Posts Made By: joseph cannavo

I have been posting on a couple of forums to ID the crater I viewed near the terminator on 9/7. The crater is Neper (rukl 38). A photo and the ID can be found in the following link:
http://www.astromart.com/forums/viewpost.asp?forum_post_id=470066&poll_id=&news_id=&page=
This made for a dramatic observing session, as well as a first light for my completed 16" F5 Royce conical.
Seeing was 6-7/10 and I was using a 3mm Radian for 667X. The lunar image at this magnification was showing much atmospheric turbulence. Yet during moments of stillness, and between the turbulent ripples the image was quite crisp, easily yielding small detail that would have taken magnification to atleast 50X/inch (800X).
I observed Neper for 2 hours. It was just on the limb being viewed nearly edge on. The crater itself was filled with shadow - like black ink filling a cup near the brim. A central peak was poking out in the center, and from 10pm to 12pm the peak gradually submerged into the shadow, sinking into the blackness as the terminator crept along. This was really quite dramatic - and something of a unique observing experience for me. Please follow the link to Mike's photo - who ID'd the crater for me. The image at the EP was VERY close to that in Mike's image (but with the addition of slow ripples of atmospheric turbulence)and very much approximates the detail seen at 667X. The visual image - of course - was significantly higher in contrast.
One more comment about the Royce mirror. The image of the full moon itself in a 27mm Panoptic was striking in the surprisingly small amount of light scatter near the lunar limb. This being suggestive of a very high optical polish. More observing reports to follow. Now, if I can get my hands on a 2mmEP that won't crush my eyelid...
Joe

Question for the group. After an evening of lunar observing with a 3mm radian, which gave 667X on a 16"f5, I realized that 800 - 1000X is definitly
going to be usable on this scope when observing the moon during nights of better seeing.
Floyd had suggested barlowing a radian, but I wonder if there is a way to go that would avoid all that glass.
(Perhaps this is a non issue on the moon though with its extreme contrast)
I hate short eye relief though. In terms of other barlowed combinations - i.e. Plossls, orthoscopics, monocentrics etc - any thoughts on which would yield best contrast while still yielding reasonable - i.e. 10mm or so - eye relief?
Joe

Any ticket being sold by individuals?
Joe

Hi all:
Proud owner of a new 16" F5 ZOC (!!) and completing my Dob structure. My scope will be set up so that - for example - Radians (3,5,10) and Panoptics (35, 27,19) reach focus, but a 31mm Nagler will not - requiring too much infocus. Can anyone comment on the degree of infocus required with the Ethos relative to these EPs?
Joe

Floyd
Read my post. Have Steve Swayze test it, he is one honest down-to-earth guy who will not try to simply sell an unnesseccary refiguring to you.
Joe

Andre
I just had my 15" mirror refigured by Steve. Beyond the quality of his work, which is absolutely 1st rate, he is quite a human being. He actually shiped put my mirror BEFORE I paid him!!
As for photos, this will not tell you much. With contemporary stacking and processing techniques subtle differences in contrast between good and excellent mirrors become obliterated. Consider that some of thwe sharpest planetary photos are being donw with moderate aperture SCTs with 33% central obstructions. Such scopes would not hold up visually however next to a premium newtonian with an 18-20% sized secondary. Hope this helps
Joe

8)
Sweeeet!
Awesome photo Bob. I am especially pleased because I have a 16" F5 Conical on order with Mr Royce. He and I spoke about the design of your scope (with regard to cooling of the primary) several weeks ago. It looks like Mr Royce has once again lived up to his "stellar" reputation. As for your imiging technique ...
Mrs Peach and Eng are on notice...
Joe

8)
Joe
There is another issue here. Without knowing the specifics of your observing location, thermal effects from your building could definatly create local "seeing" effects and place a limitation on usable magnification. Such a limitation could negate the optical advantage of a 6" premium newtonian.
That having been said, I sometimes chuckle to myself at the extremes of the apo mystique. No matter how you slice the MTF, a well colimated/baffled 6" Royce Newtonian (with a small secondary) cruising at 200x is going to out perform a 76/85 apo "redlining" at the same magnification.
Clear and steady skies.
Joe
102mm apo, 6" RV-6, 12" Swayze, 16" Royce Conical on order!

As a strictly a visual observer, I am always amazed at the resolution you guys achieve. This one is truly
Fantastic, aprox .4 arc seconds!(?)
With my calipers I measure craterlets about .5 mile across. I dont have an atlas. Is this correct? What is the current limit - in terms of smallest feature/craterlet - being achieved in lunar images of this sort.
Joe

Nice work Bob.
I especially like the contrast(grey scale?) range.
Joe