I bought my first telescope, now what… [Article]  | 09/28/03 | by George Fanthome Well ahead of you lie endless hours of pleasure and frustration…. hopefully more of the former than the latter, especially as time goes by and you become m. . . Sky Commander vs. NGC-Max: A Digital Setting Circles Primer [User Review]  | 09/28/03 | by Jeff Lipsman DSC stands for Digital Setting Circle. It is a computer that connects to your telescope. It tells you what you are looking at, or where to move your telesc. . . Sirius Optics Variable Filter System (VFS) [User Review]  | 09/28/03 | by Sol Robbins The Variable Filter System, or VFS, is a unique form of interference filter. The filter's glass has coatings deposited on one side of its surface and is un. . . Celestron C102HD [User Review]  | 09/28/03 | by Richard Beasley I decided to take the scope apart, and see if there were any obvious problems, but there were none I could see. After a couple of days scratching my head I. . . Meade 127mm ED Refractor [User Review]  | 09/28/03 | by George Mavromates The first telescope I owned back in the late 60s was a cheap department store 50mm refractor with a tiny metal tripod. I used to put it on the roof on my f. . . Orion SVP 120mm Refractor [User Review]  | 09/28/03 | by Guido Santacana After balancing, the whole assembly moved quite smoothly even by hand with the RA/Dec clamps disengaged. The RA motor drive that came with the mount was th. . . Cheapo LX-90 (or similar SCT case) [How To]  | 09/28/03 | by Donald Scott So you want a case for your LX-90...well I was in the same place not too long ago and had done a little research, but noticed how expensive telescope cases. . . My Comet Couch! [Article]  | 09/27/03 | by Eugene Artemyeff I recently I purchased a new pair of Apogee 25x100's. Pleasing optical performance, great light gathering, but their ten pounds made my existing light weig. . . Astrocrumb Filter Slide [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Michael P. Deneen With a slide, using a filter becomes second-nature, as effortless as focusing.. . . Bob's Knobs Collimation screws [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Don Pensack They replace the screws that require a wrench or screwdriver to tighten or loosen with ones that can be tweaked by hand.. . . Synta 120mm f/8.3 Achromat combined with Aries Chromacor [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Ian King The Skywatcher 120 refractor needs little introduction. Made by Synta Technologies in China, this scope is a modestly priced medium fast achromat. The Arie. . . Chromacor II [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Sol Robbins I would like to begin by stating that this is a two-part review. The first part covers some of some technical aspects of the Chromacor II designed by Valer. . . Gary Wolanski's Fine Focus Adapter [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Tom Trusock Last April, I was intrigued by the comments of friends who have fine focus or dual speed focusers on their scopes, and I began to wonder, what (if anyt. . . Intes-Micro 2x and Orion Shorty 2x Barlow [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Otto Piechowski This report contains a side by side comparison of the 1.25 inch Orion Shorty 2X Barlow and the 1.25 inch Intes-Micro 2X Barlow. Both are inexpensive. Both . . . Orion 30mm, 15mm, and 10mm Ultrascopic Eyepieces [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by David Knisely For those on a budget, selecting eyepieces can be something of a chore. The new observer doesn't exactly want to "break the bank" for a choice set of occul. . . Star-Tek Eyepiece/Accessory Tray for Meade SCT's [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Don Pensack What is It? It is an eyepiece holder/accessory tray/carry handle for the Meade tripod for Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain and Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes. I. . . Trico Machine Products "Sky Window" [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Don Pensack What is it? It is the a reflecting mirror mount for the astronomical use of binoculars. Because of it's size, the largest binoculars that can use the mo. . . Collins I3 Eyepiece [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Jeff Lipsman June 2000. Los Angeles, CA USA. I've been giant binocular viewing for several years. I purchased my first telescope in the past six months. I now have a Te. . . SCOPE SAVER TRAY/TABLE FOR LX200s [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Al Canarelli I frequently viewed ads in astronomy magazines for the ScopeSaver and always believed it to be a convenience item…a tray that would hold eyepieces, keypad . . . The Sunspotter: The Safer Solar Telescope [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Tom Trusock The Sunspotter is a folded achromatic refractor made of baltic birch plywood that projects a 3 ¼ x 3 ¼ image of the sun on a white piece of paper. It's de. . . I.T.E. LABT-100 Large Aperture Binocular [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Joshua Finkler I am a huge fan of viewing the night sky with binoculars, but find that ordinary 50-70mm binoculars don't allow me to see "deep" enough into the night sky,. . . 