Hello,
Decsdes ago I used a handheld 4.25 RFT reflector from ANRA,
very extensively, using a 28mm Kellner that gave 19x. This was great
for sky sweeping, and I could find some objects, like the Auriga
clusters, but in general it was hard to aim it so as to find a
specific object. The use of a small RFT this way is not new: Clyde
Tombaugh used a 5" and Roger Tuthill used a 4.25" in this way, as
reported by them in Sky & Telescope. I sit in an upright sturdy canvas
chair that I got for $29 at my local Pep Boys auto supply store.
Recently i got the idea from Ron Raveneburg of using a green laser
finder to find specific objects with this kind of telescope, and to
use a Vixen LVW eyepiece to get low magnification and plenty of eye
relief so I could keep my glasses on, a big plus with hand held
observing. I therefore acquired a 22mm Vixen LVW eyepiece, which gives
a three degree field at 21x and a 5mm exit pupil, which is appropriate
for city observing. Iamge quality is excellent all across the field; I
could see no field curvature or astigmatism.
I can now report that this observing system works very well
indeed. Specific objects are easily found this way. There is less
shake in the image than with 10x binoculars, in my experience. The 4.5
inches of aperture is enough to give some very pleasant views, even in
the city. One project I have in mind is to observe binocular double
stars. The best source for wide or binocular double stars I have
found is Brian Skiff's Bright Star Atlas, which provides such a list
for each constellation. I use S&T Pocket Star Atlas to find cluster
and asterisms. .
I highly recommend this combination of telescope, chair,
eyepiece, and atlases to other observers, urban and rural, who have
rich field observing interests.
Bill Meyers
Decsdes ago I used a handheld 4.25 RFT reflector from ANRA,
very extensively, using a 28mm Kellner that gave 19x. This was great
for sky sweeping, and I could find some objects, like the Auriga
clusters, but in general it was hard to aim it so as to find a
specific object. The use of a small RFT this way is not new: Clyde
Tombaugh used a 5" and Roger Tuthill used a 4.25" in this way, as
reported by them in Sky & Telescope. I sit in an upright sturdy canvas
chair that I got for $29 at my local Pep Boys auto supply store.
Recently i got the idea from Ron Raveneburg of using a green laser
finder to find specific objects with this kind of telescope, and to
use a Vixen LVW eyepiece to get low magnification and plenty of eye
relief so I could keep my glasses on, a big plus with hand held
observing. I therefore acquired a 22mm Vixen LVW eyepiece, which gives
a three degree field at 21x and a 5mm exit pupil, which is appropriate
for city observing. Iamge quality is excellent all across the field; I
could see no field curvature or astigmatism.
I can now report that this observing system works very well
indeed. Specific objects are easily found this way. There is less
shake in the image than with 10x binoculars, in my experience. The 4.5
inches of aperture is enough to give some very pleasant views, even in
the city. One project I have in mind is to observe binocular double
stars. The best source for wide or binocular double stars I have
found is Brian Skiff's Bright Star Atlas, which provides such a list
for each constellation. I use S&T Pocket Star Atlas to find cluster
and asterisms. .
I highly recommend this combination of telescope, chair,
eyepiece, and atlases to other observers, urban and rural, who have
rich field observing interests.
Bill Meyers
