Posts Made By: don vescio

~35 miles west of Boston. Heavy fog early, significant amt. of clouds. Managed to catch a couple of glimpsesof the transit through Binomites after arrival at work. Didn't bother bringing out the Maxscope.

After a number of experiments with different equipment, I think that I've finally found a combination that works best for me. I originally had a Maxscope40, double-stacked. I liked the contrast and detail and thought that if 40 was good, 60 would be even better. I sold the Maxscope40 and purchased used a SM60, which I used on a Pronto.

I found that for my eyes, I really didn't see much of a difference between a single 60 and a single 40 (and I really tried hard to convince myself to the contrary!). For the magnifications that I normally use, it was a tie and it made me wonder if double-stacking a 60 or going with a 60/40 internal module would yield only marginal benefits over my original double-stacked 40. (Fortunately--I think--I had to place this project on temporary hold due to an unexpected expense).

Mostly out of curiosity, I recently purchased a PST, intending to bring this with me to work for grab-and-go sessions between meetings. I was shocked at the high quality of image that I was able to see through the PST--*much* better than want I was seeing through the SM60 (this really hurt!). As a result, I traded the SM60 for a 40+cash, and double-stacked the 40 on the PST.

What I really like about this combination is that the package is extremely light and portable, it gives me excellent surface detail, and I get far fewer reflections with the PST/40 combo than I ever did with the double-40s. I've attached a photo of the setup, which is mounted on a Unistar Light Deluxe mount.

This is a very long way of saying that the PST performs much better than I had ever assumed. While I don't like its aesthetics, it functions extremely well as a serious observation tool. For now, I can't imagine moving away from this combination--for me, it represents a great balance of functionality, performance, and ease of use.

Just my ramblings for the day.

Don

I have a Meade 8" SCT OTA only; I'm looking to use it with an old Vixen Polaris eq mount(the kind that attached directly to tube rings). This mount also has a detachable adapter that enables it to use a dovetail that has one 90 degree face and an angled face along its length.

I've used this mount as an AltAz (it's attached to a pier, so it's very stable) with a number of different refractors. When I look online for mounting hardware for the SCT, I find the info. confusing. Any suggestions for specific pieces that I'd need?

Thanks.

Don

I have a MaxScope 40 with the newer helical focuser, the version with the large knurled ring adjacent to the OTA.

The OTA is fantastic, though I'm not a big fan of helical focusers. Is there a possible upgrade to a Craford or rack-and-pinion focuser that I can use as a replacment?

If not, what might be a good source for focuser extensions? With the current helical focuser, I'm a little tight on back travel.

Thanks!

Don

Okay--I'm a bit confused right now after some reading. If I have a scope that has a 80mm objective and a focal length of 400mm, and I stop it down to 40mm, the actual focal length of the scope remains the same, correct? It will be the F# number that changes?

I know that this is a simple question--I just need a reality check.

Thanks--

Don

I'm looking for possible manual focuser upgrades for an Orion 80ED. The optics of the specific scope that I have are excellent--I just don't think that the focuser matches the optics quality.

Recommendations?

All,

How does one remove the stock mounting block on an Orion Mak? Like the mounting block that Orion uses on their refractors, this specific mounting block is attached to the OTA via two screws and nuts. The problem is that when the screws and mounting block are removed, the nuts remain in the OTA. In their refractors, the screws can be removed through the focuser; in the Mak, the baffling tube will make this difficult. Recommendations?

Thanks--

Don

Okay--in anticipation of the Calcium K PST, I was wondering if anyone had ideas as to how I can mount (verb) them parallel on the same mount (noun) so that I can have side-by-side viewing and imaging opportunities? I'm only interested in alt-az; would a heavy duty video tripod and head work for this application?

Thanks--

Don

Currently, I'm using a Pronto with double-stacked 40s; I just received my PST CaK today and it doesn't look like I'll have a clear sky for quite a few days.

Question: how can I mount my PST CaK on top of my Pronto H-alpha set-up?

Today was the first clear day that we've had for some time in central Massachusetts. There was a fairly strong wind and the seeing was somewhat turbulent.

I mounted my PST CaK on a Universal Astronomics' Microstar; Larry provided a right-angle bracket to enable the PST to be mounted in proper orientation.

It was very easy for me to find the sun, though its image was faint. I used an Apogee 7-22 zoom, my favorite eyepiece for H-alpha observing, and was able to see a good amount of surface activity. I found that it was very important to shade as much ambient sunlight as possible to see the detail; I used a baseball cap for this session, but next time I will drap a hood over my head.

Interestingly, I found that the amount of visible detail increased as I adapted to the dim image. I had my Pronto/double forty combination setup next to the CaK and was fascinated at how each view displayed different regions of activity. Given the low altitude of the sun, I was able to obeserve approximately 20 minutes.

I certainly will keep my CaK, which promises to complement my H-alpha observing. While the contrast of details does not match that of H-alpha, enough is apparent to my eyes (45 yrs old) to find value in the CaK views. After I came in, I dug out my LPI imager, which I never have used much, as I like to keep electrical and mechanical dependencies to a minimum when I observe. I think that I will try imaging with the CaK over the course of the next several weeks.

Those who expect the dramatic impact of Coronado's H-alpha views will be disappointed by the PST CaK. Those who are willing to understand the context of CaK observing will find the PST CaK to be well worth the small sum that it costs.

Next project: I want to figure out if there is a way to mount my Pronto/H-alpha, PST CaK, and Zenithstar 66 white light scopes all on the same Universal Astronomics alt-az mount. Suggestions are appreciated.

Don