Well on this rainy day I have decided to make one of these . A buddy and I found this website and decided to go for it. It should cost us no more than about $500 when all is said and done.
Now I am not going to make the mirrors or lenses. I found a place in where I can get those. But the device itself we will make.
My question is this:** Does anyone know how far approximately, I will be able to see?**
I have the perfect high porch for this, with little to no unnatural light to block the stars, and when it is cold and crisp outside with no clouds the Milkyway looks absolutely fabulous. !!
Assuming the optics are of good quality, you should have good views of Jupiter and Saturn. (and of course the moon, tho you will probably need a filter because it will be so bright). You should be able to spot many moons of both.
You should see the easy Messier(sp?) objects (nebulae, glaxies)and probably the harder ones.
I’m extrapolating from what I can see with my 8-inch with low (but not as low as you) light pollution (I’m jealous!)
I think as long as you build it well and have good quality optics, you should be very happy with it. Keep us posted. I’d like to attempt something like that one day, too.
According to this thread http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=139539
you can see the Magellanic Clouds (about 200,000 lightyears away) and Andromeda (2.2 milliion ly) with the naked eye. You should be able to do better with your scope - the page didn’t show so I don’t know the specs.
Is that really the question that you want to ask? The issue of “how far you can see” only comes into play when you’re viewing galaxies, and galaxies will occupy only a tiny fraction of your observing time. You can’t see that many galaxies with a small telescope, and the ones that you can’t see aren’t all that spectacular (think “tiny fuzzy blob”).
For the record, though, I believe that the most distant galaxy you can see in a typical small telescope is M81, which is about 12 million light years away.
URGHH!! I meant astRonomer!!
Sorry for the fifth grade spelling error.
I got most of the wood for the scope today and many of the parts I am going to have to fabricate here in my garage. I also priced the 14.5 inch mirror and lens I am going to need.
$175 a piece :eek:
Well this will be fun. I’ll keep eveyone posted when its done I’ll post the pics!!
$175 a piece :eek: