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14.5"
RB Telescope
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RB-14.5
14.5" Reverse Binocular Newtonian
RB14.5
$11,995.00
Buy Now* |
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| RB-14.5
Product Information
Features
- Ease
of Use (no bulky, complicated or expensive mount, just look down
into the binocular to see the sky behind you)
- Six motors for adjusting inter-ocular (eye)
spacing, focusing and optical tube alignment
with the touch of a button
- Modified Reverse Crayford focusers
- Fold-away motorcycle type handle bars
for
pointing the instrument
- Handlebar and wheels
for easy movement
of the instrument
- Compatible with MAX computers
- Battery operation
- JMI's celebrated quality construction
Specifications
Type:
Dual Newtonian reflectors
Mount: Alt-Az mount attached to a pier
Mirrors: 14.5" f/4.5 primary mirrors, 3.5" diagonal secondary mirrors
Diagonals: Erect Image or Regular (specify)
Clearance Between Light Paths: 8"
Eyepiece Spacing: Variable from 2" to 3.25"
Alignment: Motorized x and y axis for optical tube alignment
Power: 6vDC operation
with a 4.5 amp-hour rechargeable battery and 110vAC/60Hz
or 220vAC/50Hz charger (specify). (Anticipated battery life will be
measured in months.)
Binocular Weight: Approximately
155
lb.
Pier Weight: Approximately 29 lb.
Binocular Height: 69"
(vertical position on pier) or 34" (horizontal position on pier)
Binocular Width: 45"
Binocular Depth: 22"
Binocular Tube Length: 59"
Standard Equipment
Two 2" RCF-1 Focusers with Motors for motorized
focusing (Due to the design of the telescope, we do not
recommend using 2" eyepieces or Barlows.)
Two 1.25" 30mm Wide-Angle Eyepieces
Star Pointer Finder Scope
Battery: 6vDC battery (includes AC charger)
Built-In Handle Bars permit easy movement of the scope
* Telescope prices
are for the standard telescope
configuration. Upgrades and Options are at additional
cost. The listed price also does not include the crating
charge ($250) and any shipping and handling charges.
Please call
for a shipping quote.
A
20% DEPOSIT
is required with all telescope orders (10%
IS NON-REFUNDABLE).
Telescopes are custom-built based on the options selected by the
customer and therefore require time to build. The
remaining amount due must be paid before the telescope is
shipped.
The Binocular
ships in a crate approximately 50" x 50" x 52".
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14.5" RB Optional Upgrades
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No Upgrades
at This Time
RB14...
$RFQ** |
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| No Upgrades
at this time
**
RFQ = Request for Quote (Ask us for a price quote.) Upgrade prices are based on upgrading from standard equipment.
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14.5" RB Optional Accessories
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Handlebar
and Wheels
Wheelbarrow-style
Transportation
RBWHL14
$159.00
Buy
Now |
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Handlebar and Wheels
For easily moving the fully assembled binocular telescope over
smooth surfaces. Uses 5" solid rubber ball-bearing wheels.
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Truss-Rod
Light Shrouds
(Set of Two)
RBSHRD14
$190.00
Buy
Now |
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Truss-Rod Light Shrouds
Blocks stray light and air currents and helps keep dust off
of the mirrors. Made of light-weight black fabric with elastic at both ends.
One for each optical tube.
| NOTE |
The picture at left shows an RB-16 with
shrouds (left).
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The RB-14.5 |
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The RB-14.5 |
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The RB-14.5 |
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The RB-14.5
requires an adjustable-height chair for best viewing. |
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The RB-14.5
requires an adjustable-height chair for best viewing. |
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The RB-14.5 tubes must be aligned
properly for comfortable viewing. If the two images you see are not
aligned, the first step is to align the images vertically using the
horizontal adjustment. Next, bring the two images together with the
vertical adjustment. If you try to do the two steps backwards, the
eye will tend to merge the images automatically which will give you
crossed eyes and cause eyestrain. Using high-power eyepieces will readily reveal any misalignment. |
What
is the Reverse Binocular Telescope?
The Reverse Binocular
telescope allows you to look down into the
eyepieces, either sitting or standing, to see what is in the sky behind
you, instead of straining to look up as is the case with normal
binoculars. They are built with two aligned Newtonian optical tubes on
an alt-az mount creating a very compact and comfortable viewing experience.
The available sizes are 6" (RB-66), 10" (RB-10),
14.5" (RB-14.5) and 16"
(RB-16). (U.S. Patent No.
Des. 499,436)
According to research, there can be as much as a 40% improvement in
resolution of lower contrast visual material when viewing is binocular as
compared to monocular. ("Observing Experiments in Vision" by Tom Mote
in Observatory Techniques, Issue #10, Summer 1994) Read Bruce
Sayre's article "Why
Binoculars?" and
see why viewing with both eyes is so much better than just one. |
What
is an Alt-Az Mount?
The Reverse Binocular
telescope
includes an
altitude-azimuth mount. Altitude-azimuth is sometimes abbreviated as
alt-azimuth or just alt-az. An alt-az mount moves in altitude (up
and down) on a horizontal axis and in azimuth (left and right) on a
vertical axis like a gun turret on a tank. By comparison, an
equatorial mount is essentially an alt-az mount that is tilted to match
your latitude, allowing a telescope to track the stars with the addition
of a simple clock drive. Both types of mounts have their
advantages. Which one is best for a particular situation depends
mostly on how one intends to use the telescope. |
Customer
Comments
"It's a home run with
bases loaded.... The most outstanding scope I've ever used."
(Ralph Holt)
"I've got
the scope (RB-14½) I've wanted all my life!" (P. C.)
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Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ)
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| Q. |
I've
seen this basic design before. What makes JMI's binoculars
different? |
| A. |
Other
designs of this type usually involve manual adjustments of some kind for
focus, eye spacing and image convergence. This results in a large
amount of time needed to get the system set the way you want it.
Sometimes it takes two people. We have motorized all of those
adjustments and the total "tweak" time is lowered from one or
two hours to one or two minutes. These adjustments are now made by
pushing buttons (while you are comfortably seated) and visually watching
the results in real time. This is a huge advantage, especially if
more than one person is going to be using the instrument. |
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| Q. |
Can
you give me some Pros and Cons regarding the Reverse Binocular design? |
| A. |
Pros
1) Using both eyes increases contrast by about 40% and gives a 3-D
effect (not true 3-dimensional).
2) Using both eyes is far more relaxing. Also, this design
allows one to comfortably look down into the binocular instead of craning
your neck backwards to look up as with regular binoculars.
3) Alignment with this type of binocular used to take hours but with
our motorized design it only takes minutes.
4) The Altitude and Azimuth axis operate as smooth as silk.
Optical encoders can be installed for use with a guiding computer to
easily find objects.
5) The RB-10, RB-14.5 and RB-16 have an optional Handle Bar and Wheels for easy
transport.
Cons
1) You must have two matching eyepieces to use the instrument.
2) It takes a little "getting used to," since it is so
different from what people are used to.
3) The instruments are a little bulky. The RB-66 is light
enough that most people can pick it up by the handle and move it, even
with the tripod attached. The RB-10 has a Handle Bar and Wheels
accessory available as an option.
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| Q. |
How does a bino viewer compare to a binocular
telescope? |
| A. |
A
binocular telescope does not lose image quality through:
1) Splitting the light between two eyes.
2) Extra corrector lenses, as in a Barlow.
3) Vignetting.
Based on the experience of many observers, there is a certain "realism" in
the view through a true binocular telescope that cannot be duplicated
otherwise.
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