Astronomy Gear Upgrades

I recently picked up a relatively inexpensive larger telescope to help improve my views of the sun.  I say "relatively inexpensive" because a little, cheap camera lens would cost more than this telescope cost.  This new telescope is significantly larger than my previous "large" telescope which should help to see more detail on the surface of the sun...  when and if the skies here ever allow for crisper viewing!

Although this telescope is larger, the optical glass in the telescope is not nearly as good as the glass in my other telescopes.  For relatively narrowband viewing of the sun, however, this should not matter.  Since the glass in this telescope isn't "perfect" (to simplify things), it is considered more of a low-end telescope.  

When this telescope arrived, I needed to replace the stock focuser.  Most low-end telescopes only come with a single speed focuser, however, it is far easier to focus fine detail when you have a dual speed focuser.  So, I ordered a better dual speed focuser and I immediately jumped into replacing the focuser.

Unfortunately, replacing this focuser was not a quick and simple swap out of parts as I had hoped.  The new focuser didn't fit exactly right.  It was half a millimeter too large...  yes, just 0.5mm too large!  I decided to carefully file down and sand the flange around the focuser to make it fit.  This required a few hours of work which resulted in bloodied fingertips.  I now have a dual speed focuser on this new telescope though.  

A few days afterward, the sun popped out between periods of rain and snow so I had a brief opportunity to view the sun using this new telescope.  The sky conditions were poor...  it was hazy and all the melting snow was causing convection currents and an unstable atmosphere.  Even so, the views of the sun were indeed improved compared to my other telescopes.  This was a step in the right direction!

I removed the eyepiece and slid one of my cameras into the diagonal and shot a few photos.  I was able to see two areas of sunspots although they were still lacking detail due to the poor viewing conditions.  

My biggest obstacle in obtaining impressive imaging is that Waterbury is proving to be an abysmal location for viewing the sky.  If the sky isn't cloudy with rain or snow falling out of the sky, it is foggy, or hazy.  Even a very slight haze will ruin any chances of seeing any sort of detail in the sky through a telescope.  In the past year, I can honestly say that I can only remember one night when the sky conditions were "good".  I can't remember a single day when the sky conditions would have been considered good for solar astronomy.  Unfortunately, on that one good night, I was far too exhausted to even consider pulling out one of my small lightweight telescopes.  I simply didn't have the energy.  Sheila and I stood on the deck and gazed up at the Milky Way arching overhead...  there were so many stars clearly visible that it was difficult to find the usual common stars.  That was a great night, however, only one good viewing day in a year makes for an abysmal location for astronomy!

This photo, below, shows the new telescope after I removed the stock focuser.  I stuffed a towel inside the telescope tube to keep dust, dirt and debris out of the tube.  I sanded off the flat black paint where the new focuser was to be inserted into the tube to save a hair of space.  

Here is the collar of the new focuser after carefully filing half a millimeter off the diameter of the flange.  It is now ready to be installed into the tube.

The new focuser now installed on the new telescope.  Note the dual knobs on the right side of the focuser.  The black knob moves the focuser ten times more slowly than the inside silver knob.  This allows for fine adjustment of the focus.

The telescope, as pictured here, is configured for solar viewing.  This 90° diagonal, in the photo below, is a Meade Hershel Wedge which allows for safe viewing and imaging of the sun.  This type of diagonal is about three times heavier than a normal diagonal but the new focuser seems to be holding it just fine.  

While I was viewing and imaging the sun this last time out, I noticed that my mount had a little bit of play in the Right Ascension axis.  In the following days, I figured out how to adjust this mount to remove any play in either axis.  I have a fairly close working relationship with one of the lead engineers for this particular telescope company so I had good advice readily available.  My adjustment still isn't perfect because I could use some practice in how to do this effectively (it is slightly too tight now) but it is far better than it was on this day. 

I'm looking forward to some clear skies with good visibility!  (Oh...  and good health to coincide with a rarity such as good visibility!)