30mm Wide Scan Type III Eyepiece [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by David Knisely The popularity of wide-field eyepieces has surged in recent years, and, to a certain extent, so has their cost and complexity. Systems containing more than. . . TeleVue Nagler Zoom 3-6mm [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by John Ford The new TeleVue Nagler Zoom Eyepiece has made its appearance in planetary circles as a viable zoom eyepiece, changing the traditional notion that zoom eyep. . . A Review of Pextax XL Eyepieces (and a tiny bit of philosophy) [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Mike Allen The first thing you notice about them is how big they are. They are also very heavy. Hold one up to your eye and its huge eye lens looks like a small teles. . . Six Low Cost 2 [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Bill Brady Almost two years ago I got rid of all my 2" telescope eyepieces, and other parts. At the time I had given up on wide field viewing. Although I had started . . . Antares 5-8mm Speers-Waler Eyepiece [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by David Knisely Good short focal length eyepieces with moderate to large apparent fields of view can sometimes be somewhat of a rarity, but such larger fields are a real n. . . Sovietski TAL-2, 6 inch Newtonian [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Bill Brady The telescope arrived in two huge cardboard boxes. Inside each, bubble wrapped, is a large Baltic Birch plywood case. Both cases have a plaque identifying . . . TEC 8" f/11 Maksutov-Cassegrain [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Chuck Zdeb I thought I'd write a review of my Telescope Engineering Company (TEC) 8" f/11 Maksutov-Cassegrain (the exact model name is MC200/11), as a fair number of . . . TMB 105/650 [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by John Ford The expectation of workmanship, fit, finish, and optical quality for cutting-edge apochromats is rising very rapidly. The history and reasons for the rise . . . TMB152 and GR-2XXL Alt-Az mount [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by John Ford Having been duly impressed with the invention of the Swiss Army Knife, I have always tried to manage all my equipment to eliminate redundancy and maximize . . . Orion Ultrascan [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Paul Walsh NOTE: This scope is quite similar to the Apogee 80mm scope previously reviewed here at Cloudy Nights. There are enough differences, however, that I felt it. . . Celestron Rich Field 80 [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Keith Molkner The Celestron RF80 is an 80mm F/5 achromatic refractor that can do double duty as a terrestrial spotting scope and a wide field astronomical instrument. Al. . . Celestron 6" Starhopper Dobsonian [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Arvin Akhavanzadeh I bought this scope after seeing it on sale (300 bucks) at the local astronomy store. I went in to buy an eyepiece or two, but as it turned out I walked ou. . . Starmaster 20", f4.3, Sky Commander & Sky Tracker Goto Drive [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by John York Let me start by summarizing my view on the Starmaster 20" f4.3 Telescope with a 1.6" thick mirror and the Sky Commander with Sky Tracker goto drive: It is . . . Orion AstroView 100mm refractor [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Florian _ The scope comes double-boxed and securely packaged from Orion. An instruction booklet written by Orion is included as well as the "student" edition of TheS. . . Meade 12” LX200 and Celestron’s CM-1100 (Two large aperture SCT scopes compared) [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Damian Peach I have owned the Meade 12” LX200 for 4 years, and CM-1100 for 6 months. During these periods, I have of course had much opportunity to observe/image with b. . . 