Posts Made By: Alex McConahay

It's been a while since these things came out.....But I have not heard how they work.

http://www.kwtelescope.com/FotoSharp_page.htm

they are supposed to help you focus your Canon using Autofocus.

Anybody have any experience? Do they work?

Alex

I've never been to the Florida Keys in the winter time. What should I be prepared for? This is important because I travel only with a carry-on bag, so cannot generally carry too much. I cannot imagine using my whole observing warm stuff--parka and all. But just what should I bring?

I'm staying in a chickee hut. Will a full sleeping be necessary? Or a sheet and a flannel blanket?

It does make a difference when you can only take carry-on luggage.

Alex

Lately, I've been bringing a video eyepiece and a small b&w monitor to use at outreaches.

I have a five year old or so Meade Video eyepeice hooked to a 200mm Zuiko lens. It works fine, but is relatively low resolution.

What is the newest in the way of video eyepieces? What are the possibilties for putting the image of the moon on a big screen.

It is really good for pointing out features and telling people what to look for when they get to the nice scopes.....but I would like to get better pictures on the screen than that old eyepiece will do.

ALex

Richard--I've deleted your original post because you included your email with it. (and I just noticed it!). Here is your original post without the email....

I have tried to update my profile for a changed address in CA but want to pay the $12 for the profiel change with my credit card that is based on my NY address. The system refuses to let me use a credit card with a different address than my profile. What about people who live in two locations? BTW - I could probably use the NY address for my profile but since my telescope stuff is in CA that profile would make no sense. I would be glad to become a supported of astromart if this issue can be fixed.

Rick Gilbert
XXXXXXXXXXXX

I'd like to fit some of my Olympus lenses on my ST-7......

What is there out there in the way of adapters?

Alex

RTMC Astronomy Expo is less than a month away. The early registration deadline (May 1) is approaching. Prices go to regular price after that. Mike Unsold (Images Plus) will be doing a workshop (still a few spots available, I hear) and of course all the other stuff that makes RTMC AE what it is.

Hope to see you there.

http://www.rtmcastronomyexpo.org/ for information


Alex

RTMC Astronomy Expo has put the schedule for next week's party on the web.

http://www.rtmcastronomyexpo.org/Program%2008%20low%20res.pdf

Alex

Plans for the new show being produced by the volunteers at RTMC are moving along.

The show, on September 13-14 at Pasadena Center (Clifornia), promises to be quite an event. Headline speakers include Story Musgrave, six times shuttle astronaut, David Levy, author and discoverer of 22 comets, Geoff Marcy, discoverer of extra-solar planets.....and more to come. Details are at http://www.rtmcastronomyexpo.org/PATS.htm

So far, about three quarters of the vendor/exhibition space is taken by many leading equipment and software companies. (There is room left on the exhibition floor, but it is going fast.)

There will be (free) room for clubs to set up a table to display membership information and such. Clubs are also invited to participate in selling discount tickets to their members (contact me through my private message system here, or go to the website to find out how). ......Regular tickets at a higher price are available through Ticketmaster and the Center Box office.

Alex

My style of Astromart reading is to look for which forums of interest have "New" on them since I last signed on.

Up until a little while ago, every time I signed on, the "New" flag would indicate the new posts.

Then right about the time the Forums got re-worked, those flags were updated irregularly, with sometimes "New" being indicated for messages that have been there a long while.

For the last week or so there was no cleaning out the older ones (unflagging them after I had seen them). I cleaned out my cache, and deleted my cookies, and started all over again. Now, there is nothing marked "New."

Anybody have any ideas? Is it just me--in which case it is in my firewall or something--or is it happening to everybody?

Alex

That long thread about "how many amateurs" brought up the point about why people do not join clubs--and somebody said that a focus on "outreach" drives some people away.

That did not make sense to me.....And not for the obvious reason that I assume that everybody liked outreach and took it as part of our responsibility as astro-hobbyists.

What struck me is that there might be clubs out there who focus only on outreach. And if you are not into reaching out to the public, there is not much for you to do.

The way I figure it, outreach is very important. But when I am out at the dark-sky site, nothing is more important than either my astro-imaging or my observing list (depending on my priority that weekend). And when it is full moon time, I have the formal club meeting, with the speaker, and the What's Up Team, and refreshments, and whatever going on.

It seems to me that if a club has gone "all outreach" it is not serving its members well. Just as if it is all "Dark Sky observing" it is serving neither its members nor the general public, nor the hobby well.

In a good club, there will be enough going on for everybody--those who like outreach, those who like only observing, those who like only listening to famous lecturers! You don't have to like it all. But there should be something you should like.

Just my thoughts. I'd love to hear yours.

Alex