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Help with "manual go-to"

Started by Simon Alderman, 10/15/2002 12:34PM
Posted 10/15/2002 12:34PM Opening Post
I've been drooling over the images in my 10" truss scope I just finished(for the second time), and would like to know if anyone could help me in setting up what I'm assuming would be setting circles for the dob. I was thinking about a protractor and flexible measuring tape or maybe a UTM waypointer. Are there products available that I can apply? Although, making them myself has a definite appeal!$!
Thank-you in advance...
Posted 10/15/2002 03:09PM #1
Simon
I think you're going to be better off with a Telrad and some good starcharts than trying to create "poor man's setting circles." One of the guys in my club just showed me some spiral bound dew proof cards by a fellow named Watson that have familiar constellations mapped out with a Telrad ring on the chart around the desired object. He says they have been particularly helpful to him in starhopping to objects with the large Dob that some members of our club co-own. I was impressed with the one for the Messier objects and one for "overlooked" objects. I would also highly recommend the Sky Commander that uses encoders and has entire catalogues of objects stored in the software. I use this on my personal large Dob and I'm very happy with it. I just don't think protractors are going to get you close enough to what you are wanting to see--perhaps I am wrong.