16” F/4.5 NightSky Scope [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by J.D. Braddy Many enthusiasts spend a great deal of time and effort, reading reviews, trying other peoples equipment, and acquiring the knowledge base necessary to form. . . Celestron 80MM "Wide View" Spotting Scope [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by David Knisely There are some times when I have just wanted something to give me a quick low-power look at things when it seems too much of a bother to lug around my ten . . . Small Wonder: The Meade ETX-60 AT [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Rod Mollise Well, I just couldn't resist the allure of an ETX-60, Meade's little-bitty goto scope, for $197.00 US$ (from the U.S. retailer, Wal-Mart). This small scope. . . Orion (UK) Europa 150mm Newtonian Reflector [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by John Nash I purchased the Orion after spending months agonizing, as I suspect most beginners do, over which scope to purchase. . . . Takahashi FCT-76 [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Steve Foltz I saw this scope on the Anacortes website and knew right away it would be special - a compact 3" triplet apochromat refractor that can be used for very wid. . . KONUS Konusmotor 500 Rich Field Newtonian [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Dr. W. Sumner Davis The bright yellow tube is made from a fairly heavy aluminum, and the mount seems more than capable of handling the weight. The scope came with a tracking m. . . Meade 12.5" Dob [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Jim Nadeau I was first re-introduced to amateur astronomy during The Hyakutake-Hale Bopp comet events in 96-97. I got my hands on an old 60mm Jason refractor for $40 . . . Orion Argonaut 6" Maksutov-Newtonian (Intes MN-61) [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Jim Yang The MN-61 does have several curious quirks. The worst is that the main mirror on the Orion version has a large plastic plug in it at its center (I have hea. . . 14.5" Starmaster [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Kerry Weatherford I've had the Starmaster for almost 18 months now, and feel that I have sufficiently run it through its paces to make some comments about it here. I'll spar. . . Unistar Light Deluxe Alt-Az Mount [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Jim Carpenter A couple of years ago I acquired a Stellarvue 80mm f/6 wide field refractor to supplement my main observing instrument, which at the time was an 8" Celestr. . . Three Motor Drive Correctors: A review of the Vega, QuartzDrive and the MotoTrak V [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Bill Brady A Motor Drive Corrector converts the output of a battery, usually 12 volts DC (direct current), to AC (alternating current). It also provides slightly diff. . . Synta/Skywatcher EQ-6 Mount [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Luca Polo The first rumours regarding a new heavy-duty mount from Synta began to spread during year 2000, but it was Spring 2001 before some preview mounts appeared.. . . Universal Astronomics Millenium Mount [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Joshua Finkler I like observing the sky with binoculars. I also like late nights out under the stars. What I don't like is the way these two activities usually interact, . . . BINOCULAR MIRROR MOUNT [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Al Canarelli Using binoculars to scan the night sky has always held a special attraction for me. The wide field images and the natural effect of viewing with both eyes . . . Orion SkyView Pro 6LT [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Derrick Lim Aiming the scope at Saturn and increasing the magnification to 267X using the included 9mm eyepiece and a 2X barlow, I was surprised that my polar alignmen. . . "Big Eye" TEC/APM 10" F6.6 Achromatic Refractor [User Review]  | 09/27/03 | by Tom Mack The scope, mount, accessories, camping gear etc.. all fit in my compact Subaru Forester. I get a kick when I pull up to the registration desk at a Star Par. . . Astrosystems Telekit [How To]  | 09/27/03 | by Stacey Thater If you are like me, you are always purchasing different telescopes in the vain hope of finding THE one telescope that can fulfill all of your observing nee. . . The Couch Potato Telescope (bino viewing chair) [How To]  | 09/27/03 | by Vincent Bert I have always loved viewing the night sky through binoculars and I wanted to use them with a full motion chair that did not require a second home mortgage,. . . Vixen Lanthanum 50mm Eyepiece [User Review]  | 09/25/03 | by William Ash I purchased the Vixen LV 50mm in a department