Posts Made By: Gary Carter

When do you plan to re-list this Auction?

The Delos, though I have not yet tried them myself, is supposed to combine some of the benefits of the Ethos design with a longer eye relief you are looking for. Alvin Huey, a noted deep sky observer in these parts, gave the Delos a very positive review:

Here is some info from Alvin Huey of Faint Fuzzies.

I did try the 6mm Delos (on loan from John Rhodes at OSP) along with my 6mm Ethos and 6mm ZAO-II. I looked at two objects, IC 1296 (galaxy next to the Ring) and Hickson 99. My 22" scope was used and the skies were NELM 7.2+.

I found that the Delos is between the ZAO-II and Ethos in light transmission and contrast. The Delos showed just a little more of IC 1296 and component E (mag 17.7) was a little easier to hold using averted vision than the Ethos...and just a little harder than with the Zeiss.

The differences between them were small, but noticeable. An observing partner confirmed my observations.

Could you post a photo of the lens & cell? Our club has a 6" f/15 OTA that I am in the process of restoring. I'm curious to see if I can determine the genesis of the objective....

I like

a) Being able to search years of past transactions to determine fair market value for an item.
b) Transparency, knowing who I am dealing with, and the comfort that comes from my past dealings with a community that is trustworthy.
c) A rating system to reinforce great behavior.
d) The bonus material in the newly added "Members" tab.

I hate

a) The 90 day limit on the posts in the Forums. It would be nice to allow the user to choose a longer time period.
b) Hammer-Time with Herb-a-Thor!!!! 8O

Brian Pope said:

Hello, I was curious if anybody has an opinion on the celestron 12v battery packs?
Is there something better ? they run $75 for the slightly more powerful.
I have dew heater straps for starters, then maybe another item.
Thanks

Brian,

Whether you buy or build, the key item to consider is how much power you will need to make it through your typical viewing session. Batteries are rated in terms of Amp-hours. The battery inside the Celestron Power Tank is typically a 17 to 20 amp hour rating battery.

The math is simple. If you only pull one amp at 12 volts, then you will have 17 to 20 hours of power available max. If you pull 2 amps, you'll have 8.5 to 10 hours of power, and at 4 amps you'll only make it 4.25 to 5 hours. These are theoretical maximums, and if you want your battery to remain healthy you will not want to completely discharge it. Also be aware that as the battery discharges the output voltage sags. Some electronics may malfunction, motors will stall, etc. when the voltage drops below 12VDC.

As Alex states, cheaper batteries are available and are the same class that come in the Celestron and similar "power tank" setups. These are typically sealed, lead acid batteries and are not rated for repeated deep cycle use. There are more expensive Gel based AGM batteries that are rated for repeated deep cycle discharge. They tend to have a longer life cycle.

The best small battery charger setup I've used is the Deltran Battery Tender. For a single battery, the Battery Tender Plus model is rated for continuous, long term connection even when the battery is in long term storage. The plus model cycles the charge voltage over time to "stir" the electrlyte and thus insure the battery does not sulfate. It keeps them healthy for years. I use them for batteries in Tractors, ATVs, an RV, and a boat.

Got to peek at it last night from the front yard. Setup the SkyWatcher 120ED on a WO EZ Touch and plopped in the 13mm Ethos.
Panned up to 23UMa and star-hopped from there over to M81/M82. The Supernova was an easy spot in M82.

Marvelous!

paul fields said:
It work if i use my 2x.barlow though it works.
Am i doing something wrong?
Paul

Paul,
You are not doing anything wrong, your setup simply does not have enough back focus to use the eyepiece projection adapter in the optical train you've configured. The 2x barlow you tried is likely one with a lense mounted at the front of the assembly, much like my 3x Televue, allowing it to extend the light cone through the optical arrangement you configured. I have an old 80mm Lumicon finder I use in a similar fashion. I can't use a diagonal with it for the same reason.

Since you did not give us any other details regarding the scope or the various piece parts in optical arrangement you are attempting to configure it is difficult to know what to suggest at this point. Let us know if you still need assistance.

A 13mm Ethos would also be my choice if I could just have one for use across a variety of telescopes... HOWEVER ... IF I were limited to just one eyepiece on one telescope, then:

- 24mm Panoptic in my TV85 or my Orion ED80 - The widefield views are remarkable and tack sharp across the FOV
- 41mm Panoptic or a 31mm Nagler in my C8 or C11 - The closest you can get to the above using an f/10 SCT
- 6mm or 8mm Ethos in my 120ED Skywatcher - Fabulous Lunar and Planetary performance in my neck of the woods.
- 4.7mm Ethos or the 3-6mm Zoom in my Coronado 40mm Ha Double-stacked solar scope - Excellent Ha Solar experience

I might add that for Outreach my eyepiece selection is the 8-24mm zoom, and the 12mm and 22mm Type 4 Naglers. All three have generous eye relief making it easy for visitors to see with and without glasses.

I'm not helping, am I?!?! 8)

This sounds like a fun build....keep us posted!

I have a 6" f15 TMB doublet that I plan to build with the same Binoviewer/Monoview goals in mind. I was thinking of constructing a square plywood tube for the prototype build to verify the precise length I need from Hastings. I need to find a machinist for the countercell and focuser back plate.

I'm interested in any lessons learned!

Ted,

Neither link works....

The first link has one errant period located at the end between "org" and "/"
https://texasstarparty.org./

Should read: https://texasstarparty.org/

The second link is a contracted copy with "..." embedded in the middle of the URL:
https://texasstarpar...ration/account/

Should read: https://texasstarparty.org/registration/account/