Posts Made By: Ed Zajack

season's greetings folks...

As a relative newbie to this hobby, I haven't had much opportunity to interact face to face with other astronomers.

I did manage to attend a star party in the fall..
during said event, I heard someone call my XT-8 a
DOBE-(as in GLOBE)-SONIAN
[I always thought it was a DOB-(as in BLOB)-SONIAN]

and, I heard Televue's top of the line eyepiece called a NAG-LER (as in HAG) rather than NA(Y)GLER that I had always read it as.

here are some other equipment-related names I'm not sure of the pronunciation of...

PLOSSL (like fossil?)
ZEISS (like nice?)
RADIAN (long 1st A or short 1st A?)

any phonics help would be appreciated.

did anyone catch the make on that?

and what month does the 'dedlee meteor shower' occur?

I plan to attend at least 3 star parties this year in an effort to examine and take a peek thru some larger Dobs.
(the notion of 'try before you buy')

From what I've gathered on other threads, many folks use "Star Party" EPs in order to avoid a potential mishap with a prized Nagler or the like...

as such, would it be considered bad form if I,
given the opportunity to gaze thru another's scope,
brought my own EP instead?

I would appreciate any input, especially from those large Dob owners (or anyone else for that matter) who seem to attract the masses...

got my May issue of S&T yesterday and I'm quite pleased with the new look and layout.

When I first picked it up, much to my delight,
it sure 'felt' bigger (Cool, more stuff to read!)

The editorial promised both an equipment and software review every month as well as a keeping the various facets of the hobby together.

I've always enjoyed and planned many of my observing sessions around Sue French's observational columns, and now it will be a regular feature.

The best part came just as I was finishing my initial perusal of the new issue, I turned the last page to discover that 'focal point' has been moved.

Just like the cup of coffee and dessert at the end of a great meal.

Now if they would only publish bi-weekly...

David- I just got mine this morning...
unfortunately it's got an expiration date of Sunday.

but I did manage to sneek a peek at the delivery guy's route sheet and he's headed your way...

the packaging is a little flimsy, but the product itself is in magnificent shape...

and I can't seem to find anything about rainchecks...

hey Gregg,

When I read your initial post,
I thought I was looking at a mirror...

...I'm approximately the same age, same health, same field of work, same family status, same observing habits.

But I'm just a step ahead of you...so perhaps this will help.

I'm going from XT8 to Starmaster 12.5.
While not the same jump in aperature, it's a comparable leap right?

and like you, just prior to pulling the trigger on the deal...
(2 days ago BTW)
...I really had the jitters.

but I decided to commit and I'll tell ya that my cold feet got even colder as I started thinking that perhaps I made a mistake and went in over my head.

But as the date when I will be picking up the scope approaches, those doubts and fears are rapidly being replaced by unbridled anticipation and excitement.

so no, you're not crazy...

make the purchase and endure those last second doubts.

Trust me - they'll start to fade...

and when you take delivery of your new scope, you'll think you were crazy to think them in the first place...

...at least I'm betting on that