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Posts Made By: Darren Drake

August 6, 2003 06:09 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Old Brandon Ad

Posted By Darren Drake
In about 1983 S&T and/or Astronomy ran an add from Brandon about their new 80mm short tube apo scope that could see individual pine needles on trees miles away. I later saw this somewhere on the net. Anyone out there know a link by chance? Thanks

August 10, 2003 07:38 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Is a focault tester enough....

Posted By Darren Drake
Is a focault tester really accurate enough to guarantee a supurb figure on a fast mirror? What do Zambuto and other well known mirror makers use to asses mirror quality?

August 15, 2003 08:29 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Orion Ultrablock or Lumicon OIII

Posted By Darren Drake
Which 2 inch version would show the most detail on the Veil nebula? Orion is only half the price of the Lumicon.

September 5, 2003 06:17 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Orion Ultrascopics vs high end orthos?

Posted By Darren Drake
I haven't been able to find any reviews of the shorter focal length Ulrascopics. I have a 3.8mm and consider it a very good planetary eyepiece. I'm wondering how the purists compare this to the Ziess abbe orthos or the Pentax orthos.

September 5, 2003 06:41 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

What are "phase coated" binoculars?

Posted By Darren Drake
Orion is advertising these and I'm wondering if there is anything to this phase coated technology. Is there a real improvement in image contrast to non-phase coated binos? Thanks

September 9, 2003 01:07 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Siebert SW eyepieces?

Posted By Darren Drake
I've been toying with the idea of purchasing the new 7mm Pentax XW eyepiece. It sports a 70 degree fov and 20mm of eye relief. Unfortunately they aren't available quite yet and will cost around $339. This is probably to high for me to justify but I see that the Siebert 7mm Super wide has the same stats at less than half the cost. I'm wondering if these eyepieces really do compete with the high end oculars as Harry states in his website. Any one have experience with his superwide eyepiece line? How does the edge performance compare? Is the field stop sharp? Thanks

October 12, 2003 06:25 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

98 degree apparent fov binoculars from Orion?

Posted By Darren Drake
Orion is claiming a 98 degree aparrent fov 7X32 binoculars for $119. Can anyone verify that this isn't a typo? I've never heard of an eyepiece with this kind of afov.

October 16, 2003 11:09 PM Forum: Eyepieces

Anyone collecting the Pentax XWs yet?

Posted By Darren Drake
I have the 7mm XW and like it so much I just ordered the 10mm. Of course I'm selling other equipment to pay for it. Has anyone out there caught the XW bug yet. I think these are the new ones to beat. I love Naglers as much as the next guy but 70 degrees and 20mm eye relief are hard to beat.

October 16, 2003 11:10 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Pentax XW eyepieces

Posted By Darren Drake
I have the 7mm XW and like it so much I just ordered the 10mm. Of course I'm selling other equipment to pay for it. Has anyone out there caught the XW bug yet. I think these are the new ones to beat. I love Naglers as much as the next guy but 70 degrees and 20mm eye relief are hard to beat.

November 14, 2003 06:45 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Saturn to occult 8th mag star tonight.

Posted By Darren Drake
The star will be occulted by the rings starting at 11:45 CST tonight, Friday 11-14. Observers should watch for subtle dimmings as it passes through various ringlets. Looks like we might be clouded out here in Chicago. There will be a similar event in the predawn hours of 11-25.

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