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Posts Made By: Douglas Reilly

February 23, 2004 02:35 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

telrad rigel reticle size vs. sky

Posted By Douglas Reilly
All,
Apologies if this has been covered, but a quick scan of the archives didn't help me out.

When looking through a unit-finder like a telrad or rigel, doesn't the "size" of the reticle image change depending on how far your eye is from the window? If so, then how far should you be to the unit for it to approximate, say, the telrad overlay on Sky Atlas 2000?

doug

April 14, 2004 03:09 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

eyepiece turrets for reflectors

Posted By Douglas Reilly
I've never been able to really get why ep turrets aren't more popular for refractors and S/Cs. There are very few on the market. I have one from Seven Wonders that does a good job although it's not a $500 TEC or Tak, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. The time it saves in swapping eps make especially double star observing much more efficient, but even for plantary and deep sky it's great. So I wonder why they haven't really taken off.

And then comes my next question: not only refractor and S/C users can benefit from ep turrets--so too could those who use newtonians and mak-newts, etc. And without needing a diagonal, in some ways it is simpler to construct. So why never a turret for a reflector?

thoughts?

doug

September 15, 2004 06:15 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Cheap EQ

Posted By Douglas Reilly
Dear All,
I'm looking to mount my trusty ol' 76mm f/15.6 on a EQ tripod for quick peaks (quicker than my 6" f/8 on a GM-8). Does anyone have any experience with the Meade 395 EQ head? It's available on the internet very cheaply. How sturdy is it? I'd be mounting it on a rock-solid crutch tripod. Any comments?

doug

October 27, 2004 01:23 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

2" focuser on a starblast

Posted By Douglas Reilly
on a starblast?
Would the secondary mirror configuration make it worth it?

doug

November 4, 2004 07:42 PM Forum: Film Astrophotography - Imaging and Processing

first time sky portraits

Posted By Douglas Reilly
Dear Astrophotographers,

I'm heading out to Chaco Canyon in NW next week for a little deep sky/deep cold observing. I'd like to bring along my Nikon manual camera and tripod and try my first wide-angle sky portraits. I have a 35mm lens, hmmm, speed I can't recall at the moment.

I have Kodak Ektachrome 100-speed slide film. Does anyone have any ideas as to how long I should expose? Should I bracket (I guess there's little chance of actually "overexposing," right?)

And what's the upper time limit to avoid star trails?

Also how does potential cold (around 0') effect exposure time?

Thanks for any advice you might have.

doug

January 16, 2005 08:55 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

weird collimation issues

Posted By Douglas Reilly
Hi all,
I have a 6" f/8 meade EQ (one of the older sonotube ones, not a starfinder.) Anyway, last night I ran into a bizarre colimation issue. I used a laser to center the secondary, but then checked it with the sight tube...and I could only see part of the primary. Centering the primary didn't help (I use cat's eye). I also noted that I could see part of the SIDE of the secondary holder reflected in the primary from the sight tube (and from the cat's eye). Like a cresent moon around the secondary. What's up!?

doug

September 3, 2008 10:08 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

MT-160 questions

Posted By Douglas Reilly
I recently came across an ad for a Takahashi MT-160 (an older newtonian reflector that's natively at f6 but with an f8 extender and an f4.8 reducer), and made an offer...and a few days later a big well-padded box smelling of cigarette smoke arrived from overseas. The scope is an earlier pepto green/battleship grey model. Ijury-rigged it into my dob mount last night...fabulous views! It's a heavy scope, not sure how I will mount it, though I thought I might create an ultra-light tube for it.

I have a few questions for those in the know, however:

1. The 4.8 reducer is not usable visually, is that correct?

2. I have a 1.25" ep holder, but not a 2"...is it possible to get a 2"
ep adapter, and is it the same 2" adapter that the refractors with 2.7" focusers use?

3. Is the Feathertouch fine focuser usable on the 2.7" focuser?

4. Lastly, does anyone have any imaging experience with this scope with DSLRS?

thanks so much!
doug

September 4, 2008 01:10 AM Forum: Takahashi

MT-160 questions...

Posted By Douglas Reilly
Hi All,
I posted this in equipment but thought maybe someone might notice it here.

I recently came across an ad for a Takahashi MT-160 and made an offer...and a few days later a big well-padded box smelling of cigarette smoke arrived from overseas. The scope is an earlier pepto green/battleship grey model. I jury-rigged it into my dob mount last night...fabulous views! It's a heavy scope, not sure how I will mount it, though I thought I might create an ultra-light tube for it.

I have a few questions for those in the know, however:

1. The 4.8 reducer is not usable visually, is that correct?

2. I have a 1.25" ep holder, but not a 2"...is it possible to get a 2"
ep adapter, and is it the same 2" adapter that the Tak refractors with 2.7" focusers use?

3. Is the Feathertouch fine focuser usable on the 2.7" focuser?

4. Lastly, does anyone have any imaging experience with this scope with DSLRS?

thanks so much!
doug


January 8, 2003 09:35 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Discovery Truss scopes...

Posted By Douglas Reilly
Chad,
Haven't moved down like you said, but since you are considering Discovery, you might wish to check out Rob Teeter's site (from the Astromart sponsor list)...he makes quality dobs with Discovery mirrors. I have one of Teeter's scopes, the prototype 12.5, and it's solidly built, has excellent hardware, and Rob's great to work with. No complaints at all! Still a waiting list for those, but at least you'd have one person to talk to, not a factory's worth. Worth checking out.
Doug

February 21, 2003 02:38 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Re: And Tonight, Ganymede + its shadow in transit

Posted By Douglas Reilly
Was observing Jupiter last night with my 12.5" dob. Cloud bands evident and a "spot" too. How would I know if this was the red spot or the shadow of the moon? Observing time: approx. 7:45pm in New York.
Doug

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