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more small optics

Discussion in 'General Astronomy Chat' started by kevan hubbard, Jun 5, 2016.

more small optics

Started by kevan hubbard on Jun 5, 2016 at 4:13 PM

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  1. kevan hubbard

    kevan hubbard Well-Known Member

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    I've got my tiniest optics out tonight, not counting my naked eyes,a Zeiss mini quick 5x10 monocular to try it.sadly at this time of year it doesn't get properly dark so I couldn't try it on any star clusters or such like.if people recall their astronomy history the French astronomer ,de la caille,discovered a host of southern skies objects,including 47 tucana, from cape town with a 13.5mm telescope! The Zeiss gave very good views of Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and Antares. I'll have to try a messier/NGC marathon with the mini quick when the nights draw in.the mini quick is about the size of a fountain pen and indeed comes with a pen clip however it doesn't have lense covers so it would probably be unwise to clip it in a dusty pocket. The optics are very good given their tiny size.
     
  2. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    A 5X 10mm? Yow! That tops my latest acquisition. And bearing the highly respected 'Zeiss' moniker. Well done, Kevan - I am duly impressed and amused, a favorite combination of feelings to me! May I ask how much the Zeiss cost? It sounds like a nice find. One other question? Is there a good source for this list of Southern sky-objects by de la Caille? I'd love to add it to my arsenal of materials on such.

    As for such material pertaining to deep-sky objects, davidpaulgreen.com (from the person himself) has put out some great stuff - this website has a number of nice software-programs for finding such as the Messier-Objects - TUMOL - and the Caldwell-Objects - TCOL - and more. All free, of course!

    http://www.davidpaulgreen.com/software.html

    Enjoy your tours above -

    Dave
     
  3. kevan hubbard

    kevan hubbard Well-Known Member

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    The Zeiss mini quick is pricey I bought mine during a trip to cologne, Germany, a good number of years back for 100 Euros but then they're made in Germany so are probably cheaper there.I think in the USA you'd be looking at $160?the optics are very sharp but the twilight factor is not so good due to the tiny front optic,in fact there's not much difference twixt the front and the eye piece!it seems to use a roof prism but is long like a mini telescope. I've never taken it south of Bermuda so can't comment on what views it would give on things like 47 tucana, eta Carina,etc.I took a much larger 8x25 Opticron monocular on my trips to Australia and Brazil which gave very good views during the odd clear evening, yes cloudy in the Australian summer! Melbourne mid day in February 18c and drizzle!
     
  4. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    Thank you for the info! Much appreciated. And I'm aware of the weather in the winters there - I have friends in Gladstone, QSLD, so I get to hear their complaints! :p But I've never been down & around myself. And they wouldn't help me to smuggle out any Cane-Toads anyway! ;)

    These little scopes are gaining in popularity, if the number of people posting on them around the net is any indication, which is likely. It's fun to see people bragging about how small their gear is!

    'Ta,

    Dave
     
  5. kevan hubbard

    kevan hubbard Well-Known Member

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    Brazil,south Africa and Australia are the only countries in the southern hemisphere I've stargazed from. Brazil very little due to foolishly just spending a week in Rio de Janeiro instead of getting to the hinterland but it was mainly cloudy. Plus crime,real or imagined, is a deterrent to nocturnal or even daylight travel there. South Africa is quite good for the stars. Australia too on the odd clear night I had.Singapore almost counts being only 3 degrees north of the equator and the sun is overhead. It's very light polluted by I could clearly make out canopus and other less exotic,to the northern hemispherian,first magnitude stars from Singapore's canning park but gave up when a laser light show came on!in general I'd say that the 5x10 is too small for much but I got a good sun view using solar filter medium. I know you can see various m objects through it as I remember looking at m41 with it in the winter but compared with the 8x25 the view was poor still better than nothing.
     
  6. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    It must be part of a 'cosmic-conspiracy' to keep us from seeing what's up there from both hemisphere's! :eek:

    I'll notify the media! :D

    But thank you for letting folk's know it's not a bed-of-roses down South for us crazy astrophiles.

    Rain here in Podunk -

    Dave
     

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