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Posts Made By: Joe Conway

November 12, 2006 01:26 AM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Is this a good star chart for Telrad?

Posted By Joe Conway
As a newbie I like to download a free copy of skymaps.com sky chart for the month. This at least lets me know what I'm looking for in my night sky relative to any given night/month. I look at the Messier items on the chart. I then go to most any online Messier site to see what I'm supposed to be looking for visually since most now have an astrophotograph of each Messier item.

I have all the books, but I'm lazy. My favorite is this site for pictures, http://www.ngcic.org/dss/dss_messier.asp

M92 is one of my new views this month and I was surprised, beside the comet.

I do plan to get more knowledge on the sky, but right now I want an easy way to get in some meaningful viewing time. I make my list from the skymap.

November 15, 2006 07:04 AM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Need help choosing

Posted By Joe Conway
Keep in mind eps and diagonal and filters and etc. You need to think about this hard. You get the good stuff and you'll have to buck up for more good stuff.

Like you I came to the same choice dilemna. I matched a 9.25XLT with a CGE at first. The CGE was defective and given a day to think about it and take it back, I then matched the scope to a G-11 GOTO. Just a little more than what you want to spend, but not much more.

I can say the G-11 is much better than the CGE. My first 9.25 was bad and had to go back, but now this one seems ok.

With this kind of taste in mind you'll be spending no less than another $1K or more on eps and a better diagonal at about $300. So when all's said and done you're looking at about $6k TO $7k to start. It won't stop there either.

November 25, 2006 04:53 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Can't decide which SCT

Posted By Joe Conway
I have the 9.25 on a G-11 goto mount and love it. My friend's hand figured 8" mirror DOB has better pin point stars, wider field and better contrast. When I looked in his homemade and pretty crude scope I was amazed.

Each has its own issues. One issue I'm starting to discover with goto is now that I'm learning the sky, I'm starting to become impatient waiting for the scope to move to a sky object when I already know where its at.

My vote is for Celestron though if you buy an SCT. I wouldn't get anything smaller than the 9.25.

December 16, 2006 08:01 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Meade being sued for R-C moniker

Posted By Joe Conway
Just call it a "SuperCat" and be done with it.

Let me make it more understandable ---- "SuperPlossl"

December 17, 2006 05:42 PM Forum: Eyepieces

Vixen LVW 42mm

Posted By Joe Conway
Thanks to all for being very helpful. Now I have to decide between this ep or the 40mm Paragon.

January 5, 2007 03:41 AM Forum: Home Observatories

Here we go

Posted By Joe Conway
I started out to make a cement pier, as you did. Problem was I decided to put a tube in the center and also I wanted the cement column diameter to be unobtrusive, so I poured it 8 inches in diameter. What a mistake!!! (We could have told you that Joe!!) The cement dried and then cracked from the outside to the tube in the center. At least with the center tube I was able to bust the whole thing into pieces and dig it all up. Made for a great weekend. My construction friend says cement pillars need to be at least 10 inches in diameter or you run the risk of cracks at least the way I was doing it.

I ended up buying a salvage piece of 7" thick wall galvanized pipe 12ft. long. I cut it in half and sold the other half to my co-viewer friend for his pier. Total cost $77, well actually half that each. He poured playground sand in his to damp it and since I'm only visual, I left it alone. Turned out sweet though. I'll post a picture of the final product when the sun comes out.

January 6, 2007 09:53 PM Forum: Home Observatories

G11 permanent pier

Posted By Joe Conway
Close up of the mount adapter without the cap and light on it.

January 19, 2007 03:23 PM Forum: Eyepieces

Re: Edmund RKEs vs. Pentax XWs

Posted By Joe Conway
Even though I have Pentax's I still appreciate my RKE 28mm. I stick that ep in when I want to remind myself of what a dark background should look like. Wish they were all like that.

January 24, 2007 03:32 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Astrophotography Equipment List and Prices

Posted By Joe Conway
Looking good. See, not too hard and the images help. If I get enough responses I'll write a review, put this in a format based on scope type and system price and put up some of the images as examples of achieved results. Something in the future that can be pointed to if someone asks. Pictures really do speak for themselves.

I will not include names of folks, Joe Friday, "no mam, just the facts".

January 26, 2007 06:12 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Astrophotography Equipment List and Prices

Posted By Joe Conway
To those that responded, thank you. Lot of lookers but not much interest, so I'm abandoning this thread and effort.

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