Astromart

April 26, 2005 04:17 AM Forum: Pictures of Me and My Telescope and........

Scopes Please 2

This is a 60s vintage Japanese-made Tasco refractor on a very nice EQ mount. The scope itself is a 60mm f/16.7 refractor with a collimatable lens cell which is equipped with a nifty metal lens cap sporting a little handle. the finder is a decent 6x30 unit which also has a metal lens cap painted to match the scope. The mount has engraved setting circles, substantial castings, and finely machined parts. Both the mount and the focuser still move smoothly after forty years. The scope came equipped with a sucscreen, a 3x barlow, three eyepieces, and an erect image porro prism. It all packs away into a solid hardwood cabinet. After nearly forty years, it is in very nice shape with a few light scratches on the OTA and tripod legs, and a bit of paint flaking off of the mount. All in all, it is still a very handsome scope!

April 30, 2005 06:29 AM Forum: Antique/Classic/Vintage Optical Instruments

Early Sears Refractor

Posted By Walter Locke

Here is a somewhat later Model 4 6333 A Sears Discovery setup. It came equipped pretty much the same way as the older scope, but note the differences: color scheme, metal knobs, illuminator, and the older scope has an EQ mount head with engraved setting circle on only one axis!

May 16, 2005 02:13 AM Forum: Zeiss

Moderator

Posted By Walter Locke

Indeed, thank you for stepping up to the plate.

Walter

June 14, 2005 01:28 PM Forum: Star Parties

California, White Mtn., Barcroft Lab, starparty an

Posted By Walter Locke

The White Mountains are a stark and beautiful place to visit. I've done some hiking there and across the valley in the East side of the Sierras. I think it would be a terrific location to observe, but the 4000' difference in altitude from roughly 8000' to 12000' might not bring real improvement in viewing (oxygen starvation for us flatlanders, you know). The White Mountains also have dark skies and relatively few trees to break up the landscape. Afternoon thunderstorms move in pretty quickly, however. While they usually don't stay long, they may still spoil someone's good time, if he/she isn't prepared. On the balance, I think it would be a fine place for a star party and a terrific place to take the kids for nature hikes and exploring during the day.

Walter

July 10, 2005 07:39 PM Forum: Pictures of Me and My Telescope and........

Star Party Debris

Posted By Walter Locke

Here are a few more pairs of binoculars that accompanied me to the club's observatory at 5200+ feet. Had fun!

For the record, starting at 12:00, Carl Zeiss Jena NVA DF 7x40, Nikon 12x50 SE, and Nikon 8x40 EII.

8)

August 1, 2005 02:20 AM Forum: Politics

Planet X Naming?

Posted By Walter Locke

With a concerted letter writing campaign by the members of Astromart, we may be seeing this planet in science books mentioned someday as Herb! Inevitably, following the naming of the planet would come a flurry of movies like "Invaders from the planet Herb" and "Uranus versus Herb"...this could be good! wink

August 16, 2005 07:25 PM Forum: Binoviewers

William Optics new Binoviewer

Posted By Walter Locke

I've been agonizing over the decision to get a binoviewer. I didn't know whether it would work with my equipment, and most of all, I just didn't know whether I would like using them. I was reluctant to go for broke on an expensive set, and I tend to believe that buying cheap is a waste of time and money. When I saw the WO setup, however, I thought, how can I go wrong? Binoviewers with compression rings, case, barlow, and two reasonably good eyepieces for under $250.00, including sales tax and shipping! Yow! I ordered a set today! If they work out, I'll upgrade later, and if they don't, I'm not out a potload of money. It's a win-win situation! Life is good. 8)

Walter

October 11, 2005 03:25 AM Forum: Insects - Flowers and Other Small Stuff - Photos