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Foreign astro gear


Tweedledee

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1 hour ago, Smithysteve said:

Does it have ‘dark invader’ on the eyepiece Pete?

I take it you're referring to the Erfle eyepiece on a Dark Invader Nitemare gen 3 image intensifier. Apparently a few people use these for eaa. I'd love one but they are illegal in the UK.

This, along with the $3000 Collins i cubed electro eyepiece are things I have thought about smuggling back in a suitcase from the USA. :ph34r:

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Going a bit off topic, it looks a bit like the Edmund RKE.

I think they (used to do) a 32mm widefield which compared well with the 31 Nagler.

Is yours a 2" barrel ?  What is the quoted fov  ?

 

I have long coveted a pair of Edmund 28s to try out in the binoviewer, and they have a cult following.

They look very striking in the Mk V in this SGL thread.

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/233141-anybody-else-use-edmund-rkes/

 

 

 

 

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56 minutes ago, Bino-viewer said:

Going a bit off topic, it looks a bit like the Edmund RKE.

I think they (used to do) a 32mm widefield which compared well with the 31 Nagler.

Is yours a 2" barrel ?  What is the quoted fov  ?

 

I have long coveted a pair of Edmund 28s to try out in the binoviewer, and they have a cult following.

They look very striking in the Mk V in this SGL thread.

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/233141-anybody-else-use-edmund-rkes/

 

 

 

 

Mine is the 2" with a 70 degree FOV Rob.

 

I bought the Edmund RKE 28mm because of its cult following, and I woudn't want to part with it because it is so weird. The RKE (officially Rank Kaspereit Erfle) has a large 24.5mm of eye relief, and when you get your eye in the correct position, which is not difficult, the image seems to float in mid air, partly due to the top of the eyepiece case design which disappears completely in the dark leaving the floating image of the stars. It really is weird, like you're looking through some sort of magic Harry Potter type telescope. :)

 

Buy a pair from here Rob, brand new...

https://www.edmundoptics.co.uk/microscopy/eyepieces/28mm-efl-mounted-rke-precision-eyepiece/

 

Edmund also supply a crappy rubber eyeguard that you have to hold in place, which totally destroys the floating view and turns the RKE into just an ordinary eyepiece.

 

The UO Erfle is a bit similar looking and has even more eye relief at 28mm. It would be nice if it also provided the the floating effect...

 

20180318_220642s.jpg?raw=1

Edited by Tweedledee
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Thank you for that Pete, and thankyou for the link.

I think i'm going to order a pair of 28s in the near future.

Its been a long time since i had any new eyepieces ; i think i'm happy with what i have.

I thought about Docter 12.5s once or twice but they are too big and expensive.

11 mm Naglers are another possibility, but i rarely get the seeing to support that high a power.

The pricing of the Edmunds though is attractive enough for me to take the plunge.

 

 

That UO is a big bit of glass indeed.

Is it true they are better suited to slower telescopes ie F/6 and above ?

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9 hours ago, Bino-viewer said:

That UO is a big bit of glass indeed.

Is it true they are better suited to slower telescopes ie F/6 and above ?

Yes, I'm looking round for something secondhand about F7 or 8. In the meantime I should be able to borrow a 120mm F9. :)

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