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Jupiter IO Transit 12-10-26

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Posts Made By: Mike Dedon

August 23, 2007 07:07 PM Forum: Birding Optics and Photos

My first hummingbird...

Posted By Mike Dedon
We've been living in Kentucky for the past 13 years and have tried to lure most birds to our feeders. Hummingbirds were never ones to hang around. I don't know if it was our terrain, feeder layout, other birds on our other feeders or what. For some reason, last week three hummers started using our feeders, two males and one female. They are hourly regulars and one male has staked out the feeder by the kitchen window as his. I don't know what we did differently this year or if a new generation has spawned that doesn't mind our setup but I'm having a great time with these little fellows.

The picture is not good quality, not especially in focus, and lighting wasn't great, but it is my first hummer.

Immediately after I snapped the shutter, this guy flew directly to me and hovered within 12 inches of the lens. I guess he thought I was a threat. We're now becoming buddies as he doesn't care what I do around the feeder anymore.

June 6, 2012 01:47 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Amateur question here

Posted By Mike Dedon
I was setting up for the transit using my Pronto in white light. I had just pulled focus and what looked like the ISS passed almost equatorially across the sun. It was a large paneled satellite. The time was 15:58/59:?? CDT or 20:58 UTC. I checked Heavens Above and it didn't list any passes for my site for either the ISS/HST/Tiagong or other large paneled satellites I'm aware of. I'm in Louisiana at roughly 31.1N, -91.4W. This was a little over an hour before the transit began at my location.

Can anyone offer any suggestions as to what it might have been or a link to another tracker where I can find out.

Of course it started raining at the start of the transit but cleared enough for about 20 minutes viewing before sunset. That's two Venus transits for me plus an unknown satellite transit. I feel lucky.

Thanks for any help?

November 3, 2003 01:52 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Guiding Scope

Posted By Mike Dedon
I picked up an ETX 70 OTA from Russell Optics. They're listed on the home page here. It came with a crosshair eyepiece, dust caps and a set of rings but no dovetail. It also fits your budget. Check with them to see if they have any more.

January 4, 2004 03:49 PM Forum: Celestron

C8 Advanced and Add-On CN-16 GPS

Posted By Mike Dedon
I have not used an autoguider yet. I'm experimenting with a SAC 8 with off-axis manual guiding for images and I am very much a novice at this.

January 5, 2004 11:34 PM Forum: Celestron

C8 Advanced and Add-On CN-16 GPS

Posted By Mike Dedon
In retrospect, I saw a post somewhere in AM that said (sic) "I know where I am and have a watch", or something like that. After hooking up the GPS, I wonder why Celestron and dealers continue to say the CN-16 is an Advanced series option. As Don said all that it does on an Advanced series is set the time and location.

June 3, 2004 12:59 PM Forum: Coronado-Lunt-DayStar Solar Filters

I'm so excited

Posted By Mike Dedon
Gary, I'm a few weeks later than you on the list at OPT. Do you rememeber where you were on their list. I was in the 90's.

August 23, 2004 09:24 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

A rather expensive accessory

Posted By Mike Dedon
Dan, I also belong to the Corvette hobby. As an accessory to my 1962 and my wife's 1988 it has been suggested by more than a few that a 2002 and up model would compliment them perfectly. That should make $29k a bargain. Go for it.

September 2, 2004 12:45 PM Forum: Birding Optics and Photos

Celestron VistaPix

Posted By Mike Dedon
Got one of the previous versions a couple of months ago. Seems very fragile. I can already see one of the lens elements starting to shift. Decent pictures for 1.3 mp. Has auto shutoff (10 secs) so you don't waste battery life but that can be annoying when you're waiting for that certain pose with wildlife. I thought I saw some at reduced prices at one of the sponsor's sites but can't remember which. If you don't have to pay full retail, it's probably not a bad buy.

I believe I would go for one of the upper scale makes if I do it over again. (Leica or Zeiss????)

September 5, 2004 12:36 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Funny ads

Posted By Mike Dedon
I've got some good new pieces that were duplicated when I bought a couple of package deals. I'll sell the new pieces since I think I can get a little more for them but I am willing to take much less simply because I don't need them. The used ones are perfectly functional.

I have bought a couple of "like new" piece that don't quite match up to their description. Not enough to leave bad feedback, just not quite up to expectations. Of course that could just be my expectations.

September 5, 2004 12:04 PM Forum: Off Topic Discussions

Whats it WORTH ?

Posted By Mike Dedon
It could be a nickel struck on a penny planchet or simply a regular nickel that's been plated. It could, in rare cases, be a foreign coin blank that got mixed in with U.S. nickel blanks. If you could get it to a coin shop, or some jewelers can do this, have it weighed against a penny and a nickel. That's usually the easiest way to decide.

Plated, it's worth 5 cents, struck on a penny blank maybe a few dollars, struck on a foreign blank and you have to find someone who wants a circulated mistrike.

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