[Project 326] is following up on his thermal microscope with a thermal telescope or, more precisely, a thermal monocular. In fact, many of the components and lenses in this project are the same as those in the microscope, so you could cannibalize that project for this one, if you wanted.
During the microscope project, [Project 326] noted that first-surface mirrors reflect IR as well as visible light. The plan was to make a Newtonian telescope for IR instead of light. While the resulting telescope worked with visible light, the diffraction limit prevented it from working for its intended purpose.
Shifting to a Keplerian telescope design was more productive. One of the microscope lenses got a new purpose, and he sourced new objective lenses that were relatively inexpensive.
The lens sets allow for 5X and 10X magnification. The lenses do reduce the sensitivity, but the telescope did work quite well. If you consider that the lenses are made to focus cutting lasers and not meant for use in imaging devices, it seems like an excellent result.
Missed the thermal microscope? Better catch up! Do you need a thermal camera? Ask a duck.
Huh… Really thought the mirrors would work.
The diffraction limit for IR and in general is a bane. Both it and conservation of etendue are why optics shops are in business. Okay that’s a hyperbole, but I’ve personally spent hundreds of dollars relearning those phenomena…
Read the title to fast. “Thermonuclear brings the heat”.
Very interesting but I do not get why diffraction should limit the Newtonian telescope scheme and not the keplerian. Can you help understand ?
Thanks
Max
It should not Max, however the resultant flirtonian gonzosco peesed off rhe see eye eh? they didn’t like that being available for tom & divk, they only wanted harey.
go forth fraugaolin & build rhe telehq%bumbob, you’ll have an awesome extra surprise every time you look through it.
El’s hadd eye