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Posts Made By: David Colton

July 26, 2005 04:53 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Comments/help on new scope plan please...

Posted By David Colton
Given your criteria I strongly suggest that you explore an 8" or 10" SCT like the LX90 as it would come in at your price range, would be stable, have computer guidance, a long focal length for viewing planets and plenty of light gathering ability. Also compare the weight of the Meade and Celestron SCT's as there are some differences to consider.

July 26, 2005 11:51 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Got my PST

Posted By David Colton
Great to hear that you're real pleased with your PST.

Yeh, I broke down and ordered one too (from the sponsor). The feedback from an earlier post re "Is viewing the sun boring" is what made me decide to take the plunge. I had been mulling it over for months, but as someone pointed out, do we ever tire of viewing the Moon, Jupiter, or Saturn?

Of course, when I get it will probably turn cloudy for a month.

July 28, 2005 04:21 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

PST red image?

Posted By David Colton
I should be getting my PST within the week and of course its entirely overcast here in the mid Atlantic states. I regularly use yellow and red eyepiece filters with my white light solar filter because I find it more pleasing so I'm wondering if anyone uses colored filters with a PST for aesthetics? Has anyone tried a contrast boosting filter?

July 28, 2005 04:29 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Mars Type B vs #21 filter

Posted By David Colton
When Mars was close in 2003 I experimented with every color filter I have plus a contrast booster and polarizing filter. While I had fun trying out the different filters for naked-eye viewing, it appeared to me that all of the filters obscured contrast to some extent. So I spent most of my time viewing without a filter.

Weather permitting, I'm looking forward to trying out my new 5mm TAK with the TV102 on Mars this fall. Sadly, weather on the east coast this past year has been unbelievely hazy and of course Mars is making its best appearance at the height of hurricane season which tends to send tropical storms up the coast throughout August and September.

August 3, 2005 04:51 PM Forum: Binoviewers

William Optics new Binoviewer

Posted By David Colton
Binoviewers have been at the bottom of my long list of astro goodies to buy, however this looks like quite a bargain and WO has a good reputation for quality. Still, I'd want to read a number of reviews before purchasing. I wonder how these are matched to different scopes (type of scope and focal length).

August 22, 2005 04:25 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Telescope "buggy"

Posted By David Colton
Before you invest any cash, check the forum archives under "wheelie bar". I asked the same question about 18 months ago and received a number of replies with pictures on how to create a buggy or wheelie bar. For example, you can create an attachment from an inexpensive freght dolly or build a wheelie bar out of lumber. That's what I did for my LX90 for about $20 in materials. You don't have to be a Norm Abrahams, master carpenter on "This Old House" to put together one of these things.

September 7, 2005 08:11 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Achromatic refractors

Posted By David Colton
An economical alternative would be one of the 5" or 6" MAKs that are now on the market. Portable and essentially free of extraneous color.

October 3, 2005 04:11 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

New 127 and 155mm Ed Refractors from Antares

Posted By David Colton
This is intriguing, because the 127mm is a Petzval design, the same used in the TV101. However, I agree, what do they mean by "semi-ED"? I'm guessing that one of the two lens elements is made of ED glass. Either way, this sounds like another price breakthrough for good quality refractors. BTW, what is 666 Canadian dollars in U.S. currency?

October 7, 2005 05:53 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Laser collimator for SCT?

Posted By David Colton
There was an excellent description of using Jupiter as a light source for collimation on this forum about two years ago. Search the forum archives.

October 19, 2005 06:58 PM Forum: Eyepieces

Tak LE vs RKE vs TV Plossl

Posted By David Colton
While viewing Mars the other night I had a chance to compare my new Tak 5mm LE to a Meade 6.4mm 4000 Plossl. This was with a TV 102 on a Gibraltor Mount (I know, I know, it's not the steadest thing for high power viewing.)

Interestingly, the Meade seemed to give a bit more contrast. However, the larger field of view in the Tak more than made up for a difference that could have been due to atmospherics. Still, it had me wondering what the view would be like through an Ortho such as the UO 4.8mm - fewer lens but much, much smaller field of view.

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