Re: Why Refractors are Better!

"William McHale" <mchale@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Tlqbe.9$xw6.304@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> David Nakamoto <res07oeg@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> "William McHale" <mchale@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:r7cbe.27$pr5.2490@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> David Nakamoto <res07oeg@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

[snip!]

>> For instance, when Jeff used to mount his 11 inch refractor on a German
>> equatorial mount, I looked through it when it was pointing straight at the
>> Zenith. As I laid on the ground with just enough clearance to insert my head
>> between the eyepiece and the ground, it occurred to me that if the telescope
>> came off that mount I wouldn't even have time to be surprised before The Real
>> Darkness enfolded me.
>
> Well look at the dark side, you might actually survive the experience and just
> be permanently crippled :).

I W A S trying to be optimistic ! ^_^

[snip!]

> Actually I have been pondering all of this myself for some time. I have a
> hunch that we are going to start seeing alot more Dobs that are not built
> as straight Newtonians (at least in the larger sizes). Folded Newtonians and
> Coude Cassegrain configurations will still allow the aperature without forcing
> one to place one's neck at risk to observe. Of course to get reasonably
> large fields with Cassegrain, you would probably need to integrate a
> telecompressor into the focuser :).

There was that Mersene (spelling?) design that appeared in Sky and Telescope a
year or so back. Combination of reflector and refractor. Reflector part was
the light gathering part, two mirrors so designed to produce a light beam where
the rays are parallel to each other, so that it can be directed down to two
mirrors other mirrors that fold it to the side and direct it into a refractor
that does the image producing and magnification. The advantage is that the
refractor can be set fixed to the mount, so the eyepiece never moves around like
every other design. Comfortable seating no matter where the telescope is
pointed. It had other advantages also.

[snip!]

--- Dave
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pinprick holes in a colorless sky
Let inspired figures of light pass by
The Mighty Light of ten thousand suns
Challenges infinity, and is soon gone

david.nakamoto@xxxxxxxxxxx


.

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