cow scope

This scope was originally made as a travel scope using an eight inch mirror that I ground and polished at the St Pete Astronomy Clubs Mirror Lab. The scope including the optics, truss tubes, and eye pieces all stored in a single box making it easy to store and transport by car, but it was a little too big to fit in the overhead compartment or under the seat on most aircraft.

In the Fall of 2013 I remade the scope as a "grab and go" Dobsonian using the mirrors from the original scope.

After sanding, painting, and more sanding of the cardboard tube the spiral seam was still visible so I covered the tube with some cow print material.

The cowbell serves as a counterweight when lighter eyepieces are used.

I now get more use out of it this way, and it seems to be popular with many of the kids that have used it at outreach events.

I copied Gary Seronik's very clever and easy to make curved vane diagonal holder. See a descripton of his holder on Stellafane's telescope making site.

Other Pages

14.25 inch Dobsonian Galileo Scope Isaac Newton Scope Udder Nonsense (cow scope) Other Nonsense (coke bottle binos, shark scope, etc) Crayford Focuser Solar Scope Binocular Mirror Mount Barn Door Tracker Canoe Sailing