Telrad Hack Attack!

[Sunshine]

Recently I bought an optical finder for my scope which then allowed me to remove the hulking Telrad from my small refractor. having some spare time today I decided to experiment and shorten my Telrad by quite a bit, I even moved the reticle 3/4 of an inch forward towards the mirror which allowed for an even shorter unit. Replacing the AA batteries is one CR2032 3V battery which works just fine but was just temporarily used as I need a holder for such battery which is on its way, small enough to fit into the half inch space I left for it behind the reticle. Here is where my conundrum lies, as I move the reticle closer to the mirror the projected circles begin to split. This is not a big deal because I actually applied tape over the two outer rings as I have no use for them and only want the innermost circle ⭕️. 
 

What causes the circles to split as the reticle gets closer to the mirror? I have tried shifting the reticle angle, mirror angle but it remains the same, I suspect it is the lens which is causing this but,  I’m not sure if there is a remedy, anyway, I don’t  care  if the inner circle is actually two rings intertwined because I will use the oblong space between them as the target space.  So far it has been tested but just need the battery holder, you may be wondering about the base, I have never used a Telrad base but always used a small piece of double sided tape at bottom corners of Telrad which adhere to scope rings. It always seemed pointless to adhere a total of 12 inches of tape as those bases use to any scope, try and remove that base later wi to put leaving marks all over the scope. It now measures 4-3/4 inches exactly. This is still a bulky finder compared to most other thin, streamlined reticle finders but, it is far less imposing if I use it on my 102, enough so that I may avoid getting beat up at a star party if I ever mount it on my refractor again lol. 

Now it’s actually cute! like a iddy bitty wee baby Telrad lol

 

Edited June 6, 2021 by Sunshine

[Stu]

Looks fun.

A few others have done this previously, but without moving the reticle. I like the three rings on the Telrad so would want to keep these.

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/53099-i-cut-my-telrad-in-half/
 

I guess the length is so that it is easier to stick on straight and aligned with the scope, but this should be quite possible with the shortened versions. Would be good if they made one.

[tomato]

Interesting mod and intriguing post title. I had visions you had somehow used software to integrate your Telrad to the scope which had then come under cyberattack, lol.

[Pixies]

5 hours ago, tomato said:

Interesting mod and intriguing post title. I had visions you had somehow used software to integrate your Telrad to the scope which had then come under cyberattack, lol.

The modern term 'hack' was first seen in an MIT list of tech terms in 1959:

 

As an aside. A breed of horse used for pulling was bred in Hackney, London - known as a 'hack'. The first 'taxis' were hack-drawn carriages (Hackney carriage). The term 'hack' was used for the driver and became synonymous with someone doing work for hire (hack journalist, etc.)

[Zermelo]

17 minutes ago, Pixies said:

software to integrate your Telrad to the scope which had then come under cyberattack

Now that would be a niche activity.

Iranian enrichment facilities, Texas oil pipelines, the CIA's UFO archives ...?  no, we want to point your telescope at Regulus when you thought you were aiming for Bellatrix !

 

btw, I'm fascinated by the third usage of "hack" given above - "an entropy booster".
Where does that come from? 

[Pixies]

I'd like to point out that  when I quotes:

 

in no way was I referring to the OP's very cool project as 1 or 2 above.

My great-grandfather became a very rich man, running a horse-drawn Hackney carriage company in London at the end of the 19th centrury. However, he managed to drink his fortune away. My grandfather never drank and my dad rarely! I can't say the same - but haven't lost a fortune, either (never having one).

[Sunshine]

54 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

Now that would be a niche activity.

Iranian enrichment facilities, Texas oil pipelines, the CIA's UFO archives ...?  no, we want to point your telescope at Regulus when you thought you were aiming for Bellatrix !

 

btw, I'm fascinated by the third usage of "hack" given above - "an entropy booster".
Where does that come from? 

It seems I forgot that most SGL users may not know what I meant by the word “hack” which is used a lot here mainly by the younger crowd to describe something that has been modified or somehow changed in order to get the job done even though said item may not have been designed for that purpose. 

Edited June 6, 2021 by Sunshine