Galileoscope - first light - Page 2

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #21 16-07-2009, 09:51 AM

That's ok Eric.
I drop in from time to time to check on your progress.

erick (Eric) · #22 16-07-2009, 10:06 PM

I now have the 1.25" 2x barlow (thanks Rob) and - GREAT! The barlow lens unscrews to a small compact assembly which fits the filter thread on the diagonal. Then that fits neatly into the focusser. With the Galileoscope plossl in the diagonal, I was able to reach focus on a light some 400-500m away with about 2.5cm of in-travel left in the focusser draw tube! This looks promising.

Barrykgerdes · #23 17-07-2009, 07:12 AM

Hi Erick

I found that little trick with the barlow lens when I had a similar problem converting a 4" 1000mm Maksutov camera lens into a telescope. I could not reach focus with a diagonal. Just could not get close enough. I removed the lens out of a Celestron Barlow and found it screwed perfectly into a Meade diagonal. This put the barlow lens deep inside the assembly where it could be most effective.

The adapor I made now accepted the diagonal and I was able to get the focus scale on the lens to the correct alignment as well.

Barry

dannat (Daniel) · #24 17-07-2009, 09:21 PM

the clouds finally cleared here & i was able to gaze thru one of the units i had ordered. Using the galilean configured eyepiece feels like you are looking into a inhole - and only just reaches focus with the focuser pushed almost all the way in in. Could make out jupiter and 2 moons, no contrast visible.

stuck in a 7.5mm ortho, yielding about 70x - terrific view - 3 moons nice & crisp & i could easily make out the two main darkish bands on the planet - the views were terrific for the mag & size of aperture. equaled my WO petzval 66 almost. I am very pleasantly surprised. The ortho is nice & light - fits tightly and focuses with the focuser about half way out. would not want a bigger ep in there i imagine

erick (Eric) · #25 17-07-2009, 09:40 PM

What do you make of the supplied 25x plossl and the plossl with the supplied 2x barlow, Daniel?

And.... YOU HAVE CLEAR SKIES!!! ???

Moonman (Michael) · #26 17-07-2009, 11:16 PM

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the heads up on this unit. Mine shouldn't be too far away now I see you have yours.

I'm running and observing night at a local primary school here in Launceston on the 30th and I've got them to order one as a momento for the night and the IYA. It's good that it goes straight onto a standard tripod making it inexpensive and immediately accessible for most folks.

Hopefully mine will arrive so I can demonstrate it on the night.

It's quite obvious you are having a lot of fun with it. Well done!

cheers

Phil · #27 18-07-2009, 07:10 AM

Just brought one for myself. Looks like fun.
Phil

erick (Eric) · #28 18-07-2009, 09:41 PM

Some pictures of what I did to have a working diagonal on my Galileoscope. It had to come, however, with a "built-in" 2x barlow.

I used a simple 1.25" mirror diagonal and the lens from a 1.25" 2x barlow.

erick (Eric) · #29 18-07-2009, 09:46 PM

Here is the Galileoscope with a 10mm Vixen LV (giving 100x) and a 20mm Televue plossl (giving 50x) in the modified diagonal (2x)

This does make it easier to get fine focus. I set the eyepiece part way into the diagonal (see third image), obtain rough focus with the draw tube, then ease the eyepiece up and down to get fine focus. Much less effort and vibration of the scope.

Note that I need to tip the diagonal to one side to allow use of the "gunsight" for aiming.

Darth Wader (Wade) · #30 19-07-2009, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erick

It really has to be a bulk order to get the shipping costs down. It might be USD15 for the scope, but shipping to Australia is quoted at USD28.08 each for up to four scopes.

It's a damn shame about the shipping costs. This would have been a great little scope for the kids to use and a nice souvenir of IYA2009. But at roughly $55AUD it's hardly worth it, especially considering that Dick Smith have a 50mm 600mm FL Celestron refractor on a kid-friendly Alt-Az mount for $58. I'm considering this for future use with the kids as a first scope.

erick (Eric) · #31 08-08-2009, 02:27 PM

Went looking for a suitable end cap for the dew shield. It's around 69mm dia. I came up with a Jalna yogurt lid and a Bulla cream lid. Posted some pics in a Cloudy Nights thread:- http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthrea.../o/all/fpart/1

erick (Eric) · #32 13-07-2010, 08:46 AM

Added by a first time poster in another thread:-

"Galileoscope diagonal
Hi All Learning Encounters A company founded by the designer of the Galileoscope is coming out with a diagonal kit for the Galileoscope it includes a modified objective lens and new eyepiece lenses and is a kit you assemble like the scope the magnification is 55x and is really nice quality. should be out in early September another great learning tool!!"
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/....tons/quote.gif