Posts Made By: Rod Kaufman

Originally Posted by James Erwin

I have a Celestron CPC 1100 Edge. I am using a 12V Celestron Lithium Pro power supply.

The cord on this power supply is very short. Tonight I ran into a problem slewing in azimuth because of cord wrap. I simply did not notice how tight the cord was getting in the dark. The mount motor made a strained sound, and then completely stopped during rapid slewing.

Could this have damaged the gears or the azimuth motor?

I think there's at least one way to find out and that's to try it out under actual observing conditions. I had a similar problem wherein my refractor butted up against a tripod leg while slewing to an object and I heard the motor strain so I shut off the power immediately. The drive was ok. Hope the same in your case, let us know...

Originally Posted by Larry Holt

I'm relatively new to astronomy and I'm just setting up my first better than beginner setup based around a Sky-Watcher Quattro 200P. 

I understand the F4 speed is achieved at least partially through the more curved primary mirror and that's why they need a special coma corrector to compensate. But OMG...

Why is the Quattro coma corrector at $375 more than half the price of the entire OTA???

Because it's an imaging newtonian optimized for astrophotography. As such, the corrector provides:
f/4 ED coma corrector
FPL51 and Schott glass
Optimized for Quattro imaging Newtonians
Requires 55mm backfocus
https://www.adorama.com/skws20204.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw4eaJBhDMARIsANhrQAA-7esEOpH_71nR1w3_dRWD-LpEmP6cp3TT-aO6_muZvJ9mhAK-ye0aAtMHEALw_wcB&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4eaJBhDMARIsANhrQAA-7esEOpH_71nR1w3_dRWD-LpEmP6cp3TT-aO6_muZvJ9mhAK-ye0aAtMHEALw_wcB&utm_source=adl-gbase-p
A possible visual & photographic corrector option:
https://www.highpointscientific.com/baader-planetarium-2-mark-iii-multi-purpose-coma-corrector-mpcc?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=BAD-MPCC&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4eaJBhDMARIsANhrQAAYr55d-lRTtRNYwtaZvDs7YGX493HkG-AasGbfAxoeCJ0HDXQ8h2saAvhPEALw_wcB
Visually, this MAY work but may not for photographic:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32917167365.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.3ed77642rn5ljH&lgo_pvid=ef2e4e22-011a-49b9-967d-8092ef54280a&lgo_exp_id=ef2e4e22-011a-49b9-967d-8092ef54280a-1&dp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2266029924265%22%7D

Originally Posted by George Behary

I am finding that my neck problem is making it almost next to impossible for me to use a view finder.  i almost have to sit on the ground tro be able to look through one.  I have an optical one on my Meade and a red dot on my AstroScan 9new version). I need something with a right angle viewer I suspect.  Any suggestions?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003096332210.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.724f1770v7IrZC&lgo_pvid=9eecc242-6968-4c29-8e3c-e447f3434ff5&lgo_exp_id=9eecc242-6968-4c29-8e3c-e447f3434ff5-13&dp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2212000024058968167%22%7D
OR:
https://astromaniaoptics.com/products/astromania-9x50-angled-finder-scope-black-you-will-no-longer-need-to-strain-your-neck-at-difficult-angles

Originally Posted by George Behary

Have you ever ordered.from alexipress?  I have not.

I've ordered svbony products via amazon and they ship out of China just like aliexpress. If you're hesitant about ordering from aliexpress and I wouldn't be because I'd contact my credit card company and dispute a charge if there happened to be a problem, I'd order from amazon instead although it might cost more:
https://www.amazon.com/SVBONY-Finderscope-Right-Angle-Correct-Image-Astronomy/dp/B09BQCVXKV/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=svbony+finder+scope&qid=1634497873&sr=8-13
Aliexpress sells the finderscope in question from the svbony store. The latter is a legit seller so I doubt you'll have a problem and I've bought svbony eyepieces and CCD filters from them via amazon without encountering difficulties. 

Originally Posted by Walter Michener

I'm hoping one of you more experienced observers can help me out. I bought a secondhand TV 3X Barlow, which has the lock-screw but not the brass compression ring other ones seem to have (see mine in photo). So is mine faulty or is it just an older model? I now have a 2.5X Powermate and would like to sell the 3X Barlow, but don't want to offer it for sale if it's missing something. It does seem to work fine. Thanks so very much for any words of wisdom!

