Posts Made By: Darlene Fung

" it takes 3 very precise and ultra-thin layers...to achieve a perfect multi-coat... . The layers are only a few nanometers thick... ."

Roland,

Wow, only a few nanometers thick!

Can you please comment on the way to clean eyepieces? What about eyepieces with different types of coatings? What about the coating on older EPs such as Claves, Zeiss Jenas, Pentax SMCs?

I've read detailed posting about the careful way to clean oculars and the way to minimize their getting dirty. However, try as I might, I still get that old bugaboo, dew spots, on my eyepieces from time to time.

I once used Pec's Multicoat Cleaner and Optiwipes on an eyepiece using the "gently dab, do not rub" technique. But afterwards, I noticed a very subtle change its coating. Whereas previously it had a uniform color, now it had a slightly mottled look to it.

Any thoughts about the Zeiss Lens Cleaner?

Thanks and Clear Skies,

Darlene

Good Morning!

Fog and clouds finally lifted after weeks and weeks of obstruction so I was able to spend a few hours studying Mars. As others have noted, the Southern Pole is tiny. Saw the dawn light, a suggestion of blue atmosphere over the Northern Pole region and a less phased planet.

As for the albeo, I believe I saw Solis Lacus just to the right of a darkish shading covering the bottom 3/5th of the planet. There was a finger of light orange over this 3/5th section. Above this 'finger' was a dark shading off the left near the North Pole Region . I belive it was Utopia.

Can any one confirm what I saw? I checked the assorted maps of Mars on the 'net and find them variable and only vaguely resembling what appeared to me.

Viewed Mars with a 5" APO mostly at 195 X magnification with a 4 mm eyepiece.

Thanks and Clear Skies!

Darlene

Just finished reading Rob Nabholz' article on making and using "analogue setting circles" on a dob and the thread recently posted. I was heartened to learn how well it worked.

In the spring, I tried the same concept with an alt az tripod using Smart Tool and a Brunton compass acurrate to one degree. Since I have only a porthole size of sky to observe, I was hoping to get in the ball park with the compass and digital angle reader and then fine tune with a super wide angle eyepiece.

With The Sky Pocket Edition on a PDA set for my locality and time, the compass set for the current declination adjustment and the compass arrow pointed at Polaris, I visually located Jupiter and then its position relative to the compass. The azimuth position of the planet did not even come close to the degree it should have been per the planetarium's az calculation. I flipped the declination adjustment from West to East but that did not help. I moved from the back yard to the front yard to see if there was some magnetic interference but that did not help either. I double check the PDA's az reading with Starry Night and found them similar.

Theoretically, Jupiter should have been close to the az reading given by The Sky and Starry Night. But my findings proved otherwise. What am I missing? Can anyone help here?

Thanks and Clear Skies,

Darlene

Hi Everyone,

I was able to observe Mars the morning of Sept 30, from about 1:30 am to 3:30 am, PDT. The weather was warm and the seeing permitted 235Xs magnification with moments of 351X in a 5" APO. Ron B(ee)'s astro photo of the same morning shows pretty much what I saw.

This was the BEST observation session I've had of Mars, ever! This includes the times during the 2003 opposition with a 6" Mak Cas. Using the Mars Previewer for identification purposes, I was able to isolate during rare moments of really steady seeing, the more difficult Zea Lacus, Deucalinis Regio and Hesperla.

Alas the following evenings/mornings were chilly and foggy so it ruled out any scope time.

Am totally amazed at how much I saw with steady seeing. What a treat. I hope folks are out there taking advantage of this opposition since the next one mirroring this opportunity will not occur until 2018.

Many thanks to Carlos, Michael and Ron for their on-going informative postings.

Clear Skies,

Darlene

Hello Mars Observers,

Had another night of exceptional seeing with magnification up to 467X using a 3mm eyepiece in a 1.8X barlow. (scope 130mm, f/6). Had to double check my figures since this is so extraordinarily high.

By the time the scope cooled down, Solis Lacus was no longer in view. However, able to clearly see a "V" like wedge between Mare Sirenum and Mare Cimmerium based on the Mars Previewer II program. The thing looked like an alligator to me. I also saw a light striation under them which I believe is Electris. (3:30 am PDT) Please let me know if I misidentified anything. Only at super high magnification was I able to see the Southern Pole. The Northern Pole had a small but distinct blue cap. Not able to detect anything in the lighter sections of Mars which was about 66.7% of what I saw.

As for brightness and glare, I tried a few light orange filters. But as I started to use extremely short focal length eyepieces, I found I didn't need them.

Since the seeing was so good, I decided to try out a technique I read about on Astromart. This involves keeping both eyes open when looking through a solitary eyepiece and is suppose to increase a sense of contrast when viewing planets under high magnification. I normally use an eye patch. Surprise! Indeed, I did see more contrast! Here's the link to the posting:

http://www.astromart.com/forums/viewpost.asp?forum_post_id=377292&poll_id=&news_id=&page=

Clear Skies,

Darlene

Can anyone give feedback regarding the optical performance of the TEC I-Turret or the Van Slyke HEX Turret? With a 130 mm f/6 AP and a Maxbright, what do you loose visually by substituting the turret for the diagonal? Any other issues?

Thanks for your comments and clear skies!

DFung

Based on experience, what is the realistic weight limit for the Helix Hercules Single Arm Alt Az mount? Assuming the scope is balanced, can it handle a 13.89 lb, 32" long refractor with reasonable dampening time? (32" = dew shield extended, tube, 2" diagonal and focuser "dialed" in)

Have been unable to find anything about this mount paired with an OTA of this weight so any comments greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Darlene

I have just replaced my ad for the third time. Once placed, it disappears within half a day or less. When placing the ad, I move through the stages and am able to "Place the Ad" and to view and confirm it. However, the last radio button, "Done" is never finalized with a "green" light.

Any ideas what is causing this? I am using Firefox 8.0.1 and Norton AntiVirus 2012, version 19.2.0.10

Thanks for your help.

Darlene

Hi Gerald,

I almost bought some TMB Super Monos from Trifid-Optics AKA Trifid Astronomical Instruments. Per a Google search, this company is based in Malaysia and per Borg and Williams Optics, this company is an authorized dealer. The contact person did seem to have astro knowledge and thus seemed credible to me. Was ready to make a purchase from them by using a credit card but was told by the contact person, they were too small a business and thus was unable to accept charges. However, they could accept wired bank funds. A reputable Astromart retail sponsor said Trifid-Optics' inability to accept credit card payments due to a small sales base is simply not true. Also found out it would cost me $40 to wire funds. Thus, I opted not to purchase any thing from them. It may be the company is fine but things started to seem iffy to me and international business disputes are not fun experiences. Hope this helps.

Darlene

Hello Mars Viewers,

Thank you all for your comments and replies. Am pleased to report I saw the Eye of Mars this morning!!!.....I think. Something at the threshold of what I could see sure looked like it. Please tell me I wasn't hallucinating.

Much later into the morning, discovered Astronomik's UHC filter gave me views very suggestive of the digital images and drawings I've seen on this forum. The details it revealed noticibly surpassed those given by Wrattens with high and medium light transmissions, neutral density and circular polarizing filters and Sirius Optic's NPC. Mottling more distinct and textured, Mars a deeper salmon color, blue fringe gone when planet viewed on axis. Not sure why it worked so well for me since there was a lengthly discussion about them earlier in this forum. Perhaps it is a case of "YMMV." However, I am very, very please with the views I got from it with the Mak-Cas.

Darlene