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VdB 141 Ghost Nebula

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Posts Made By: Ted VanSickle

October 28, 2003 01:49 AM Forum: Meade

'NEW' 8" LX200 at OPT: good deal?

Posted By Ted VanSickle
Bill, I purchased my 12" classic LX 200 from Meade in August 2001. They were selling off all of their stock of classic LXs at that time. The optics are top rate and the electronics are perfect with my telescope. These products have been around for a long time, and the manufacturing bugs have been ironed out pretty well. I wouldn't worry about purchasing a "new" classic of any size.
Ted

November 3, 2003 01:04 PM Forum: Meade

Questions on Meade models

Posted By Ted VanSickle
David, about two years ago, Meade introduced the GPS model scopes. The LX200 made prior to that time are now called the classics. They are not the LX90 model. I have a 12"LX200 classic, and it is a fine telescope with an excellent goto system and a large database of spece objects. I have never seen an LX200, so I cannot comment on it.
Ted

December 4, 2003 12:56 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Viewing RealTime via network.....Help????

Posted By Ted VanSickle
Tom, I have had no trouble getting photographic data to differrent computers. Most software allows you to specify a destination file where the images will be stored as the images are collected. I specify the network file folder that I want and everything goes to that directory over the 100 mbs ethernet automatically. The laptop is merely a relay device between the camera and the network. This approach gets the data to the computer that you want but does not display the data. For realtime display, I simply use VNC and watch the images come in on the laptop from the host computer.
Ted

February 5, 2004 01:57 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Location of patio for observing

Posted By Ted VanSickle
I like to have Polaris in sight so that I can do an equitorial alignment. Otherwise, a full southern exposure is what you want.
Ted

June 23, 2004 02:08 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Powering my laptop

Posted By Ted VanSickle
Guys, I have found one problem with the dc/ac inverters. I know that if the input voltage gets low, the inverter will destroy itself. To prevent this problem, the manufacturer puts in a threshold device that shuts the inverter down when the input voltage is low. The spec typically say that it will shut down when the voltage goes below 10.5 volts. Every inverter that I have had shuts down when the input is above 12 volts regardless of what the spec says. So if I am depending on the battery only without some type of charger, I am lucky to get 2.5 hours service out of a small car battery. A real pain.

Good luck,
Ted

September 24, 2004 12:36 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

This hobby advances at a snails pace.

Posted By Ted VanSickle
Come on guys, We have seen many significant advances in mounting technology for want of a better name. Even if you do not like them, goto systems abound today and were just somebodies thoughts ten years ago. Those of today are good and they work as advertised.

I would guess that somebody would jump in and say that GPS technology applied to the telescope is an advancement. I do not use that technology, but it is an improvement. I do not know when ED glass was introduced, but from the flurry of messages regarding it during the past three months, it must have been a relatively new addition to the market.

The digital camera technology is moving at an amazing pace. You can buy cameras in the amateur market that were only a dream just a few years ago.

We are not in a technology slump. The hobby is moving forward at a fine pace.

With regards,
Ted

October 7, 2004 01:55 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Using a Handheld GPS Reciever for my LX200 10

Posted By Ted VanSickle
Joe, I bought a Magellan GPS 310 back in 1999 before I even got into astronomy. About 2001, I picked up one of the last production runs of the classic LX200 f10 12"scopes from Meade. In the meantime, I sold my boat in Florida, so I use the 310 exclusively to find the location of the telescope. It works find for that purpose. It is so much more capable that just telling me where the scope is, but that excess capacity is just wasted. If I recall, I paid right on $100 for it. If you could find one today, I would bet the used price will be much less.
Good luck,
Ted

October 22, 2004 09:36 PM Forum: Home Observatories

Anyone using a 12" LX200 in a 6' Dome????

Posted By Ted VanSickle
Heather, I have a 12" LX200 in a 10 foot dome. I put several small tables around the peripheral regions of the dome. There is also a rather large battery pack. I also have a couple of chairs in the observatory. It is pretty tight, but I have had a couple and their two children in the dome several times, and nobody stepped on the other.

I have attached a picture. Probably, this picture doesn't show the inside of the dome very well. It is taken through the open shutter. I can probably find some better pictures, but I shouldn't send a bunch of pictures via Astromart. If you wish, send me your email, and I will send you a bunch of pictures.

Sorry if this picture is too large. I seem to have lost my picture editing ability when I switched to XP.

Ted

November 13, 2004 12:41 PM Forum: Birding Optics and Photos

Possibilities?

Posted By Ted VanSickle
Harry, I can't tell you for certain. But, I have seen several ospry nests
built into telephone towers in Florida.
Ted

December 13, 2004 09:43 PM Forum: Film Astrophotography - Imaging and Processing

How many here use a gas purge...

Posted By Ted VanSickle
Jeffery, I do not use a purge yet, but plan to when I return from vacation next April. I have a 12"LX200 classic in an observatory. It has been there for more than two years, and everything worked fine until recently. Suddenly, it has been fogging up inside of the telescope, and the primary mirror is also covered with frost. That really reduces the seeing. It is funny though, if looking at bright objects, it is hard to tell that the whole inside of the scope is covered with frost. I will watch any thread that developes from your question.

BTW, I just planned to get a small canister of dry nitrogen and work out some way to fill the scope with it. Once the water/air is purged from the scope, I am certain that it will remain pretty dry and that I can purge the scope every evening that I use it rather easily. I currently plug the eyepiece mount with a vented film canister filled with a dessicant.

Ted

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