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Posts Made By: Jim Nelson

August 29, 2003 05:48 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Mars - Best Ever

Posted By Jim Nelson
I must say I knew INSTANTLY what you were talking about with the "finger" thing.

Mars has been rewarding and frustrating. I know what the good nights can show me, and sacrifices to the Gods of Good Seeing just don't seem to work.

September 2, 2003 07:30 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Ideas?

Posted By Jim Nelson
Well, you could always move to the Southern Hemisphere, or buy a different scope. Or move somewhere darker. I assume those aren't the kinds of answers you're looking for.

A more doable suggestion: take up sketching. I've only done this on a limited basis so far, but it does change how you look at things.

I wouldn't really generally rule out galaxies less than 10.5, unless this is based on a LOT of data based on your sky conditions...remember, galaxies can have radically different surface brightnesses!

A single object suggestion, if you like faint, dense clusters: NGC 6603, a dim, dense cluster in the heart of M24. It just starts to resolve in high power in my 6 inch scope. I chanced across it while scanning through M24 - it's nebulous at low power, grainy to slightly resolved at high power. Neat, and gives you an excuse to peruse M24.

I've seen it listed at mag 11.4 or so, but that seems too dim to me. Anyone else have an opinion?

September 2, 2003 09:08 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

[Lack of] atmospheric seeing and Mars

Posted By Jim Nelson
We're in the same neck of the woods (SE Michigan), Doug, and I haven't seen a really good night for Mars since around beginning of August (I'd have to check my observing notes to be sure when), and I've only had maybe 2 nights total that I'd call really good. Most nights have been exercises in cutting through the muck or sometimes simply hopeless.

So I think the Southern Florida idea is your best bet.

September 3, 2003 04:00 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Barlow vs Powermate

Posted By Jim Nelson
Actally, the 2.5x was a big selling point for me - 2x isn't really high enough if you want comfortable eye relief at high powers. I was re-organizing my ep collection anyway, so it worked out great.

For most visual observing, I doubt the Powermate is noticeably different from a high-quality barlow, but I don't think the price is really that high in the scheme of premium eyepieces, and the 2.5x might save you a little - less need to extend your ep collection to shorter focal lengths.


September 3, 2003 04:34 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

8" vs 10" dob

Posted By Jim Nelson
The 10 inch is a suprisingly big leap in bulk and weight, so if you, say, live in an apartment, the 10 inch dob will be a big pain.

The 8-inch will be easier to take to dark skies, too. But you aren't exactly going to be taking either on a hike with you, anyway.

I'd recommend the 10-inch, too, but people seem to often be suprised at their bulk, so just keep that in mind.

September 5, 2003 04:10 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

TV NP-101 the closest thing to the perfect scope?

Posted By Jim Nelson
Probably depends on how important portability is to you. It is just about the best combination of versatility and portability around. If you don't need the portability, a 5 or 6 inch apo could offer pretty much the same versatility and better performance. Obviously bigger scopes would perform even better, but eventually you lose out on both widefields and portability.

The 8-inch portaball might be my personal choice for a compromise between versatility and portability, but it doesn't have anywhere near the wide-field capabilities of the NP101.

September 6, 2003 02:46 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Nexstar 8" and a Tak 4" / 5" refractor

Posted By Jim Nelson
First of all, I'm not so sure about your implication that the Tak APOs are outselling 8 inch SCTs! I sure see a lot more SCTs out there than APOs!

I don't know jack about photography, but visually the view through small APOs is aesthetically pleasing (essentially no aberrations, spikes, coma, etc., of any kind; super high contrast, pinpoint stars), they are as convenient or more, are really well built, and are "cool". I don't have one, but I get behind the eyepiece of one every chance I get.

None of this says that, in a competition, the small APO will "win" at seeing something that the 8inch SCT won't. But APOs are fun. More fun? That's an individual decision. Worth the money? Well, 4-inch APOs are not that different in cost from the "flagship" mid-size GPS SCTs from Meade and Celestron. One should buy the one that's more fun for them., limiting magnitudes and theoretical resolutions be damned. Or buy both, of course.

September 23, 2003 09:33 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Andromeda looks like a cotton ball?

Posted By Jim Nelson
Your description of Mizar is interesting...what magnification were you using? It's hard for me to imagine Mizar looking like your description!

October 5, 2003 08:17 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Wanted: New product

Posted By Jim Nelson
I think there would be quite a demand for such a product; Sky and Telescope has had at least 2 articles on building highly portable dobs in recent years, 6 to 8 inches, and I've known at least two people who have done just that.

I'd love a 6 inch travel-newt! In my daydreams about southern hemisphere travel, I know I want more than an 80mm short-tube refractor to check out 47 Tucanae and Eta Carinae!

October 5, 2003 08:32 PM Forum: Eyepieces

Nagler--worth the money? (very wordy)

Posted By Jim Nelson
Well, the good news is that you can sell Tele vue eyepieces on Astromart for not that much less than the new price, so the financial risk is minimized.

Get one to start; if you like it, great. If it isn't worth it, sell it for a slight loss and buy two (or more!) cheaper eyepieces (the Celestron Ultimas/Orion Ultrascopics are very nice eyepieces, and noticeably better than the Meade Plossls in my experience.).

Common wisdom, by the way, is that the first step to getting a good image out of Meade SCT's is replacing the standard diagonal. I don't have experience with Meade SCTs, but I predict you'll be told that very soon by someone with that experience.

I've used both Meade Plossls and Naglers, and the difference is more than worth it for me (although it means acquiring new eyepieces at a very slow rate given my budget). Given the long focal length of your scope, I'd go for the 35mm Panoptic of the eyepieces you mention (I have one Panoptic and one Nagler, and wouldn't part with either of them), but the 22 Nagler might be a very generally useful eyepiece. Strangely enough, I actually prefer the somewhat narrower field of the panoptics, but that's a personal thing.

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