Posts Made By: Michael Aaron McNeely

I found this on the Hardin Optical website:

http://lib1.store.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/lib/hardin-optical/instadjust.gif

Check it out.

Here is a Pronto for sale in England:

http://www.astroshop.seeviewo.org/sechand/pronto.htm

Notice the after market focuser knobs. Also the site says that the TeleVue clamshell is "not up to our usual standards." Really?

Check it out.

Hi, here are some comments about my PST. I have owned the scope since last Autumn.

(I also posted this document on CloudyNights.com within the comments on my PST review. )

I have been using the scope with TeleVue 20 and 15 mm Plossls. I enjoy these two eyepieces very much. The PST's 12.5 mm Kellner doesn't show much more detail than the TV 15. I sometimes use the PST with 9 and 13 mm T6 Naglers, and these also work well. I keep the TV Plossls in the PST case where they serve as dedicated eyepieces. I even purchased more bolt cases and inserted them into the foam just like the original PST eyepiece.

Another nice feature of the two Plossls is that they are parfocal. I feel hesitant to twist the PST’s little focus knob too often.

The tuner can be touchy at times; I find that it helps to pull down on it while tuning. Otherwise the tuner can jump forward slightly and convert to the “white light” view. Other than this, the tuner works well and is a nice feature.

I use the PST with my TeleVue TelePod and Chinese CG5 equatorial mounts. Both work very well, and the TelePod is very convenient. I can easily place it in the trunk of my car and observe during my break at work. I also use a small pneumatic stool that I purchased at Harbor Freight for $17. I leave it in my trunk and use it with the PST at work.

Using the PST with the equatorial is very nice. The inability to change the angle of the eyepiece within the scope’s housing has not been an issue when mounting the scope equatorially. I can always obtain a comfortable viewing position while seated on a Denver Observer’s Chair. I am short though, and I leave my tripod legs completely unextended so that the mount is low to the ground.

There is a bit of glare in the PST. I guess that this is the price that you pay for $500 h-alpha? Otherwise, the views are sharp and fascinating.

The PST’s forte is low power, full disk views of the sun. My two Plossl eyepieces provide 20x and 27x, and the scope’s Kellner provides 33x. I never routinely go higher than this. Granted, the views are small, yet low power views are sharper. The solar phenomena visible in h-alpha are large in apparent angle against the background sky and show significant detail even at low magnifications. This is rather like observing the moon whose major features can be enjoyed with low powers.

Prominences range from opaque masses to diffuse, delicate structures. Many resemble trees and mushrooms. Some resemble shapes from Chinese calligraphy floating above the solar rim. Often portions of prominences are detached. Many make arching shapes.

Filaments range from sharp curves to diffuse masses that resemble fog banks on the sun. I often see filaments conforming to the curved magnetic fields surrounding sunspot groups and glowing “active regions.” Over the span of days, I watch filaments move with the sun’s rotation. As they approach the solar rim, the filaments become prominences in silhouette.

We have had some recent filaments that extended nearly across the entire solar disk. I was able to observe these with the PST.

I have seen some minor flares. This week I caught a major flare that erupted within sunspot group 767 (May 26th). The flare resembled a partial Greek letter Theta, and was completely confined to the sunspot archipelago. The flare was bright white against the red chromosphere. A solar flares is a short-lived event, and on the next afternoon was completely gone.

One morning I observed with a group of high school students. Their reactions ranged from “Is that all?” to enthusiastic interest. This is just like any other type of public outreach in astronomy.

Observing the sun in h-alpha reminds me of the view of Saturn through a telescope. When you observe Saturn, it is so spectacular that you always think that it is the best view you have ever had. You tend to lose reason a bit and lapse into childlike enthusiasm. A good view of the solar chromosphere has this same type of impact.

Does the PST live up to its promise? I would say a resounding “Yes!” The PST is a portable, safe, convenient, and optically sound instrument that delivers small, yet sharp views of the h-alpha sun. The scope is easy to use and quick to set up. It is perfect for impromptu observing sessions during lunch breaks or other opportune moments.

You NEED one of these!

Here is the Better View Desired review of the TV-85. The author compares the scope with a Ranger and other non-TV spotting scopes used for bird watching.

http://betterviewdesired.com/BVD701/tv85.html

This article is also linked on the TeleVue website. Most scopegeeks have probably already digested it.

Check it out.

Now I know why he went over!

There is a new article on CloudyNights that compares the 9 mm Nagler T6 with Pentax and Meade eyepieces.

http://www.cloudynights.com/documents/9mmshoot.pdf

Check it out.

I found these on the Anacortes website:

http://www.buytelescopes.com/gallery/view_photo.asp?pid=3564&c=20641

http://www.buytelescopes.com/gallery/view_photo.asp?pid=3567&c=20641

Enjoy.

Michael Gaynes said:

Just curious. I haven't seen any mention of this (or the Starlight) retrofit yet...

Hi Michael,

Here is a link from the Anacortes website:

http://www.buytelescopes.com/product.asp?m=&pid=9067&display=reviews

There is not much info on the Focusmate yet. I read that Al needed to recall them to fix a defect. I am also interested in getting one for my Pronto.

Here is a link to a review of the 31 mm Nagler posted on Astromart:

http://www.astromart.com/articles/article.asp?article_id=276

Check it out.

The title says it all. Check out the following link:

http://www.telescope.com/jump.jsp?itemID=208&itemType=CATEGORY&path=1%2C3&KickerID=566&KICKER

A few years ago, Orion sold the Tele Vue line and included it in their catalogs. Orion eventually stopped, presumably to concentrate on their own products.