What detail could I expect to see with this telescope?

[choochoo_baloo]

Dear all,

I should hopefully have access to one of the telescopes at my University at some point in the New Year - which would be brilliant!

It is a 12" aperture refractor, of focal length 19' 6". On a 10mm eyepiece, one would get about 600x magnification. But I have no idea what sort of planetary detail etc. I could see with this?

Thanks,

Matthew

[ronin]

The Northumberland. :eek:

Unfortunately not that good a result from it, should be better then it is. :huh:

Can you get time on the 36" ?

[Peter Drew]

What's wrong with the Nortumberland?, I thought Jim Hysom had made a new objective for it. 

[choochoo_baloo]

Apparently one of the physicists at the Cavendish (or maybe the IoA), designed the replacement a decade or more ago, though I may be wrong about that? Yes I was referring to Northumberland!! I'm assuming that you are both local to Cambridge from the ways you are both talking? Are either of you connected to the university - I am an undergraduate there?

[itmo]

I was going to tell you that if it's a 12" its a reflector not a refractor. Then my jaw dropped. 

[dweller25]

Matthew - Just use it :laugh:

[Peter Drew]

As far as I recall, Roderick Willstrop designed the new objective and Jim Hysom produced it. The original objective suffered from devitrication of the front element and there wasn't enough glass thickness for a regrind within spec. I also have a feeling that the new objective is a triplet.