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Posts Made By: Robert Howe

May 27, 2012 10:02 PM Forum: After Dark

Upcoming Venus transit

Posted By Robert Howe
Hi all,

For the upcoming Venus transit, I am having trouble determining where in the telescope field the first contact will appear. Transit web sites show illustrations but are these reversed for a telescope, flipped for a diagonal, etc? I will be viewing nearly straight up to the zenith from Waimea, HI, using a Televue 85 and a Coronado 60 each with a Canon DSLR attached. A large website is giving what I think are nonsense data for my location

http://transitofvenus.nl/wp/where-when/local-transit-times/

Cheers

RH

May 27, 2012 10:03 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Upcoming transit of Venus

Posted By Robert Howe
Hi all,

For the upcoming Venus transit, I am having trouble determining where in the telescope field the first contact will appear. Transit web sites show illustrations but are these reversed for a telescope, flipped for a diagonal, etc? I will be viewing nearly straight up to the zenith from Waimea, HI, using a Televue 85 and a Coronado 60 each with a Canon DSLR attached. A large website is giving what I think are nonsense data for my location

http://transitofvenus.nl/wp/where-when/local-transit-times/

Cheers

RH

February 10, 2013 03:13 PM Forum: Home Observatories

A break from the storm

Posted By Robert Howe
Digging out for a 26 inch snowfall, courtesy of Blizzard Nemo, I was delighted to find my observatory....utterly clear! The wind blew all the snow off the top and even cleared an atrium for my entrance. Not willing to ignore such a sign from God, I enjoyed the sun for a half hour today and will enjoy the heavens tonight.

September 8, 2013 06:49 AM Forum: Astro-Physics

Counterweights for an ap900

Posted By Robert Howe
My AP900 mount easily carries 75 lbs of refractors in a permanent observatory. Yesterday I replaced the counterweight shaft, 27 inches with 81 lbs of wts (shown in photo), with a 14 inch shaft bearing 106 lbs. The balance is perfect, the motor runs quietly and there is a LOT more room in a crowded bldg. I presume that the shorter shaft will be less prone to jarring and vibration thus giving a steadier image. I wonder, is there a down side I am not seeing?

November 11, 2013 08:04 PM Forum: Astro-Physics

AN unusual AP scope

Posted By Robert Howe
Who can tell me about the telescope I bought last night from an upstate eastern New York geologist? It's an AP 152 f/7.5. It has a 4 inch focuser and is built like a tank, in fine condition, with a dedicated field flattener. It can be set up with or without this. The only useful google hit I get is for Tom Back's article on AP lenses which describes it thus: "Roland then set out to make the ultimate astrograph. It was the first "EDF." It used the StarFire design, but with FPL-51 with an airspace. With a 4-inch field corrector and focuser, it took some of the most impressive widefield astrophotos ever taken. The 152mm f/7.5 EDF ($6400) was the first apochromatic telescope that I had ever seen that was completely color free -- even out of focus."

Why have I not encountered one of these before? And Mr C, can I get a new dust cap for it? The one it has fits the dewshield but not the objective.

Cheers

RH

April 9, 2017 07:47 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Eclipse rooms available

Posted By Robert Howe
This morning I cancelled three double-Queen rooms at the Prairie Inn Best Western in Albany, OR Aug 19-22. If you need a place to stay for the eclipse, here's one possibility

November 29, 2003 11:12 PM Forum: Binoviewers

My experience with the Black Night BV

Posted By Robert Howe
Scott, you got good results in a unique set up. Sounds like a lot of trouble to go through, though. Would these BVs be useful for the mechanically disinclined?

Robert Howe

April 9, 2004 08:58 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

My first glimpse at Venus/phase

Posted By Robert Howe
I have had some very good views of Venus, tonight and other times, with 4 and 5 inch apo refractors by using a moon filter and a colour filter, or two colour filters one on the other. The planet's crescent and gibbous forms can be very lovely, once you get past the intense colour.

April 13, 2004 07:49 PM Forum: Astro-Physics

Re: First light for a new AP 130 f6; TV 102

Posted By Robert Howe
Just as an FYI to this old thread, I ended up selling the TV 102. I still have the AP130, and am looking for a used AP 155. Go figure.

Ciao

Robert


July 22, 2004 10:17 PM Forum: TeleVue

TV-101 for visual?

Posted By Robert Howe
Last summer I had new TV101NP and 102 for side by side. I chose to buy the 102 for greater flexibility with planets, adequately wide fields (much more than your SCT), crisper central images than the 101NP. I think the simpler doublet design gives a more pleasing image.

This is all aesthetic...any TV 4 inch scope that I have seen will fill your needs to excess!

Robert

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