Posts Made By: Kevin Barker

September 26, 2002 12:03 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Too Many Scopes

Posted By Kevin Barker

A bad case of refractor fever, Eh, Tom!!!

Kevin B

November 5, 2002 07:30 PM Forum: Zeiss

Zeiss 100 mm Huygens Eyepiece

Posted By Kevin Barker

Markus
I guess this was for a very long focus refractor.

How heavy is it????

Kevin B

December 15, 2002 06:17 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Jupiter Drawing 12.13.02

Posted By Kevin Barker

Sol
I write from New Dehli,India where I am on holiday. Great drawing.I am a New Zealander and recall similar views which you represent well from NZ(3 to 5 year's ago) when Jupiter is high above the horizon.

Saturn too is so high here(approximatey 15 degrees latitude North)

Keep up the good work.

Best wishes

Kevin B


January 21, 2003 11:33 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Jupiter 1/20/2003

Posted By Kevin Barker

Angel
Nice work.

I bet you are looking forward to Mars this year.

Best wishes

Kevin Barker

January 23, 2003 06:13 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

refractor recoating?

Posted By Kevin Barker

D&G optical?? I know they can refigure lenses and apply Mg F2 tp their excellent achromats.

Why do you want new coatings?? A few coatings blemishes will have a very small effect on the lenses performance.

Kevin B

January 27, 2003 07:14 PM Forum: Zeiss

Zeiss Barlow differences

Posted By Kevin Barker

Paul
The 2X M44 barlow is excellent. It is corrected I believe to work best with f 10 and slower scopes. I read somewhere?? it is matched to the Zeiss Jena 0.965 orthoscopics.

The 1.25 inch version was designed to work with the Abbe 1.25 inch orthoscopics and f 8 and slower objectives.

Both are very expensive. I have seen the M44 version sell for about 260 US second hand.

I have the M44 version and have compared it with a powermate.

The 16,12.5 and 10 mm ortho with M44 Zeiss barlow(125 X, 160 X and 200 X) versus a 18 mm radian with 2.5 X powermate.(139 X)

Mars and Moon were observed in very good seeing.

Telescope my wonderful APQ 100/1000.

The wider view of the radian was nice but it was a step down in contrast. This was especially apparent on Mars.

Best wishes

Kevin B

January 29, 2003 08:42 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Southern Hemisphere deep sky observing guide

Posted By Kevin Barker

Kim
I agree with Maurice and Anthony. "Hartung's" is an excellent book for observing.

Ernst Hartung was a Chemistry Professor from Melbourne whose retirement project was observing the skies with a 12 inch reflector.

His skill as an observer is impressive.

I believe it is available for around $ 60 US or so. I could check out a price from a friend who is a bookseller if you wish.

A NZ astronomer completed an excellent CCD type survey of hundreds of Southern galaxies using a large reflector. Alex Wasselof(Sp??)
It is excellent to go with Hartungs but is out of print.

Best wishes

Kevin B

February 21, 2003 07:25 AM Forum: Takahashi

Cleaning the objective

Posted By Kevin Barker

Mike
The technique I use is as follows.

Remove lens cell or dewcap so lens is easily accessed.

Place lens on a table so the glass is sitting horizontally.

Blower brush away any dust repeatedly.

Make up about 20 wads using lens tissue with a small pinch hand can hold them with.

Add two or three drops of lens cleaning solution(isopropyl alcohol and distilled water mixed 70% and 30%)to a wad and gently apply to a portion of the lens. (Apply do not rub vigourously)You do not want the solution dripping from wad so each wad needs to be half a lens tissue in size.

Throw tissue away then use a fresh wad to remove the worst of the solution by gently dabbing and then another wad so no liquid is on lens.

Repeat right round lens.

Let lens sit for a few minutes then check the results. What may look like smears will hopefully evaporate away while you wait.

Blower brush any extra dust that may have stuck to the lens while sitting.

Best of luck. As the FS Takahashi lenses are hard coated you should not damage coatings if you are careful.

Kevin


February 22, 2003 11:04 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Jupiter 1/27-28/03

Posted By Kevin Barker

Sol
I got almost exactly this view last night through my 130 mm refractor. While Europa was starting to transit and after Io had finished transiting. 11.30 UT 22nd Feb 2003.

You have rendered it superbly.

There is a lot of activity following the GRS.

Also the STB did indeed appear to be leading into the GRS just like this piccie.

What I did see in what I may say was mediocre seeing was a dark spotlike feature on the crest of a NEB wave.

Best wishes

Kevin

March 13, 2003 04:26 AM Forum: Zeiss

15 x 60 B/GA T ClassiC Binoculars

Posted By Kevin Barker

Good question John
Markus Ludes reviewed and compared several Zeiss 15 X 60 binoculars and some Tak?? binoculars on cloudynights.com. I recall the older 15 x 60's in the review had better colour correcction but less eye relief than the newer version.

Best wishes

Kevin Barker