M33 - A Whirpool GalaxyPosted By Don Spencer |
Nicely done Matt....
Don
Don
Posts Made By: Don Spencer
July 18, 2002 02:18 PM
Forum:
CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System
July 18, 2002 04:21 PM
Forum:
Equipment Talk
Prices on AstroMartPosted By Don Spencer |
So, lets see, a brand new 31 Nagler has a list price of $620. add tax and it's now (in Ca. anyway) $666.50. Now add shipping charges of +or- $10 and it puts the total at + or -$676.50. Now, as we all know, if you pay this kinda money for an eyepiece, you probably kick the wife out of your bed and have it resting right next to you. Okay, maybe not all of us are that fanaticle, but you get the point. This eyepice will be well cared for. so, now you decided, lets say a year later, to part with this baby for whatever reasons. According to you, you would sell this for between $169 and $338?
How about another point...how much do you think a 1 year old Mercedes would cost you?
BTW, This is not an attempt to flame you, just trying to add a little perspective...
Don
How about another point...how much do you think a 1 year old Mercedes would cost you?
BTW, This is not an attempt to flame you, just trying to add a little perspective...
Don
July 19, 2002 03:06 PM
Forum:
Equipment Talk
what telescope should I buy???????Posted By Don Spencer |
John,
For what it's worth: I am in the same boat as you. Wife, 3 young children, so when I bought my 2nd scope(first was a costco Meade ds114), I was looking for something I could just pickup and move from my garage to the driveway. At the time, I still didn't know the sky very well, so I choose a Meade lx10. I build a little wheely platform that allowed me to just wheel it out, even though it was light enough to carry. After about 3 months, I started getting tired of searching for stuff in my light polluted skies. Then the 12" LX200 deal came about, so I jumped at the chance. Although I can no longer leave it setup and just haul it out when I want, it still only take me about 10 to 15 minutes to set up in alt/az. The wonder of the scope was the goto (the larger optics helped as well). I no longer had to spend an entire night searching for 2 or 3 objects.
IMHO, if portability and time are your main considerations, then either the LX90 or the 10" LX200 would be ideal. Just remember, you can get more aperature from a larger dob for less money, but portability comes into play. And, if you want a goto, you will have to add dsc's...
Don
For what it's worth: I am in the same boat as you. Wife, 3 young children, so when I bought my 2nd scope(first was a costco Meade ds114), I was looking for something I could just pickup and move from my garage to the driveway. At the time, I still didn't know the sky very well, so I choose a Meade lx10. I build a little wheely platform that allowed me to just wheel it out, even though it was light enough to carry. After about 3 months, I started getting tired of searching for stuff in my light polluted skies. Then the 12" LX200 deal came about, so I jumped at the chance. Although I can no longer leave it setup and just haul it out when I want, it still only take me about 10 to 15 minutes to set up in alt/az. The wonder of the scope was the goto (the larger optics helped as well). I no longer had to spend an entire night searching for 2 or 3 objects.
IMHO, if portability and time are your main considerations, then either the LX90 or the 10" LX200 would be ideal. Just remember, you can get more aperature from a larger dob for less money, but portability comes into play. And, if you want a goto, you will have to add dsc's...
Don
July 25, 2002 02:33 AM
Forum:
Film Astrophotography - Imaging and Processing
Very wide field Milky Way...Posted By Don Spencer |
nice shot Andrew...
August 3, 2002 01:41 PM
Forum:
Deep Sky Observing
A newly identified cometPosted By Don Spencer |
I believe you were seeing comet c/2002 04 (Hoening). The sky list it as mag 9.87 (at midnight tonight from Southern California). I hopeing to gt it photographed tonight...
Don
Don
August 5, 2002 01:50 PM
Forum:
Deep Sky Observing
TV-102 honed in to Comet HoenigPosted By Don Spencer |
Ron,
We observed this comet last Sat. night, through both a 7" Starfire and a 12" LX200. Your descriptions were dead on. I was so dissapointed in it, that I didn't bother shooting it. Hopefully it will improve in the comming months.
Don
We observed this comet last Sat. night, through both a 7" Starfire and a 12" LX200. Your descriptions were dead on. I was so dissapointed in it, that I didn't bother shooting it. Hopefully it will improve in the comming months.
