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Posts Made By: Steven Jindra

September 15, 2007 03:41 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

how to know the perfect telescope..

Posted By Steven Jindra
Paulo
I'm sure you will get a great variety of recommendations on this one, and rightfully so. Perfection is in the eyes of the beholder and user. After trying quite a variety of scopes, my perfect visual setup from a well light polluted suburb is:

-Tak FS-128 (relatively light, quick cooldown, excellent optics, good resolution)
-ASGT G5 Mount (relatively light, stable for OTA, quick alignment, accurate Go-To and tracking)
-Variety of eyepieces (3.8, 5, 7.5, 35mm Ultrascopics, 13mm Type 6 Nagler, others. Tak 1-1/4" diagonal.)
-Adjustible viewing seat.
-Supportive wife (optional for some, but not for me)

The main targets are planetary, lunar, brighter deep sky, and nebula with the right filter.

I'm sure you will get plenty of alternate suggestions, but this is mine. Total cost between $4,000 to $5,000 using Astromart wisely, including Astromart "Green" support.
Steven Jindra

September 28, 2007 04:24 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

'Meade DSI Pro With LRGB?

Posted By Steven Jindra
Chris
I would also recommend getting a focal reducer, the 6.3 or even the 3.3 to get your focal length down. This will make imaging considerably easier.
Have fun.
Steven Jindra

September 28, 2007 04:47 PM Forum: Refractors

Size Refractor to piggy back on a Celestron Ultima

Posted By Steven Jindra
Chris
Well within the $1,000 price range you mentioned (especially on Astromart), I would recommend one of the following listed in order of preference.
Tak FS60C
Borg 76ED or 77ED (very light weight)
Borg mini 50ED or 60ED (very, very light, may be able to use finder scope bracket without much counterbalance)
WO 66mm SD APO (a little heavy, but priced well)
The Celestron and Orion 80ED and similar may be a bit too much weight for your OTA/mount.

I have the FS-60C and it's a lifetime keeper no matter what mount, camera, or other OTA's it is matched with.

To begin imaging, it would definitely be best to start with the piggybacked short focal length OTA. It's critical to properly counterbalance the OTA.
Hope this helps.
Steven Jindra

October 4, 2007 01:12 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

90mm short tube Orion OTA ?

Posted By Steven Jindra
Chris
For imaging, a small APO is great. I use a little 60mm at F4.5 and it's great. The little 66mm APO's will in most cases take much better images than a 90mm achro.
Hope this helps.
Steven Jindra

October 23, 2007 04:36 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

WO 80mm APO Piggyback on Celestron Ultima 8"

Posted By Steven Jindra
Chris
Are you planning to piggyback the WO-80 on the Ultima while still mounted on the fork mount, or are you planning to mount both on the ASGT-5?

Is your main goal still imaging?

Steven Jindra

October 25, 2007 08:57 PM Forum: Eyepieces

Nagler Tele Vue 4.8mm?

Posted By Steven Jindra
Harry
I had both the 4.8mm Nagler and 5mm Orion Ultrascopic at the same time and compared them back and forth on a number of occasions. The Orion provided sharper images with round stars right up to the edge of the field. The 4.8 was good and had wider views, but did not match up with those crisp, sharp views. I sold the 4.8.

The 3.8mm and the 5mm Ultrascopics have like built in barlows and provide a very comfortable eye relief.

Keep in mind, this was with a 5" F8 APO refractor on a tracking mount.

October 31, 2007 02:57 PM Forum: Refractors

AP star 12ed

Posted By Steven Jindra
Itz
At $3200 you are very close to the cost of a nice, used FS-128. That is the way I went for my visual setup with no regrets.

November 8, 2007 04:18 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

What's a good first astrophoto mount?

Posted By Steven Jindra
David
What camera do you plan to use? Does it have autoguiding or do you plan to have a separate autoguiding camera and small OTA?. This may affect some of the recomendations.

I would think the CG5 Goto would be as good as the others mentioned with your smaller OTA, and a good value for the price. I'm not sure if it has PEC though. Autoguiding would help a lot.

Of course, a Losmandy G8 would be good or better yet a Tak EM10 or AstroPhysics AP400E or AP600E. But these would be considerably more costly.

Steven Jindra

November 15, 2007 04:06 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Nebula filter?

Posted By Steven Jindra
Harry
Definitely do not use any water based cleaners as many specialized filters are damaged by water. On the narrowband filters I have, I was told by a knowledable person at the distibuter that the best cleaner to use was pure (or as close to it as possible) alcohol. Everclear was recommended. At least with that, whether the cleaning works out or not, you can still make a mixed drink with any left over.
Hope this helps.
Steven Jindra

November 19, 2007 01:49 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

EQ. MOUNTS

Posted By Steven Jindra
Victor
I have the CG-5 ASGT mount and a 9.25" SCT. They work fine together for visual, and probably for planetary/Lunar imaging, but would not be a good match for longer duration imaging.

Be sure top get the model with the 2" steel legs and enough counterweights.
I hope this helps.
Steven Jindra

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