Posts Made By: randy cordell

Okay. Great. Is that ciscochrist? My reply:

FC#1: I would if I knew what you meant by "against your scope's focal length" It's FL is 2350mm (9.25" F10 or 92.5")
FC#2: Is RKE a brand or a design? There are some $15.00 RKE 1.25" oculars at telescope warehouse.
FC#3: I'm not. NEAF happent afore I knowed what it was. Actually I still don't know that, but I do know there was goods to be had, a lot like halloweeny, and apparently those that didn't get none is pissed cause they can't sell em like the others can. So they crab on those that can. That about right in your observation?
FC#4: I dunno if I ever did do that. Probably haven't yet. But I'd like to. Name a time. Bring your box o EP's. We'll have a time of it.

As you were!

rcordell

I'll chime in on this one. I bought two 4 lb weight lifting weights at the thrift store for about $.99 each. Then I bought some fender washers, a 3/8 carriage bolt and a couple nuts and threaded this assembly into where the safety catch would otherwise screw into the end of the shaft on my GM-8. Then I use my "real" losmandy 7lb weight as the actual sliding part on the shaft for balance of my G9.25" SCT. Total cost: about $5.00, including gas . I ran a wing nut onto the carriage bolt backwards and locked it into place with the first fender washer and a nut, creating a "knob" to use to tighten the assembly. (this was followed by the weights, another fender washer and another nut and the whole thing is threaded into the shaft).

Randy

I had a 2.3 and didn't care for it because I thought the views were dark and orange.

rcordell

You must be the judge grasshopper...

Check this link out for comparisons of some of these. Bottom line is that some work better or differently on different DSO's. So depending on how discriminating or curious you are you may end up with several of these and others. Mostly though they are for nebulae. Not much helps a galaxy except more apperture and darker skies.

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/raycash/filters.htm

rcordell

Not even with a ten foot pole, huh? Anyone?

Randy

Are you sure that is the link you wanted to post?

randy

I have the C9.25 on a GM8 and think it is a wonderful setup. I have about 17 lbs of weight on it right now. My second hand GM8 had the G11 saddle on it when I bought it so I don't know about that part.

So here are new questions or new thoughts on previous ones....again for all who might chime in.

What is the best method to attach ALT/AZ bearings other than the staples Meade used through the plastic ones?

I know fans are used a lot for cooling but doesn't that introduce more particulate matter to land on the mirror(s) whether they are pushig or pulling? (which reminds me...which direction do they go?)

I get a pretty decent star test compared to what I have seen are the possibilities...It's just barely softer on the racked out side and same pattern both sides. It seems that the most prevelant error now is very slight astigmatism. I can see spikes on a star change from up-down to right-left as I pass through focus. Is there anything I can do for that?

I notice from my very light polluted back yard that I can actually see the loss of contrast where my secondary sits in the view. Is this normal? Here I am trying everything to tweek this towards the ideal as much as possible and now I find one this one thing that is disturbing in its implications!!! Will be going out to darker skys this weekend and see if I notice it there. Playing with a star test for hours made this more noticable That's good right? lol

It seems that my primary NEVER cools down or often warms up when it comes out of my AC'd home into the Iowa heat and humidity....I can see tube currents in a star test 3 hours after bringing it out.

Is it normal to get a dumping of dew settling a couple hours after sunset every night? Now I have been thinking about anti-dewing heaters. I've seen reference to having a heater on the EP? how does that work?

Is dirt on a primary really better than sleeks from cleaning? To clean or not to clean....What is the best method?

Dark skies...

Hi. I will take a shot at this. There are a few things you could be seeing. Ah a pun. It COULD simply be seeing - the movement of the airmass on the face of the earth which makes high power viewing of the planets really difficult except in larger and/or long scopes.

What is the focal length of your scope? I looked for Astroblast on Telescope.com but could not find that model...I think I do recall it from their catalog in the past.... anyway divide that number by 5mm (your eyepiece) That is the power you are trying to use. The THEORETICAL max of your tube is probably about 200X but a practical one is probably more like 120X. On nights with really unstable skies and a mis-collimated scope, it will be somewhat to significantly lower than that.

Hope this helps.