Posts Made By: Judson Mitchell

Last night at one of our darker sites (still green on the light pollution map) NGC2185 and 2024 eluded me. Seeing was listed as bad and may have had something to do with it. However, it still seems that they should have been visible. Zeta Orionis clearly was a problem with 2024. One suggestion was to put Z-O out of the FOV to see 2024, but with the bad seeing, that didn't seem to help. Any advice would be appreciated; filters, magnification etc. 12" dob and 1278 5" Burgess refractor.

When observing bright objects, especially with a barlow and relatively short focal length EPs that also contain an internal barlow, my field of view resembles a glass slide with indistinct very thin worms, lint, spots, etc. This condition seems to be getting worse. My best solution so far has been to use shorter FLs rather than resort to a barlow, althought sometimes this isn't possible.

Any other squiggly sufferers out there? Any thoughts as to how to minimize the effect?

Has anyone become aware of the "tiff" caused by Skyclock Company making overtures to CSC about their name.?

Not sure where to put this thread since my computer has frozen many of my pages and the Forums page comes up as if it were 8 days old. If this is discussed in another forum, please lead me to it and I will delete this thread.

Jud

I have a Burgess 1278 Acromatic refractor and am interested in obtaining a filter to improve planetary and lunar viewing. Baader has the Fringe Killer, Contrast Booster and Semi APO filters. Can someone give me guidance as to which of these or some similar filter I should get?

Can someone point the advantage of a 40 mm plossl? Since the 32 has the same actual FOV and higher magnification, what are the reasons for using a 40mm?

Is there anyone out there interested in butterfly collections. Mine was started in the 60s but has been inactive for a few years. Best drawer is a series of Diana Fritillaries most of which I raised.

Jud SC

When I first received my 12" dob, the mirror was adhered to the cell by what seemed to be 2-sided tape. I reattached the mirror after cleaning in a similar manner. Now, my mirror will come back home after refiguring. Does anyone have other recommendations concerning how I may attach the mirror to the cell. It is a 9-point cell with floating 3-point triangles. One of the problems also is positioning the mirror while attaching the cell.

It appears that laying the mirror on its face is the most accurate method of positioning the cell points. Suggestions relating to this activity is also needed.

Jud

My first test of my Ed Stevens mirror was in my back yard with significant light pollution, but fairly steady seeing (CSC labeled as average seeing). The most striking first image was a very symmetric star test virtually identical either in or out focus. At the start the mirror fan was not running due to expended batteries. However, as soon as the fan was turned on the star test improved considerably. It still took about 15 to 20 more minutes to get a decent star test.

My astigmatism makes any bright star show spikes, but less bright were pin points in my 9 T6 with 1.5 X barlow (204X). M13 was faint due to sky glow but star resolution was much improved. I masked the double double with a 4" offset hole and checked all 4 quadrants. Prior tests showed significant difference in each quadrant, but tonight there was essenitally no difference with airy discs and one diffraction ring. Viewing in my back yard is limited to a strip of sky about 35 degrees NS by about 50 degrees EW. I estimated the sky to be somewhere between mag 3 and 4. Only 3 stars in Ursa Minor were visible.

Specs on the mirror were listed as better than 1/15 wave, Strehl of .998, and RTA of .31. Hopefully weather will hold and next weekend we will venture to Spruce Knob in West Virginia. Current results are very encouraging to me and are consistent with my expectations based on mirror data. Also, note that secondary was replaced with a 1/30 wave Antares. only the exteme edge of the mirror brings the mirror smoothness down to its stated criteria.

Jud

Weather is pushing us around. We were planning to go to Spruce Knob WVa this weekend, but weather is saying UH! In looking around Coffeeville Al popped up. Can anyone comment on observing locations there? They do have a Clear Sky Chart posted, so someone should have some information.

Jud

The lettering on Hyperion and Stratus EPs is quite vulnerable to wear. Thus, those who are requesting LNIB, may not find these EPs up to their standards, even though their performance is not otherwise compromised. Note for example the d in Modular starting to disappear.

What other EPs out there suffer from the same malady?

Jud Mitchell