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Posts Made By: Gerard Pietka

January 31, 2003 02:05 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

C14

Posted By Gerard Pietka
I was wondering if any one could give me some advice on GEM's. I want to buy a C14. I have only owned fork mounts, and Celestron does not make them in forks.Anyways, my passion is imaging. I currently own an Ultima 8 pec & a fastar 8. Both are good scopes (the pec is the best)But I need to expand my horizons...of course both of my eyes are wide open and staring at the CGE series. I have never owned a GEM...how stable are they? are they really that much better than forks? I know it's a big jump from a fork mounted 8" to a 14", but hey, I thought I would just cut out the nonsense of buying an in between scope. Any help from anyone would be nice.

February 1, 2003 12:59 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

C14

Posted By Gerard Pietka
Hello gentleman
Thanks for all the advice, I'm starting to connect some dots here.Big scope needs stable mount if one wants imaging bliss...so how about if I throw this out there. I buy the CM1400, use the mount for a field tripod..buy a pier mount from astro pier?(I don't think a pier mount and the CGE are compatible). Of course I will try imaging with the factory mount just to see.
Oh yes one more thing for anyone that knows anything about "GO TO's" can I manually move the scope without whacking out the encoders and losing the computers position?
As you can see I'm starting to wonder what set up to use.

Gerard

February 8, 2003 04:34 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

G-11 vs CI-700

Posted By Gerard Pietka
Gentleman

I was wondering if anyone could tell me/ give advice on the G-11 and the CI-700 mounts.
I wanted to buy a CGE 1400, but I hear they are 4-6 months away from delivery (thats the whole summer) so I was thinking that maybe I should buy the CM-1400 an upgrade it to a GOTO (retro kit from Loamandy) or....buy a G-11 goto from Losmandy and get the 14 OTA.
So I guess the big question is (drum roll)
Whats better, the CI-700 or the G-11 mount?

February 14, 2003 02:40 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Bobs knobs & fastars

Posted By Gerard Pietka
Does any one know if Bobs knobs will work on Celestrons Fastar compatible secondary mirror?

February 14, 2003 08:08 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Pixel size

Posted By Gerard Pietka
I wondering if any one could tell me if pixel size really matters when it comes to imaging planets.
I have a Celestron pixel 255, I thinks it's basically the same thing as an ST-5C..(correct me if I'm wrong)
I can't afford anything new just yet since there's a new scope in my future. Although I will save this camera because it's fastar compatible.
Any info/advice would be nice.
thanks
Gerard

February 21, 2003 10:21 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Got a new scope

Posted By Gerard Pietka
Just got a new C-14 with G-11 mount.
No instructions for the mount assem. HUH?
Have to go online to get em'. Geeeeeeez Louise..for that amount of doe I would at least expect a 2 cent piece of paper telling me I have to download it off the net.
Of course the clouds followed my scope all the way to Mi, and now thier calling for 6"+ of snow. Glad I did'nt get a 16".
Gerard

February 24, 2003 01:44 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

M-42 WOW

Posted By Gerard Pietka
Our new C-14's first object was M-42 tonight...WOW!!!!!!!!
Incredible!!!! Breathtaking!!!! and we weren't supposed to have clear skies.
We could see mottled nebula all over this object.
Is there supposed to be 5 stars in the trapzium? If not, we may have a slight problem.
Well now for the grunt work...We have to go finish learning the drives on this G-11 Gemini mount....anyone have any hints on this go-to system?
Gerard&Ginger

April 8, 2003 01:16 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Re: weirdest nebula Ive ever seen

Posted By Gerard Pietka
That would be the ancient Roman nebula "Nebula Disgusta"
It is said to appear about every 2000 years looking for a little white glove. At least thats what I heard.
BUT...legend has it that anyone that sees this nebula or photograph (but not me,inoculated for cooties)must go to never never land and not come back.....so Steve, can I have your C-14 before you go?

Gerard

February 5, 2003 09:33 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Traveling with a Telescope

Posted By Gerard Pietka
CAM baby

Come on, a highlander? and your worried about if all the stuff is going to fit?
My wife and I went to Stellafane in a Jeep Cherokee jammed to the gills with luggage, fork mount and a C-8 without any case for the scope(we live in MI)....MAKE IT FIT! I would never ever carry my telescope outside the vehicle(plus my wife looked so cute in her rocking chair ontop of the luggage rack)All joking aside, I think if you pack carefully , providing your not a pack ratt, you should be able to do it
Good luck
Gerard & Ginger

February 8, 2003 12:37 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

m45 lum...

Posted By Gerard Pietka
Andrew
Very very very nice.
This is one of of the best images of M-45 I have seen.
I'm still a new born when comes to imaging with ccd's. But I know what I like, and I like this. In my opinion I think this image would be ruined by color....The whole image is all nebula, and having color would be distracting, plus I think it would lose it's 3-D effect, geeeez it's like you could reach out & touch this thing.
I hope you don't mind if I ask you for advice from time to time.

Gerard

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