Posts Made By: Rod Mollise

Dave Sewell said:

I USED to really enjoy reading the S & T equipment reviews, especially back in the "good old days" when they would be BRUTALLY honest evaluating telescopic equipment - remember the 2 part SCT review or their evaluation of 10 inch mirrors?

Michael Tencza said:

Here I go again, a new project. I am interested in an 8" f/5 reflector set up on an equitorial mount. This would be for visual use and I am quite happy with only an RA drive for tracking. I would like people's opinions on the most cost effective and sturdy mount for this purpose.

Perry Black said:

Anyone know where I can get some sturdy tube rings for a C11 that I can use to mount the thing to a dovetail plate on my Losmandy G11? BTW - I'd like to find some rings that rotate, also.

Slawomir Jan Bucki said:

:S
I am looking at upgrading my equipment and buying a new OTA. My preferred option would be an 8" SCT (Orion or Celestron). My concern is how this OTA would fit on my mount - a 10 years old Vixen Great Polaris. Accordingly to Vixen, the GP can carry 15 lb. and both Celestron and Orion web sites quote the OTA as being 12.5 lb. Based on this numbers it should be OK to put this OTA on the mount, but I'm concerned that by getting so close to the limit of the mount's capacity I will compromise stability and tracking. I use this mount for astrophotography and I love how accurately it tracks during even long exposure times, with no or minimal need for manual guiding help. Does anybody have experience with a similar set-up?

S. Bucki

Thomas K O'Byrne said:

It has been in the bottom corner for a while and now they have knocked 19% off their Intellicope dobs w/object locator. Does this mean that the pyrex mirrors reserved for these dobs are going to a Orion designed collapsable truss style with push to goto??
I would assume that they would keep selling their XT classics.
Tom

Tony Aguire said:

I have had my C8 for 6 years now. So far, I have only blown off the corrector twice with compressed air. Well, I was looking down the optical tube and am noticing some dust on the mirror, and the corrector is dirty again. When I bought the scope (used) from Photon Instraments in Mesa, Warren had cleaned it up before I took it home. Is there a hard and fast rule as far as how often one should open up the tube and clean up inside?

Tim Abbott said:

Is there any real advantage or disadvantage to edge blacken a primary mirror? Of course I've seen secondaries done, but can't recall seeing mention of anyone doing the primary.

victor truglio said:

from a somewhat urban light poluted sky, is there a point where a scope it too big or is aperture always king. would i benefit from going from an 11" scope to say a 16".
forget about weight and portability.
some people are telling me 10-11" is best unless you are bringing the scope to dark skies.

Al Acker said:

Looking to pick up a good field Collimator... was looking at the Baader vs 2 inch Hotech... any thoughts out there?

Thanks in advance