Posts Made By: Gary Davis

Yes it's possible. Currently there's a 1 in 75 chance of Mars being hit by an asteroid that's currently located between earth and Mars. If this object should impact the planet, it's thought it would create a crater the size of meteor crater located in Arizona. If it strikes the viewable side of Mars, it could turn out to be very interesting for those with telescopes ? This is currently thought to be dated for January the 30th. However, I couldn't find out what time it would impact, if it actually does. Here's the story---http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071221/ap_on_sc/mars_asteroid

Not a C-6

Ok, I have an idea, even though this is a little late. Did you or could you file a homeowners insurance claim. Once its on your property they will pay for it and then stick it to UPS "the bill that is". You legally own it the instant you pay for it. Whether it be check or money order or whatever. If you paid by credit card they will pay for it through there insurance program. Of course you can only file one claim for each injury.

I see your message is about UO spiders. May I suggest discovery as a source for your spider. I just bought one and am very pleased with it. I do have one problem though, its a tight fit at the point of adjusment. A very sturdy and strong unit. Its a four vien with four adjustment points, not three as in most. Very thin viens. Produces stars with the four spikes but only on very bright stars. For thirty dollars I think its an outstanding value. They shipped it to me here in Fresno in two days. I also bought the holder which is a perfect fit.

I bet its whatever the market will bear. The good old american way. Some will have it and some will not. That 7 inch likely comes with light spirits, surrounded by galactic halos and the holy grail. Insane for 7 inches. I think my dad was right, the best sales are where two fools meet.

I have an orion broadband filter that works real well on nebulae only. I live in plenty of light pollution "Fresno CA" For galaxies and globulars, nothing and perhaps worse. But on nebulae its fantastic. Its wideband as you call it. I use the lumicon OIII for other faint fuzzy objects "FFO's". Helps on some and not others. You get to where you know which works on what.

I offer you a program called Planets 2.0.2 a java language downloadable file. Its neat. Shows right where to look for the GRS. Also Saturn. Shows positions of moons. All this as if looking in your EP. Bet you will like it. I refer to it all the time. I got it at www.tucows.com. Just type in the search engine the program name and download. Has alot of features so play around with it. Uses time lapse as well and you can know things years in advance. Best of all---its FREE.

This may also be another reason for a better than good 4.5 inch mirror. If I start with good then I know what to expect. Of all my scopes I had to take someone else's word that they were good. Well I can tell you that's not a good way to get a good one. If the 4.5 excellent mirror does its job I will then have something to base my future purchase on using my own eyes. A 10 inch comparison to a 4.5 inch is not fair but to a degree it is. ANY scope worth its wieght can and will resolve a star to an airy disk "thats the function of the mirror besides gathering light". NOT an airy spot or put another way a blob. Understand, that I understand conditions exist and most of the time those conditions effect optics. I think here that a reflector cannot achieve the same performance as a refractor but could be close !! Thats what I want at least close. My XT8 is close as I can get so far and my homebrew 6 inch f/8. All my fast scopes have blobs for stars and teeny tiny hard to see airy disks even on bright stars. Thats all for now.

I have to say I have really enjoyed reading and understanding this message thread. Thanks to all that have replied. Its gotten a little off topic now and again but its been fun. Now, let me pose a slightly new question. I undestand that a 4.5 inch scope is not much more than a toy and does'nt seem very important in the scheme of things. But what occurs in one scope can be related directly to in another. Heres the question: Would I have just as good a mirror if it were f/8 and spherical as compared to parabolic ? It seems to me that the parabola in itself introduces problems such as critical aiming, collimation, distortion etc. Whereas the spherical mirror would less likely to introduce those problems. I don't wish to start a whole technical discussion. Bad idea or workable is all I need and perhaps a short conclusion with your reasoning. Of course if you want to write a book thats ok too. Oh and don't worry about the XT10. I'm just gonna kick it to Mars. Along with the Mini Max that won't work either.

The job of a dew heater is to prevent fogging of the optic. It only requires a degree or two above the surrounding ambient air. It prolongs natures process. Therefore, it would produce very little if any air currents. Better to be able to see than not see at all. Here in Fresno CA. I live in perpetual high humidity thru-out the winter. Without a heater ALL the optics will instantly fog and I would see nothing !!