Posts Made By: Charles Peterson

November 8, 2004 09:57 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Re: I Guess I'm Being Insincere...

Posted By Charles Peterson

Gentlemen:

I appreciate your well-meaning suggestions regarding a major re-thinking for my next telescope, but I think they may be wasted on me.

To be honest, I don't know what the hell I want out of Amateur Astronomy anymore. When I moved up to the High Desert after retiring in 1998, I began to accumulate a succession of large-aperture scopes, but never found contentment with any of them.

Starting with 1998 and continuing to the present, I owned the following scopes in order: 10" Meade SCT (non go-to), 16" Meade dob, 17.5" Discovery dob, 20" Obsession truss dob,(which I grew to hate), 15" Discovery dob, and my present 12" Meade LX200GPS. I never really liked any of them, (after investing about $19,000) and it is doubtful if I will ever enjoy any future telescope!

If I go with a nice, small, easy-to-transport 5" to 8" SCT, I will lose the great apertures I've been used to.

Wheely bars are a great idea, but they won't help in transporting and setting up on the desert sand & gravel.

I don't do imaging and I wouldn't get into it if someone gave me the best ccd camera on the market!

As I analyze my astro-philosophy, I realize that all I've ever been interested in was looking AT my telescopes, rather than looking THROUGH them! After I joined my local astronomy club, I quickly became determined to get a bigger aperture than our President's Celestron C-14, which I did, with the four big dobs I mentioned.

After realizing my big-aperture goals, everything became a letdown, as Peggy Lee stated in her song: "Is that all there is?" I recently resigned my 6-year membership in the High Desert Astronomical Society (my wife is still the club secretary), and gave away 6 years worth of Sky & Telescope magazines, letting my subscription expire, too.

So my present telescope "Omega" (aptly named?) just stands silently in my game room, 120 pounds of optical and computerized excellence, with no place to go.

Is this the end of Astronomy for me? I just don't know.

Harold Pollner
*******************************
Your story sounds about the same as my story, after 27 years and over 150 scopes, i'm still going strong!

Guess i wont ever find that perfect scope to keep. But i darn sure enjoy playing with new scopes, and guess i will always keeping buying away!

Chas P.

November 22, 2004 01:20 PM Forum: A Day in the Life of the Administrator

i will donate $100 to Astro Mart

Posted By Charles Peterson

Just give me a number to call Herb, i want to donate $100, to Astro Mart!

I dont expect anything in return, just my way of saying thanks. Without Astro Mart many of us would really be lost. Maybe if others would send $100 a year it could make a big diff!


Chas P.

November 22, 2004 01:53 PM Forum: A Day in the Life of the Administrator

Maybe a flat rate charge?

Posted By Charles Peterson

Maybe a flat rate charge say $50 to $100 a year would work. Everyone pays $40 or whatever a year for 12 months of Sky & Tele, why not do the same for Astromart? I would be glad to pay $100 a year for using A-M!

I would much rather have A-M than Sky & Tele anytime, i love A-M more than anything else on line, and dont think i can live without it!
So think hard guys, what would you do without A-M?

Chas P.

December 18, 2004 05:07 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Got my Teeters Dob

Posted By Charles Peterson

UPS dropped off my 10" F/7.5 Teeters Dob Friday, this is the same scope as reviewed by Tom on Cloudy nites, there are some pics of the scope at Cloudy nites.

I had a heck of a time getting the UTA onto the 8 truss poles, i like the way Obsession and Starmaster truss poles connect much better!

The scope came in great shape, Rob from Teeters went over the whole scope and had the mirror recoated before shipping it to me, excellent woodwork and finish, the scope collimates with ease and the motions seem very smooth. As always clouds came with the scope. i hope to test it out tonite.

Chas P.

December 22, 2004 12:16 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Teeters 10" Dob first lite

Posted By Charles Peterson

Got a chance to try out my 10" F/7.5 Teeters Dob, first object the moon.
I have to say the Teeters motions seems as smooth as the Starmaster and Obsession Dobs, it takes just a little longer for the scope to damp out than faster scopes due to it's longer FL. Looking at the moon at lower powers below 100x was pretty nice, with good contrast, but at powers from 300x to 650x the image would mush into focus, thanks to a full thickness mirror and fast dropping temps!

Later tonite i will try Saturn and few d/s objects...

Chas P.

January 1, 2005 12:03 AM Forum: A Day in the Life of the Administrator

Happy 2005 Herb- Astromart

Posted By Charles Peterson

Just wanted to say thanks Herb for doing such a wonderful job! I hope Astromart is bigger better more exciting than ever in the years to come.

Chas

January 17, 2005 09:05 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Got my 8" Teeter Dob

Posted By Charles Peterson

My 8" F/8 Teeter Dod arrived unharmed today by UPS, i bough this scope used!

It has the Royce optics, Feathertouch, and a built in fan, the scope is very well built.

Got it together and collimated in about 15mins, this scope will be easy on my back, just two trips to set it up, one trip for the rocker box and one trip for the mirror box and UTA! I will give it a shot tonight on the moon and some DSO's.

Chas P.

January 18, 2005 01:26 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

8" Teeters update

Posted By Charles Peterson

Got my 8" Teeters today! This is another super well made scope, with
Royce
optics. The moon and deepsky objects appear very sharp and show excellent
contrast, it's in the 40's with fast falling temps, so this is not the
best
nite to test optics.
The good thing about this is, i can set it up in two trips, take out the
rocker
box, then carry out the complete UTA and mirror box without breaking my
back!
Another plus being f/8 is no more coma, and collimation is a snap, from
what i
can tell this scope is very well built and has excellent optics, if anyone
would like a longer focus Dob, just give Rob a call at Teeters, he will
build
you a fine scope!!!

Chas P.

January 19, 2005 08:50 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Tom Mittler Dob

Posted By Charles Peterson

I keep seeing the same ads for Toms Dobs, i am tempted to buy one, and give it a good testing out! He Says Zambuto or better quality on his mirrors, one nite with super seeing will tell me the story.

Price seem very good, anyone ever try one?

Chas

February 13, 2005 02:05 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Your top 3 picks

Posted By Charles Peterson

Just wanted to know what is your top 3 picks, SCT, Newts and refractors.

After owning to many scopes my top picks are,

SCT a 12" Meade LX-200 super optics sharpest out of all my SCT's!

Refractor, a 6" blue tube AP Starfire f/9.

Newt, a 15" Obsession, with the OMI- Torus optics!

So what are your top picks out of bunch?

Chas