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Posts Made By: Roger Cole

August 31, 2002 06:27 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Recoating corrector plate????

Posted By Roger Cole

It isn't a corrector, it's just an optical flat window to hold the secondary and seal the tube. I imagine if you could get the thing out someone could recoat it, but that's speculation.

You don't collimate it. That's the biggest lack on those scopes, probably. They are "permanently collimated" or as th case may be, "permanently miscollimated."

September 8, 2002 08:24 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

"WANTED" adds on Astromart

Posted By Roger Cole

Well, there might be another factor, and that is location. For an eyepiece or such, this probably doesn't matter. But for a big, expensive scope, I'd much prefer one that was within driving distance so I could a) check it out, and b) save on shipping and possible shipping damage. If I were looking for, say, a $3000 scope, I'd personally be very very reluctant to buy it from someone I'd never heard of before all the way across the country, in spite of good feedback. (I know, I seem to be nearly alone in this feeling.) But if that scope were, say, 200 miles away, I'd drive that far on a day off to check it out if I were really interested. This would be especially true on a large, heavy scope that would be difficult and expensive to ship, and also to return if the seller agreed to such.

So if I wanted such an item, I might post a "Wanted" ad even though I saw a couple for sale, if they were 2000 miles away or whatever. Of course, I'd explain that in the ad.

September 9, 2002 11:39 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Coronado rocks my world!

Posted By Roger Cole

The first remark out of my mouth would get me in trouble with Herb if I posted it here. But it started with "Holy...!"

That is gorgeous, Paul. Be sure to post the link on s.a.a. so the person who was so snooty about your last effort will see the link.

Incredible. Thanks for sharing.

September 12, 2002 05:55 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Equitorial Mount opinions

Posted By Roger Cole

You might consider buying a 6" LXD55 SN and sell off the OTA. The mount is supposed to be more akin to the GPDX than the GP, and you'd have the GOTO - if you don't need or want it, don't use it. Should get in under your price point after factoring in the funds from the OTA.

September 18, 2002 08:33 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

2.3x40 Russian Binocular ? why ?

Posted By Roger Cole

That would have a 17.4mm exit pupil! There must be some mistake there.

Or else they were genetically engineering a race of super soldiers who had eyes like owls for night vision. ;-)

September 24, 2002 09:10 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Need URL

Posted By Roger Cole

Well you can use Google, but that isn't the best way. sci.astro.amateur is a Usenet group. You ISP probably has news servers that carry Usenet groups. The ones provided by ISPs vary from fair to awful in my experience. I have an account with Supernews, and there are other external news services that provide similar access. They will have NNTP servers that carry more groups and keep messages a lot longer. Google is fine to check out Usenet and see if you like it and if there are groups you are interested in, but it is slow and clumsy compared to "real" Usenet access.

Check your ISP's home page for information on their news servers. Both Microsoft Outlook Express and Netscape have newsreaders and the information on your ISP's page should tell you how to set them up. If you like Usenet but the servers are not very good, try an external news hosting company like Supernews:

http://www.supernews.com/

There are many dedicated newsreader programs which, depending on your needs and tastes, you may like better than OE or Netscape. Forte makes two popular ones, their free "Free Agent" and commercial Agent:

http://www.forteinc.com/main/homepage.php

October 3, 2002 07:35 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Finder question

Posted By Roger Cole

Sounds like a winner for l.p. conditions to me, Tom. Maybe there's a market for a 4x25mm finder of good optical quality with a 65 degree apparent and 16d true field! Heck, even with a conventional and likely to work better at that focal length eyepiece of, say, 40d apparent field, you'd still have a 10 degree true field, AND some extra light grasp and magnification over the unit types.

October 3, 2002 07:43 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Now your full name is posted

Posted By Roger Cole

No problem, Herb. I said when the initial debate occured that I didn't mind and I thought worrying about it was silly. I still don't and do, in that order. ;-)

Do whatever you need to do in order to keep the time reasonable and keep Astromart going. It's a great resource.

November 22, 2002 08:02 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

advice on software programs...

Posted By Roger Cole

For free, get Cartes du Ciel:

http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/index.html

It's a great program, and the price is right. However, I do find it has a somewhat steep learning curve. I think the Starry Night programs are the easiest, as well as perhaps the most visually appealing. Backyard might do all you need. You can see the differences on their site, which you said you had already looked at. I have Starry Night Pro (version 3) and like it quite a lot. No, it doesn't do everything that The Sky upper levels will do, nor Cartes for that matter, but it does what I need and does it in a way I find easy to use. It was worth the money for me, but that's a personal thing. I will almost certainly upgrade to the new version 4.

December 8, 2002 07:04 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Celestron Ultimas

Posted By Roger Cole

"I find the 15 mm widefield ultima to yield a bright and contrasty image but with coma at the edges."

That would be astigmatism, not coma.