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Baader Coolwedge - shortening the light path


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Having just read the Baader CoolWedge manual, I though I would have a dig through my spare parts box and see if I could convert it to take T2 fittings. The main benefit would be to allow me to use my Vixen FL102S with it, which doesn’t have enough inwards focus.

I managed to find a few adaptors which got me there, so I now easily convert it don the Baader 2” Clicklock to either a 1.25” Clicklock, or take the Leica Zoom or Binoviewer directly connected.

Not totally sure this will get me to focus but it’s worth a go. If not then I think there is a different adaptor which will gain me the distance of the exposed thread in the first image.

https://agenaastro.com/downloads/manuals/baader-herschel-prism-manual.pdf

 

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Nice job Stu. Do you know what the adapter is that you’ve used in the second picture?
I tend to insert a 1.25” clicklock into the 2” clicklock if I’m using 1.25” eyepieces, but it’s a long light path. I mostly use:   
BV - GPC - T2 spacers - Barcon barlow element - 2” clicklock…….   
…. which is a format I think you’ve used often in the past. Like the idea of a T2 connection on the wedge itself though. 

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7 hours ago, Highburymark said:

Nice job Stu. Do you know what the adapter is that you’ve used in the second picture?

Ok - dim question - just 2” to T2. 
Always interested in your white light reports Stu so do report back if you get the wedge working with your Vixen 

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19 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

Ok - dim question - just 2” to T2. 
Always interested in your white light reports Stu so do report back if you get the wedge working with your Vixen 

I think that is the simple way yes, but I didn’t have one of those so had to use a couple to get to the same result. I’ll take it apart tomorrow to show them.

Baader suggest this part:

https://www.baader-planetarium.com/en/baader-adapter-2"-(male)--t-2-(male).html

7 hours ago, Highburymark said:

I mostly use:   
BV - GPC - T2 spacers - Barcon barlow element - 2” clicklock…….   
…. which is a format I think you’ve used often in the past

Yes, that’s the crazy solution I arrived at after much experimenting and the one I still use 🤪. It does work beautifully though!

I’ll let you know how I get on with the Vixen. I’m thinking that with the longer focal length and maybe a x2.6 GPC I may still get to high enough mags, but I will just have to see if it comes to focus first.

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Success!

Unexpected sunshine at lunchtime so I popped the Vixen out on the AZ75 and had a go. The Leica Zoom focused with no problems, giving roughly x50 to x100, very useful mag range.

Initially the Binoviewer would not come to focus, so I swapped the x1.7 GPC for a x2.6 and hey presto, it came to focus with a little bit of travel to spare, maybe 5mm or so but enough to be comfortable. This gives x93, again quite enough for many days, though higher power would be useful too but I don’t see an option for that apart from different eyepieces. Given that the Tak is more than capable of does this, I won’t bother but it’s nice to be able to use the Vixen every now and then for a change.

The seeing at lunchtime wasn’t amazing so I need to wait for things to settle down for better views, but it looked promising.

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