Posts Made By: RICHARD RUNCIE

Calling on all recent purchasers of the Explorer Scientific. 152m.m. triplet refractors to hear any and all impressions. Im considering purchasing one and am on the fence. Have many reflectors 10" to 20" all with fine optics, Zambuto, Lockwood etc and need some input. Thank you for everyone's time.

Anybody out there observing. Strange defuse v shaped almost like wishbone shaped 2deg area of nebulosity approx 5-10degrees East of Leo. Appears motionless about 3.5 to 4th magnitude. Saw naked eye, with 7X50's and 15X80's. Looks like a nebula in a telescope. Please take a look. Comet? Rocket chemical expulsion etc. Have no idea what it is. Rick Runcie

Jim, I would say that the Waimea Canyon is your best spot. There is several different parking spots with nice views from 3000 to a little over 4000 feet. I had planned on doing some observing from there when I got married a couple years ago, but never made it. I brought along a 4.5" Orion scope with me. I ende up waiting until the Big island, and doing my observing from Mauna Kea (Visitor Center) at 9200 ft. The canyon in Kauai should be a good spot.
Rick Runcie

Jim Carpenter said:

I'm thinking that somewhere on the west side or perhaps along the Waimea Canyon Road to get a little elevation. Thoughts, anyone?

Thanks,
Jim

Mark,

Do you use a diagonal with your refractor? Also have you been attaching your corrector before the diagonal (closer to the scope) which I believe is the proper orientation?

Rick Runcie

Kim,

Last night I was observing Saturn with a 10" dob. with a fine Mark Cowan mirror switching between TMB/Burgess 4mm,6mm, a 5mm Tak.LE, a Pentax 7mm XW and TMB supermoncentric 5mm and 6mm eyepieces. The difference between the TMB mono's and the others were striking and very noticable. Especially the brightness and contrast was far superior in the TMB monocentric's than the others. It seemed like I was observing with a larger mirror when I used the TMB mono's. I switched back to the other eyepieces and they were dimmer and not as contrasty. The difference with the Pentax was not as noticable, but was still there. I will definitely use them on other objects that require more contrast, but not an extended field.

Scott,
I have a 14.5" and 20" with Feathertouch focusers, a 10" with a Moonlight with fine focus and a 8" Mak/Cass. with a JMI EVI with fine focus. As far as I'm concerned that is the same order as far as best to worst. The feathertouch focusers are in league by themselves with the moonlight a close second, but still definitely second. The JMI is a distant third.

Well whatever it was it has dissipated. I saw it naked eye. Couldnt recall anything that bright in that location went in and came out with 7X50's and then with 15X80's. So I observed it for 5to 10 minutes. Time it took to write post and went back out it was gone. Sky is mostly clear with 5th magnitude skies. Oh well good night. Rick Runcie