from ordering one last night...the weather and other stuff has me looking for an escape toy.

Stick with mastering the phone but if I may I would encourage you not to tolerate negative self talk. It's just a new thing, you will learn it in no time, you are a bloke who gets things done and I want only positive talk.
Alex