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Posts Made By: Don Wyman

September 12, 2005 02:26 PM Forum: Star Parties

Astrofest Report - Long

Posted By Don Wyman
Ed Neuzil said:

Consider the Prairie Skies Star Party - it's
at the old Astrofest location. Since Astrofest moved,
I've skipped it and registered for
PSSP instead.

Hi Ed. Sorry, but Prairie Skies is out too. It's just Astrofest light with just as much if not more light pollution. I'm going for dark skies. That leaves the two Kankakee star parties out of the running.

Don

September 14, 2005 02:54 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

To Go-To or not to Go-To, that is the question?

Posted By Don Wyman
I spent this past weekend at Astrofest in Illinois with Dave Kriege of Obsession and James Mulherin of OMI-Torus. Dave had his 25" Obsession with Argo/ServoCat and James had a 15" Obsession with the same. I had my 18" Obsession with Argo Navis, the ServoCat just came yesterday. The seeing was pretty lousy, but we still saw a lot of objects. I was really impressed with the ServoCat, not just because of the GOTO, but it's really nice to work at high power and have a drive. I'm getting older and I'll take all the help I can get. That means GOTO and tracking. Dave was using a MallinCam on his 25" and the tracking was very accurate.

Don Wyman

September 16, 2005 06:56 AM Forum: Telescope Making

Starsplitter Composite Alt Bearings

Posted By Don Wyman
Bill Byrd said:

[COLOR="Purple"]Anyone have experience with these? I'm trying to confirm the weight, which was quoted as 3 pounds (for a 24" bearing) in an e-mail I got from Jim.
Bill[/COLOR]

Well....there's a trade off here. His bearings may be lighter but overall his scopes are quite heavy for their size. I recently sold a 15" Starsplitter and replaced it with an 18" Obsession. The base footprints of the two scopes are identical. Overall the 18" is about 5" taller at the zenith. I don't have the weight of the two but they are very similar. I don't pick up the 18", I use wheelbarrow handles and a ramp to load them into my Jeep Cherokee. I did the same with the 15" Starsplitter.

September 20, 2005 05:28 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Yahoo, my StellarCat came in today!

Posted By Don Wyman
Floyd Blue said:

Well, my StellarCat and Argo Navis came in today! grin I just ordered the powered ground board for the Starmaster from StellarCat too. It will ship next week. Everything was just as stated in the ad, of course it was Astromart, and it is all brand new and not even unpacked! What a deal. Took 4 days from Canada to here, not bad. smile
Now, to get some time to install it.
Anyone here installed one of these and made a podium or other method of mounting the larger Argo Navis? I am wanting some ideas as to how to mount it.

I'm in the process of installing mine. My stepfather died last week so I had to put it on hold for a week. I made my own Argo Stalk thingy. The actual holder is a brochure holder from Office Max. When the scope is pointed near the zenith, it's in the way of the ladder so I'll be moving it back to the middle. Here's a shot of it:

September 24, 2005 04:25 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Newest addition to the Starmaster

Posted By Don Wyman
Very nice, Floyd. Does the Argo just set there or is it attached with Velcro? I use a plastic brochure holder from Office Max or Staples that the Argo fits into like it was made for it. Are you planning to put the ServoCat Alt unit on the other side of the scope? I like the bracket. I think I'll steal it wink

Don W

September 30, 2005 04:34 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Televue 85 with a nextstar go to mount?

Posted By Don Wyman
William;

The post by Ron Bee showing the TV85 on a Nexstar mount is the way its done. You need the Baader Bracket from Alpine Astro, not the Rays Bracket. That one is for the Nexstar 5/8 mount. The setup you are talking about works pretty well with the TV85 as long as you keep things in balance. You'll have to balance your TV85 with various eyepieces on a dowel or something similar to figure out where the balance point is.

Don W.

October 1, 2005 07:02 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Podium is finished, update

Posted By Don Wyman
Floyd, what did you use for the top part?

Don W

October 2, 2005 07:27 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

New 127 and 155mm Ed Refractors from Antares

Posted By Don Wyman
ED does not necessarily mean Apochromat. I've seen a discussion of these scopes on another site and they are definitely a 3 element achromat.

Don W

October 12, 2005 07:30 PM Forum: Coronado-Lunt-DayStar Solar Filters

One Mo' Image from a HOTS CaK PST

Posted By Don Wyman
Aha, the image with Hiram looking through an SM90 has a funny looking Meade type mount on the right side. Is that the new Corondao ETX mount? Sure looks like my old conversion. I want royalties.


November 11, 2005 07:19 PM Forum: Telescope Making

Commercial Mirrors

Posted By Don Wyman
I would agree with all the others and add OMI-Torus. The 18" f4.5 mirror from them in my Obsession is superb.

Don W

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