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Posts Made By: Rod Mollise

July 15, 2009 01:12 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

SkyGlow Imaging filter for visual?

Posted By Rod Mollise
James C Chandler Jr said:

For PURELY VISUAL observing-- If the higher price doesn't matter-- Would the Skyglow Imaging filter offer

For visual observing, forget ANY of these. They and similar filters like the Lumicon Deep Sky are way too mild to be effective.

For visual a UHC/Ultrablock is the way to go.

July 16, 2009 12:17 PM Forum: Celestron

correct cleaning proceedure for SCT

Posted By Rod Mollise
John Meiners said:

I have a Celestron 9.25" SCT. the front lens (where the dust cap covers) has never been cleaned... does anyone know of a site that discribes a safe and effect way to wash (clean) the glass... thank you, John M

The best thing? DON'T. Not unless it needs it. Really needs it...as in more than a few fugitive dust specks.

That said, cleaning an SCT corrector is not dangerous. It's more like a camera lens than a first surface mirror.

What have I been doing successfully for the last 30+ years? What have I been usin'?

Windex
Kleenex

By "Windex," I mean the ol' fashioned blue stuff, not some perfumed stuff designed to make the latrine smell like posies.

"Kleenex" means original white WITHOUT LOTION (triple check that...the other day I thought that was what I had grabbed, and shortly had a mess of a corrector).

Spray Windex on tissue, not on corrector. Clean radially from the secondary, rotating the tissue and using new tissues frequently.

When done, swab with dry tissues until the corrector is dry and squeaky clean.

If some lint is left behind, disperse that with canned air (held upright and about 18-inches from the surface) or a camel's hair brush.

I have used Windex on StarBright, UHTC, and XLT correctors with excellent results.

July 16, 2009 10:45 PM Forum: Celestron

Celestron Edge

Posted By Rod Mollise
Jack Bruneau said:

Does anyone know when these scopes are coming out. There isn't a mention of the on the Celestron website. I was also curious about the price for an eight inch. Thanks, Jack

Check again. Not only is there pics, there is video, and most dealers have 'em posted too. Please note that it may still be a couple of months before they get into the hands of users, I'm told...


July 16, 2009 10:47 PM Forum: Meade

Where made?

Posted By Rod Mollise
Mark Peterman said:

I understand that Meade is now having their scopes made in Mexico. What was the last year that the LX series (LX90 and LX200) scopes were made in the US?

Thanks,

Mark

2007 was the last complete year, I recall...

July 20, 2009 12:11 PM Forum: Chinese Optics Imports

Why no one dares to post on this forum

Posted By Rod Mollise
Thomas K O'Byrne said:

I just came in from observing and while emptying the truck I pinched the fatty part of my left hand in the door and dropped my eyepiece case.
While scanning down the list of forums I was suprised to notice that there was activity here.
Being the proud owner of Chinese scopes I stopped in.
It seems I now have a choice.
1) Go back out and get my right hand.
2) Don't bother looking next time.
Tom

Alas...I would have liked to see this forum be a place for discussion of Chinese scopes in particular. Instead it's the same old same old:

"THEM DADGUMMED CHINESE SCOPES IS NOT AS GOOD AS BLAH-BLAH-BLAH-BLAH-BLAH."

"YES THEY IS."

"NO THEY AIN'T. THEY AIN'T GOT A STREHL RATIO OF BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAHBLAH."

Course as I said in the post that got all this cranked up again, Chinese scopes today ain't the same as they was years ago when everybody was focused on what a certain little telescope company from Tennessee was importin'. Today, a Chinese scope is a Celestron Edge HD. wink

_I_ ain't afeared. LOL

July 20, 2009 10:27 PM Forum: SCI-FI

One Second Later

Posted By Rod Mollise
Mark Norby said:

I believe that's the proper title. I read the library edition, saw it for sale in B&N. A post-EMP novel, depicting life and survival after all electronic devices quit. Death due to lack of medications, starvation, cannibalization. Sobering, somewhat depressing. But well worth the time.

Yep...no comms...ever'body should be like me and have a mint Drake TR4 SSB squirreled away. It LAUGHS at EMP....

July 24, 2009 10:08 PM Forum: Guns and Hunting Optics

What's the Best Battle Rifle of the 20th Century?

Posted By Rod Mollise
Lee Spain said:

I hereby nominate my Swedish Mauser as the "Best Battle Rifle of the 20th Century." No one invaded Sweden in the 20th Century so it obviously did its job.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1961590/a_firearms_review_the_swedish_mauser.html?cat=11

Anybody have some alternative best battle rifles to suggest? 8)


AK. First...last...always. ;-)

July 29, 2009 11:43 AM Forum: Meade

f/6.3 vs. f/10

Posted By Rod Mollise
Mark Peterman said:

When did Meade last make the f/6.3 version of the LX200? Were these considered equal to the f/10's in quality?

Did the f/6.3 have a mirror configured for f/6.3 or did they use the same mirror as the f/10 and run it through a focal reducer?

Any thoughts on why the f/6.3 wasn't more popular?

Thanks,

Mark

Roughly speakin'? Around the turn of the century. They announced a 6.3 LX200GPS, but if they made any, 'twere only a few.

The optics late-on were good. As good as 6.3 optics could be compared to f/10. That is, no matter how well made, the field edge would never look as nice as in an f/10.

No. These were f/6.3 optics, no reducers involved.

Why? Part of the problem was that it got off on the wrong foot. The optical QUALITY of the initial 6.3, the LX-6 was often NOTICEABLY poorer than that of the contemporaneous f/10, the LX-5. Also, with the coming of the f/6.3 reducer/correctors, most folks decided that the f/10 was a better buy and a more versatile scope. ;-)

July 31, 2009 11:21 AM Forum: ASTRONOMY

Shakespeare, Mozart, and Jupiter's symphony

Posted By Rod Mollise
Greg Nowell said:

A remarkable 48 hours:

Sunday I caught a 2 p.m. show of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night." This was in Lenox MA at the Shakespeare and Co. theater complex which has become one of the leading Shakespeare centers in the nation. I know of nothing else like it. Excellent performance.

Cool. My most exciting (recent) Shakespeare experience? Being invited to watch a tech rehearsal of _Pericles_ at the restored Globe last time I was in London.

July 31, 2009 11:23 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

LED Lights

Posted By Rod Mollise
Terry Sweet said:

I want to illuminate the setting circles on my mount, since it is a manual mount. I'm doing this the old school way of using it manually. Does anyone know of a source for some small RED LED lights I can mount on my scope mount. Any information would be greatly appreciated......
Thanks

I was faced with the same task...illuminating the setting circles on my Dob. Trotted down to good, ol' Walmart and found a couple of clip on reading lights with long, skinny, flexible necks for less than 2 bucks. A little Rubylith and I was in bidness.

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