Astromart

February 5, 2004 02:30 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Great Red Spot (GRS) Sectional Sketch

Carlos,

As I suggested from a photograph I saw posted a few days ago, it looks like that spot south of the GRS has flattened as it passed the GRS. I am dying to get images of that, especially now that I just got my C11. Great drawing!!

Paul Maxson

February 7, 2004 01:20 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter Moon Transit

Posted By Paul Maxson

Ralph,

That's quite impressive!! I had first light with my C11 last night and this morning. What a disappointment!! The scope was so poorly colliminated that it took me over 2 hours of work to get an image that I could recognize! Then it looked like I was viewing through a thin layer of off-centered vasoline. The views with the C8 were a 100% better!!

Gonna send off a note to the vendor about this. I'd rather stick with my C8 now.

Paul

February 8, 2004 09:26 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

I finally saw the Alpine Valley Rille

Posted By Paul Maxson

Tom,

Congratuations on seeing the Alpine rille. It has been a goal of mine all the way back to the lunar orbitor days. I thought, back then, I may had seen it in a C14 I owned. Anyway, imagine my stunned surprise when a while back I was able to photograph it in my C8...not once, but twice!! Here is a link to my first photo of it.

http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~pmaxson/Moon/Moon1231Alpine25x.jpg

Now that you have seen it, time to find other lunar challenges... **GRIN**

Those Starmasters must be magnificant scopes.

Paul Maxson
http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~pmaxson/

February 14, 2004 02:34 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Registax Frame Limit?

Posted By Paul Maxson

I think the frame max in Registax 2.1 is 4000. I'm currently processing an image of Saturn on my other system that is 2010 frames. The other night I processed a 2500+ frame image. Don't know why you would be crashing at 920 frames, but it isn't because of a Registax frame max.

Paul

February 17, 2004 02:55 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Your first scope ever?

Posted By Paul Maxson

My first....a homemade 6" F/8 newtonian. Ground the mirror myself. I mounted the mirror on a homemade mirror cell made from pine. Mounted in 8" sonotube. I had a $.99 slide focuser, I assembled my own 25mm Kellner, 10mm and 6mm Ramsden eyepieces and 2x barlow. Took an old binocular objective and some pvc tubing and rolled a 25mm eyepiece for the finder. I even built a german equatorial mount (with the help of a teacher friend) out of old pipe and bearings from a junked Kenmore washing machine. I have everything except a clock drive and the telescope cost me $29.50 total!! Of course the views were fabulous (actually the mirror was very good). That was 1965 when I was a high school freshman. I sold it just before I went to the University in 1971. Does that bring back memories!!

Paul

February 19, 2004 04:05 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter - digicam 2/19/2004

Posted By Paul Maxson

Jose,

Very, very nice!!

Paul Maxson

February 22, 2004 04:35 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Noooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

Posted By Paul Maxson

I just shipped a brand new C11 back to the Vendor (Starizona) because there was a chip on the corrector plate, 7 of the 8 screws were loose on the corrector plate collar (one was almost out of it's hole) and the plastic spreader that goes under the tripod was broken in two places. The vendor refunded me 90% of my purchase, I guess he thinks these aren't serious problems...he didn't say. The lesson learned here is to always insist that the vendor examine the scope before it's shipped, and if they won't, go elsewhere.

Years ago I got a C11 from Roger Tuthill that arrived with a cracked corrector plate. After that was replaced, I sent to scope to a company in Arkansas in exchange for a 16" F/16 Classical Cass OTA. Before they could ship it...they went bankrupt. I THINK I have learned my lesson with C11's....LOL!!

Good luck on your claim.

Paul

February 25, 2004 06:22 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System