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Posts Made By: Owen Chin

December 16, 2003 11:58 PM Forum: APM

Horns of Dilemma: TMB 80/600 or Sky 90

Posted By Owen Chin
This is an equal opportunity question posed on both sites: for a grab and go APO...which way does your wind blow?

January 4, 2004 03:13 AM Forum: TeleVue

Telepod Suggestion

Posted By Owen Chin
FYI for those with telepods who are always fearing the worse when changing eyepieces and the front of the OTA comes crashing down on the metal tripod adapter post...I was in Home Depot in the plumbing department and picked up a Fernco PlumbQuick 1 and 1/2" Quick-Cap PQC-101 for $2.89.
I removed the metal clamp off the black rubber cap and the cap fits over the post and azumith tension knob thereby cushioning the OTA should it fall on the post.

Best Regards for the New Year!

May 14, 2002 01:59 PM Forum: Takahashi

Mewlon 300 set-up

Posted By Owen Chin
Jeff,
I had a chance to do some solar viewing in Mark's 6" AP at Chiefland, the views were killer and that's one rock steady set-up on the AP1200!
Owen

May 15, 2002 02:28 PM Forum: Coronado-Lunt-DayStar Solar Filters

Coronado AS1-90 and Solarmax 40

Posted By Owen Chin
I too can attest to the Solarmax against the AS1-90. Other than the the image scale and the corresponding detail on the AS1-90, I don't think the Solarmax gave up too much at all...which got me thinking,
Hey Mark, with my TMB/Mewlon dual mount Giro set-up, what is your opinion of the Solarmax on the refractor and a Baader filter on the Mewlon for solar observing and what would I need? (the 60 and 90 is a bit too expensive for me)

August 25, 2002 11:58 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Eyepiece Collection

Posted By Owen Chin
Michael,

Although it might be somewhat more than you were considering, you might think about a Pan 22mm or 27mm and maybe even the 35mm. You have probably seen the 27 and 35's go up recently to fund the purchase of a 26mm Nagler by many. In addition, the 22's will start going up for sale when the 24mm Pans come out. Obviously, it is a function of supply and demand. I never thought that I would ever spring for a Nagler EP but now I own a 9mmT1, 12mmT2, 16mmT2, 20mmT2 and due to the newer styles comming out (I have a 210 Mewlon f-11.5 and the 82 degree FOV is great!). I aqcuired them slowly and the cost for any one of them was between $180-250, but they will keep the value of what I paid. The same will hold true of the 22 or 27 Pan. From personal experience, those are great EPs and will hold their value if you get them for a decent price as well.

Good Luck, Owen

August 30, 2002 04:36 AM Forum: TeleVue

Re: Televue 102 Eyepiece Suggestions...

Posted By Owen Chin
Scott,
Of the ones you mentioned, the 12mmT4 is a 1.25 with a 2" skirt and the 27mm Pan is a full 2" . If you are looking for a 1.25 format you could consider the 3-6mm Nagler zoom all the Nagler Type 6 EPs, the 16T5, all the Radians, or the 15, 19 and the 24 Pan when it comes out. Anything lower power than that will put you into a 2" format. Personally I have the Naglers that I have because many were selling the old Naglers to obtain the newer ones and thus they became affordable to me. ( I spent from $180-250 on any one EP) Since they were all formatted for 2" diagonals I found it easier to change them out. On many the 2" skirt is not necessary, TV just made them that way. You can get the newer models at a higher cost, it's just a function of what you are willing to pay. For high power I use my 9mmT1 or 12mmT2 with a 4x powermate. Just remember if you get an altaz mount don't expect to push 300x or more with a narrow FOV.(the seeing usually doesn't support it most times anyway)
Regards, Owen

September 3, 2002 06:26 PM Forum: Takahashi

Mewlon 300 set-up

Posted By Owen Chin
Hi Mark,
Very nice! I saw your picures on the Observatory Forum as well, I am quite imressed...does that mean that you are not going to Chiefland in November? I am considering going the Friday the 1st thru that weekend, before the crowds gather.

Best regards, Owen

October 4, 2002 03:22 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Filter question

Posted By Owen Chin
Hi Eddie,
At my aperture, I found color filters to block too much light to be useful. I use and would suggest the Baader Moon and Skyglow Filter, it works great. They were reviewed in Cloudy Nights and is available in the States www.astro-physics.com/
in both 2" and 1.25 or APM in Germany.
Good Luck,
Owen

November 23, 2002 12:57 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Upgraded 125ETX or Small TV refractor?

Posted By Owen Chin
Paul,

I own a SV AT1010 on a Telepod and my friend owns a Pronto on a Panoramic mount. Athough 175x is probably the maximun on both, it doesn't give you a lot of steady seeing time at the eyepiece on an alt-az mount even with widefield EPs. I usually view between 90x-120x. For DSOs low power widefield viewing is a step up from binoculars, but then again, 80mm aperture is only 80mm of aperture. If you want to do some higher power lunar and planetary observation I would suggest at least a used TV 85, but a used TV Genesis or Vixen/Orion 102 ED is going for less... but for a few dollars more a Tak or TV 102 can be had... but the issue of sturdier mounts come into play. (The best laid plans usually go awry) I have a TMB 100/800 on a GM-8/Giro set up and the views are superior, but many times I go with the SV AT1010 because it is less hassle to set up in the back yard.

Good Luck, Owen

November 26, 2002 11:41 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

SCT or Refractor?

Posted By Owen Chin
I have a TMB 100/800 which was great for lunar and planetary and acceptable for DSOs. I then got aperture fever after looking thru an AP 5" and not wanting to take a hit on my TMB and wanting to keep my GM-8 and Giro GR-2 mounts , I got a Tak Mewlon 210 (f-11.5) instead. Now I dual mount it on my Giro side by side with the TMB and have the best of both worlds. I find that for DSOs the Tak obviously wins and gives pretty sharp images.(the TMB, however, is no slouch) On lunar and planetary, during nights of steady seeing at a dark site, the Tak, if collimated correctly will show more detail at higher mags over the TMB. But in the back yard or at times of marginal or turbulant seeing the, 4" APO wins. (for EPs, I used a Nagler 9mmT1 and 12mmT2 with a 4x Powermate on the TMB and sans the Powermate on the Tak)


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