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Posts Made By: Randy Roy

October 30, 2003 01:58 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Canon 15X50 IS w/Nebula Filters

Posted By Randy Roy
Hi folks,

I have a pair of Canon 15X50 IS binos and am very happy with them. They are threaded for 58mm lens filters. The other day on a whim, I ordered 58mm to 48mm step down rings for them. They came in today, so I screwed in my 2" UHC and O-III filters in and just came in from trying them out. I was concerned that mixing them would cause me some focusing issues, but I only had to tweak the diopter a hair. The skies are very clear tonight and the view of the North American was fabulous for such a small aperture. The wide field of the binos really makes the nebula stand out. The Veil was also very nice. Both sections were easily seen. I can't wait to get these to a really dark site.

Have any others on the list tried placing nebula filters on binos? I wonder how the Canon 15X50 IS binos would do with a couple of 48mm solar filters?

Randy

January 21, 2004 08:02 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Cloudy Nights Review of the TV-60

Posted By Randy Roy
Hi folks!

Allister just posted my review of the TV-60 on Cloudy Nights.

http://www.cloudynights.com/reviews5/tv60.htm

Hope you enjoy it!

Randy

February 7, 2004 11:30 PM Forum: Coronado-Lunt-DayStar Solar Filters

MS40/BF10 First Light

Posted By Randy Roy
Hi folks,

I've been waiting for old Sol to come out for three days since my Maxscope arrived. Finally, this afternoon about 5-7 minutes before the sun set over the hill towards my west, the skies partially cleared. It was long enough for me to test the scope and my CEMAX eps. I've only had one peak through a Ha scope a couple of years ago and all I can say is wow!!

If this is what you get from a 40mm scope mounted to a telepod, with the sun low in the sky, on a day with little solar activity and plenty of high passing clouds--this activity is going to be fun!!

There were two small spots and plenty of prominences. My heart is still fluttering--this is way cool and I've been in the hobby (night time visual astronomy) for 43 years.

Thanks to all who've advised me on this purchase.

Randy

February 10, 2004 11:03 PM Forum: Coronado-Lunt-DayStar Solar Filters

Here's what I did all afternoon. . .

Posted By Randy Roy
Check out this family picture. . . Life is so good!

March 29, 2004 02:19 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

DSC's, GOTO, or Star Hop??

Posted By Randy Roy
I know this has been beaten to death, but Charles' comments did stir my brain a bit. I've been in the hobby for 43 years. I have a Starmaster w/goto, a TV76 I use on a Gibraltor mount with Skytour DSCs and a Tak P2Z equatorial mount for starhopping. I don't see goto/DSC and starhopping as mutually exclusive. I like all three--depending on the mood, etc. I think having DSCs the past dozen years and goto the past 4-5 years has actually made my knowledge of the sky better, not worse. That said, I get great pleasure in taking my Sky Atlas and red flashlight outside and finding things by locating them in the Atlas and then find either the object or the background stars in the finderscope or at low power in my little refractor. Hey, I even enjoy using the mechanical setting circles--imagine that!

What do you think is best? This isn't a troll and I'll tell you right now, I do not think there is a right answer. For me, the object is to observe and I don't think it matters much how you get there--or maybe it does?

Randy

March 29, 2004 02:22 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

RDFs vs APOs

Posted By Randy Roy
Red Dot Finders

Advantages--Easy to use, Lightweight, Points at stuff, cheap.

Disadvantages--Non-magnifying, Requires batteries, Only points at stuff.

APOs

Advantages--Magnifies, doesn't require batteries, good for imaging/photography/visual use.

Disadvantages--all those eyepieces, requires mounting, needs finder to point at stuff, expensive.

That sums it up for me. I know this is a controversial subject with some, but based on this indepth analysis, if I had to choose between the two, I'd have to go with the RDF.

Randy--YMMV, IMHO, Please no flames. . .

April 8, 2004 01:56 AM Forum: Film Astrophotography - Imaging and Processing

Need help with adapter

Posted By Randy Roy
Hi folks,

I use a Lumicon Easy Guider with my TV85 with decent results. Now I want to use my TV .8 focal reducer. The problem is the focal reducer has a male T-thread (made to screw right into a t-ring), but the Easy Guider has a 2" male (made to slip right into the focuser. The Easy Guider is threaded for 48mm filters so something like a step down ring for 48mm to T threads would work. Does anyone know if such an animal exists? I haven't found one on the web. Alternately, is anyone using an Easy Guider in conjunction with a TV focal reducer? How is it done?

Thanks for any guidance.

Randy

June 5, 2004 10:13 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Size of Telescope Market

Posted By Randy Roy
On another group, we were speculating about the size of the telescope market in the U.S. and worldwide. I've heard guesses as low as $10m and as high as several hundred million dollars (annually). Frankly, I don't have a clue, but if anyone does have a good guess, educated or otherwise, they probably read this group.

Any ideas? Smaller than most would think? Larger?

Randy

June 20, 2004 02:32 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Scopeguard SQRB Quick Release for Tak Finders

Posted By Randy Roy
Hi folks,

I just received mine today. I'm not trying to do a commercial here,
but the one thing I did not like about my TAK78 was putting the scope
in my softcase and leaving the finder protruding through a 6 inch
zipper opening. I ordered this quick release bracket from Scopeguard
and mounted it today. It appears to be up to the fit, finish and quality of the rest of the scope. I am very pleased with it. I believe it works on both 6X30 and 7X50 Tak finders.

Randy--a Tak 78/P2Z owner with absolutely no commercial interest in
any astronomy related comany.

October 21, 2004 04:06 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Meade Buys Coronado? Good Grief!

Posted By Randy Roy
I'm so glad I just received my beautifully machined PST.

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/altavista/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20041021005302&newsLang=en

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