Posts Made By: Darlene Fung

Hello Mars Viewers,

I have a 6" f/12 Mak-Cas and have been very pleased with the views of Mars I've gotten from it until I started seeing all the fabulous digital photos and drawings on this forum. (Am amazed at the patience, skill and work needed to produce such fine images.)

I am using premium eyepieces (12mm, 10mm, 8mm, 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, 4mm, 3mm) polarizing, lightly tinted orange and orange filters (these gave best results from a wide collection of photography filters I had). Also using the Sirius NPC filter. Scope is collimated with pin-point stars. However, what I see does not come even close to most of the sketches, drawings and photos posted here. I do understand many are using 8"+ scopes and that the photos are stacked. The following postings with images will give an idea of what I am seeing:

www.astromart.com/messages.asp?message_id=105716&page=2

www.astromart.com/messages.asp?message_id=98318&page=7

www.astromart.com/messages.asp?message_id=103970&page=3

Mars and the South Polar Cap are very clear but the mottling is vague and lacks detail. Is this the best I can hope for? What can I do to see more pronounced landscape features?

Thanks for your comments.

Darlene

Hi Mak-Cas Owners,

I have the newer 6" Intes MK-67 DX and a new Sirius Variable Filter. Instructions recommend using a 2x barlow if one has problems coming to focus. Borrowed a Shorty 2x barlow but still was not able to come to focus. Tried different configurations: 1.focuser, barlow, variable filter, diagonal, eyepiece; 2. focuser, variable filter, barlow, diagonal, eyepiece; 3. focuser, variable filter, diagonal, barlow, eyepiece. None of these configurations worked.

Has any 6" Intes MakCas owner been able to come to focus with the Sirius Variable Filter? If yes, what barlow and configuaration were you using?

Thanks for your comments.

Darlene

Hi,

I have an Orion 1.25" to .965" eyepiece adapter with a set screw (stock #07160). This morning I discovered I made set marks on the barrels of my .965 EPs. Grr.

Questions:

1. what is the thread size for this Orion 1.25" to .965" adapter set-screw?

2. where can I purchase a nylon screw that will fit this adapter?

3. Is there another 1.25" to .965" adpater I can purchase which has a nylon set-screw or nylon tipped set-screw?

4. Are there any 1.25" to .965" adapters I can purchase that uses compression rings?

I understand putting nail polish on the tip is only a temporary fix.

Thanks for your replies and comments.

Darlene

Hi All,

Wow, sun spot visible with a naked but filtered eye!

I don't have any solar filters. However, I do have the solar eclipse 'glasses' that came with either Sky & Telescope or Astronomy magazine (there were lead articles on solar eclipses). Is it absolutely safe for me to look at the sun with these "filter glasses?"

What the best time to look for the sun's spots?

Thanks for your comments.

Darlene

Hi All,

Another poster said you could see the Sun's spots using a solar filter and the naked eye.

I don't have a solar filter. Is it totally safe to view the sun with the dark glasses that came with Sky & Telescope or Astronomy magazine which were supplied when they did articles on a solar eclipse?

Thanks for your replies,
Darlene

Posted reply on 5-13-04 but it did not take. This test was posted on 5-14-04 at 8:17 am.

Will see if it appears. If not, will contact Herb.

Darlene

Hello Astromarters,

I've heard some people having problems coming to focus when using the Leica 7.3 - 22 mm Zoom EP with a 1.25" adapter. Does anyone know anything about this? Does it have to do with f/ ratios? Which scopes had focusing issues with the Leica/1.25" adapter combo? Marcus and others said using a 2" adapter solves the problem but I prefer using a 1.25" adapter if possible.

Thanks for your comments & Clear Skies.

Darlene

Hello Astromarters,

Wasn't getting any repies to my question posted in the eyepiece section so I've hopped it over here.....

I've heard some people having problems coming to focus when using the Leica 7.3 - 22 mm Zoom EP with a 1.25" adapter. Does anyone know anything about this? Does it have to do with f/ ratios? Which scopes had focusing issues with the Leica/1.25" adapter combo? Marcus and others said using a 2" adapter solves the problem but I prefer using a 1.25" adapter if possible.

Thanks for your comments & Clear Skies.

Darlene

My copy of The Norton's Star Atlas, 20th Edition, first printing release, had major defects in the chart portion of the book. Chart 12, which shows Scorpio, did not have stars printed on the green-colored Milky Way overlay. Some, not all, of the book's other charts had similar defects. The bookseller said it could have been due to an oversight while using Photoshop's layers feature. I do not know if this defect affected the complete run of the first printing. The Second Printing Release is OK.

Clear Skies,

Darlene

Hi,

It seems the more I read, the more confused I get.

I have a Fujitsu Lifebook C 6581 laptop and a Kendrick 12 volt DC 18 AH battery. The laptop AC adapter says the output is 3.75 amps. An inverter store rep says I should allow an additional amp for their unit when doing my calculations to find out how long my battery will run the laptop.

A poster on Google's sci.astro.amateur said that his P4 laptop requires 18 v at 4.2 amps when charging and 18 v at 1.4 amps when running it. He also said to rely on a battery delivering about 60% of its rated power as the listed rating is for the '10 hour' discharge rate.

The used laptop seller suggested a 150 watt inverter and the inverter store rep suggested a 450 watt one. Fujitsu could not give me a recommendation.

So, is there anyone who can tell me how long my battery will run the Fujitsu? What wattage inverter should I get? How were these amounts calculated?

Here's the link to the Google posting:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=ivwec.15671%244N3.3792%40newsfe1-win

Thanks for your replies.

Clear Skies,

Darlene