Posts Made By: Tom Koenigsfeld

Hey guyz,
Just wondering, what are your guys favs between celestron kit (around 150 cheaper) or the meade 4000 eyepieces (300). Im not looking at getting into 1 televue radian for the price of a whole kit. Just needing some good eyepieces for my lx 90. Right now using a meade 4000 26mm and 12.5mm, 17mm and 32mm older celestron plossl and a 2x meade telenegative barlow. Thanks and any side by side comparisons would be great!! T. J.

Hello everybody,
Just wondering if there is much of a difference between the meade 4000 series super plossls and the superwide plossls besides the price. Thanks, T. J.

Hello,
Is it true that if i have a extension eypiece w/ threads and attach a polarizer filter to that, then attach a 2nd polarizer filter to an eyepiece, I will be able to control contrast of the moon and other bright objects (jupiter,ect)?? A guy that i know said this works by loosening the thumbscrew on the extension and rotating the eyepiece. What is the difference between a polarizer and neutral density filter? I have a meade lx90, will an extension work w/ it? Thanks in advance, T. J.

Hello,
I have a meade lx90 w/ the alt az mount. I purchased a piggyback bracket and have a slr camera and all the bells and whistles. All im looking for is some nice shots of the constellations. Is this possible or do i have to purchase a wedge? If this is possible, is there any good websites on how to do this, such as exposure, type of film, tips, ect, ect, ect. thanks, T. J.

Hello all,
I know some of you are like me and cant spend the 180.00 or so for an observing chair. Well here is an idea: Thanks to the people on an egroup for the home depot fliptop mechanics table. I customized it a little bit to make it work perfect. I cut the bottom part of the legs where they curve off, then cut down the center bar around 3-4 inches. It adjusts by a lever under the seat. Very slick and total spent: 35.00. I found some "constellation" fabric (which actually glows in the dark) at walmart and a perfect shaped pillow around the house. Had the girlfriends Mom sew elastic around the edge of fabric to make it removable. A very easy and cheap way to have an observing chair,not to mention very comfortable!!
The power is a jumpstarter (everstart) 300 amps w/ 12volt dc power. 40 bucks!! Works great, and if your car battery dies, your set!! I used it w/ my Meade lx90 for around 5 hours or so and still said high charge. No other accessories were used. For those of you w/ an 8 inch sc, a case at walmart also works great.
With these ideas, you may be able to put some of that hard earned cash toward eyepieces and other toys. Thanks, T. J.

Here are a couple pics of mars. First one should be from 9-3-2003 through my meade lx90 using a meade superplossl 4000 12.4mm w/ a 2x barlow (322x) and a kodak 4230 digital camera (not an astrophotography type of camera). The second one is from a mars star party 9-4-2003 using a tak 6 refractor and the same camera. Not sure on power or eyepieces used. Doing some cheap and simple imaging of brighter ojbects for me is so much fun. I use astrostack and try to stack images, which is confusing but i think im getting the hang of it. Anyway, i know there is much better out there, but this hobby has all types of equipment and people and everbody has to start someplace, right? Take care and clear skys to you all!! T. J.

Hello all,
I have a quick and easy question for you experts. I guy in my club is trying to sell a "Meade model #419 Illuminated reticle eyepiece system 1.25 o.d ,12mm eyepiece with cord and 9 volt power unit". I am trying to price them out, but I cannot find a unit w/ a power supply. Any idea of pricing. Thanks, T. J.

Hello all,
I have the meade lx90. I made a great case for the scope tube, but now looking for some ideas for the mount. Right now i keep it in the original box it came in which works, but prefer something not cardboard for the dew. Prefer something with a handle also for easy carrying. What are you guys using for taking the mount into field? Thanks for any ideas. T. J.

hello all,
I have a meade lx 90 and when i am looking at objects that are almost straight up, the eyepiece is quit hard to get to between the fork mount, ect. Is there an extension or something that can be hooked up to it to extend the eyepiece out to see through it? Will this mess up the view of it at all(ratio)? Thanks, T. J.

Hello,
I am interested in getting a moon map from s&t and see offer a "moon map" and a "mirror image moon map". What would i need to get if i have a meade lx 90 8inch sc. Not sure how images are really supposed to look. Like mars, is the polar cap on top or bottom. Im mine, i think its bottom, and through a refractor i believe its on top. Thanks, and yes i am a newbie when it comes to reversed images and mirror images. T. J.