Posts Made By: Dale Conrad

Obama and the rest of the left are pushing the principle of selling carbon credits and the rest of that nonsense. None of them are really interested in "Green Energy" or our being able to use our own resources. We do have abundant natural gas as well as some of the best coal reserves in the world. The big push in the northwest seems to be aimed at destroying the hydro-electric power by calling for the removal dams installed for flood control as well as power.
If these folks were really interested in reducing emmissions from fossel fuel power generation they would all be pushing nuclear power generation. Admittedly there is a storage problem for the waste but that is what Yuca Mountain is for. Afterall the theory for the earths core staying so hot is due to necvvlear decay.

Dale

If you feel so guilty go ahead and pay back whoever is paying for your health insurance and tell them to pay for your neighbors?

Bob,
Generaly speaking the front element will have two convex surfaces. We will call the element surface closest to space, surface 1, and the other convex surface, surface 2. Usually surface 2 will be curved more than surface 1. The second element will have one concave surface, surface 3, and one flat to convex surface, surface 4.

Convex surface 2 should match concave surface three pretty close depending on the lens design.

When the objective is re-assembled, the order would be surface 1, surface 2, a circular spacer or tab spacers that were removed, then surface 3, and surface 4 at the rear of the objective.

Next do a star test to see what it looks like. If everything was put back together properly it should be acceptable. If it looks like garbage, take the objective apart and turn the first element over, re-assemble. Star test again, and if it still looks like garbage you have a problem. You could then make some changes to spacing and try all over again.

I would recomend taking careful notes on what is done incase the process gets involved.

I guess if you would like to avoid the frustration Meade would probably put it together again for whatever their service rate is.
Dale

"Climate Change" has a history of happening. If humans can do anything about it one way or the other is very questionable. That leaves the ability to adapt to any changes that come down the pike, if we adapt to the changes that come we will be OK; otherwise bend over and kiss it goodby..

Let's face it... The Bay area is a rather foggy place no matter what the weather is.

Very nice pics Anthony... What are you using?

Bill,
With the QHY5 you don't need to worry about the mount. I don't know for sure but I would try the camera marked StarShoot autoguider. The QHY5 came out before the starshoot and physically they look the same. I have a hunch the SSAG is the present US version of the QHY5. Plug the QHY5 in and see if PHD guiding talks to the camera with SSAG selected. If it doesn't you may try e-mailing qhy or Craig Stark to find out what is needed.
You might want to e-mail the person you got the QHY5 from to see what they were using to control the QHY5.
Dale

I'll bet if some folks around here read the entire article, they will be going ballistic. Personally, I think he described the situation pretty well.

Gregory,
Thomas made a very good suggestion about finding a local club or at least others in your area who may offer some assistance.
I will offer my suggestions as to what you may want. Since you indicate that astrophotography may be in your future I would suggest the best equitorial mount that you can afford. You can find good used mounts for sale with some regularity.

Goto mounts are not an alignment panecia, as most folks wind up not getting the mount properly polar aligned; polar alignment is one of the most important aspects of taking astro photos. From what I have seen, anything more than a one star alignment with a goto mount add corections for declination and RA to make up for polar mis-alignment. Goto mounts do make locating your target a little easier if the mount is properly aligned.

My personal reccomendation for a mount is Losmandy. Losmandy are good solid mounts which do have some drawbacks but are minor in my estimation. The GM-8 can be guided with enough accuracy for photography at a focal length of 1000mm at pixels of 5.7microns. My GM-8 hasn't objected to 25 pounds or so of scope and camera weight. The G-11 will track to the limit of the sky stability and carry more weight than the GM-8. The mechanical setting circles on the Losmandy mounts are a little awckward for some folks to use, however they will get you pretty close. Digital setting circles add to the cost but make aiming the scope much easier.

If you can find some amateur astronomers in your area who are willing to assist you, some of the mistakes quite a few of us have made can be avoided.

There are many interesting things to see and study up there, so above all enjoy yourself.

I am sure that if presented to three lawyers, fifteen different arguments could be made.