Splitting the View - Is This Possible?

[russellhq]

I'm just wondering if it's possible to split the view that comes out the telescope to allow you to use 2 eye pieces? And what you would call such a device

[Stephen]

Yes, the item in question is called a binoviewer

[Helen]

..unless you want to use two different eyepieces in which case you need either an eyepiece turret (which rotates to put each eyepice in the light path for use), a beam splitter (which splits the light so half goes one way and half another), or a flip mirror (where you flip the mirror up or down depending on which eyepiece you want to use).

Helen

[acey]

You can also split the view of a refractor by cutting the objective lens in half and moving the two halves with respect to each other, giving two views in one eyepiece. It's called a heliometer and was formerly used by professional astronomers for making fine measurements.

Heliometer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But what you're really asking about is a binoviewer.

[russellhq]

Thanks both of you. Was thinking about this for guiding; instead of getting a finder scope. Not sure now as price is quite high.

[Merlin66]

Miscellaneous

You can get a 1.25" Beamsplitter from Alan at Skies the limit for about 45gbp.