Astronomy idea(s)

[kellys_eye]

Over recent years I've had less opportunity, or inclination, to set up my telescope(s) to view and/or photograph the night skies. This is probably due to the various advances in viewing technology that tends to leave one 're-inventing the wheel' when it comes to viewing or photographing night sky objects.

Instead I now find myself lowing my requirements to the (to me) much more enjoyable practise of simple 'sky watching' - either #1 eyeball or using simple binoculars and the binocular issue raised a couple of thoughts on the subject.

Apart from having to re-align the prisms in my 10x50's I'm starting on a project to make a binocular chair to mount my 20x90's - the idea is to make the chair fully rotatable and reclining (fully powered) to give zenith-to-horizon and 360-degree coverage in as comfortable manner as possible. But then I considered what I'd really LIKE to have......

I'd love to implement a thru-bino (similar to 'heads-up') adapter that allowed a full image-matched overlay to the actual view - with a slider that affected a gradual-to-total overlay of current star map details, arrows to direct movement to celestial objects, RA/DEC display etc. In this way you could watch the actual skies and, where you had a particular interest, 'slide-up' the resolution to reveal deep skies detail, graphical overlays and (maybe) a zoom facility.

Matched with GPS location and multi-axis position sensing I reckon this could offer a fully immersive experience to the viewer.

I know you can get iPhone-like apps that offer a similar sky-view experience but the idea is to have a REAL view (thru-bino) that is augmented by the add-on. Much like a VR display but with the transparency they don't offer.

Current thoughts wander around how to implement such a system but I have to acknowledge that the practicalities are beyond my current capabilities. If you have any suggestions on how this may be achieved then feel free to chime in.

Note that this is only a THOUGHT exercise so extrapolation is perfectly acceptable! If other site visitors wish to progress the idea to a solution can I ask to be a Beta tester!

 

[bushtech]

An old school barbers chair could provide a good base to work from. Motorising the swivel should'nt be too difficult

 

[kellys_eye]

Straight up, the most difficult part for me actually IS the chair! I could build one from scratch (not very good prospect) or use something ex-industry. Either way I need one that will survive our damp atmosphere so my initial thoughts were along the lines of hardwood frame with removable cushioning.

A dentist-type chair would be a great place to start though - although not very common and certaily not cheap!

 

[bushtech]

Now just thinking aloud: Those fancy motorised telescopes that can track a celestial object, mount that fixed (unswivelling) to the chair and divert the drive mechanism signals from the telescope to the motor that drives the chair

 

[kellys_eye]

Guided mounts - got one. Think more along the Dobsonian drive mechanism rather than the polar-aligned version (equatorial).

Given the low(ish) drive accuracy required for wide field binoculars (low magnification) then the X-Y axis drive for any bino chair is pretty simple to implement.

The 'difficulty' would be in accurate tracking of the binos in multiple axes to derive the overlay image position for any heads-up type display. Although this could be derived from the chair drive I reckon it would be much easier to take straight from a MEMS device mounted on the bino's themselves.

If the position was taken from MEMS then the chair need not have any drive mechanism at all - scoot it around with your feet and let the MEMS/GPS/Compass deliver the data needed!

But I like the idea of a 'driven' chair anyway

 

[kellys_eye]

Here's a 'wacky' angle:

Use two hi-res Android tablets (1920x1080) and arrange as a binocular-like shape.

Use a digital camera to allow recording of the 360 degree LOCAL environment to develop the 'horizon' to be overlaid onto any star map that can be generated and displayed on the tablets.

Mount the bino's (with cameras fitted) to give yet another image that can be overlaid or faded in/out of the HD display.

Generate a 3D effect so you can not only - for example - see a live image of Jupiter (from the bino's/cameras) but then fade into the starmap-generated view and zoom right in to the planet as if you're travelling there at high speed! I know the likes of Stellarium can give images of Jupiter with the moons positioned correctly in real time.

Hmmmm....

 

[bushtech]

That certainly would be something!

But just taking a step back:
West Coast Scotland. Hmmmmm. Brrrr.

How about taking an IP enabled security camera with appropriate lens and mounting that to the back of the smart telescope. If you can then get the telescope's controller to operate from a distance you can move inside while the telescope stays outside and watch the telescope's view on your big screen TV while reclining in your favourite TV chair supping a wee drappie o Sco'land's finest single malt.

My kinda living

 

[kellys_eye]

Yeah, it's often cold here and even more often damp BUT when the clouds roll back and the weather is calm the night skies where I live are stupendous - full MW visibility within minutes of stepping outdoors - no street lighting, no neighbor lights, no town lights - a true 'dark sky' phenomena which isn't easy to come by in the UK.

You literally cannot see your hand in front of your face when its dark and the clouds cover the skies but when it's clear it's breath-taking. An astronomers perfection for location - not a view we knew about when we first moved here, just an incredible bonus!

 

[bushtech]

Special place you have, as you say not easy to come by, anywhere

 

[Bluejets]

Have in recent years been doing maintenance/repairs in aged care facilities.
Noticed lately how many of the "recliner" style chairs are simply dumped instead of carrying out any repairs.
Seems like parts suppliers charge an arm and a leg for genuine gear.
Fairly certain some other mechanisms could be adapted but the centres couldn't be bothered finding out, just get new ones.

Might be something there is you know someone in aged facilities over your way.

 

[kellys_eye]

Most recliners I've seen (or taken apart) only have basic mechanisms - the actual seat design I need requires reclining to (as good as) the horizontal. The rotational part isn't difficult to achieve as the seat would be built on a simple flat, rotating, platform.