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M20 Trifid Nebula in LRGBHa

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Posts Made By: Walter Hamler

May 30, 2003 01:14 AM Forum: Pictures of Me and My Telescope and........

28 Years Ago!

Posted By Walter Hamler
I've been enjoying my new film/slide scanner and made this montage of me and scopes and some images from the 1975 era. This was what we called Rose Valley, east of Ojai on Hwy33.
God, I loved that coffee cup!!

Walt

May 31, 2003 05:48 PM Forum: Birding Optics and Photos

California Hummer

Posted By Walter Hamler
I recently bought a new film/slide scanner so have been playing with old photos. This is a shot I took back in the mid 70's with one of the old Celestron 750mm f/6 mirror lenses. These Hummingbirds loved the bottlebrush in my yard but they were so fast that it was hard to photograph. At least I got one fairly good shot.

Walt

June 6, 2003 12:05 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Stepper Motor Controllers

Posted By Walter Hamler
Our astronomy club may be replacing the ac synchro motors on a large RC scope we have access to, and I'm thinking stepper motors as the easiest. However, my personal experience building a controller circuit for a personal scope was somewhat disappointing as the low cost kit I used proved to be pretty unstable. Anyone out there know of schematics or sources for a stepper controller that is stable and not terribly expensive, ie, a couple hundred bucks at most.

Walt

June 9, 2003 01:35 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

The Heavens Opened ! (Momentarily)

Posted By Walter Hamler
After several days of PM rain this evening the skies were somewhat clear. I grabbed my 4" f/10 TAL-100 on gem and tried out my newly acquired 30mm Widescan II. I had tried it on my 10" f/6 dob when I first received the eyepiece and was pleased. I makes a really nice wide field finder!! I was concerned that it may not reach focus on the refractor but it does easily. The views of the moon were spectacular, nice and contrasty. Even near the edge of the 84* fov the image was acceptably sharp. I centered Plato and put in a 6mm Orion Expanse that I have for evaluation. Sharpness was ok, even good, but the kidney beaning was horrible and there seemed to be a lot of lateral color at the edges. I concentrated on the central area and tried to see any craterlets inside Plato. You know, the ones everyone talks about if the seeing and optics allow. Well.... no joy. I was only working at 167x with the 6mm and had nothing more powerful. Any comments on how much power is necessary to glimpse these objects??

Walt

July 4, 2003 03:58 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Outta My League

Posted By Walter Hamler
Noticed that my 4" f/10 TAL refractor was giving slightly skewed images at high power. Took the cell off and examined closely - there were only 2 seperation pads between the elements, the third obviously missing. I took the thing apart and made three others from very thin shim stock and reassembled. Proof of the pudding will be stars images, Anyboby out there got stars?!!!
Is the seperation on these acromats critical or just supposed to be equal amd minimal? How about rotation between the elements, is there a "sweet" spot that is discernable at the eyepiece (star image)?
Like I said, I'm outta my league when it comes to refractors.

Walt

July 9, 2003 06:06 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Mars this AM

Posted By Walter Hamler
I struggled outside at 0430 EST to checkout Mars with my 10" dob. At first my eyes kept blurring up (no coffee yet!) but finally got the cobwebs out. I had printed out a preview from Mars Previewer II and the eyepiece view at 265x was very close to the pic with one exception. The big bright spot west? of the SPC was not really a bright spot in the eyepiece. That area was reddish like the northern areas. What is that bright spot supposed to be?
I put a light blue filter on and the amount of tonal differences in the dark areas increased markedly. When the seeing got real steady the amount of fine detail just jumped out at you and overwhelmed the senses! I can hardly wait til next month and September.

Walt

July 29, 2003 01:49 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Eyepiece Edge Blackening

Posted By Walter Hamler
We have all heard or read about this "feature" on costlier or higher quality eyepieces. But, is this a necessary feature of a good eyepiece? I have disassembled a lot of optical sets over the years and to be quite honest, have seen very few that had the edges blackened.
Just recently I took a rather famous make eyepiece that was touted in the ads a having blackened edges. It did not. I then blackened the edges with a new felt tip marker and reassembled. I can not readily discern any visible difference. What say you out there who have more reliable info than I? Herbert???

Walt

August 16, 2003 09:30 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Contrast Filters

Posted By Walter Hamler
I am interested in the "contrast" filters I hear about here and other forums. The Celestron version seems to be the cheapest in the 1.25" versions, around 40.00. Anacortes lists a Baader 2" for 55.00 that is listed as a "Moon" filter that alsp increases contrast on Jupiter and Mars. Would this be the same or a similiar filter. The pic shows it with a blue tint, I thought they were supposed to be yellowish?

Walt

September 17, 2003 06:14 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

HP Film Scanner

Posted By Walter Hamler
Just a note - there is a HP Film Scanner on sale on the Astromart ads and the asking price is MUCH higher than they can be purchased brand new. These units are essentially out of production by HP but are still being sold by several companies at prices of around 200.00 and less. Full factory warranty and service is still available on them. I happen to own one that I purchases a few months ago from one of the NYC dealers, 169.00.

Walt

October 1, 2003 07:13 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Re: Portable Pier

Posted By Walter Hamler
Orion for one sells them now, and I know there are others out there.

Walter

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