Posts Made By: John Holt

"I'd like to get something for quick looks, wide-fields scans, and portability. Must be cheap.
...So I'm thinking a small scope that just goes on a photo tripod."

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How about an 80mm f/5 short tube. There is one in the refractor classifieds. This will also make a very serviceable birding/spotting scope.

Another option is an Astroblast or Astroscan. A table, stool or hood of a car is all you need for these guys, and they'll do 3(+) degree field with a common 32 mm plossl. Color free.

Very many folks have newts in this size range, as their first, second and even third scopes. Low power, wide field and portable. Simple and inexpensive possl's will work fine for eyepieces. They are very affordable right now in the classifieds here.

What can be seen in this scope is certainly dependent upon it's optical quality. But it is just as dependant upon your growing experience as you use the scope. There is tons of stuff within the range of a 4" newt this size, particularly from dark sky (and this scope is portable sir!). Beyond the Messier list, there are hundreds targets from beautiful open clusters in the NGC to double, multiple and variable stars, emmission and absorbtion nebulae, just to note a few things. As well as the show pieces of our own solar system.

Do a search on the forums here for "pipe mount", for some very affordable ways to mount your scope. You need not be limited to table top or handheld observing.

My 4" f/4 newt has a peep sight. With a little experience it is easy to bullseye planets at +100x with a pretty simple no-power finder. Batteries not even required.

Was your friends mirror plate glass, or pyrex? This could make a big difference in his results.

My own experience is that the boundry layer issue is real. Turn on the lateral fan and watch some of the teeny tiny field stars distill down to point sources, revealling (some of) the actual members of the galaxy group. Turn off lateral fan and watch the pin-point definition fade. Same results for planetaries. Same results for planets. Distinctively better results than blowing just at the back of the mirror. My mirror is plate glass, in a solid tube newt.

I have not yet done the experiment of rear mounted fan and pulling air down the tube.

"When you take a look at a newt with an aperture mask installed, it sure seems that what is being simulated here is an Off-Axis Newt. Is this not true?"

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It are.
One must consider though, that you also get all the thermal issues of a full sized mirror added into the equation.

Very good looking scope! The size and focal ratio are pretty cool too. You have a great combination you have built.

Well, no.
I are that other thing.
So equipment aquisition is a rather infrequent event.

I enjoy the concept:
The only thing wrong with "good enough" is that it's not "more better!"

And the irony of:
We get what we pay for, but do we actually know what it is that we're really paying for?

I use knit hats as finder scope covers. For power and unit power finders. In addition to keeping dew and frost off the finders, they also serve as a padded pouch to keep the finder in when stored in a larger case.
You can get them at dollar stores.

I too have seen color in M42. Most often green, but sometimes blues/purples/reds. Any color is rare for me (13.1" scope). I have no idea what the exact perameters are, other then some aperture. Individual color sensitivity is certainly a factor. Atmospherics must be. Dark adaptation seems like it should be too. Though I have seen color several times from suburban sky, on nights of exceptional clarity, but where I wonder how dark adapted I really was, as compared to remote dark sky.

"The scope typically comes with a RKE 25mm, this one came with a Meade series 3000 25mm. Maybe someone can tell me which is better, not that it makes any difference."

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At f/4, plossl's may actually work a little better. Any ep that's well corrected down to f/4.

Lots of folks are now using Rigel's on these. But to be honest, that's a $35 finder on a hundred dollar scope, which will already do a 3* field with a low power ep. Originally these came with a simple peep sight for this very reason.

Some of the fog up in cold weather can be from ones own heat (face/eye) reacting with a cold ep. Covering up the ep for a while can help. So can blowing cold air across the fogged surfaces. Those little hand holdable personal fans work well for this.

I have blow dried ep's and even newt optics indoors before, with no ill effects. But tired of doing it every time, so I cold store ep's with scopes and keep desiccant packs with the ep's.