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Welcome!!!Welcome!!!..

Let’s Build a Galileoscope!Let’s Build a Galileoscope!

Robert Sparks

(the National Optical Astronomy Observatory)

400 Years Ago, Galileo Changed How We Saw the Universe

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Galileo’s Scope

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one of Galileo’s telescopes (1610)

the Galileoscope you are building today

Project Goal: High Quality Telescope/Low Cost

Most sold during International Year of Astronomy 2009 at $12.50 (bulk)/$15 Comparable to $80-$100 telescopes

Over 200,000 sold to dateCurrent price $25 (bulk)/$30at www.galileoscope.org

Observational Astronomy Program “In the Footsteps of Galileo”

•Observe what Galileo observed

•Record and draw your observations

•Reach your own conclusions

•“Doing your own science”

Overarching Requirement: See Rings of SaturnCreate a Wow! experience.

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Emphasis on High Quality Imaging and Educational Usability

View through the Galileoscope

Our Moon Saturn at 25 times magnification

What’s Going to Happen Today1. Be attentive of all instructions and respectful of

our neighbors.

2. Assemble the Galileoscope altogether. That That means do not open anything until instructed to means do not open anything until instructed to do so.do so.

3. Inspect our work as we go.

4. Test how well your telescope work at the end.

5. Go home with your Galileoscope.

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*********** Caution: ************

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Important Note:

Only touch the lens on the edge and only with tissue paper. Getting fingerprints on the lens will make the image blurry.

Verify all parts in assembly kit are available and not damaged.

Top Layer of Parts

Middle layer of Parts

Bottom Layer of Parts

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Parts Inventory

Do not open foam package or plastic bag until instructed.

Step 1Set one Main Tube half (A) in front of you on the work surface. Make sure the inside is up, the wide end is on your left and the middle notch is toward you. Note:Note: The objective lens has two pieces glued together, one thick and one thin. The thin part needs to face out of the tube. Set the objective lens C into groove on large end of main tube.

Step 2

Set the nut (D) into the slot in the middle of the main tube with one of the points facing up.

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Make sure one of the points faces up

Nut

Step 3Set the two focus tube halves (E) in front of you on the work surface.

Note:Note: One side of each tube half has a groove and the other side has a raised lip. The lip on one tube half goes into the groove on the other half.

Step 4 and 5• Join the two halves together so the

grooves and lips match up. Hold then halves together.

• Slip one small O-ring (G) over focuser tube and into groove on the end of the tube near the U-slots.

• Slide the small main tube clamp (F) onto the focuser tube so the larger end is facing away from the U-slots on one end of the focuser tube.

• Slip another small O-ring over the other end of the focuser tube and into the groove.

Step 6

Set the focuser tube assembly in the main tube narrow end so the end of the focuser tube that is farthest from the two U-slots is between the two baffles.

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Note: Note: The tube clamp should be outside the main tube.

Steps 7, 8, 9 and 10• Place the other half of the main tube over the half with

the lens and focusing tube.

Note:Note: Make sure the lens and nut fit into the slots on the second half.

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•Slide two large O-rings over the main tube and into the grooves to secure the two main tube halves

Steps 9 and 10

• Slide the small main tube clamp onto the end of the main tube to seal the focusing tube in the main tube.

• Slide the stray light shade onto the main tube to secure the objective lens end of the main tube.

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Sun Warning Sticker

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Peel and stick the sun warning label to the main tube of the telescope near the small clamp but not on the crack.

Sun Warning Label

The Eyepiece Assembly

• Place the unopenedunopened 2nd 3mm x 3mm piece of foam in front of you on the work surface.

• Inside are 6 small lenses that you can easily loose if you do not open the foam piece carefully.

• Cut the scotch tape at the edge of the foam and open the 2 halves of foam very, very carefully.

• Do not take out the lenses until instructed.

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The Eyepiece Assembly

K MNKeep tissue paper!

Step 11Note: Note: Make sure not to touch the lens with your fingers. Use tissue paper or gloves.

•Locate the four main eyepiece lenses (M). They are about 14 mm in diameter. Two of the lenses are flat on one side and concave — curved inward — on the other side. The other two lenses are convex — curved outward — on both sides.