I don't know if the 3x barlow is missing a compression ring or not but the lock-screw should work as intended with the possible downside that the set screw may leave a small mark on the eyepiece barrel whereas a brass compression ring will not. I personally wouldn't consider that to be a deal breaker but someone else might. In some cases, I could also see a brass compression ring providing a more uniform amount of pressure to keep the eyepiece centered in the barlow but, in most cases, I don't think that's going to happen. 

Originally Posted by Larry Kane

The binoculars in question were damaged at a public outreach event.   The right ocular or ocular cover (no lense) was found on the ground.  After replacing it, it would not come to focus and can be continuallly turned in both direction.  The left ocular will stop turning in both directions and will focus.  I believe a part or parts may be missing..  Celestron tech support had neither parts or ides and suggested I check with a repair shop that is evidently out of business.  If anyone can suggest where I may go to seek a remedy, please advise.  All input will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance and clear skies.
Larry

Try Oberwerk and see if they can help you or suggest someone who can:
https://oberwerk.com/

Originally Posted by Johnny Golden

Good evening!
I've got a bit of a compatibility question and i'm hoping someone here has a sky-watcher star adventure gti mount. My telescope is a William Options Gran Turismo 71mm. I was planning on using teh Star ADventurer GTI mount as a tracking mount to do some astro photography with the WO scope. The mount claims to support up to 11lbs, which is well within range of the WO GT 71. But i'll be using a CMOS camera, and a small camera for a guide scope, and the WO reducer/flattener. I have a feeling i'll be pushing slightly over that 11lbs. The scope is only 420mm and is pretty short. But i'm wondering if anyone has used this mount with a similar sized scope and equipment? 

thanks,
John

See/hear the comments on this unit from Ed Ting, a noted equipment reviewer, on his youtube video beginning 12:08:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VhOaHMUaAk&t=33s

Originally Posted by mark sturdevant

Can anyone tell me the difference between the Orion 6" classic Cassegrain and the GSO version. Reading the specs they seem identical but there is about $200 difference in the two. Thanks for any info you can provide.

Watch the Ed Ting video:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stlw04tsrc8

Originally Posted by Art Monzon

Hi Guys,

New to the forum and stargazing and had a quick question. Finally was able to take out the Meade 12" for some stargazing in a decently dark environment (30 min outside a main city) and was blown away by the views offered by the 20mm - 40mm eyepieces. But when I switched to anything with more magnification, like the 15mm or 10mm I can never seem to get the focus "just right" as the image gets that "bloom" no matter how fine I tune to focuser. Even when I focus just right, the image seems very dark. 

I hope this is a simple solution as I was very confused how it seemed that I got better and more clear resolution out of the 20mm+ than the higher magnifications. 

Viewing conditions on both nights were during a new moon phase, and on a very clear night. Thank you for any help!

It sounds like the seeing during your observing session wasn't able to support the increase in magnification afforded by the use of your shorter focal length eyepieces in your long focal ratio scope. That's not uncommon at all. Seeing is essentially turbulence in the atmosphere that you don't see visually or with the use of longer focal length eyepieces such as those in the 20-40mm range but when you switch to something like a 10mm you inadvertently magnify the turbulence caused by poor seeing and the image of a star bloats in response to it. Make sure your scope is out for awhile before you observe so it adjusts to the ambient temperature, too. If you point the tube down first before starting an observing session and remove the eyepiece holder and diagonal, the warm air inside the tube will vent upward and prevent any currents within the tube from affecting your views, too. 
Finally, consult the clear sky chart for a prediction of conditions in your area:    https://www.cleardarksky.com/csk/
Review the above site so you know how to use it and it'll help you plan for an observing session especially if you want to use higher magnification with your scope.

Originally Posted by Art Monzon

Thank you for the response! I was actually using the cleardarksky website before going out and basically everything was good EXCEPT for the humidity. I had left the telescope outside to acclimate to the temperature for about 3 hours before observing. So humidity can really mess up high magnification like that? 

No, humidity should not be the problem unless your corrector plate dewed-over. It still sounds like seeing is the culprit. Try observing over several nights and see if you're able to use your shorter focal length eyepieces. Bloating of star images are most likely the result of seeing conditions. Remember that any predictive site like the clear sky chart or atmospherics are merely forecasts and not guarantees of seeing or other conditions. Novice observers are too quick in blaming some other factor like their equipment when a problem like this is seen. Your 12" scope operates at an f ratio of f10 and that translates to a lot of magnification with an eyepiece within the 10-15mm range. It was most likely affected by the seeing and little else...