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Post by davy on May 10, 2019 11:49:15 GMT
Still alive and kicking guys,, Still nothing to report,, clear nights are far and very few,, Bought new rechargeable batteries and chargers,, plus a couple of lenses for camera and the canon camera. Even being off on holiday this week I thought I might get out and stay out late but not a hope in hell.
Looking at putting in for a council hose down in the village where my daughter stays,, bit better for light pollution and it's four in a block houses , so would have access to a garden and depending on whether I got upstairs,, I would look to finally getting a roll off roof observatory. A bit away from that yet but,, would be my long term plans. No giving it up but depressing not getting out at all just now.
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Post by vondragonnoggin on May 10, 2019 13:06:38 GMT
Same conditions here. Nothing but clouds with a smattering of haze when clouds aren’t there. Even more maddening is completely clear from 2pm to 7pm days.
I need a solar scope.
This has been persisting weather conditions. I have my new to me 150mm F/5 scope I want to play with. Put a new focuser on it and it just sits with the rest of my equipment.
I got out one night in the last few weeks and it was only for 1/2 hour. I took my Tamron 300mm F/2.8 out which hasn’t been out in a few years. Not since Lovejoy in 2015. I was hoping for an hour but the clouds rolled in quick and 30 minutes was all I got.
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2019 15:04:56 GMT
It rained all day today then at about 9pm it cleared for a short while so I got 1/2 hr in. First time for a few weeks. Have a zwo ASIair for my grab and go setup and was keen to see how it works. So far so good. Will run the ASIair for the camera with the ipad but will still run the synscan with my iphone separately cheers Paul
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Post by davy on May 11, 2019 7:51:35 GMT
Not being around a bit on any Astronomy forums, I was surprised when I went on sgl to see how other folk are getting on in the UK,,, name change on the video section,, it's now eeva, electronically enhanced visual astronomy. Quite catchy name,, caused a bit of a stir going by some posts,,, usual,, Can't keep everyone happy all the time,, for the folk that's been around since pre digital or Jurassic times , we have all seen the grief that comes with change... Good to see sgl trying to make the site better. Few folk unhappy,,uk NV user's trying to get accepted as observer's another problem,, Good to see NV starting to build up in UK, been something I have always wanted to try but equipment wise when I looked at it before was Too expensive and not great equipment available as in the USA,
I know we still call ourselves video astronomy forum ,, sounds more nostalgic these days given the many ways we all do it these days. Old fashioned,, maybe But it does what it says on the tin lid
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Post by vondragonnoggin on May 11, 2019 13:20:34 GMT
I think April’s Edition of Astronomy Now has an article on NV Astronomy in the UK
Only a handful of people doing it and it’s mostly the pvs-14 Monocular available so they are forced to use it afocally which isn’t a bad thing at all, but I like using mine both Prime focus and afocally. The pvs-14’s image Intensifier tube input window sits too far back in the pvs-14 housing to be able to come to focus easily at Prime Focus and no readily available c-mount adapters to put a nosepiece on it, but TNVC partnered with Televue to make an afocal adapter that screws on the dioptrx ready Televue eyepieces.
It’s substantially more expensive in the UK for a pvs-14.
Some day it will be accepted universally as a means of observation, but that day isn’t here yet.
I have seen some used Kite pvs-7 type goggles on eBay UK that could be converted fairly easily by someone with a little skills to make their own c-mount adapter for it. They weren’t priced too bad for used, but they don’t come up often for sale.
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Post by vondragonnoggin on May 11, 2019 15:09:28 GMT
My forecast just changed - shows it should be clear tonight. I’ll believe it when I see it though.
Really itching to try my new used 150 achro with the new linear bearing focuser I put on it.
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Post by davy on May 11, 2019 21:49:32 GMT
Is the p8079 Hp any good for us to tinker with
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Post by vondragonnoggin on May 12, 2019 0:22:25 GMT
Is the p8079 Hp any good for us to tinker with If you have a beefy scope and focuser to hold it. It’s very long and a couple pounds for just the tube. If you built a housing and battery holder and used a 10x jewelers loupe as an eyepiece it might be fun. They are export friendly. No restrictions on that tube unless some local law forbids it. I just gave a bunch of links for someone wanting a travel NV device that doesn’t fall under ITAR restrictions. Thread has links to another thread where people have built their own housings. www.cloudynights.com/topic/659119-best-non-us-nvd-exportable-to-the-us/links I gave in that thread include parts to buy and everything to get started.
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Post by davy on May 12, 2019 5:46:13 GMT
Cheers Von I was wondering if I could 3d print parts and make up something useful.
Can you achieve focus if a camera was put on the rear instead of a lens. I have a fair bit of kit lying around,, canon DSLR , watec 901 cameras was more what I was thinking.. Very small and very sensitive, small LCD monitor,, I have a flip mirror, and canon adapters to fit lenses ect
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Post by davy on May 12, 2019 5:54:15 GMT
Ok
I'm interested in giving it a go just bought the nvd you had in the cloudy nights post from UK ,, just under £100
Looks like I have a project,, would be great to get some help in getting something up and running. I would like to make parts on my 3d printer,,if possible.
