Barlows & Collimators? - Page 2

ving (David) · #21 26-02-2005, 08:16 AM

andrews sell a cheshire for $45.
I have a GSO 2x barlow... dont know if its long or short.

but go the cheshire. its dead easy to use

now unsubscribe to this thread or I'll spam it

wavelandscott (Scott) · #22 26-02-2005, 11:34 AM

I'd encourage the chesire over the laser...no need for power and no moving parts...it is dead simple and very solid...I have the Orion Chesire and it looks and feels nearly indestructable.

I've not had much experience with Barlows...

I have a 2.5X Powermate...it is a glorious piece of work...but, I can not say that it is truly better or worse than other Barlows available as I have not compared it side by side with anything else...it does however work a treat!

There were some good threads on CN (Cloudy Nights) discussing the pros and cons of "shorty vs regular" Barlows...

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #23 27-02-2005, 06:27 PM

Thanks all. Consensus rules. I'll get the Cheshire. Mombat probably will too.(?)

I just found out today why I could not get the scope to collimate exact!

The focuser was not perpendicular to the focal plane. 0.5mm of plastic laminate under the lower side and all fixed.

I gave it a daylight test.

WOW! what an improvement. I can focus perfectly on every strand of a cobweb on a small fence post 1 kilometre away. And that is even through heat haze using a 9mm Plossl.

Can't wait to do a real star test tonight, weather is finally starting to look good for tonight.

jackenau · #24 27-02-2005, 06:57 PM

Keep me informed Ken, will probably influence a decision I have to make.

The other Ken or another Ken

Mombat · #25 27-02-2005, 07:46 PM

Yeh i think i'll get the cheshire too thank guys

Looks like you'll get fine whether to test it out on tonight ken.

Perfect to see jupiter and the moon hey!!

RAJAH235 · #26 27-02-2005, 08:05 PM

Ken, I had a similar prob. with my cardboard Meade. The UWA 14mm was too heavy for it, (distance from tube was large), and as such the focuser,(orig. rack & pinion), compressed the tube slightly, putting it all out of line. A small piece of packing under the lower mounting solved the alignment prob.
Star images are pinpoints. When you do your star test, pick a mag 3 or 4 star. All the best.

Just the facts m'am.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #27 27-02-2005, 08:07 PM

Yep, occultation should be good.

and I just spent the last 20 minutes painting out the street light in front of my property with black paint. Hope it makes a big difference.

Last night I noticed we seem to have grown some new street lights in our little town. We had 4. Gonna go for a drive later and have a count of the new ones.

janoskiss (Steve H) · #28 27-02-2005, 08:11 PM

Ken, You should check out the barlowed laser method of collimation too. (google for "barlowed laser").

ving (David) · #29 27-02-2005, 08:17 PM

hey mombat, where in the southern highlands are you?

Vermin (Tom) · #30 27-02-2005, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ballaratdragons
Yep, occultation should be good.

and I just spent the last 20 minutes painting out the street light in front of my property with black paint. Hope it makes a big difference.

Last night I noticed we seem to have grown some new street lights in our little town. We had 4. Gonna go for a drive later and have a count of the new ones.

Apparently if you aim a red laser pointer at the daylight sensor on top of the lamp you can get it to turn off. A $5 pointer mounted on a small camera tripod and an O-ring to hold the power button on should do it.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #31 27-02-2005, 09:00 PM

Might have to try that one Tom, thanks.

I'll get up the ladder or use the binocs tommorrow and see if I can find the daylight photo cell.

Just been out and had a look at the paint job. Those Mercury Vapours are damn bright. I put 2 very heavy coats of black on it and it looks like it has a fine layer of dust on it!

Has cut the brightness back about 30% though.

I'll check again in about half an hour when it is very dark.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #32 27-02-2005, 09:25 PM

Pitch black sky now.

Paint has cut back the street light by under 10%. Damn.

Looks like the red laser is the go.

Tried a star test but atmosphere is 'yuk' (technical term for terrible). All the Stars are twinkling at present. 40 million tiny scratches in my glasses are helping either!

iceman (Mike) · #33 27-02-2005, 09:26 PM

lol the locals won't need to look to far to find the culprit

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #34 27-02-2005, 09:37 PM

Only got one neighbour (I offered him a lookie through my scope but said the light makes it hard to see anything) and he finally renegged and said I could paint it out. lol

Vermin (Tom) · #35 28-02-2005, 12:03 AM

You could also try and *paint* the light with a 303

But seriously I heard about the red laser pointer method on SAA (science.astro.amateur), and many people reported success with it.