8 inch Binocular telescope build.

Discuss making your own telescope!
Post Reply
User avatar
NGC 1365 Australia
Saturn Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 368
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2019 8:30 am
4
Location: NSW Australia
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

8 inch Binocular telescope build.

#1

Post by NGC 1365 »


The other project this year was an 8 inch F5 binoscope utilising two GSO mirrors bought about 7 years apart ( and the focal length difference between the two was only about 2mm). They consist of two 70mm secondaries and standard right angle diagonals as the tertiary mirrors. Interpupillary spacing is adjusted with the focusers and focusing is with helical focusers. Each side of the bino is a complete stand alone reflector which is collimated as you would any newtonian. They are attached to an Orion skyview alt az mount as close to parallel as possible. Co collimation( bringing the two individual scope fields together) is accomplished with horizontal and vertical adjustment bolts which allow about 25mm of movement horizontally and vertically( about 12 to 15mm either side of the parallel position).
First light was better than expected and the images didn't take long to merge. The view of the Orion nebula was impressive as was the Large Magellanic cloud and NGC 253. Although not a 3D view as such, you did get the feeling of depth of field. and more detail is also visible compared to mono viewing. Second light wasn't so good, a few issues cropped up which initially baffled me, but through trial and error I was able to work through them and the views once again were great, but this session was a big learning curve. I'm in the process of building better secondary holders and stalks, rebuilding the primary cell and have ordered a pair of Baader prism diagonals with built in helical focusers( the set up I'm using at the moment causes some vignetting), and will also make baffles for both the primaries and secondaries.
IMG_1530.jpg
IMG_1531 (2).jpg
IMG_1626.jpg
IMG_1628.jpg
The two bottom pictures show the vertical adjustment bolt and the top pivot for the adjustment arm.
Ivan
User avatar
mikemarotta
Orion Spur Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 662
Joined: Sun Nov 17, 2019 2:37 pm
4
Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

Re: 8 inch Binocular telescope build.

#2

Post by mikemarotta »


NGC 1365 wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2019 11:00 am The other project this year was an 8 inch F5 binoscope utilising two GSO mirrors ... First light was better than expected and the images didn't take long to merge. ...
Impressive project! Thanks for sharing this report. I am not a builder by any stretch, but the concept is fascinating and intriguing. I wonder why all telescopes are not built as binoculars. For microscopes, only the cheapest kids sets are monocular. Most of them in the stores are binos and have been for years. And in the working lab, there is no question about it. A mono would be an antique.

Anyway, congratulations on a job well done.
---------------------------------------
Michael E. Marotta
Astro-Tech 115 mm APO Refractor Explore Scientific 102 mm f/6.47 Refractor Explore Scientific 102 mm f/9.8 Refractor Bresser 8-inch Newtonian Reflector Plössls from 40 to 6 mm Nagler Series-1 7mm. nonMeade 14 mm. Mounts: Celestron AVX, Explore Twilight I Alt-Az, Explore EXOS German Equatorial
User avatar
StarGazer45
Jupiter Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 233
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2019 5:47 pm
4
Location: Andalucía, Spain
Status:
Offline

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: 8 inch Binocular telescope build.

#3

Post by StarGazer45 »


I have never seen such impressive and enormous binoculars! Congratulations on an amazing job!

Thanks for posting,

StarGazer45
Manuel R.

Telescope: 76/350 newtonian Mount: Alt-azimuthal for the 76/350 Camera: Bresser MikrOkular Full HD and iPhone 5S Filters: solar filter for the 76/350 Eyepieces: H4mm, H10mm, H20mm, Barlow lens x2

Blog: https://universeastronomyandstufflikethat.blogspot.com/
Sky: Bortle 5
User avatar
drock
Saturn Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 382
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 11:51 pm
4
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Status:
Offline

Re: 8 inch Binocular telescope build.

#4

Post by drock »


That is quite impressive. Thanks for sharing.
Z10 Dobsonian, Starblast 4.5, a few Russell 2" Konigs, and various other eyepieces.
User avatar
helicon United States of America
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 584
Online
Posts: 12274
Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 1:35 pm
4
Location: Washington
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

Re: 8 inch Binocular telescope build.

#5

Post by helicon »


Wow NGC 1365 - this is indeed impressive! Next time I'm down under I'd love to visit and take a peek through those...

:sprefac:
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
User avatar
Lady Fraktor Slovakia
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 9860
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:14 pm
4
Location: Slovakia
Status:
Offline

Re: 8 inch Binocular telescope build.

#6

Post by Lady Fraktor »


A very nice project, I hope you get a lot of use from it.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
The only culture I have is from yogurt
My day was going well until... people
Image
User avatar
JimMinCT United States of America
Saturn Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 393
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 10:24 pm
4
Location: Ct
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: 8 inch Binocular telescope build.

#7

Post by JimMinCT »


Very cool....
You might want to put some type of tripod arrangement under the secondaries... Knowing that triangles add serious rigidity to a structure...
Excellent build. Very cool looking indeed...
OTA's: Kson 1026-C, 4" Carbon Fiber ED Refractor, Home-built, 6.1", f/2.? APO refractor... (In Progress) 8" Meade LX2 SCT Mounts: CGX Imaging: ZWO ASI 1600MM, Canon 550D (T2i) Software: PixInsight, APT, PHD2, SharpCap, SGP, Stellarium, Registax, Stuff: Astro-Tech 0.8x FR/FF, Hotech SCA FF, ZWO 7nm 31mm LRGB-SHO filter set, ZWO 8 position EFWObsy: "Maybe Spaceship" Observatory
Image
User avatar
depratnt United States of America
Jupiter Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 242
Joined: Tue May 21, 2019 7:06 am
4
Location: Pine, Colorado
Status:
Offline

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: 8 inch Binocular telescope build.

#8

Post by depratnt »


Now this.. I want this. Very very cool
Scopes: GSO 8rc
Mount: iOptron CEM60
Camera: ASI1600mm-PRO
Guide cam: QHY5L-ii monochrome
Filters: Astrodon Ha/Oiii )3nm) / LRGB
l
User avatar
NGC 1365 Australia
Saturn Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 368
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2019 8:30 am
4
Location: NSW Australia
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: 8 inch Binocular telescope build.

#9

Post by NGC 1365 »


Thanks for the likes and comments. I'll post more details as the upgrade progresses.
Ivan
User avatar
Peter802
Orion Spur Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 571
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 8:35 pm
4
Location: Gorleston, Norfolk. UK
Status:
Offline

Re: 8 inch Binocular telescope build.

#10

Post by Peter802 »


A nice project. Wish you good fortune with it.
Clear Skies.
Regards,

Peter
Post Reply

Create an account or sign in to join the discussion

You need to be a member in order to post a reply

Create an account

Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute

Register

Sign in

Return to “ATM”