Posts Made By: Inge Skauvik

I think it is difficult to draw a distinct border between observing and equipment issues since equipment is absolutely essential for the observer. And quite frequently it is interesting to know what equipment has been used when some observation has reported. I also consider it relevant to discuss what kind of equipment is most suitable for various categories of objects.
I think that a person who is proud of her/his telescope is a happy observer, and most probably also a skilled observer. I think I have written before that the main objective with our hobby is having fun. As long as the equipment discussion does not lead to dissatisfaction or envy, I think it is ok. Surely there will always be place for dreams, but the situation should not be such that any of us stop using our equipment because someone is able to view more difficult objects or just boasting a higher Strehl ratio than our own scopes.
I sometimes participate in a Russian discussion forum, and I really enjoy reading enthusiastic reports about observations made with a 120mm TAL from a balcony of an 8'th floor Moscow flat. And thinking back, one of my greatest observation experiences ever was the first time I saw M36, M37 and M38 as unresolved fuzzies with a pair of binoculars.

Many years ago, before the times when computer-assisted telescope control was available for most amateurs, there was a Japanese telescope brand called GOTO. They made an impressive series of refractors with even more impressive price tags. Even the small 3-inch scopes were awfully expensive, and I think the top model which was an 8-inch with a focal ration in the f/15 - f/20 range on a huge pillar mount cost about 100.000 dollars (around 1975). (I also remember a very small Japanese lady standing in fromt of the scope in the brochure photo). In addition to the refractors GOTO also made a 4-inch Maksutov (beating the Questars and the Quantums in terms of price) and an impressive 12-inch Newtonian for observatory installation.

Did anyone ever buy a GOTO scope? Were they /are they as good as you would expect from the price? Where are they now??

From my location (59 degrees north) noctilucent clouds can often be observed in the period late July - early August. Last year almost none were seen. Yesterday evening at 24:00 however, there was a great display in the northern sky. The clouds had a very nice structure, some of them looking almost like mackerel clouds, others having a feather-like structure, all appearing to be phosphorescent.
The 60 degree latitude seems to be optimal for observation of such clouds. People living in southern Scandinavia, or e.g. Anchorage, Alaska or St.Petersburg and Ekaterinburg, Russia should have a good chance of seeing such clouds these days. The circumpolar star, Capella, can be a good guide to the noctilucent clouds. No need to look for the clouds before Capella becomes visible. (If you see bright clouds in the north earlier in the evening, those are probably sunlit cirrus clouds at 10.000 metres altitude, the noctilucent coluds are much higher up). You will normally find the noctilucent clouds below Capella in the sky, sometimes appearing as extended whisps of the bright northern twilight.
The noctilucent clouds can be very bright. I have experienced such clouds to harm my nocturnal trout fishing, making me standing in silhouette against a sky being FAR too bright.

Probably I should keep my mouth shut since the present astronomy market seems to offer about anything thinkable. However, lately I have been travelling a bit, and sometimes I really have missed the option to bring a scope with me. I have an 8-inch Portaball, but I realise that it is a bit too bulky to bring along on a two-day business trip.
I would really like more aperture than the Pronto size. I also find the 4 - 5-inch APO stuff and the 7-inch Teleport too expensive.

So here is my "dream traveller scope": I need a 6-inch Dobsonian that can be collapsed to a size making it possible to take it as cabin luggage on a plane. Perhaps a "Teleport clone".The focal ratio should probably be about f/7 - f/8 just to make the scope tall enough to use without a tripod. Optical quality should be good enough to accomodate powers up to 200x, and set-up and collimation should be possible to do within a few minutes. And the price shoudl be below 1000$, preferably less. GOTO, tracking and imaging options are of less interest for me, but maybe I'm not the only person who would find such a scope interesting.

Got myself new glasses the other day. Just to learn that I haven't enjoyed the splendour of the naked eye starry sky the last 35 years. Even from my suburban location it was impressive. Look forward to view the sky from a dark site.

Do anyone have any experience with the new TMB monocentrics? Are they worth the money? What about the statement that "the small field prevents the eye to wander away from the object (planet)"? Have anybody compared the monocentrics with common orthos?

When I ordered my 8-inch Portaball I decided to skip the electrical packages, partly for economic reasons, partly because I didn't think I would need them. However, I sometimes get problems with dew on the secondary, and very often on the reflex finder. Is there a simple way to get around this problem (without having access to a household power supply)? A battery-driven hairdryer?

According to my experience from using a 200mm f/6 Newtonian the following nebulous objects show the largest amound of detail:

Gaseous nebulae:

1: Orion nebula
2: Veil nebula (O-III filter required)
3: M57, Lyra
4: NGC281, Cassiopeia (O-III)
5: M27, Vulpecula

Galaxies:

1: M82, UMa
2: M33, Tri
3: M51, CVn
4: M31, And

Any second opinions? Comments?

Deep-sky experts, your opinions please!

Here is a list of 10 highly different DSO's. Which powers would you select for each of them? Please state minimum, maximum and optimum, and also state your aperture. If there are objects you don't know, just skip them.

Here's the list:

M31
M33
M42
Veil nebula
M57
M13
NGC4236 (Large, faint galaxy in Draco)
NGC3190 (Member of group of small galaxies in Leo)
NGC6210 (Small planetary in Hercules)
NGC7662 (Moderately small planetary in Andromeda)

According to the weather forecast we will have clear skies the weekend to come. This is the first time in several weeks. The problem is that we will have a near full moon, and at my latitude the full moon is almost circumpolar in winter.
WHY DO THE CLEAS SKIES ALWAYS COME WHEN THE MOON IS FULL?

The moon itself isn't really interesting to observe when it is full, and seeing conditions for planetary observation are rare during winter. And worst of all - I DONT'T FIND THE FAINT DOUBLE STARS because I can't navigate with the Rigel-finder without the necessary number of visible reference stars.