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Posts Made By: Jim Carpenter

September 2, 2003 03:56 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

114GT Go-to Mount for Tak & Mini-Dob for Friends

Posted By Jim Carpenter
Steven,

I also bought one of the 114GT's for the mount only (to use with a Stellarvue AT1010), and was thinking of doing something very similar for the OTA and giving it to my grandson. It looks like you're using the original ring for the OTA -- what did you use for the altitude bearing? Did you use the typical Ebony Star and Teflon on the base for az movement?

Jim

September 10, 2003 07:39 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

All Sky Map?

Posted By Jim Carpenter
Sky & Telescope publishes laminated Messier and Caldwell cards that are about 9" x 12" with an all-sky map on one side and a Messier or Caldwell check list on the other. I bought mine at the local astronomy shop (S&S Optika/Englewood, CO), but you can probably order them from the S&T website. They are copyrighted, but that shouldn't be a problem if you're printing copies for personal use.

Jim

October 6, 2003 04:20 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Imaging mount for an Orion 80ED

Posted By Jim Carpenter
Jeff,

For an example of a Canon 10D image using a Stellarvue SV4 on a GM8 see Stephen Pitt's website at http://www.light-to-dark.com/M31_10D_SV4.html

The SV4 is larger and heavier than either the Orion 80ED or AT1010. If you can squeeze the budget, I'd go for the GM8 or at least a GP-DX for imaging. Both show up on Astromart on a fairly regular basis, and most people take good care of them.

Jim

October 10, 2003 10:30 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Stellarvue 102 APO

Posted By Jim Carpenter
Bill,

The SV102APO is very new and there's only a handful of them out in users' hands so far. That's why you haven't seen any reviews yet. The Stellarvue Yahoo group has some "first light" type reports which all have been very positive. I had to chance to briefly view through an SV102APO at RMSS in June, and the images (both daytime and nighttime) were outstanding.

Steve is right in saying the SV4 has a shorter FL -- it's an F6.1 triplet design vs the SV102APO being an F8 doublet.

Jim

October 15, 2003 08:10 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Welding filter good for solar obs thru telescope?

Posted By Jim Carpenter
I don't know what the cost of the welder's helmet is, but I suspect that it's more than the cost of a sheet of Baader film (~$30). Using the directions that come with the film it's easy to make your own filter. Go to http://www.astro-physics.com/ for details. Be sure to get the 'visual' quality solar film, not the 'photographic' type.

Jim

October 17, 2003 07:22 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

1993 Celestron C8+

Posted By Jim Carpenter
I had a C8+ a few years ago. As I recall, it was just a regular C8 OTA on a heavy-duty tripod -- the type with adjustable legs and better wedge than the standard C8's "wedgepod". I also think (but someone may correct me) that the optics of the Ultima 8 were the same as the C8 and C8+, the diffrence again being in the mount and accessories.

Jim

October 26, 2003 03:19 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

DSC's with a Laptop

Posted By Jim Carpenter
If you have a Palm-based PDA, here's a link to a Palm DSC program:
http://www.astropalm.net/
It requires encoders, which can be purchased from:
http://www.usdigital.com/

October 29, 2003 07:36 AM Forum: Wildlife Photography

Lizard

Posted By Jim Carpenter
Kurt,

In spite of its color, I believe that's a green anole, which has the ability to change its color and is therefore sometimes called a "chameleon." We had lots of them around the yard when I lived in San Antonio, and I remember them being sold at the circus when I was a kid back in the 50's. Here's a link to the TPWD site which describes them: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/nature/wild/reptiles/anole.htm

Jim
(Denver)

December 4, 2003 07:33 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Digital camera astro photos?

Posted By Jim Carpenter
Be careful using the type of adapter that simply mounts your camera up to the eyepiece, especially if the camera's lens moves in an out while focusing or zooming. A much better solution is one of the Scopetronix eyepiece adapters which attaches the camera lens directly to the eyepiece. There are numerous versions which will mate with most digicams.

Jim

December 10, 2003 02:52 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Why so many AT1010's for sale?

Posted By Jim Carpenter
I'm aware of a number of AT1010s that have been sold recently (including at least one of those currently listed on A-mart) because the owners have moved up to a Stellarvue apo, either 80mm, 85mm, or 102mm, or just to a larger scope. 80mm is only 80mm, after all, whether it's an apo or achro, and a lot of people just want more aperture. I wouldn't try to read too much into the fact that there are a few AT1010s for sale, at least not assuming they are trading for the Orion 80ED.

Jim

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