Posts Made By: Charles Geiger

Has anyone any information regarding these new binoculars from AP? They sound too good to be true. There cost is not prohibitive.

Is the binoviewer thing over? Was it just a fad? Anything new on the horizon equipment wise?

Hi Floyd,
Now that you have had some time with your new refractor(s)are you happier with them over your reflectors? Can you give us a summation of how you feel they compare regarding contrast, definition, resolution, and useability? I notice your new posts always picture the refractor. I believe you are just doing evaluation, but then it seems maybe you are letting the reflectors collect some dust too. Does the little amount of chromatic aberration in the 5" refractor bother you? I have noticed that when looking in a wide field (with both an achromat (especially f/8) and then a reflector)it becomes instantly obvious the secondary color tints all the field stars. IE. it appears that most brighter stars (7th and 8th magnitude) have a slight bluish tint that would go unnoticed until you look at the same field in a reflector and see more whitish or even slightly yellow stars...I'm talking general background stars such as in denser portions of the Milky Way. Of course, this is not news, but it has caught my attention more than once. What do you think?
I an not trying to start the age old war here, I just wonder if you are coming to a preference here either way for the refractor or the reflector?
I like them both, but in my older age I am becoming to prefer the light gathering power of the bigger reflectors...just as long as I can get a permanent observatory so I don't have to set the things up!

Hi Floyd,
You have some really beautiful equipment and I was wondering if you have a recent tally on total value? Do you update your insurance with each purchase and take pictures of each item? Do you take extraordinary security measures?
Also, I was wondering if you have tried your WO Binoviewer with your refractors and what do you think?
One last question; do you think you will eventually get a 20" or larger DOB?

Wow, I am glad I got out my 'twenty questions'!

I know there is a vendor who has advertised eyeglasses especially corrected for night vision. I wondered what this group thought of extending this concept by adding UHC coatings? It would seem like a nice addition. I suppose the frames could be engineered to fit 'close' to exclude extraneous light. I remember Walter Scott Houston's remarks about holding a UHC filter up to his eye..what do you think?

I know this is off topic. But I do not know where to place this one. It appears that David Levy may have had a stroke. Does anyone know if this is true and how he is? We certainly hope he is recovering if this is true.

It looks like the Alpine Astro and Astro Physics mounts are nearly identical. Alpine Astro claims their mountings are made in Italy. Maybe Roland can clear all this up? Are they designed by the same person?

Does anyone make a corrector for a C-14 which would give it a comparable flat and coma free field to the Meade RX400? I would assume it would screw onto the back of the OTA.

Is it possible for a longer focal length eyepiece, say a 26mm 2", to be designed with a 100 degree AFOV? If so, is there one in our future?

Both of these mounts look beautiful and must be of the highest quality. Since they both carry about the same load, why would one pay about $2,000 to $2,500 more for a comparably equipped Paramount? And do these companies ever put these mounts on sale?