Crazy Idea, but it Might Work!

[Subdeo]

Hello all, 

   The ISS is set to transit the sun on Tuesday, and I am torn between observation and photography . However, I thought of a solution. I considered it, and drew a blueprint which I attached below: 

Sorry, It looks like something a five year old drew!

I did some research, and I found that someone already beat me to the idea. However, these lenses are a bit above my budget at the moment. So, now I come to the point; Does this plan seem feasible for an amateur to build? Will it operate as expected? I plan to try to buy some  small mirrors at a hobby store and carefully position and glue them in some PVC fittings we have lying around. While I might eventually turn it into a bino lens, I think that for now, I will just position the lenses on opposing sides, like a "T". This way, the camera and I will not be competing for room. Thanks in advance!

    Subdeo

 

[Ruud]

O, I'm sorry, but I don't think this will work because the whole thing is too close to the objective's focal plane. The image is already nearly formed when it gets split, so one eye receives mostly light from one side of the image, and the other eye mostly from the other side of the image.

I hope I'm wrong though!

[Louis D]

There was a discussion on Sky at Night Magazine about using a binoviewer for this purpose.

The optical configuration you've drawn is very similar to the new TS-Optics Binoviewer 1.0 magnification zero optical path and erect image binoviewer except that I believe it uses a relay lens ahead of the prism.  I saw the diagram for it on CN, IIRC, but now I can't find it.

The configuration is similar to a night vision binoviewer:

[Subdeo]

7 hours ago, Ruud said:

O, I'm sorry, but I don't think this will work because the whole thing is too close to the objective's focal plane. The image is already nearly formed when it gets split, so one eye receives mostly light from one side of the image, and the other eye mostly from the other side of the image.

I hope I'm wrong though!

I see what you mean....

    What if I used a beam splitter to send half the light one way and the other half the other way? I think that this would eliminate the problem of a half image on each side, no?

 

[Subdeo]

4 hours ago, Louis D said:

There was a discussion on Sky at Night Magazine about using a binoviewer for this purpose.

The optical configuration you've drawn is very similar to the new TS-Optics Binoviewer 1.0 magnification zero optical path and erect image binoviewer except that I believe it uses a relay lens ahead of the prism.  I saw the diagram for it on CN, IIRC, but now I can't find it.

The configuration is similar to a night vision binoviewer:

Thanks, that was a helpful diagram and information!