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Posts Made By: Rick Olson

June 11, 2005 01:49 AM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Stars

Posted By Rick Olson
I have what I think is a stupid question, but I cannot find any publication that addresses it. Historically, I have always been interested in planets and DSO's. Recently, I have developed an interest in double stars. I have been actively seeking them out for observation. Now I am wondering why there are so many double stars. Why can't triple stars or quadruple stars, etc. exist? am I not looking in the right place? What laws of physics apply that keep multiple stars from attracting and orbiting eachother relative to double stars? :S

June 21, 2005 12:25 AM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Filters for double stars?

Posted By Rick Olson
OK now I am feeling comfortable looking for and finding multiple and double stars. Are there any good filters out there that dim the primary star without blocking the smaller secondary stars? I have an OIII and an UltraBlock. The UltraBlock helps some. I was just wondering if anything else is available.

September 7, 2005 04:44 PM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Collimation Devices

Posted By Rick Olson
Need some opinions. I have a 12" Antares Dob and I collimate it per the information in 'The Backyard Astonomer's Guide'. Based on my night time observations when I use my Televues I get some slight coma at the edges but all other optics tests suggest I am accurately collimated. A friend of mine used his laser collimator on my scope and the beam did not even show up on the collimators target and was about 1.5 inches from the mirrors center spot. We checked the calibration of the collimator and it was accurate. Have my eyes been decieving me? or are the laser collimators just a marketing gimick?

November 27, 2005 04:33 AM Forum: After Dark

Public observation logs

Posted By Rick Olson
Well it's cloudy here so time to do some networking. I once upon a time saw a website where a person could record their observation and look up other logs by object including photos. I found this very helpful in planning the nights observation activities. I am sure there are probably many of these sites. Since I have a great deal of respect for the astroheads that frequent this forum, I would like to know what if any sites are applicable for the intermediate to advanced observer to record observations.

Thanks!

December 2, 2005 02:56 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

PGC5648 Info

Posted By Rick Olson
I spotted PGC005648 last night by M33. I am having some trouble finding it's magnitude, distance and diameter. Can anyone help?

May 2, 2005 06:22 PM Forum: Eyepieces

do mine! do mine!

Posted By Rick Olson
I have an 8" f/6 DOB and I am a big fan of UO and Televue products. I use 12mm and smaller UO EP's for planets and 13mm and higher Televue Panoptics and Naglers for DSO's. I do have a 13mm T6 Nagler that does double duty between planets and DSO's. My main go to EP's are; 5mm UO, 12mm Edmund RKE, 13mm Nagler T6 and 22mm Panoptic. I much perfer the FOV with the Pans and Naglers over the Plossl's in the medium to low magnifications. Hope this helps

June 11, 2005 01:54 AM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Is there a recommended/definitive sky chart?

Posted By Rick Olson
I have an 8" DOB and use Cartes du Ciel software exclusively. It is on my laptop and goes out with me every night I observe. Plus it's Free! I just wish someone would start giving away laptops

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