Posts Made By: Tom Hole

Wonder why they have shoes on?

Paul,

I used speaker magnets on my XT10.



Qucik and easy and cheap. Details here:

http://www.tomhole.com/Balancing%20the%20OTA.htm

Clear skies,

Tom

Larry,

I like the folks that describe any issues and don't necessarily hang their hat on relative descriptors. The standard from which an item can deviate is LNIB. Deviations from this standard include anything and everything. Set screw marks, dings, nicks, scratches, rub marks, missing parts, extra parts, smudges, dust, residue, or anything else that the seller knows of. If there are none, then it is LNIB. If there are any, pick an adjective (excellent, good, fair, crappy) and list why it does not meet the LNIB criteria.

I have bought most of my stuff off of Astromart and haven't had a problem yet. Seems like a nice place to do business.

Tom

Ron,

If I didn't know better, I would have thought that binoviewer manufacturers designed their poducts just for the moon. They certainly don't give the true 3D stereo image you were seeing in your school days, but it is pretty amazing. I have often stated that the moon alone is worth the price of admission to the world of binviewing. I very much look forward to Luna's brighter days as I get to cruise the terminator with both eyes open and to this day, it still takes my breath away. One eyed lunar viewing cannot compare.

BTW, I spotted the Alpine Valley Rille using my binoviewers in my 11" Starmaster. If the binoviewers were degrading the image too much, I'm not sure that I could have done that. I'm a binoviewing zealot (never use one eye unless I'm forced to put the 35 Pan in), so apply the proper prudence when evaluating my input.

Tom

Craig,

I bought an Orion XT10 and worked endlessly to get to the panacea of motion. My bar was set very high. No kidding finger light touch with a predictable motion (no "stiction"). I tried everything. Every lubricant, every type of pad, lazy susans, zen, incense, incantation. Nothing got it to where I thought it was perfect. I thought my level of perfection was not achieveable until I went to a star party and tried a couple of premium dobs. Ahhh, now that was nudging nirvana. If you gotta nudge, it should be with the precise predictable motion of a Starmaster (or equivalent). No kidding, one finger, onces of pressure, predictable motion. My XT10 got close, but I never achieved what my Starmaster currently offers with respect to motion.

http://www.tomhole.com/Motion%20Tips%20and%20Tricks.htm

But, having said all that, I hate nudging. I started hating it after I didn't have to do it and realized how much I hated it without knowing it. Is that really hate? I built an eq platform for $130 that worked for my XT10 and now works for my Starmaster.

http://www.tomhole.com/EQ%20Platform.htm

Now that I have it, I can't live without it. I know folks say nudging isn't hard, and it isn't. But most of my nights involve bad seeing with fleeting moments of good or (eeegads!) great seeing. Missing those moments because I am in the middle of a nudge was irritating. Combine a good dob with an eq platform, a comfortable observing chair and binoviewers and you have an experience that is so comfortable you may fall asleep at the ep(s). It's like you are in the view rather than looking at it. I will spend hours on just Jupiter or the moon and never tire of the viewing. All of my equipment just gets out of the way and I spend all my time just sitting there looking at stuff. And the bonus is star parties where you just center up Saturn at 405x and let it track for many minutes as folks step up and ask "Is that a picture?"

Anyway, that is my concept of observing perfection. Doesn't mean that it's everyone else's, though. Nudging is easy and painless until you don't have to do it anymore.

Clear skies,

Tom

No way. You would kick yourself nine ways to Sunday if you sold that 101. After 16 years, I would think you two would be inseperable. Just buy another scope and put it on a DUP alongside your old friend.

Tom

Jeff should have described what was in that link. Going into that cold was a shock and I am very glad my kids weren't looking over my shoulder as they often are. That would have been tough to explain to an 8 and 6 year old.

That being said, everyone should see those images on their own terms outside of Astromart. It serves as a reminder that the war on terrorism might be about more than just oil.

Tom

Vincent,

Cool 8) I would love to binoview with your scopes. 20" dob at night and an SM60 during the day. Very cool.

I agree with your observations, BTW. Lose some light and sharpness. Gain some other stuff that makes up for most of that. I also agree with JimR that if you are an Xobserver (you push the limits of aperture and sharpness) you should retain your cyclops viewing skills by using them. They will atrophy and have to be relearned if you don't keep up with them. I am a lost cause and cannot go back.

Please keep the reports coming. First impressions only come once.

Clear skies,

Tom

Funny how the situation never changes. Month after month, that is.

James,

All the Denk OCS's (1.25", 2", regular, 1 arm and 2 arm) work on all the Denk binoviewers.

Tom