Ethoi in the binewt

PhilW · #1 13-12-2007, 07:41 AM

Last night Scott Tannehill & I headed to The Briars to pool our Ethoi & try them in the binewt. These eyepieces are about as wide as is feasible for binocular observing, since they are almost exactly as wide as the average adult's interpupillary spacing. They've been used successfully in binoviewers, but how would they work in the binewt?

The outcome: they worked beautifully. The view was splendidly immersive, and sharp across the field. We needed to fold the eyecups down to get our eyes close enough see the whole field, but once we did that the visual effect was remarkable. Scott remarked that the scope just seemed to get out of the way. In the binewt they produce 96x and a 1-degree true field of view, which was perfect for the deep-sky objects we observed (LMC, SMC, assorted galaxies & of course M42).

Pictures of the whole ensemble attached. And yes, the scope was somewhat top-heavy.

Phil

wavelandscott (Scott) · #2 13-12-2007, 08:09 AM

How cool is that!

I am so jealous...

Satchmo · #3 13-12-2007, 09:12 AM

A pair of Ethos- 'Ethois'...cute.

Perhaps you could get a few more mm closer pupil distance by rolling off the rubber grips?

I 'd hazard a guess that this $1700 worth of eyepiece is worth more than your 'scope

Do you think the extra 20 degree field is worth the money , given a pair 13mm Type 6 is currently about $750. Please say no

This must be a first in Australia.

Regards

PhilW · #4 13-12-2007, 09:33 AM

You certainly could get another 2mm or so by rolling off the grips, & that would do no violence to them. I also thought about filing the side off one of them (Scott's one, obviously

).

They are worth multiples of the scope's value, especially since it was assembled from odds & ends & cheap components. I had visions of the whole thing blowing over & making an extremely expensive noise, since it was blowing a gale. I removed the light baffles so it wouldn't blow away.

The bad news is: I do think it is worth it. This scope's standard eyepiece set is a pair of Type 6s, but the Ethoi experience was significantly different. Or wait until the inevitable clones come out?

Phil

erick (Eric) · #5 13-12-2007, 09:45 AM

I am indeed sorry that I couldn't take up Scott's kind invitation to be part of this historic event.

I'm fascinated to hear how well it worked. I was thinking, last night, about the amount of head movement I had to make to see the whole FOV through a single Ethos and I couldn't see how that could be done looking through two since ones head would have to be in a fairly fixed position with only eye movement possible? Perhaps it was folding down the eyecups that did the trick. I probably was looking through one with the eyecup up?

What about 47 Tuc? Surely you looked at it?

PhilW · #6 13-12-2007, 10:05 AM

Folding the eyecups down is indeed the trick. You can't see anywhere near the full FOV with them up, & in fact lose the wide field effect entirely. And even with them down you have to kind of snuggle up close to them. I could have done with a smaller nose.

And yes, 47 Tuc was our first target. I should have mentioned that. As you've seen, it is a brilliantly effective object in the bino.

Phil

erick (Eric) · #7 13-12-2007, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilW

I could have done with a smaller nose.

I'm sure this can be arranged! One has to make certain sacrifices for one hobby, mustn't one?

Yes, 47 Tuc was the first I saw through the binoscope and nothing else topped it - but I haven't seen much else as yet!

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #8 13-12-2007, 11:23 AM

I'm disappointed with your findings Phil.

oohhhh...the cost..... ohhhh....

Tannehill · #9 13-12-2007, 01:09 PM

One can't pan around "inside" the eyepiece FOV using them both simultaneously, but the immersion experience was even more surreal for that fact. Quite hard to describe but the pseduo-stereoscopic impression is very engaging. The scope seems to vanish, you are relaxed using both eyes (as with a binoviewer, of course, but this is different) and the overall experience was unique. M42, 47 Tuc were two notable examples, with a 3D texture. Eta wasn't up over the trees, and Mars was in soup, so there remains more to see soon!

Phil also forgot to elaborate on the wind. It was very windy up at the Briar's last night, and early on we'd put both Ethoi in the binonewt and stepped away a few meters. Phil fortunately happened to glance over and we both had a stomach-wrenching image of both of our Ethoi heading south - toward the concrete pad - as the wind blew the scope down on its alt axis. Everything went slo-mo, and Phil darted over an rescued things before an Ethos-concrete event could transpire.

Fortunately I had brought a spare pair of undies....always prepared, that's me.

Phil needs to build a bigger binonewt.

And those of you with narrowly spaced eyes, well, yo' outa luck, bro. No one is taking a file to my Ethos.....

Scott

Louwai (Bryan) · #10 13-12-2007, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erick

I am indeed sorry that I couldn't take up Scott's kind invitation to be part of this historic event.

I'm in the same position as you Eric.
The plane was taxiing to the terminal & the hostess said "you may now switch on your mobile phone". As soon as I picked up signal the phone rang. It was Scott enviting me to MPAS last night. I was knackered from travelling & just couldn't make it.

Damn shame...........

skies2clear · #11 13-12-2007, 06:10 PM

Great report Phil. I'm green with envy. Something I'd love to see. I have a good imagination, so this will have to suffice for now. It's gotta be better than a binoviewer,

Cheers
nick