12 inch binoscope project

See sub forums to discuss "Do it yourself" projects.
Post Reply
User avatar
AdriGlassPusher
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 6:27 pm
4
Location: Croatia
Status:
Offline

12 inch binoscope project

#1

Post by AdriGlassPusher »


Greetings,
This is a project I have been working on recently, a binocular telescope with twin 12 inch mirrors. I got an idea to build myself a big binocular telescope after visiting few very pristine dark sky locations and realizing that i Prefer binocular viewing. I love wide fields of view and colorful images of stars large exit pupils provide, hence binoviewer is something I didnt consider. Perhaps if I build a long focus newtonian for planetary use I will consider binoviewers.

I dont have an access to either a tig welder or an oxyacetylene burner so all connections are screw based. But the frame is pretty stiff and at least the base will be heavier due to all these screws thus helping the balancing thing. I also left the trusses oversized because I have a tendency to miss the focus point, which happened on couple of my previous builds.

Anyway, here is the current state of the project.
PicsArt_05-24-09.06.52.png
PicsArt_05-24-09.06.52.png (150.74 KiB) Viewed 6830 times
User avatar
KingClinton
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 2207
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2019 4:45 pm
4
Location: Durban, South Africa.
Status:
Online

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: 12 inch binoscope project

#2

Post by KingClinton »


Looks like a awesome project. Please keep us updated on your progress.
That scope will deliver amazing views.
Eyeballs, binoculars, sketch box, Scopes n stuff.
Some people don't understand why I love astronomy so much, I cannot understand why they do not!

Image
User avatar
StarBru United States of America
Orion Spur Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 662
Joined: Mon May 13, 2019 1:53 am
4
Location: Arizona, USA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

Re: 12 inch binoscope project

#3

Post by StarBru »


Love that ATM stuff! Good luck and I can't wait to see the end product! Keep us informed with lots of pictures!!!!
Bruce

Refractors: Meade AR-5 127mm f/9.3, Meade ST-80 f/5 and Meade 60mm f/12, Jason 60mm f/15 #313, Jason 60mm f/12 #306 S7, Bushnell Sky Chief III 60mm f/15.
Reflectors/Catadioptrics: Meade 10" F/4 Schmidt-Newtonian, Galileo 120mm f/8.3 Newtonian, Meade 2045D 4" f/10 SCT, Meade ETX-90EC f/13.8 & Sarblue 60mm f/12.5 Maksutov-Cassegrains.
Mounts: Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro & Meade LXD55 Equatorial mounts, ES Twilight II and Meade 2102 ALT/AZ mounts, a modified 10" SkyQuest Dobsonian mount, various 60mm EQ mounts.
Misc: Celestron 20x80mm binoculars, Revolution II Imager/accessories, & lots of optical accessories/eyepieces.
Projects: 8" f/2.9 and 65mm f/10 reflectors, Dobson-style binocular mirror mount.
User avatar
helicon United States of America
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 584
Online
Posts: 12275
Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 1:35 pm
4
Location: Washington
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

Re: 12 inch binoscope project

#4

Post by helicon »


Lookin' good! Don't forget to provide updates on the project.
-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
Kanadalainen
Milky Way Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 1849
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 8:05 pm
4
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: 12 inch binoscope project

#5

Post by Kanadalainen »


I love this initiative, looks great so far.

I
Ian

Fracs: Stellarvue 70T f6; SW 120mm Esprit f7; "Mark Mk. II" - 60 mm Tasco f6; C80 frac f 11.4
SCT: C8 Edge f10 or f7 with reducer
Dob: 14.5" homebuilt strut dob (f4.5 ZOC mirror), Nexus II, Moonlite focuser
Mounts - Ioptron Skyguider pro, Astro Physics GTO900
Cameras and lenses - ZWO 2600 mc, 290 mm mini, Canon 60D modded with Rokinon 10mm 2.8; Rokinon 135mm f2

Skysafari 6 Pro, Astro Pixel Processor, Pixinsight - using Mac tablet and ASIair pro to run the AP rig.

"Mothers! It is there!" - Rafael Gonzales-Acuna, 2018.
User avatar
SkyHiker United States of America
Local Group Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 2293
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 8:40 pm
4
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: 12 inch binoscope project

#6

Post by SkyHiker »


Great project!

I was wondering, why not put two 12" Meade truss Dobsonians in a frame with a diagonal for each 2" eyepiece? I presume the focus might not be far enough out without shortening the trusses, and the secondaries are too small after doing that. But, if that could be done, would it not save a lot of work?

Good luck with your project and keep us posted please!
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
User avatar
Kanadalainen
Milky Way Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 1849
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 8:05 pm
4
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: 12 inch binoscope project

#7

Post by Kanadalainen »


SkyHiker wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 10:46 pm Great project!

I was wondering, why not put two 12" Meade truss Dobsonians in a frame with a diagonal for each 2" eyepiece? I presume the focus might not be far enough out without shortening the trusses, and the secondaries are too small after doing that. But, if that could be done, would it not save a lot of work?

Good luck with your project and keep us posted please!

Good idea! I like this. :)

hmmmmm.....
Ian

Fracs: Stellarvue 70T f6; SW 120mm Esprit f7; "Mark Mk. II" - 60 mm Tasco f6; C80 frac f 11.4
SCT: C8 Edge f10 or f7 with reducer
Dob: 14.5" homebuilt strut dob (f4.5 ZOC mirror), Nexus II, Moonlite focuser
Mounts - Ioptron Skyguider pro, Astro Physics GTO900
Cameras and lenses - ZWO 2600 mc, 290 mm mini, Canon 60D modded with Rokinon 10mm 2.8; Rokinon 135mm f2

Skysafari 6 Pro, Astro Pixel Processor, Pixinsight - using Mac tablet and ASIair pro to run the AP rig.

"Mothers! It is there!" - Rafael Gonzales-Acuna, 2018.
User avatar
SkyHiker United States of America
Local Group Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 2293
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 8:40 pm
4
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: 12 inch binoscope project

#8

Post by SkyHiker »


This is what I had in mind, a binoscope made of 2 Dobs on an EQ platform. This link has all the details, HTH,
http://www.jerryoltion.com/binoscope.htm
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
User avatar
helicon United States of America
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 584
Online
Posts: 12275
Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 1:35 pm
4
Location: Washington
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

Re: 12 inch binoscope project

#9

Post by helicon »


SkyHiker wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 5:41 pm This is what I had in mind, a binoscope made of 2 Dobs on an EQ platform. This link has all the details, HTH,
http://www.jerryoltion.com/binoscope.htm
Thanks for passing on the link Henk. Mr. Oltion has crafted a number of amazing scopes!
-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
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 “The DIY corner”