Posts Made By: Patrick Kelly

I've sent a certified bank check, from a major US bank, to an AM seller in Canada in late April. Word is that they don't recognize this as bank check, don't recognize the name of the bank (BB&T) and are handling it as a personal check. I know stuff takes time to clear, which is cool, but I'm told the funds are "frozen" til possibly June 11 or so...a month or bit more to clear.

What's a reasonable amount of time for a certified check to clear foreign banks? With the US banking in so much turmoil are they suspicious I'm good for the $$...just curious. I'm a patient sort but never had a situation like this.

Thanks

Pat in maryland

A UK forum question/discussion re lens coatings got me wondering...I'm not looking for any proprietary or secret info, just curious if a small custom-production shop like Astro-Physics coats their objectives in-house (themselves) or outsourced to a coating shop/specialist? I understand this process is very expensive for the equipment and to recoup the investment, but knowing how AP prefers the hands-on approach I was curious how they handle this part of the in-house manufacturing process along with overall lens production and CNC milling.

As a long time $$ Astromart/Herb York and Co devotee (I/we wouldn't be where we are with a BIG refractor/personal observatory if it weren't for your efforts...WE owe it all to You...I've even considered your name on a plaque with other contributors ), I deleted a previous post to get to the point.

My old-school Dad expounded that any bar/tavern/commercial establishment wishing to attract business would stoop to the lowest common denominator...i.e. sex and gals...to attract customers as an act of desperation. As a weak-minded fella with a simple-minded reptilian brain (as my female Army/Comm-trained co-worker humorously puts it and we get some chuckles for male vs female 'wiring") I fall prey to this and click on the pics but understand the underling biological disposition.

So I ask...is this REALLY the lengths Astromart has to go to remain viable? From a guy perspective I hafta admit its kinda fun and instantly vicarious but at the same time simultaneously so "yesterday", primitive and desperate. I get the same feeling when I peruse Maxim magazine. Of course, I could choose NOT to click the ads and feel good about myself and self righteous, but that's not the point. I care most about the Astomart community and where it's taken us.

So there it is; the needs of the many (Astromart community) outweigh the needs of the few or one...just me. But just something I felt compelled to get off my chest today.

By the way...I'm looking for some duplicate planetary eps for my binoviewer so keep those ads coming... And biology/marketing science tells me I have the tendency to click the girly-ads whether I have Auction ads to pace or not.

I'm looking for recommended astronomy/stargazing blogs.

I already know Rod's, and thanks to him now have NiteSkyGirl...

Anything else anyone recommend?

Tanks!

There are some interesting eps on the market that remind me of some odd Takahashi-like "systems" with their proprietary threads and adapters for telescopes. Anyone have any info on these two odd balls threading/adapting...or usable at all, in a non-Zeiss optical system? Wading through APM/Markus Ludes Zeiss inventory is akin to another language but, like the Tak big ortho and erfle, there's definately some interesting designs to play around with.

Thanks for any info...

I've seen this in several manufacturer "ads" now as something special. I understand it pertains to the lack of particular optical aberrations i.e. perfect lens. Without digging into "Telescope Optics..." I'm curious if the highest quality apos like AP/TEC etc as well as maybe the D&G achromats...all of which are painstakingly figured and corrected to eliminate secondary aberrations ('cept for focal length related CA in the latter) can also be considered "anastigmatic"? My gut tells me this may be just marketing mumbo-jumbo to separate themselves from the pack and impress the impressible, or is this actually a valid optical attribute only the luckiest and most fortunate telescope users should pursue?

Thanks, Pat

http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=753779

Anyone have any info, opinions or otherwise on this?
I keep going back to a couple years ago Markus Ludes/APM had this (or something like this) available on the website.
Word is that its been on UK forums for a bit available for a new owner.
Same one?
I almost said 'what the hell' when APM had one like this a ways back.
I still am...
But then I'm still on the cusp of the APOMAX that came around a short while ago.
Evidently...if it's an old design long tube with a lens on the end I'm biologically determined to inquire...

It's not NEAF 2012 without Astromart.

Aperature rules here...and not affected by streetlights at all so by all means do the 140. Seeing conditions will be your only limitation. I used to observe with my 102 Tak from a city townhouse backyard with 60 neighbors with lights, spots, a nearby steel plant and seeing was superb. Moved to the dark sticks, and the coast, with Milky Way to die for and seeing sucks most of the time.

Pat

-Gardening, though as a degreed Horticulturist by trade sometimes it seems too close to work. How many plumbers re-pipe their house for fun and kicks ?
-N-Scale Model Railroading
-Opportunistic Angler for anything that bites but have a few fav species that bend my rod hardest as seen by my angling website Chesapeake Bay Carp Angler @wwww.chesapeakecarper.com
-Listening to music...historiclly old-skool hard rock, punk and metal but have expanded to classical, country and some other types last couple years...doctors orders!
-Quiet, relaxation and solitude (see above)
-Cat Herding
-Reading...book and magazine hound
-Internet Junkie
-Family...without whose boundless tolerance and understanding none of the above would be possible.