Astromart

February 27, 2008 01:49 PM Forum: Global Warming - REAL or NOT

12-month long drop in world temp wipes a century rise

Posted By Doug Peterson

http://www.dailytech.com/Temperature+Monitors+Report+Worldwide+Global+Cooling/article10866.htm

February 27, 2008 02:58 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

"Supercharged by Dr. Clay Sherrod" -- experiences?

Posted By Doug Peterson

So is it worthwhile?

March 4, 2008 05:27 PM Forum: Global Warming - REAL or NOT

Didn't think Global Whatever was going to affect the seeing?

Posted By Doug Peterson

Surround the earth with a Dyson sphere of dust

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/03/04/dust-earth-cooling.html?dcitc=w01-101-ae-0001

March 9, 2008 12:33 AM Forum: Refractors

Why are Synta OEM refractors such good value?

Posted By Doug Peterson

In recent years I have owned or had pass thru my hands these Synta-sourced refractors from Celestron, Orion, Skywatcher:

150mm F8 achromat
120mm F8 achromats, 2 good, 1 returned
100mm F10 achromat
100mm F10 triplet prototype (yes has more color than the ED below but much better than the achromat above)
100mm F9 ED doublet
80mm F 7.5 ED doublet, 2 good
70mm F10 achromat, 1 mediocre

I know its not a good idea to generalize, and 8 out of 10 certainly isn't perfect, but the 8 are actually excellent in star testing. I've certainly seen crummy Unitrons and other legendary makers, so I think we live in interesting times when even inexpensive optics can deliver results out of line with cost.

March 9, 2008 11:18 PM Forum: Eyepieces

Brandon 32mm field stop question

Posted By Doug Peterson

I have a Vernonscope 32mm probably from the 80s, I see no field stop. Is it missing? Or did Chester design it so the internal threads formed a quasi-field stop. I have seen this before on a couple oculars. What does yours look like?

March 11, 2008 04:04 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Ultimate Small Telescope--Questar for the 21st?

Posted By Doug Peterson

My vote:

The TMB 92mm F5.5 triplet APO, 6x the real field diameter of a Questar 3.5, no central obstruction so wider useful magnification and no contrast loss at highest powers.

What table top portable mount? The DM4 is a classy manual mount with digital circles. The Celestron Nexstar 4SE single arm bandit forkmount/drivebase with go-to and GPS, handheld controller, not as classy but fully functional. Too bad Questar doesn't make a mount halfway between the 3.5 and the Seven. Of course a floor tripod for the field.

Oculars: 5.6mm exit pupil with the Nagler 31, a 13mm Ethos, 5mm and 2.5mm Naglers for planetary.

Of course a state of the art case for all the above, less the floor tripod.

Your suggestions?

March 27, 2008 11:44 PM Forum: Global Warming - REAL or NOT