Beginner and loving it !!!

I just received my new Meade 150mm refractor, well it's new to me, I purchased a used one but all seems to be good? What an incredible piece of equipment. I feel like I just got my first car, the only difference is then I could only explore my neighborhood now I get to explore the cosmos and share that with my children? What a great feeling.
Anyway, I do acctually have two questions
1.Where can I find good star charts? ( that's the easy one )
2. I have read about the wonders a Chromacor can do for my scope. The thing that is holding me up is how to find out if my scope is over or under corrected or neither. If someone could simplify this process for me I would be forever in his or her debt.

Matt:

Glad you are enjoying your new scope.

Some thoughts:

1. Charts. I think a good chart that is easy to use is Orion's Deep Map 600.

Software: If you don't have a good software program and have a PC, try the Freeware Cartes du Ciel (www.astrosurf.com/astropc) It's a powerful program with lots of nice features including an easy link to the latest comet data.

2. Chromacorr: This is an expensive option and it is my understanding that it is designed for high magnification use and limits the lower power capabilities. Also, it is expensive. Rather than tying up a bunch more money I suggest purchasing a Minus Violet filter of some sort, there are lots of good ones out there, under $100 and they do reduce the false color significantly.

jon

I don't know much about Chromacors. However, the standard way of judging over and under correction comes from Suiter's Star Testing Astronomical Telescopes. Read through the book. Or at leas borrow it and look through the section of interest to you.

Also, there is a thread someplace around here where they do a little discussion of over and under correction. I think it is in Equipment, but it may be in Refractors.

I agree with Jon's advice in general. I am real happy with my Sky Atlas 2000.

Alex

Matt, if you havn't already, go to the aritcles section and do a search for Clayton Cramer for a couple of well written articles on both the fringe killer and the Chromacor.