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Post by vondragonnoggin on May 12, 2019 8:52:04 GMT
Ok I'm interested in giving it a go just bought the nvd you had in the cloudy nights post from UK ,, just under £100 Looks like I have a project,, would be great to get some help in getting something up and running. I would like to make parts on my 3d printer,,if possible. I wish I had a 3D printer and the CAD skills to design something too. You should be be able to print a housing for it and I don’t know if you can print threads, but you could press fit a threaded c-mount inlet on the input window side of the housing. Similar to this: i100.photobucket.com/albums/m2/Vondragonnoggin/Image%20Intensified%20Astronomy%20Devices/139A89C2-1451-404B-BE71-9E53B7442149_zpsyud2xbfo.jpgThis is an AB Night Vision 25mm Intensifier Tube housing and has a press fit c-mount connector on optical input side. For the output window side, you might have to design a relay lens that would go on in place of an ocular or jewelers loupe. I guess it has to put the focal point where your camera sensor is. Maybe look at some relay lens designs. So you would have c-mount objective lens or a nosepiece, if you are gonna try it in a scope, on one side, and relay lens instead of ocular, then relay lens couples to your camera. im familiar with the newer small tube stuff doing it this way. I have a Litton M942 monocular and I unscrew the visual ocular and screw in either a dslr or ccd relay lens in its place, then couple that to my camera.
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Post by vondragonnoggin on May 12, 2019 8:58:07 GMT
The TVS-2 crew served weapons sight also used a gen 1 cascade tube. There was a relay lens at one time built for it. Try this link that has links to patents. You might find a patent link will have a relay lens design suitable for the p8079hp cascade tube www.prc68.com/I/TVS2.shtml
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Post by vondragonnoggin on May 12, 2019 9:01:01 GMT
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Post by vondragonnoggin on May 12, 2019 9:39:32 GMT
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Post by davy.... Shirva.. on May 12, 2019 11:06:40 GMT
I've looked at a few builds on utube,, nothing scary ,, part of my job is doing auto electrical work now ,so competent in wiring ect. I should be able to know up parts on the the 3d printer,, hadn't done any cad stuff prior to getting 3d printer,, I use free software ,, design spark mechanical,, from RS components,, doddle to work ,, I have a few rolls of glow in dark filament ,, same colour as Skywatcher green,, so could look quite cheeky,😁..
I'm looking to go out the box as usual. Every body knows I don't do things easy,, so far out the box at times folk shake there head's,, never been much of a sheep always the Shepard lol.
I was thinking 😂 Or wondering if a flip mirror could be fitted and use an eye piece for visual and have a watec 902h on the back,, I think I'm correct in saying a DSLR would be a no no due to not being able to focus.
The watec 902 is the 1/2" sensor and is one of the most low lux analogue cameras about.. hopefully not too powerful connected to the NV cell.
Any thoughts..or am I off my rocker
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Post by davy.... Shirva.. on May 12, 2019 11:15:47 GMT
I would like to make it into a break down type set up. Can have it as a stand alone but of kit and be able to attach to the Skywatcher ed80 if possible. I haven't the foggiest ,, what can and can't be done with these NV cells.
Are the best ran warm or cooled for more stable viewing
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Post by vondragonnoggin on May 12, 2019 11:37:58 GMT
I know the gen 3’s run better when cool. Only because EBI spec goes up with heat. Lower EBI and the signal has a lower noise floor to elevate beyond.
I don’t know for sure if the cascade tubes get a similar benefit. My guess is when you have an eyepiece form built, before you go out observing with it, throw it in the freezer for 15 minutes and see if it improves over house temps.
That guy on astronomyforums is using a Watec 120n+ 1/2” sensor, so maybe the 902 will work like it does.
As far as a flip mirror system with 90° visual ocular and straight through camera use, that might really be a good idea if you can find the right spacing for each.
Check out this video on performance of the p8079hp against different f ratios
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Post by vondragonnoggin on May 12, 2019 11:39:33 GMT
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Post by vondragonnoggin on May 12, 2019 11:54:44 GMT
Maybe some stuff from Edmund Optics might be useful. Not sure www.edmundoptics.com/c/relay-lenses-couplers/705/Another idea would be to contact Harry Seibert at Seibert optics and see if he has any thoughts on a flip mirror relay system www.siebertoptics.comHe makes a lot of custom application stuff, binoviewers, observatory eyepieces in up to 4” sizes, barlows, etc. A one man optical shop with an incredibly knowledgeable optics engineer.
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Post by davy.... Shirva.. on May 12, 2019 15:31:26 GMT
Ooof i have the Skywatcher 0.85 focal reducer and it only gets around f6 or something,, serious focal reduction required. Too much on the 80.. Looks like camera lenses . I have a 300mm f2.8 canon FD mount vivitar lens with FD to Eos adapter,,it has focal lens in adapter to let you get focus on canon DSLR. In the video around f2 looked the sweet spot for the stars.. Ideally a very wide angle fast lens required
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