Posts Made By: Anthony Lutton

Chad, your email keeps rejecting my replies. Not quite sure why since we had 2 or 3 that went through, but the last one I've tried to send keeps giving me the "postmaster@msn has rejected your email" message. Please re-email me with possibly another address or send me a phone # so that I may contact you. Thanks! Anthony

Just to make anyone that loves college football jealous... I'll be going, just like every other home game, to the BUCKEYES vs that "team up North"!!! Enter into my world...

Ok, I'm still waiting to get my Digi-T system, and yet to have taken an astropic. BUT, I've been thinking about something. I see that many people are taking the CP995 or 4500 (which I have) and stacking a few 1 min exposures... the 4500 has a movie mode that basically works like a webcam. I've seen many good shots that were stacked from .avi movies. Which is better to use with the digital cameras?? Should I take a 2-3 minute movie and just pic out the very best frames, or take about 5 <1 min shots and stack them with a dark frame? The CP4500 is a 4 megapixel camera, and I think the movie mode is only VGA quality though.

Ok, I just finished reading the 3rd installment on Et Ting's website of his Geeky Tales of Astronomy. At first I laughed at such a ridiculous story, but then it occurred to me that is isn't so ridiculous... how many of you have done something similar to this?? (maybe not on such a short timescale, but I've sold,bought and traded stuff in a crazy amount of time before). Take a gander at his stories if you wanna good laugh...

www.scopereviews.com

Hi Eric, a few things...

Usually, the ETX is used as a guidescope for a larger instrument. The f/13 is awfully slow for most photography. Also, the FOV is narrow and hard to center anything on a small CCD chip. CCD imaging is tough, and it takes a lot of practice and patience. It seems like you're done quite a bit of reading to know about the mount issues and things, but actually putting it all together is a separate issue.

That aside, I've never used a Vixen GP mount, but I'm not sure if you could get enough play out of the axis for fine guiding. I am unsure if the Vixen mount has PEC, someone that has experience with that mount will have to answer.

What I'd do if I were you... get your setup the way you want MINUS the CCD camera. Continue to take shots with your digital camera and make sure you can process shots well. There are some very nice planetary/solar/lunar shots done with digicams. After you are sure about your setup being how you want it, invest in a CCD camera.

I'd think that a jump directly into a high end CCD would be overkill and a mistake financially. If you add it up, the HX camera runs about $2000, the mount another $1000... and then a $150 OTA? Go for a nice mount, stay with the same OTA and use your digital camera for quite sometime. You can buy adaptors to directly mount it to your scope... OR get a modified webcam to use for a while.

Good luck on your quest!

Ok, I'm pretty proud of myself... I got rid of all but 3 eyepieces that I use often, I'm down to my 8" SCT for scopes, and sold off all my other accy's that I didn't use for everything. Bare essentials really. It has been over a year with only 1 scope!!!

BUT (you knew there was a BUT), now I have an itch for a refractor (only had 1, and it was a Pronto). I'm looking at the Meade 5" or 6" LXD55 models (non Autostar). I've read some reviews...thanks Tom Pico. Can anyone else suggest something that I'd really enjoy in the price range of these scopes?? I've seen them pretty darn cheap, and new they are less than $700. I don't mind a 4" refractor either, but nothing in the apo price range.

Also, I'd like to hear from you LX55 AR5/6 owners.

Got an itch and it's really bad... someone help me out here

Ok, it is between a Stellarvue AT1010 and the Burgess 102 that I've come down too. Both look to have great portability and still be more aperture than a previously owned Pronto. My question is, what would be the best mount for a 102mm refractor??? I was thinking a small EQ mount, but I saw a few guys with their TV 102s on Alt-Az mounts and it looked awful tempting.

Would a regular tripod be too small for something that size? I've seen the AT1010's on tripods, but I assume they are a bit smaller. How about something like the EQ2 or whatever from Orion? Thanks!!

Anyone use the Kendrick Observing Tent? Not just the little square one, but the one that actually looks like a tent and the top zips off? I almost bought one a while ago, and then held off. Would you recommend something other than that for say camping? I have a pop-up camper available for most camping, so would I be better off having the other type?

What else would be nice to take so that I could setup my scope and it'd be ok during the day? Just a cover?

Which Amart vendor sells flexi-focus cables for ETX scopes? I bought an ETX and was sent a cable that had never been attached. I can't figure out how to attach it, as the piece that is supposed to slide onto the focus rod (where the knob was originally) doesn't slide on. It appears too small. I'd like to contact the vendor and ask some questions about it. Thanks!

If you haven't been there in a while (like me, since I have the forums bookmarked), check out the homepage of Amart and the links at the bottom. This is one of my favorites:
http://www.inconstantmoon.com/

There are a lot of interesting links to peruse for enjoyment!