AAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhh!!!!!

[stardad]

Its dark and I'm getting set up for the moon tonight with three excited children around to see what it looks like. So far the Red dot finder has packed up and now I've just dropped both my 15mm Plossl and 10mm onto the concrete floor....

How well do lenses bounce?

Looks like moon watch will be with the 20mm that came with the scope.

[Helen]

Lens bounce surprisingly well...although its not to be recommended!

Have fun - and don't forget to let the kids take control and surf too

Helen

[stardad]

Well, I've got set up and tried to find the moon and all I can get is a bright blob or a very big moon with no details. Looks like my two new Plossl's didn't bounce too well....

Children are happy bouncing on there trampoline using a cheap NG telescope and looking at the moon.

Maybe they should try with the big scope on there own. There sitting down for hot chocolate and marshmallow's now!

[Bart]

Funnily enough, i was showing my mother and father the moon and Saturn last night and when i was packing things up, the Barlow and 15mm plossl fell onto the patio as well. They look ok but will need to check them out next time out. Must be more careful, hope yours survive, you deserve it for chancing all the kit with the kids!

Bart

[stardad]

Cheers Bart. Bought the kit for the children....... just I do all the set up...

[The Bat]

I dropped my £99 Plossl on the ground when it was fairly new . Luckily it landed on the rubber cap, so survived with just a bit of a split in the rubber.

I also dropped my 6 week old imaging camera on the same patio some time later . Again, I got away with it. The nose piece needed replacing, but was a lot cheaper than a new camera!

I sometimes think I am too clumsy to be let loose on all this expensive kit!

Rachel

[dweebostar]

hi, why not get a square of carpet, cut three holes for the feet , to stop vibration, then a soft landing for dropped kit. i use carpet at starcamps to cover leads from the awning to the scope, they work., but the best is in the obs, a rubber squre round the pier.

cheers steve

[umadog]

Once I dropped a 16 mm Meade smoothie onto a boulder from first floor window. Casing was dented but optically it was fine. Used it for years until I bought a 19 Pan and donated the smoothie to my nephew.

[stolenfeather]

You should all have a great time viewing the moon tonight. As for lenses bouncing,... I never broke my lenses that way. However, last month I picked one up that had NEVER fallen (and this I know for sure) and it was,... CRACKED!

Great,.. now my lenses are plotting against me!

Isabelle

[stardad]

So I've played now with my 20, 15 and 10mm plossl's. I can get a good image with the 20mm that didn't drop on the floor but my 15 and 10mm seem not to allow me to focus in on the image (moon.)

The image seems fuzzy as I move the focuser in and out. There's no signs of any cracks in the lenses when on the scope.

Have I bust them?

If I have then its only £60 worth of lenses down the drain ....

[Helen]

I'd try them in daylight James....

Helen

[Capricorn]

Give them a gentle shake. If they rattle then something has moved.

Alternatively a lens has moved and is now at an angle and so giving a poor image. Slightly odd if it has occured to both.

Are they both plossl's and what brand?

[mikeknowle]

All these lens-based gravity experiments!

[stardad]

Both Omni plossl's by Celestron. Just bought them and both with still in the packet.

[astroimpulse]

It sounds like the kids are having an awesome time though

Unlucky on the lenses. Maybe the ring screw (if they have them) has come loose and you can tighten them back up. Hopefully it's not the end of them.

[rowan46]

I have to say for this particular application I recommend 4mm kellner eyepieces these bounce surprisingly well, in fact so well we use them to play football. It does no harm they are still rubbish to look through after.

[mikeknowle]

4mm kellner eyepieces these bounce surprisingly well, in fact so well we use them to play football. It does no harm they are still rubbish to look through after.

Oh that is soooo funny.....

2 mins later......still grinning