Posts Made By: Stephen Sherrod

Has anyone tried one of these as a "night" eyepiece, regardless of the ads promoting solar use?? The specs read great with 20mm eye relief, even on the 12mm. Susposedly "contrast enhanced". If so, what would keep it from being a good night-sky item?

Thanks;
Steve Sherrod.

I have sent three or four emails to APM in the last month asking about one of their eyepieces, and how to pay with a US credit card to Germany.

I have not received even one reply of any kind, not even a screw-you. Does anyone know if it is safe to give them a CC number and then hope they would actually send the eyepiece?? Zero response makes me nervious as to dealing with any company, much less one overseas.

Why is there an eyepiece forum when all eyepieces seem to be discussed here??

When I lived in Iowa for 23 years, we (the club) built a massive, permanent-pier observatory using various components including a 16", f/5 Coulter mirror. It cost a lot back then.

The 16" gave better-than-expected views and we had no problems with any visable optical distortions, but we also had no way to test the mirror, it just gave great views. I have heard from several sources that the Coulters made back then were as good as Cave, Criterion (Newts) and about any other "commercial" optics available at the time. (?)

Does anyone have any actual info, news, test results, etc. that leads to an opinion (good or bad) on how well the 1970's Coulters were made, maybe compared to an average commercial mirror we might buy today?? I mean something US made and Pyrex, not the Chinese optics and not "custom" like my current Mike Spooner mirror.

Thanks in advance;

Steve (The Kid) Sherrod.

The old Coulter took this photo (film, of course) a long time ago. Short exposure.

This is a legit question and NOT any attempt at a TeleVue slam!

I tried (tested?) numerous eyepieces and instantly returned the only Radian I ever bought. Many strange colors dancing around inside, and lots of "ghosts". (12mm Radian)

Has anyone else noticed how many Radians have been for sale on Astromart in the last two-three months..? I am just wondering why the owners are selling. Is it that they don't like their Radians, or are they (you folks who know) changing to something they like better? I ask because there have been some good deals on Radians, but maybe I should steer away.(?)

Steve Sherrod

My niece just gave me a shiny new Palm (Pilot?) and I keep lists, notes, addresses etc. but otherwise know almost zero about computers. An astronomy friend of mine told me that several club members have them with "astronomy programs" on them.

Does anyone know what kind of astronomy program will load into mine (14 Meg) and where to get such program(s)?

Thanks in advance;
S.S.

I recently read about a triple-transit of Jupiter's moons sometime this year, but can't find where I read it. Who knows the month and date (and times?) of this event?

Thanks;
Steve S.

I looked at the "sidewalk Test" stuff a week or two ago and decided to see how some inexpensive eyepieces of mine would fare. One thing that I thought about was that every person I know has the brightness control on their monitors cranked up to maximum, so I would see something different than you might see, but the brightness proportions should still be about the same.

Anyway, I took 12 photos from 12 angles and the results all looked the same, so I scanned just one photo. The conditions were:

1. Eyepieces all had no bottom caps.
2. All were in the shade with a bright sky overhead.
3. All were on a single sheet of Protostar flocking paper.
4. I was on a ladder about 7-8 feet above the eyepieces.
5. Any rubber eyecups were rolled down so eye lenses were equally exposed to the sky.
6. Random order with focal length on a lable so I could remember. (Now blacked out with # 1-7 instead)

Below is the photo of a TV Powermate and 7 eyepieces glaring back at my skinny elbows holding the camera. THE FIRST PERSON TO CORRECTLY GUESS THE ORDER FROM THE LISTBELOW GETS THE GRAND PRIZE, if you want to have a go at it. Might as well, it is cloudy and cold this week.

Eyepiece List by fl:
32mm Orion Highlight Plossl.
25mm Orion Ultrascopic Plossl.
20mm Orion Ultrascopic Plossl.
20mm Apogee Widescan II.
17mm Orion Highlight Plossl.
15mm Gary Russell MC Konig.
14mm Antares W70.
TV 2.5x, 1.25" PowerMate.(Labeled)

Someone have a go at naming eyepieces 1 through 7 from the list. Don't forget the Grand Prize!..

Floyd needs this... 8)
Selling my 8" scope with excellent Mike Spooner mirror. To those people familiar with Mike's mirrors, this makes it a "premium" scope, or an excellent finder for a really BIG DOB.... Unbelievable images.

http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=313648

Whole scope or OTA only. Con your wife into another present for Christmas!

I am going to spring (in January) for some 80mm to 100mm Binocs, not which decided yet. Maybe the Apogee 88's.

BUT, I also want a "quick peek" pair of 8x jobs and am not going to spend much on them as I need the $ for a mount for the biggies. Also, I don't know a hell of a lot about the different brands / quality of the small ones available today.

Does anyone have an opinion, or experience with, either of these two? Remember they are not going to be my "good ones".

1. http://www.riflescopes.com/departments/129/binoculars/pentax/pentax_xcf_series.htm

2. http://www.adorama.com/MN842WP.html

Good enough for peekers? If so, which one for best quality / image?

Thanks much;
S. Sherrod