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Erwin Forbragd

M33 in Triangulum

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Posts Made By: Darrell Fichtl

December 16, 2004 06:21 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Hausen

Posted By Darrell Fichtl
Great shot!

Using a little work with Photoshop you can get an almost heads down look.

Darrell

December 18, 2004 02:38 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Recording Observations in Cold Weather

Posted By Darrell Fichtl
David:

Screw the cold. Do like I'm doing. Remote your scope and sit inside in a nice warm den.

You don't think for one minute that the pros at the Naval observatory in Flagstaff, AZ are out in the cold do you?

Heck no, Blaise and the others sit in a nice warm 16x20 room with heaters and color monitors.

Darrell

December 19, 2004 05:53 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Poll - LCD or CRT monitor

Posted By Darrell Fichtl
Wes:

Definitely go to an LCD. Since I've been in the business for a long time a bit of advice.

Go to somewhere such as Best Buy. They have a whole bunch on monitors lined up. Have the salesman switch the entire bank (they are generally run on one computer) to Notebook and type in some wording like "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dogs back" then very carefully examine the lettering. You'll notice a distinct difference between monitors. Some will have slightly blurred lettering while others will be crisp.

Pick out the three crispest and then look at the price and buy the cheapest one unless you prefer one of the other two for appearance reasons.

As I said I've been in the business for a l-o-n-g time. I've been programming since 1965 and working on PC's since 83.

Darrell Fichtl
Computer Professional Rescue
Green Valley, AZ

December 20, 2004 06:23 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Celestron NexImage and Autoguiding?

Posted By Darrell Fichtl
I'm planning to use an LPI to guide the DSI on the main scope. I don't know why it wouldn't work for the Celestron.

Darrell

December 20, 2004 03:54 PM Forum: Eyepieces

Contrast, brightness and vision - reality or optic

Posted By Darrell Fichtl
When I do the acceptance tests on the mirrors for VERITAS we use a white beam light source the passes through a variable narrow band filter and then onto a optical head that sends the beam down to the mirror surface. This head also contains a detector that converts the reflected light into millivolts that can be read on a voltmeter. We step through a light range from 260 to 700.

I wish that all optical components had to go through this test. Besides reflectivity for mirrors, it could also measure transmission for eyepieces. We then would be rid of a lot of the subjective B.S. that goes along with much of the amateur optical accoutrements of the hobby.

Darrell

December 20, 2004 04:17 PM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Lasik and Astronomy

Posted By Darrell Fichtl
I've thought about it and have heard some horror stories. Frankly, I guess the bottom line is I just don't trust anyone that far. If it's a life or death matter then you have no choice but on optional surgery I really don't feel good about it.

Several years ago when my wife an I lived in Oregon we belonged to a social club that was 75 percent physicians. I found out, after several years, that there are great ones, good ones, not so good and poor ones. It's just like any other profession.

Trouble is, that when coming off the street, you don't know which is which. I don't want to use my eyes to find out if I got a good one or a poor one.

Darrell

December 25, 2004 03:49 AM Forum: Celestron

Celestron Polaris 8x50 right angle illuminated fin

Posted By Darrell Fichtl
I had a lighted finder on my 8" Meade. It worked great except for one thing. I always forgot to turn the thing off when I stored it and the battery ran down fast.

I don't know how they are now, but at that time the batteries weren't cheap.

Darrell

December 25, 2004 10:41 PM Forum: Religion

What are we celebrating?

Posted By Darrell Fichtl
What we are celebrating is the Winter Solstice!

The new birth of light and the lengthening days of the Sun. This goes back way further than any Christian belief.

The celebration was hijacked by the church for it's own ends and to include those that already celebrated this day for the original reason.

Darrell

December 25, 2004 10:46 PM Forum: Politics

Bush/Canadian Drugs

Posted By Darrell Fichtl
The whole argument is utter nonsense when you consider that many of the drugs for sale here in the good old USA are manufactured in Britain.

I fail to see the logic in not allowing the buying Canadian drugs but it's alright for the drug companies to import them from Britain and sell them here.

FOLLOW THE MONEY PEOPLE!

December 31, 2004 10:03 AM Forum: Meade

Jan. 3rd Announcement

Posted By Darrell Fichtl
"change the face of astronomy"

Sounds like a new diet advertisement! Like so much other advertising "puffery" it's probably well overblown.

Get everybody hyped up and then introduce a new finder. God knows they could use one.

Darrell

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