Reviews & Articles - Members' Section


REVIEWS Submitted by Members

Most Recent Reviews Submitted by Members:


Astro-Tech AT72EDII Apo Refractor

Posted by Lawrence Carlino 04/02/2018 07:00AM   (Reviews/Telescopes/Refractors)

Astro-Tech AT72EDII Apo Refractor

A small refractor fan shares the goods on this AT Apo...

Not Exact? ..... Exactly

Posted by David Russell 07/12/2016 07:00AM   (Reviews/Eyepieces/Other)

Not Exact? ..... Exactly

Eyepiece AFOV and Barlow magnification factors can effectively vary from manufacturer specified values.

Explore Scientific ES152ED Triplet APO

Posted by Lawrence Carlino 03/27/2015 07:00AM   (Reviews/Telescopes/Refractors)

Explore Scientific ES152ED Triplet APO

The carbon fiber newcomer takes on the classic Tak FS-152 fluorite

Do You Want Big Ones?

Posted by Rod Mollise 10/02/2014 07:00AM   (Reviews/Binoculars/71mm-To-300mm)

Do You Want Big Ones?

Choosing and Using Large Binoculars

A Review of 1.25" 32mm Eyepieces

Posted by David Russell 07/22/2014 07:00AM   (Reviews/Eyepieces/12mm-And-Up)

A Review of 1.25" 32mm Eyepieces

The 32mm 1.25” plossl is one of a handful of available eyepieces that offers the maximum possible TFOV in the 1.25” format. However, reviews of the various 32mm 1.25” options are hard to find. With that in mind I gathered a sample of five different 32mm 1.25” eyepieces currently in production and added the 35mm 1.25” Orion Ultrascopic to the sample.

Filter Fight - The Battle Against Chromatic Aberation

Posted by David Russell 01/15/2014 08:00AM   (Reviews/Accessories/Filters)

Filter Fight - The Battle Against Chromatic Aberation

Taking the Fight to Chromatic Aberration with Filters: #8 Light Yellow vs. Baader Fringe Killer vs. #12 Yellow vs. Baader 495 Longpass yellow filter

Takahashi FC-100DC Apochromat (Return of the Fluorite)

Posted by Lawrence Carlino 12/11/2013 08:00AM   (Reviews/Telescopes/Refractors)

Takahashi FC-100DC Apochromat (Return of the Fluorite)

Though big Dobs and high-quality catadioptrics are often the telescopes of choice IF they have the time to reach and keep thermal equilibrium, something else is needed to make the most of less-than-ideal conditions while maintaining significant capability. That, at least to me, means a 4-inch APO refractor. Great optics, a short cool-down time, and reasonably light weight are the needed virtues.

A review of the 20mm ES68, 20mm Pentax XW, and 20mm Waterproof Meade UWA

Posted by David Russell 07/07/2013 07:00AM   (Reviews/Eyepieces/12mm-And-Up)

A review of the 20mm ES68, 20mm Pentax XW, and 20mm Waterproof Meade UWA

The eyepiece market provides numerous options with a 20mm focal length ranging from inexpensive 20mm plossls to expensive “premium” options offered by Pentax and Televue. Eyepieces with a 20mm FL are very versatile giving exit pupils ranging from 4.4mm to 2.0mm with scopes having focal ratios from F/4.5 to F/10...

Istar Perseus AT204, F8.8 Refractor

Posted by Lawrence Carlino 06/28/2013 07:00AM   (Reviews/Telescopes/Refractors)

Istar Perseus AT204, F8.8 Refractor

A touch of Pulkovo, Lick, and Yerkes... On a budget.

Compact Binocular Review and Comparison

Posted by James Buono 05/10/2013 07:00AM   (Reviews/Binoculars/Other)

Compact Binocular Review and Comparison

The long and short of the little guys...

ARTICLES Submitted by Members

Most Recent Articles Submitted by Members:


Considerations for Optimizing Newtonian Reflecting Telecope Optical Design

Posted by John Lynch 10/06/2015 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Equipmentoptics)

Considerations for Optimizing Newtonian Reflecting Telecope Optical Design

Amateur astronomers have a choice between instruments that are commercially available or becoming amateur telescope makers and building ones that are more suited to their needs. For the latter, the amateur has the freedom of instrument design as well as selection of specific components that represent the best available instead of compromising with what is provided with a commercially built unit.

Hubble Trubble

Posted by David Russell 07/11/2015 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Other)

Hubble Trubble

Putting a fork into myths about Hubble's Galaxy classification

Designing a Telescope Counterpoise System

Posted by John Lynch 09/29/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Equipmentoptics)

Designing a Telescope Counterpoise System

Your telescope's static balance can be achieved even when using a wide range of oculars.

The Visible Matter – Dark Matter Coupling Problem

Posted by David Russell 08/28/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Other)

The Visible Matter – Dark Matter Coupling Problem

In the current model of the Universe favored by most cosmologists the composition of the Universe is ~4.5% visible (baryonic) matter, 22.7% non-baryonic dark matter, and 72.8% dark energy...

The Likely Place RV Resort

Posted by Tony Hallas 08/15/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Other)

The Likely Place RV Resort

... a beautiful grassy field for tent campers ( empty ), spotlessly clean bathrooms with hot showers, very nice camp sites with some shade trees right by the grassy field, a nice restaurant ... and if that wasn’t enough ... a challenging, well maintained 18 hole golf course! All this under the darkest skies in the US.

Classification of Planets and Moons in the Solar System – A New Proposal

Posted by David Russell 07/24/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Other)

Classification of Planets and Moons in the Solar System – A New Proposal

The definition of a planet and where the division is between Solar System objects that are planets and those that are not planets is currently in a state of disagreement among scientists.

A Visit to Questar and Parks

Posted by Barry Kawaguchi 07/18/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Other)

A Visit to Questar and Parks

In the summer of 1997, on my quest to interview the great commercial telescope makers in American history for a book, I made a pilgrimage to one of the most famous small towns in telescope history: New Hope, Pennsylvania.

Tom Cave – The Early Years

Posted by Barry Kawaguchi 07/06/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Other)

Tom Cave – The Early Years

Tales of Movie Stars and Mogey Refractors

Versatility of the Texereau-design Foucault Test Apparatus

Posted by John Lynch 07/01/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Equipmentoptics)

Versatility of the Texereau-design Foucault Test Apparatus

This telescope mirror shadow tester doubles as an artificial star test.

Comments on Eyepiece Edge of Field Brightening

Posted by David Russell 06/27/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Equipmentoptics)

Comments on Eyepiece Edge of Field Brightening

Many eyepieces that I have found to be excellent in most respects I ultimately sold in part or whole due to the eyepiece having EOFB. What is Edge of Field Brightening?