Posts Made By: James Brown

It was one of those perfect days for a hike!

#4

The aspens should be at their peak this weekend.

Darian Rachal said:

Not sure who actually made this statement. It was sent to me implying that it may have been made by the President of the Czech Republic. :S I find it interesting.

[COLOR="Red"]"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting an inexperienced man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America . Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."[/COLOR]

I find it pathetic. It sounds familiar too.

http://www.astromart.com/forums/viewpost.asp?forum_post_id=748783&poll_id=&news_id=&page=

This was probably penned by some Thomas Paine wanna-be sitting in his mom's basement with a thesaurus in one hand and a crappy PC under the other. On the outside chance that this was actually written by one of our European friends it is just a cut and paste job taken from the leftist drivel regularly directed at Bush.

Look; during the Bush years the intelligentsia on the left routinely made the so-called "point" that only a moronic voter population could have inflicted such a boob on the nation. Now the intelligentsia on the right is saying the same thing about Obama and his supporters.

Well, which is it?

Were the voters in '04 the morons and fools or the voters in '08? Explain to me what caused the seismic shift in idiocy from right to left in '08? Was it a brain virus?

Obviously it is cathartic or self-empowering for some to believe that those with whom they disagree are simply morons or fools. I'll tell you who the morons and fools are: it's those who simply can not recognize that political differences arise from differing values, philosophies and interests, not from idiocy.

Jim

Could be worse - you'd need a salary of $246,571.00 to break even if you move to Palo Alto CA.

J

Joseph Babendreier said:

Have any of you ever tried using a parabolic acrylic mirror for the primary on a Dobsonian?

I'm asking because they are so much cheaper than glass mirrors.

Cleers,
Joe

Hi Joe:

I've never even heard of an acrylic telescope primary. Is someone making them? It would seem to me that you would have thermal expansion problems and maybe atmospheric water absorption problems with a plastic. Also, is acrylic rigid enough for a primary? Can it take an optically smooth and accurate polish?

These would seem to be huge problems, but like I said, I've not heard of anyone trying acrylic for a primary and I don't have any useful engineering knowledge of the material characteristics of what might be highly specialized types of acrylics developed to be mirror substrates.

Jim

Lee Spain said:

We've heard that mountain lions inhabit the Seattle 'burbs and eat people's pets. Any truth to that rumor? Have you ever seen a mountain lion in your neighborhood? What critters are out in your neighborhood after midnight?

Apparently here in Colorado the lions like to live on campus. But hey, who wouldn't?

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_19051253

J

Steve Mathis said:

Here is an image from 9/19. This was taken with a Nikon D50 through a 6" f/4 Newt + MPCC. 9 x 6 min, ISO 1600. Images stacked with DSS, using the "comet freeze" mode.

Hi Steve:

You inspired me to try to capture Garradd! The result is attached. (Taken September 30 with my TEC APO 140, FLI 11002M camera and Astro-Physics Mach 1)

Thanks, Jim

David Cahn said:

I'm ready to buy ONE scope. I'll use it primarily for planetary and lunar viewing and astrophotography. DSO is a possibility in the future. QUALITY must be tops.

Here's what's on the list right now:

AP 130mm
AP 140mm
TMB 130mm
TEC 140mm

Ignore price for purposes of this exercise. WHAT WOULD YOU BUY and why?

Hi David:

Do you want new or used?

New, I would buy the TEC because it has a touch more aperture than the TMB or AP 130 and it has exquisite top shelf quality. The original and new focuser are designed for photography, should you get into that. I also like the fact that the optics and mechanics are manufactured in the USA. I have one of these and love it. I will never sell it unless I go nuts and buy a bigger refractor. Even then I might not sell it. Unfortunately, the AP 140 is not presently available new and might not be for a long time.

Used, I would buy the TEC or AP 140 for the reasons above: (Aperture, US made, tip-top quality) If each were available, I'd buy the cheaper one. If each were available for the same price I'd buy the AP because they are generally in higher demand and the chance of it appreciating in value over the years seems higher. Both scopes have exquisite US figured optics and exquisite US made mechanics.

If I wanted to travel on a plane with the telescope, I would buy the 130mm AP. I'm sure you know that the current AP offering is uniquely suited to travel.

Even though I would not buy the TMB 130 when the TEC 140 is so readily available, a lot of people like that telescope and I am sure you would not be disappointed.

Jim

Floyd Blue said:

Hi, I use CS2 and have been thinking about upgrading to CS5 Extended, but I am not sure whether the new version and its tools are really that good for Astrophotography, or at least are they that better. The cost is a bit, so I would like to hear from other about their experiences.

Great question Floyd. I use CS2 too, and I wonder now and then whether the upgrade would be justified. Hopefully we'll get some 1st hand input from someone.

Jim