Posts Made By: Darrell Hensley

Looks like we're gonna have an unusual planet line-up beginning Dec.7.Jupiter,Mercury,and Mars will be in view in a small circle in the east to southeast sky.The best time will be around 6:30am.You find more out on www.space.com .Clear skies,Darrell

Hello people,Anyone that may have been comsidering getting the Lxd75 mount and tripod without the autostar better act fast.Any dealer that has any in stock can still sell them this way.After their stock runs dry and they have to reorder it will be forced upon you to buy the autostar with it also.The 497 autostar is $200 from Meade and Meade dealers,so I bought the 497 autostar from telescope warehouse from William Vorce for $99.95.Then I ordered my LXD75 mount and tripod for $499.00 and sent my money via debit card.I recieved an email from the dealer I was buying from and he told me that Meade will not sell it with the EC any longer that you are now forced to also buy the autostar for a total of $599.00 which is half the normal price but I had already bought one.So now I have an extra autostar,I now have $700.00 invested in my new mount and tripod.That took some of the money I was saving back to buy the 16" Meade lightbridge.I should be able to get it by February-PATIENCE,I was going to go ahead and buy me a 8" dob from DBA and thought if I could hold off a couple more months so I could get a 16" dob new with warrany.Also if anyone wants the LXD75 N6-EC for the advertised price of $599.00 they have been discontinued or upgraded to the SN6-AT,gotta buy the autostar.Its starting to look like Meade is needing money to pay their legal fee's so they're letting us foot the bill.So if you find a dealer that has any of these in stock and you're in the market for them you better get busy and buy'em now.If I had'nt thought it would be handy to have an extra autostar I would have gotten my money back but the mount will undoubtedly outlast the autostar and I'll have one already.Just a quick heads-up.Sincerely,Darrell

I finally broke down and bought me a RA finder scope.I love it,I got the 9x50 Stellarvue with interchangable 1,25" eyepieces.It is great to not to have to crawl around on the ground looking for my guide stars for alignment etc.I was bidding on an orion with the .965 ep but it got a little high for my taste being used.After $75.00 I stopped and logged on Anacortes and paid $99.00 for a new one with warranty and my size ep's.The Orion looked great and I'm sure it was worth the price it went for but got just too high for me since it was so close to the price of a new one.After using the stellarvue I am sold,I would'nt mind having one of their telescopes.Very nice optics especially for a finder,I guess I'm just use to the ones that seem to come out of cracker-jack boxes or the like.For anyone needing an excellent RA finder scope try the F50W Stellarvue 9X50 Wide angle with the interchangable eyepieces,you'll love it.Clear skies,Darrell

Hey Ivan,I thought you had dropped off the edge of the earth.I had'nt heard from you in a while,maybe I missed a post.I was wondering how you were getting along with your new WO66mm.You had'nt said anything in a while.Have you had as bad of weather as we've had here in Ky?I finally got to view when I got home at 2:30am,I was'nt about to pass up a clear night after the way its been,felt great to view again.You're gonna have to keep us more up to date with your new scope.Clear skies ole bud,Darrell

I guess I'm either a little fickle or maybe got a little smarter who knows.I had been saving to buy the new 16"lightbridge.So I went down to my non-sky shed(the building where I keep all of my scopes and other astronomy equipment and guitars and recording equipment.I just can't seem to find the room for another scope and I can't bring myself to box any of them up.I still use all of them especially when I've got a yard full of young-uns in the yard with me.Now sometimes ten kids.I just turn some them loose with my cheaper scopes and goto mounts and they are really learning how to find objects,now it's time to find them on their own with the 2 dobs I already have.Back to my point,I have really gotten into using my AR5 with my new LXD75 mount and tripod w\autostar and cant wait to try the palm handheld computer that Jons sending me to use without autostar.So I thought I'd get me some really nice (not top of the line but nice)eyepieces and a dielectric diagonal.I ordered the Willim optics swan eyepiece set w/dielectric diagonal.I can't wait till they get here on Friday.I also ordered a fringe filter and an O III filter.I figured this would make everything I have new again.I think they have something like a 70degree fov.Has anyone got any of these eyepieces?I know I could have gotten a couple of the naglers but I wanted a whole set of really nice eyepieces.I know they are'nt sponsors but I got them from www.telescopes.com .I could'nt find them at Anacortes at all,I tried and this is the brand I had my eye on forever.So if anyone has these or the diagonal chime in I'm anxious to hear if I did good or hopefully not bad.So when it rains all week-end you'll know who caused it.HA HA!I still plan on getting the lightbridge in the summer.I might be able to build me another non-skyshed for the over flow,either way I do plan on having it.Maybe even build one that size by then,it's funner anyway.Wow,I've talked too much.Sincerely and clear skies,Darrell

Hi Greg,Sorry to say I have bought a few items from them.They have the same price as any other dealer like meade etc.I don't think that they are allowed to go higher or lower than what the manufacturer sets the price at.The only difference is that a lot of their items have free shipping where other sites charge a pretty penny for it.They actually have about anything you would need.I still had rather use a sponsor but circumstances arrive.Regards,Darrell

Hey Folks,I noticed that the Meade factory outlet is down to 2 sizes of their Pyrex secondary eliptical flats.They are 10 and 15 dollars each.They still have the 1.3" and the 1.8".I went ahead and ordered me one of the 1.8" without even plans of building a scope.I have used these on a newt I built and they are just terrific especially the price.When they're gone its back to 40 and 50dollar secondaries.It would'nt hurt to have a spare.Just trying to help.Regards,Darrell

Hi Larry,Before you leave I would like to be one of the first to thank you for your service to our great nation.I always thank our protectors when I see them on the streets but this is the first time I've done it on a computer.May God bless and protect you my friend.If you ever get a chance to go online let us know how you're doing while you're over there.We aint gonna forget you brother.The way its going I dont think theres a lot of light pollution when you're not in the urban areas,but please don't ever try to view alone.We want to keep hearing from you.Sincerely,Darrell

I told you folks I'm fickle.One minute I perfectly satisfied and the next I just gotta have a new scope.Momma is going to kick my arse.I just ordered a new Zhumell 12" dob based on all the reviews I've been reading from some of you guys so its your fault and I did'nt have anything to do with it-thats what I'm gonna tell Jeannie my wife.So for the next 8 weeks I'm gonna be putting an extra 200 .00 a payday on the payment on this dang credit card thats what their for.I can't get my wife to believe that though.anyway she will love my new telescope,it was either gonna be that or a new shotgun and I don't think she likes target practice.Now that I think about it I think I'll hide all the guns till I get this scope paid for.Wish me luck,man I am gonna catch all heck when she see's our first statement.I'm gonna take over paying the bills for a couple months just to help my wonderful little wifey.Lord help me,Darrell

Hello all,Did anyone catch the photo of the day on the home page?These lunar pics make you actually look for the flag we left up there.I have never seen anything so perfect for a picture being taken 240,000 miles away.This guy has not got only great equipment but I think he has a really great talent.To bad we can't get paid for this type of work,I guess some folks do but I would be eating out of dumpsters if it was my job for photography.I like to take pictures but I have to explain what it is that your looking at.But take a look at this guys work,I love it.Maybe I might sneak some more equipment by my wife without her knowing it.GOD- that scares me to even think about it.Take a look,Darrell