Posts Made By: Jerry Mason

I looked through both the 6 and 17mm today. Amazing eyepieces. I was surprised that the 17 is no larger in size than the 13mm (2" only however - no 1 1/4" option). I did notice that when looking at air conditioning tubes in the rafters i saw arcs not parallel lines.

Jerry

Curt,

Very cool! Thanks for the heads up. If the marine layer fails to roll in tonight/tomorrow morning, here in so cal, then I'll be sure to get up and watch.

Jerry

Hi David,

My 12" AFC arrived last Wednesday and I was faced with the same problem (those two heavy duty Frankenstein bolts are very scary looking). Temporarily, I've sacrificed a 2" extension tube, taken from one of my Newtonian focuser, and placed it between the ACF's motorized focuser and my 2" diagonal. The extension tube takes all the gouging and its compression ring keeps my diagonal safe.

The downside to this arrangement is that it sticks out so far from the rear of the scope that I cannot view objects close to the zenith without the diagonal crashing into the fork arm -- I have temporarily set my altitude slew limit to 75¼.

I'll be shopping for a very short compression extension tube or possibly a set of nylon tipped screws shortly.

Jerry

That's a beautiful shot Ivan! I really like the skies reflection and subtle colours in the water. Very elegant!

Jerry

Here's one of many alcoves in the Big Room showing stalactites, stalagmites, columns, draiperies and cave popcorn.

Jerry

VERY COOL!

Hey Lee,

I keep a Streamlight TLR-2 tactial light/red laser site attached to my HK USP .45 for home defense. The flashlight is 120 lumens and really lights up a target indoors or outside during dusk or dawn. I really like the laser too and practice with both tritium night sites and laser dot when at the range to stay proficient with each. I would disagree with the poster here that says using a laser gives away your position (unless he is talking about the few commercial versions that use green lasers). Anyone that has been in a dark movie theater while an idiot with a red laser is bouncing a dot around knows it's almost impossible to trace the beam back to the little numbskull with the device. There's probably also a very deterring psychological effect any intruder is likely to feel when/if he happens to look down at his chest to find a red dot while he is engaged in breaking and entering into a home he's not entitled to be in. Heck, if I heard someone breaking into my house late at night I'd have him centered in the blinding 3 watt beam of light AND the little red laser. Forget the element of surprise, I'd want him to know i was there.

That being said, outside in bright daylight my red laser is impossible to find or target -- especially on black iron silhouettes or black centered paper targets. Technology is great but its best to be rooted in the basics (like setting circles on my ol' gem mounts).

Attached is a portion of a cover shot I took for a client. After the photo shoot, I had to have one.


Jerry

This image was taken a half hour earlier somewhere along the road to Hermit's Rest. You can see the Colorado River a little left of center.

Viral huh?

Funny thing is I didn't find the video boring at all. Not sure what that says about me. I have two similar mounts, both being Meade copies of your cave, and as soon as I find some time plan on putting a 9" buyers drive on one. I suppose my enthusiasm doesn't exactly represent the broader youtube audience however.

Jerry

During the same hike my wife also snapped this shot of a little spotted lizard. We don't know what his phylum, genus, species is either.

Jerry