A couple of telescopes

[philjay]

As a lifelong amateur astronomer things like telescopes really "float my boat" so to speak and I popped in to Keele Observatory last night.

Heres a couple through the EM 10.

The 12.52 1874 Grubb Refractor, taken on auto with flash


The 24" Thornton Reflector. Taken without flash in ambient light

[OM USer]

Re: A couple of telescopes

Nicely taken. I'm all for pictures of large telescopes.

[PeterBirder]

Re: A couple of telescopes

Fascinating subjects captured in a challenging location and lighting.

Thanks for sharing.

[Phill D]

Re: A couple of telescopes

That first one looks like a telescope but that second one just looks weird. How does that one work?

[PeterBirder]

Re: A couple of telescopes

That first one looks like a telescope but that second one just looks weird. How does that one work?

It's a Reflecting Telescope. Works in a similar manner to a Mirror Lens.

This one is possibly a Newtonian type see here. [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newtonian_telescope"]Newtonian telescope - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

Regards.

[philjay]

Re: A couple of telescopes

That first one looks like a telescope but that second one just looks weird. How does that one work?

The first is a traditional refractor, lens at front and back and you look through the back plus a nice long tube makes it easily recogniseable as a telescope.

The second is a truss tubed (like a car space frame chassis) Newtonian reflector. The main mirror is at the bottom which reflects light back up the tube to a 45 degree flat mirror which sends the image out the side where you put the eyepiece or in this case a ccd camera.

Reflectors are cheaper and easier to build big apetures with, thats why the worlds biggest scopes are all reflectors.

[Rawcoll]

Re: A couple of telescopes

Nice. I love optics, which doesn't do the bank balance any good!

Managed a day-time visit to the Norman Lockyer observatory in Sidmouth, Devon (http://www.normanlockyer.com/visitors%20index.html) a few years ago. The enthusiasts who now look after the site provided a tour. I didn't take any photos inside though. It might be a bit far for you to journey down, but if you're in the area when it's open it's worth a visit.

[philjay]

Re: A couple of telescopes

Thanks Ian, the NLO is on my list I intend to visit next time Im down that way on hols.

Heres another local observatory scope, Long Eaton Schools 16" Meade Schmidt Cassegrain plus Lunt Hydrogen alpha solar scope. Again taken with Em 10 in ambient light, this was easier due to the dome being opened, but the dome is not very big so I couldnt get far enough away to do it justice




The shutters were closed on this one so ambient light again, no flash

[Rawcoll]

Re: A couple of telescopes

Hmm, there's some money tied up there!