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Step 11

Take one of each type of lens and place them together so the convex lens sits in the concave side of the other lens as shown below. Repeat with the other two main eyepiece lenses.

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Steps 12 and 13• Place the main eyepiece barrel (K) on your work

surface and separate the two halves.

Note: Note: Make sure not to touch the lens with your fingers. Use tissue paper or gloves.

• Set one lens pair from step 11 in the slot of the barrel. Make sure the flat surface of the lens points out of the barrel.

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Convex lenses

Concave lenses

Steps 12 and 13• Set the second lens pair from step 11 in the other slot

of the barrel. Make sure the flat surface of the lens points out of the barrel.

• Insert the tiny, thin eyepiece ring/field stop (N) into the thin slot in the main eyepiece barrel half.

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Step 14 and 15• Join the second half of the main eyepiece barrel (K) with

the first half (the one you just assembled), taking care that the lenses and field-stop ring fit into the appropriate slots on the second half as you bring the halves together.

• Secure the two halves with the large main eyepiece clamp ring (O), which goes on the end closest to the lenses, and one of the small ones (P), which goes on the other end.

Ready for First Viewing

Step 16

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Lens with Both Sides Concave

Lens with One Side Convex

Note: Note: Make sure not to touch the lens with your fingers. Use tissue paper or gloves.

•Locate the two smaller eyepiece lenses (M). They are about 10 mm in diameter. One of the lenses is flat on one side and convex — curved outward — on the other side. The other lens is concave — curved inward — on both sides.

•Take one of each type of lens & place them together so the convex lens sits in the concave side of the other lens as shown below.

Steps 17 and 18

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Auxiliary Eyepiece Barrel Half

Lens Pair From Step 16

Flat Face Points This Way

Concave Face Points This Way

•Place the auxiliary eyepiece barrel (L) on your work surface and separate the two halves.

Note: Note: Make sure not to touch the lens with your fingers. Use tissue paper or gloves.

•Set the lens pair from step 16 in the slot of the barrel. Make sure the flat surface of the lens points out of the fat part of the barrel.

Steps 19 and 20

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Auxiliary Eyepiece Cap

Small Eyepiece Clamp Ring

• Join the second half of the auxiliary eyepiece barrel (L) with the first half (the one you just assembled), taking care that the lenses and field-stop ring fit into the appropriate slots on the second half as you bring the halves together.

• Secure the two halves with the small eyepiece clamp ring (P).

• Secure the other end of the eyepiece with the auxiliary eyepiece cap (S)

Assembling the Barlow Lens

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Remove Auxiliary Eyepiece Cap

Insert Auxiliary Eyepiece

Insert Main Eyepiece Insert Barlow

Assembly

Barlow Tube

Main Eyepiece

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CONGRATULATIONS!

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Remember:DON’T LOOK AT THE SUN!

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Focusing the Galileoscope

•To focus the Galileoscope, slide the focuser tube forward or back while looking into the eyepiece.

•Fine focus adjustments are easier to make if you twist the focuser tube slightly as you slide it in or out.

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Aiming the Galileoscope

•Sight along the top of the tube.

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• Your observing target should line up with the tip of the rear (single) post and the tips of the front (V-notched, double) post, as indicated at right, where the target is simulated by a red dot.

Practice Aiming the Galileoscope

•Place a series of small targets (words, phrases, etc) ~50 yards away (HINT: Print them upside down and backwards)•Students have to find and read as many as they can

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Using the Galileoscope on a Tripod

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• Because a telescope gives a highly magnified view, the tiniest vibration looks like a major earthquake in the eyepiece.

• Even at 25x, and especially at 50x, the scope needs to be firmly attached to something stable like a tripod.

Observing Aids•Stellarium: www.stellarium.org•Virtual Moon Atlas: http://www.ap-i.net/avl/en/start•Eddelman FREE Galileoscopes: https://www.galileoscope.org/gs/content/us-teachers-only-get-1-5-free-edelman-galileoscopes

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Topics for Discussion•What objects do you observe?

• What magnification for each object?

•What can you photograph?•Other mounting/pointing options?•How can you “Pimp Your Galileoscope”?•How do you host a Galileoscope Star Party?

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For More Information

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www.teachingwithtelescopes.org www.galileoscope.org