Don
August 5, 2002 05:05 PM
Forum:
Deep Sky Observing
MeridianPosted By Don Spencer |
Matthew,
As it was explained to me, the meridian is the highest point an object will reach. I have just started learning about drift alignments (Have done it now 5 times, with the last one getting no movement in both AZ & dec for 15 minutes) and here is waht I was taught (I will be general as to not make this too long).
This is for an LX200 mounted on a wedge.
Set the scope to +10 in dec and pointed south, then find a star (Moving east in ra) that is about 2 hours from it's meridian. Using an reticle eyepiece (I use Orions Microguide), watch the stars movement. If it moves up, I need to make my ra wedge adjustment to the right (Up-right). If it moves down, then I correct to the left. Once I get no movement for 15 minutes, I set the scope to 0 (zero) dec, then find a star in the east. Again, I let it go for 5 minutes. If it moves down, then I correct up in dec on the wedge. If it moves up, then I make the correction down. This is donw til I get no movement for 15 minutes again. I will then go back to the south and repeat step one. I've got it down to where I can get no movement for 15 minutes in both dec and ra, in under an hour.
I hope this helps.
Don Spencer
member SDAA
www.sdaa.org
As it was explained to me, the meridian is the highest point an object will reach. I have just started learning about drift alignments (Have done it now 5 times, with the last one getting no movement in both AZ & dec for 15 minutes) and here is waht I was taught (I will be general as to not make this too long).
This is for an LX200 mounted on a wedge.
Set the scope to +10 in dec and pointed south, then find a star (Moving east in ra) that is about 2 hours from it's meridian. Using an reticle eyepiece (I use Orions Microguide), watch the stars movement. If it moves up, I need to make my ra wedge adjustment to the right (Up-right). If it moves down, then I correct to the left. Once I get no movement for 15 minutes, I set the scope to 0 (zero) dec, then find a star in the east. Again, I let it go for 5 minutes. If it moves down, then I correct up in dec on the wedge. If it moves up, then I make the correction down. This is donw til I get no movement for 15 minutes again. I will then go back to the south and repeat step one. I've got it down to where I can get no movement for 15 minutes in both dec and ra, in under an hour.
I hope this helps.
Don Spencer
member SDAA
www.sdaa.org
August 5, 2002 08:10 PM
Forum:
Equipment Talk
Help with my LX200 12"Posted By Don Spencer |
Anthony,
Make sure when you mount the scope, that the forks are pointing north. Then, lossen the dec lock and move the ota until the dec setting circles read +90. You now have the ota pointing north..
Don
Make sure when you mount the scope, that the forks are pointing north. Then, lossen the dec lock and move the ota until the dec setting circles read +90. You now have the ota pointing north..
Don
August 9, 2002 02:00 PM
Forum:
Deep Sky Observing
Stephen's Quintet whoop-de-do!Posted By Don Spencer |
Jeff,
I have seen it in my 12" and in both a 16" and 20" dob. I don't recall seeing any detail in any of the 3 scopes, although the 20" did give the brighter galaxy a little more defined shape.
Don
I have seen it in my 12" and in both a 16" and 20" dob. I don't recall seeing any detail in any of the 3 scopes, although the 20" did give the brighter galaxy a little more defined shape.
Don
August 12, 2002 02:19 PM
Forum:
Eyepieces
Any feedback on the 22 Nagler?Posted By Don Spencer |
Anthony,
when I got my 22, I found that I was using it much more than my 31. So, I sold the 31 to pick up the 17 and 12. As for the 26, I couple of folks in our club do a eyepiece comparisons for our newsletter each month. They recently compared the 26 Nagler and the 27 Panoptic. The results. The 26 Nagler came out ahead, but not by much. Yuo may want to try this yourself if you can, before you spend that much money on the Nagler.
Don Spencer
Member SDAA
www.sdaa.org
when I got my 22, I found that I was using it much more than my 31. So, I sold the 31 to pick up the 17 and 12. As for the 26, I couple of folks in our club do a eyepiece comparisons for our newsletter each month. They recently compared the 26 Nagler and the 27 Panoptic. The results. The 26 Nagler came out ahead, but not by much. Yuo may want to try this yourself if you can, before you spend that much money on the Nagler.
Don Spencer
Member SDAA
www.sdaa.org
