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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?

An Interview with Thomas A. Zappetti of Unitron

Posted by Barry Kawaguchi 06/13/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Other)

An Interview with Thomas A. Zappetti of Unitron

In August 1997, the rumors were flying among amateur astronomy circles about the demise of Unitron. Certainly, their ads had long disappeared from the pages of magazines they once graced, such as Sky and Telescope...

Interview with Al Nagler of TeleVue

Posted by Barry Kawaguchi 05/30/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Other)

Interview with Al Nagler of TeleVue

The first time I saw a Tele Vue refractor was when I was responding to an ad in the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 1995 for a Brandon 94mm refractor. I drove to the seller’s home in Mentor-on-the-Lake, and admired the baby-blue Brandon on a Unitron alt-azimuth mount, set up on the back porch overlooking Lake Erie. But another telescope next to it really took my breath away. It was a brass Renaissance on a Tele Vue Panoramic mount. “Are you selling that one?” I asked. I liked the Brandon. But I really wanted the Renaissance. I ended up buying both.

Telescope Nothing

Posted by Andy Sedlacek 05/29/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Other)

Telescope Nothing

The first in a running series :-)

The Mount Boys: Losmandy and Byers

Posted by Barry Kawaguchi 05/23/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Other)

The Mount Boys: Losmandy and Byers

In the world of commercial telescopes, if Byers mounts are the Mack trucks of telescope mounts, then Losmandy mounts are the Dodge Ram trucks. The two companies are only located about 120 miles apart, in North Hollywood and Barstow, but both seemed on the other side of the world from each other, in scale, size, market and old school and new school philosophy.

Understanding The Industry

Posted by William Cook 05/10/2013 07:00AM   (Articles/Other-Articles/Equipmentoptics)

Understanding The Industry

The things that matter and the things that don't.