I rather doubt it can be done, but I also know people's eyesight can vary greatly from person-to-person. So it may be possible.....?

Perhaps with using some sort of polarizing-filter (non-magnifying) to dim-down that blowtorch of a planet? I might give that a try.

Dave

 

I can often tell when Venus is phased. I was asked once what a heart shaped star was someone had seen the night before. When I asked them in what direction they saw it I knew it was Venus. It did suggest a heart shape to the naked eye.

 

Well, Venus is supposed to be the 'Godess of Love.....'

The Universe must have a sense of humor...

Dave

 

All I can say is that with these aging eyes, it took a scope to see Venus in phase. Saw her again tonight, just before a neighbor- who had spotted me & my scope in my backyard- trotted down to give me a small old refractor on a wood tripod that she didn't want. Haven't had time to look it over but the accs'y tray needs hardware to hold the legs together. I'll play with it tomorrow, and now I've something fun to do in the daylight!

 

That sounds like some good fun! If you have a camera, please post some pictures of your new baby! Every telescope-owner should accumulate a collection of bolts, washers, nuts, etc. for just such occasions. I even keep an inventoried box - with different sizes listed! As well as clamps and other hardware. Otherwise such tend to go to the 13th. dimension - along with socks from the wash.

Happy Restoration,

Dave

 

Ha! I keep such a box but it's hardly inventoried. I'll clean it up and photog it tomorrow. It ain't much- 50mm mebbe, but it looks old and it was free so... I tried to use a contraption with my Nikon Cool-Pix point 'n shoot but no luck so I just held the camera to a 25mm eyepiece and this is the pitiful result. (also a shot of my little 90mm).

 

I think the phase was something like this:



With the naked eye it really did seem to suggest a heart shape.

 

Ziggy* -

I will be most interested on any & all information on this little telescope that has fallen into your hands! And just so you know - there is a 'method to my madness.' Many of these humble, diminutive scopes, which often are branded with company-names one has never heard of before - are actually made by Carton Optical Industries, LTD in Japan.....

"So what?" many will remark. Here's 'what'- Carton was actually who made many, many telescopes for other brand-names you may have heard of before. One of these is Unitron - which are eagerly sought for and worth their weight in Iridium! Also Edscorp - which are the refarctors of Edmund Scientific in the 1960's and beyond! I have a very long listing of many of these brand-names from Carton themselves.

So toss the name, and any/all other information (especially markings) on this little, potentially fantastic, critter that flew into your hands! I'll go dig-up my paperwork from the 'Miles of Files' I maintain here.

Until then -

Dave

* - I'm terrible at remembering names. My skull is packed with scientific-nomenclature!

 

Some unconfirmed reports, in modern and ancient times, suggest sharp-eyed observers have observed the extremely slim and bright crescent phases of Venus without optical aid. The Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar, who was represented by the planet Venus, is described in ancient cuneiform texts as having “horns”. So take that for what it's worth!

 

Carton makes monoculars too. I just got one for dirt-cheap from an outfit in the PR China. Seems they likely buy HUGE lots of these from Carton and sell them with minimal profit. Optical quality and coatings are excellent - as is true of most Carton's I've heard of.

This is my 4 X 12mm & 12.5° -



No brand-name on it. Strange as it may be.....

Dave

PS - it even came with a micro-fibre cleaning-cloth!

 

Spent the day taking it apart and gently cleaning it. I want to let it thoroughly dry before putting it back together and then I'll take pix and give you what I know about it. It is made in Japan, but those in my age bracket may recall a time when that label was indicative of a cheap imitation of an American-made product. Not so today however, thanks to our successful Nation-building, and the industrious nature of Japanese folk!

 

The Japanese have been making quality oculars for over a hundred years. I've actually looked through a pair of Japanese pre WWI naval binoculars and I thought the (uncoated) optics easily equalled the pre WWII Carl Zeiss binoculars that my father gave me.



He bought them before I was born. The Japanese naval binoculars were larger and 70x IIRC correctly.
I can't remember the Japanese binocular make. Someone I knew years ago showed them to me, she'd bought them at a car boot sale relatively cheaply and then discovered that they were worth a few quid more than what she had originally paid.



I still have my dad's Carl Zeiss Jena binoculars. He stripped these down and cleaned the prisms at some point and thought he'd made a pig's ear of it. They seem fine to me though.

 

Got it cleaned up and took it out for a look-see. Pretty decent daylight views and it's very light weight. Not sure of the focal length but I think it's 800mm?

 

Wow! Those are some old binocs!

 

An 800mm f/l would make it around f/13. I'm not sure but the eyepiece holder looks like a 24.5mm to me.

 

Yeah, they survived the Blitz lol.

 

That F/L is just a guess based on what I read over at CN about this scope. The EP is fixed in it's tube but as you can see, to adjust magnification, you pull the tube in & out. I like the convenience of an alt-az over an eq but I doubt this will be much good after dark.