Hilkin telescope t-705

[ballisticbrian]

Is that HM.25mm lens that I have , what you mean by low magnification? Unfortunately I couldn't see M81 or 82 but I was on the floor on uneven concrete and I only tried for 10mins. (don't have a diagonal lens) I could see a very bright Uranus though and a rather dim Mars near to eachother (if indeed it was Mars). It's a shame that the conditions looked excellent but my inexperience at looking for things or working the telescope meant I spent most of the time dashing in and out to look at a planetarium online. Seeing something as bright as Uranus was quite interesting though. I might try extending the legs as they are intended on the tripod next time.

Edited February 25, 2019 by ballisticbrian

[John]

Yes, the longer the focal length of the eyepiece (25mm in this case) the lower the magnification you will get. Mars is a lot brighter than Uranus.

 

[ballisticbrian]

Hi there, it's a long time since I posted this thread. I want to get some goodish eyepieces so my kids can use this Hilkin telescope when old enough, so I found a 10mm eye piece and the prism 90 degree thing on a well know auction site , perfect , however, I realise before I bid on there these that I have aren't 1.25 inch pieces. Can anyone explain what I have in beginners language, here's the pictures with micrometre, and what is the black offset piece I wonder? As before you people are great and I appreciate your help?  So I need to know what is is I have here, these adapters and pieces and am I right to look for a 10mm eyepiece or something more extravagant like a 2 incher? And what is the actual size eye piece I have, it looks just under an inch? SO here you can see me measuring the eyepiece itself in pic 3 and in the first picture I attempt to measure the inside diameter of a sort of adapter (but it may not be an adapter and simply part of the telescope?)

Edited March 6, 2021 by ballisticbrian
spelling

[Roy Challen]

I initially thought that this scope would have had 0.965in eyepieces. But looking at your vernier caliper measurements, it appears to be 1.25 in. Assuming that you have bought 1.25in bits from ebay, then you should be fine. 2in eyepieces won't fit.

The diagonal/prism goes into the focuser drawtube, the eyepiece goes into the diagonal. It seems that the diagonal is just a push fit into the drawtube. Is there a little screw that holds in - can't see one from your pics.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, the offset eyepiece is a prism that allows daytime use on terrestrial objects. 

[Tiny Clanger]

Here's a low tech way to check : if you happen to have any old 35mm plastic film pots around, one will fit easily inside a 1.25" eyepiece tube .

Heather

[ballisticbrian]

So just to clarify, my gauge shows 10 scorelines at the top of the gauge and the first line from the left is the mark. It does appear to me to be just under an inch? Or am I using the gauhe wrongly on the shaft of the eyepiece? Haven't bought what I was looking for yet, nor have a camra roll tube.

[Roy Challen]

You're using the gauge incorrectly. The mark isn't the one on the left, it's the one that most closely lines up with a mark on the 'ruler' part of the vernier. In this case it lines up with the mark that corresponds to 1 and a 1/4 inches.

[ballisticbrian]

OK I may be using it slightly incorrectly, but surely you first read the whole parts of an inch which I think is 15/16ths, and then the fraction part as you mention which is an additional 5 fractions of a  16th of an inch?

Edited March 6, 2021 by ballisticbrian
slight cock up

[Roy Challen]

Oops! You are correct, I managed to confuse myself - should never mix imperial and metric measurements...and I'm definitely metric.

So you do have 0.965 eyepieces, in which case you'll need to buy an adapter if you want to use 1.25, easily available and not too expensive.

Edited March 6, 2021 by Roy Challen

[Oldfort]

3 minutes ago, Roy Challen said:

Oops! You are correct, I managed to confuse myself - should never mix imperial and metric measurements...and I'm definitely metric.

So you 0.965 eyepieces, in which case you'll need to buy an adapter if you want to use 1.25, easily available and not too expensive.

I'd agree with the eyepiece being 0.965".  I have one just like it.

 

Aren't the adapters usually to enable 0.965" eyepieces to be used in 1.25" tubes/diagonals and not the other way round? 

