Posts Made By: Tim Powers

Hi, It's been a while since I've posted anywhere. Forgive me if this is in the wrong forum, I didn't find a webcam forum on the list.

I no longer have a newsgroup connection and I miss sci.astro.amateur. (chunga)

I recently unearthed two webcams, logitech quickcam express, and logitech quickcam pro 4000. Which one is better suited for webcam imaging?

They actually appear to be quite similar in outward appearance. They will be attached to a super c8+.

Are there any good resources for mounting? or do people make thier own? I'd also like to attach to std microscope as well.

I would like to show local science teachers how to use webcams for imaging and the stacking process.

I downloaded Registax and will try it out, Any suggestions on other freeware stackers?


Thanks for any help you can give!
-Tim

I know orion is not a manufacturer so
i'd like to know the origin of these pieces and if they are a re-issue of another manufacturers line.

More importantly, has anyone bought them?
Which did you buy and how do they perform?

TIA
-Tim

As I stated with the previous thread about the Stratus line of ep's from Orion, they are made by other manufacturers for sale by Orion in their catalog. Does anyone know the background?

ie, I own an exact clone of the 15mm Expanse, and It cost me only $25. So you can sometimes get these cheaper if you know where to look.

Who makes the Stratus? Has it been issued before?

I own a 19mm "Ultrascan" , does anyone have any info on these, including specs?
I can tell it is a pretty wide field, but I don't have a similar focal length ep to compare it to.

TIA
-Tim

Admittedly I am quite frugal, but I have seen the bioviewer prices fall to the point that I may get one as a Christmas present for myself.

I have looked around and have notics a Burgess, and what appear to be clones for under $200.

The williams optics seems to have the sam specs, a slightly different/nicer finish and ep's, all for $200.

Then I see the Baader has a larger 23mm CA, although it appears similar in outward appearance, at $259.

Can anyone sort these out, and enlighten me to the real differences here?

I am leaning toward the williams, but any input is greatly appreciated.

-Tim

I know that a 40mm plossl becomes barrel limited in a 1.25" resulting in a smaller FOV. The longest "wide field" pieces I have seen are in the 20mm area.

Does anyone know of a longer FL wide field ep in 1.25"

For use in an ST80 clone with only a 1.25" focuser. I currently like the view in my 32mm plossl and I own an old Orion "Ultrascan" in 19mm. Just wondering if I can go bigger.

Thanks
-Tim

I leave mine attached to my c8 and use an old 25 mm MA eyepiece as a "dust cap". I can't see removing it and reattaching every time. I store my scope covered in my garage, and I avoid a dew-up that would occur if I brought my diagonal in after most nights. The diagonal (standard meade non-uhtc) seems very sturdy, so a slight knock here and there while transferring the scope to the yard and back doesn't seem to effect the alignment. I feel like i'd be more suseptible to dust and such if I tried to stick it in an accessory case every time I used it.

Just wondering what you guys think, and if there are any reasons to do it differently.

-Tim

Just wondering what people use when they are on the road. I am always looking to steal a little observing time when on business travel, because I live in a horribly polluted area.

If I travel by car, I can sometimes find room for my c8, but mostly it is the c5 at f/10 and camera tripod that comes with me. I don't do a whole lot of plane travel, but I would probably put the tripod in checked luggage and carry-on the c5 in its hard plastic case if I were so inclined.

I also bought a "ball style" 114mm f4.5 newt with the optical window, which seems like it can stand up to the rigors of camping with the intention of using it with my son when he gets old enough (he's only 3 mos.). It also seems like the easiest for a small child to point/guide with a red-dot type finder. It's a bit bulkier than the c5 and it's not an astroscan, but after rotating the window slightly and a good laser collimation it does a nice "snap" into focus and shows a pretty rich field. I haven't traveled with it yet, but it will likely go with me next time.

What do you use? What did you abandon, and why? Where do you go? How do you travel?

Thanks Guys;

I am going to be using on a C8, and possibly a st-80 (apogee). Although I will not go out of my way for a corrector for the st-80.

The stellarvue sounds like the way I'll go. Anyone besides anacortes selling these?

Thanks to all who chimed in.

It looks like I pretty well have it covered.
The 32mm Plossl at 50 deg AFOV, for the largest TFOV, and a very flat field.

The 19mm UltraScan at 77deg AFOV, for the "spacewalk" effect in a slightly smaller TFOV, with higher contrast and some slight softening at the edge.

The 24mm panoptic is out of the question ($ wise) for now, sigh.

Maybe I should just upgrade to a 2" scope, eh? Then I can use my GSO 42mm superview, which I love in my c8 (at f/10 and f/6.3) BTW.

Thanks Again.
-Tim

Peter Glus said:

I am slowly attempting a c14 binoscope project. Anyone out there with experience on this?

I was considering a C8 project but quickly abandoned it because I didn't think I could extend the focal point that far past the rear cell. I'd be interested in the hardware you will be using to bring the image that much further behind the C14. Mine was to be a low cost attempt with diagonals and adjusting the inter-pupillary distance with sliding components on the respective nosepieces. It quickly became apparent to me that only a very expensive 'lightpipe' setup would work. At that point it seemed the larger OTA and binowiewer option made much more sense. Light loss through the glass required, and vignetting (at both the secondary baffle and main baffle tube) due to the primary being up near the forward limits of it's focus range, made it not worth it IMHO.