store in downtown Osaka, Japan for 12,000 Japanese yen, about US$105.00. I was looking for an affordable low-. . . Meade DS2070 Refractor [User Review]  | 09/24/03 | by Jason Durrant I set the declination to 0 by undoing the knob on the side of the fork arm and then tighten it up once the scale showed 0, and then I pointed the scope nor. . . Evenings with the Apogee Wide-Scan Seventies [User Review]  | 09/23/03 | by Tom Trusock Lately there seems to be a plethora of Chinese manufactured astronomy equipment on the market, but despite the many different labels they bear it seems lik. . . Light Cup Phasic Beginning [Article]  | 09/22/03 | by Ron B[ee] "I Spy the South Polar Cap". Just like the kid's game, can you see it J? Wow, this was the first time that the SPC was not the first obvious feature sin. . . C8 Anywhere Project [How To]  | 09/22/03 | by So King Yan Oldfield After some careful design, the setup is rather portable. I can take it to walk quite a long way, say up to 30 minutes to even one hour of walk. However, it. . . Fixing the Giro Mount [User Review]  | 09/19/03 | by So King Yan Oldfield In my telescope@home project, it consists of a C8 OTA, a Giro mount, and the Giro Drive. I suppose the more fragile part is the C8 OTA, and the next would . . . Discovery 6" EQ [User Review]  | 09/17/03 | by Larry Smith I’ve been an on/off observer for about 40 years. Currently I do my observing in the Southwest. Over the years I’ve owned mostly Newtonians, from 6” to 10” . . . MaxView 40 Eyepiece, and prime focus digital camera adaptor [User Review]  | 09/16/03 | by Duncan Rosie When I bought my telescope four or five years ago I was, like most beginners I guess, concerned with magnification. My Orion Skywatcher 90 EQ came standa. . . Stellarvue 80/9D Refractor [User Review]  | 09/15/03 | by Blair Slayton The scope does come with a red dot finder but I prefer a right angle, correct view, 50mm viewfinder. The right angle provides more comfort when searching f. . . City-Slicker Light Cup & Martian Night Life [Article]  | 09/14/03 | by Ron B[ee] Well, it's done; the Country Light Cup has now turned into a city slicker Light Cup! In a way, this is our first light in the city (a suburb of San Diego). . . Orion ED80 [User Review]  | 09/14/03 | by David Goodrich The focuser works as advertised, and look Mom, no gears! Most of the Synta/ Orion/ Celestron refractors have a rack and pinion focuser which has a geared s. . . Portable Power Primer [How To]  | 09/13/03 | by John Crilly Between imaging equipment, laptops, dew heaters, and com­puterized telescopes there's a growing demand for field power for amateur astronomers. Coincidenta. . . Astrola 2” Eyepieces, A beginners perspective ... [User Review]  | 09/11/03 | by Stacy Brewer I ordered these from Hardin Optical’s Web site on a Sunday. I received a confirmation and a UPS shipping notification on Monday. The EP’s arrived on Wednes. . . Orion Epic ED-2 and Orion Expanse Eyepieces [User Review]  | 09/11/03 | by Wing Eng I recently purchased some Orion Epic ED-2 eyepieces of 22mm, 9.5mm and 5.1mm focal lengths, along with a complete set of Orion Expanse 20mm, 15mm, 9mm and . . . Upgrading SkyWatcher EQ-4 Dual Axis Motor Drives [How To]  | 09/11/03 | by Denis Grey For owners of Great Polaris and similar CG-5 and EQ-4 mounts there is a key economic decision that must be made. Do you buy the cheap Chinese motor drives . . . Nightsky Truss Tube Telescope (with 14.5” f/4.3 Pegasus Optics) [User Review]  | 09/10/03 | by Shannon Moore I immediately noticed the expert-welding job on the truss tubes. There are 4 aluminum, TIG welded, triangular truss assemblies. The triangular configuratio. . . 3 Lunar Software Packages Compared [User Review]  | 09/04/03 | by Chuck Taylor For almost two decades, lunar observing has been the forgotten step-child of astronomy. New atlases and guide books for DSOs have come out nearly every yea. . . Home Planet, Astronomy software for Windows [User Review]  | 09/03/03 | by Duncan Rosie I stumbled upon Home Planet when it was in version 2 and we were all left-clicking away in Windows 3.1. Then, 1994 I think, I had just got connected to the. . . CN Report: Limiting Magnitude in Binoculars [CN Report]  | 09/03/03 | by Ed Zarenski What exactly is the limiting magnitude of a pair of binoculars? Does it depend on the size? The magnification? . . . Using Planetarium for the Palm Pilot, Astronomy Software at the Eyepiece: [User Review]  | 09/01/03 | by Steve Childers In 2002, when I rediscovered astronomy by purchasing my first telescope (a 10-inch dobsonian), I quickly ran into the brick wall common for many beginners:. . .