[ballisticbrian]

Arrr, that would be a problem!!! What would happen? I wonder has anyone tried this? 😮

[Roy Challen]

Not the greatest link, but this will do the job. I used one like it before changing the focuser on my Skylight telescope to a more modern 1.25in type.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-965-to-1-25-telescope-eyepiece-adapter-Metal-Brass-compression-ring/233440072260?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20180213162448%26meid%3D878bdea3680e4f5fabaa1de0c7d63a69%26pid%3D100930%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D332994030128%26itm%3D233440072260%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2332490%26algv%3DDefaultOrganic%26brand%3DUnbranded&_trksid=p2332490.c100930.m5375

Edited March 6, 2021 by Roy Challen

[Oldfort]

I also found this, but note the comment about focus

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p283_TS-Optics-Adaptor-for-1-25--eyepieces-to-24-5-mm---0-965--focuser.html

[ballisticbrian]

OK, so I assume it does work ok then, I'm due to bid soon on some 1.25" bits. Link to a 1982 pop video for OLDFORT containing a very similar if not the same telescope and tripod as this , time stamp 2:03

 

[Oldfort]

And ENS have some (used) 0.965" eyepieces

https://ensoptical.co.uk/index.php?route=product/search&search=.965

Edited March 6, 2021 by Oldfort

[ballisticbrian]

The reason I would buy an adapter and all the eye pieces in 1.25" is because I have every hope to get into it, and then the eye pieces would be useful on another setup. I'm doing this for the children though, I am slightly night blind and wear glasses. So far, all I have really seen is the moon. I'll probably need to upgrade my barlow lense too I guess. Maybe I should really be looking for  whole new telescope, but if I can get this going cheaply that would be ok. Does adding 90 degree prisms add to this lengnth / focus issue as described about the 30mm 1.25" adapter?

[ballisticbrian]

The reason I would buy an adapter and all the eye pieces in 1.25" is because I have every hope to get into it, and then the eye pieces would be useful on another setup. I'm doing this for the children though, I am slightly night blind and wear glasses. So far, all I have really seen is the moon. I'll probably need to upgrade my barlow lense too I guess. Maybe I should really be looking for  whole new telescope, but if I can get this going cheaply that would be ok. Does adding 90 degree prisms add to this lengnth / focus issue as described about the 30mm 1.25" adapter?

 

 

Also, I've now looked at the descriptions of the converters in the link above - ens optical and it appears they are for using 0.965 eye pieces and not the other way round.

[ballisticbrian]

Someone has a similar telescope possibly a few models down right now on eBay and it doesn't look like it has been stored in a dry place and it has a bid for 49.99 on it and 10 quid postage. I'm suprised how saleable such an old scope is worth to be honest!!!

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Wooden-Tripod-Hilkin-T-504-Telescope/284197765599?

Edited March 7, 2021 by ballisticbrian
add link

[ballisticbrian]

Hey, I have the chance of getting some 0.965 pieces cheaply  for this scope. Shall I go for that or was the idea of getting a 1.25 converter and some 1.25 eyepieces a good upgrade option. (bearing in mind I may sell all this and go for a new refractor?)

[RT65CB-SWL]

32 minutes ago, ballisticbrian said:

Hey, I have the chance of getting some 0.965 pieces cheaply  for this scope. Shall I go for that or was the idea of getting a 1.25 converter and some 1.25 eyepieces a good upgrade option. (bearing in mind I may sell all this and go for a new refractor?)

I would be tempted and get the 0.965"-1.25" adapter. Then when you have a few 1.25" e/p's, (if you decide sell the 'scope at a later date), keep the 1.25" e/p's for the 'new' 'scope.
When I used to own a Prinz Astral 550, the only 0.965" e/p that I found that was any good, was the one as shown in the image below... it is a 6mm Orthoscopic or Ortho next to my 1.25"-0.965" adapter.

 

These... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces.html would be an improvement on what you already have, or if you are on a budget, maybe these... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-eyepieces/vixen-npl-eyepieces.html

[ballisticbrian]

I liked your reply but I did the exact opposite oooops 😕

I figured that as Ive seen one of these sell for 60 or 70 pounds and it was in poor condition, that it might be worth me getting all the original parts to go with this one so when I sell it on, it's complete.

 

I bought, all in 0.96, the prism 90 degree thing, 3 eye pieces and a 3x bartholemu. And judging by the scope he was selling on it's own, I hink that these items are as near goddamit as the originals that came with this telescope. 

 

Hopefully you can see my logic, can't wait to get this fired up with its vintage parts and see what we can see.

[Crispin62]

I have had a T 705 from my grandfather in my possession for about 40 years. Used it a lot and all in good condition - but just starting to look at coupling my Canon R6 to it (last used for astro photography in film days with mixed results). Will let you know how I get on! 25mm is a good eyepiece. Have 6mm and 10mm but always defer to 25...