· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article    Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Cloudy Nights - Official Forums of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Forum Archives · Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Announcements and News >> Beginners Forum Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all) Lamb0 Pooh-Bah Reged: 07/25/07 Posts: 1328 Loc: Fairbury, Nebraska Re: Barebones Astronomy #1 [Re: werewolf6977]       #3353223 - 09/24/09 04:54 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The ETX60's objective is OK at best, I may yet make peace with the GoTo mount, but the plastic mechanics for the flip mirror and internal Barlow are nasty. Swapping a small ED/Apo with a real focuser would be a boon for Grab'n'Go. Well... for the first iteration of my 8" f/5, (the "Test Tube"), when I didn't have a mount I just rested the tube assembly on on the toes of my shoes; (I have short toes so no loss of circulation). Tracking Jupiter was easy with a 32mm Plossl @ ~32x, a challenge with my 5-8mm Speers-WALER @ ~127X (8mm), and really tough @ ~203X (5mm). The current Dobsonian style mount with adjustable aluminum tube rings is a joy to use, even when manually tracking Jupiter @ ~334X, (using 2X Powermate, 7mm Faworski 46° AFoV Orthoscopic - and Paracorr for an extra 15% magnification - during steady ~.5" seeing), courtesy of the Ebony Star upgrade! (Thanks Brian!) -------------------- John, "Have eyepiece - will travel!" 8" f/5 Dob w/2.14" sec in a 12" alum tube 'The Mortar' - w/PCorr 2.16° TFoV @ ~32.5X 70+% illum *Yes!* 24Pan, 5-8 SW, 3 Faworskis (16.8, 10.5, & 7mm), TMB 3.2mm, Hyp 36mm Aspheric, 20T5, & 14ES100 Other 2": Paracorr (Green Parrot), 2X PowerMate, Antares 1.6X Barlow, Astronomik Hß, (older) Lumicon UHC & OIII 60mm $50 Walmart Special in training - aka "Backpack Observatory" Binoculars: Minolta Activa 12x50s & Steiner 15X80s Post Extras:       werewolf6977 Lord High Smasher Reged: 12/15/03 Posts: 8431 Loc: Hanover, Ohio Re: Barebones Astronomy #1 [Re: Lamb0]       #3353248 - 09/24/09 05:33 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   That's the spirit! -------------------- Pete 6" Apogee/LXD55 Starhopper 6" Dob Spaceprobe 130EQ Black C8 OTA WO Zenith Star 66 Patriot Edition Sun Pak Pro 7500 Platinum Edition 8X42 Bushnell H2O Porro 7X35 Tasco 10X50 Nikon Actions (Type 7) 15X70 Skymasters Dell Inspiron Dual Core 531s "Science without Religion is lame, Religion without Science is blind" A.Einstein. Post Extras:       edwincjones Postmaster Reged: 04/10/04 Posts: 5668 Re: Barebones Astronomy #1 [Re: werewolf6977]       #3353273 - 09/24/09 06:08 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Some of us are approaching this as a back door approach: -we have been around for a while -have gotten the big optics -spent the money -and are returning to a simpler. easier life with small optics edj -------------------- n w arkansas Post Extras:       JohnH professor emeritus Reged: 10/04/05 Posts: 734 Loc: vancouver near the wilds of B... Re: Barebones Astronomy #1 [Re: werewolf6977]       #3422087 - 10/31/09 03:29 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   My bare bones observing is done on a 8mm ED scope (Skywatcher) and a large tripod by Linhof. All things being equal, I should have spent more on the head (the part on top of the tripod) for more fucntionality. It works fine on low object and terrestrial stuff but slowly moves when pointed up higher than around 50 degrees. Post Extras:       noah way member Reged: 11/04/09 Posts: 33 Loc: The Edge Re: Barebones Astronomy #1 [Re: JohnH]       #3429943 - 11/04/09 09:19 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I just snagged an old 76.2mm Japanese TASCO Refractor on the classifieds. The lovely review here "Observing with the highest powers was also pleasurable with this instrument. Objects stayed in the generous 35 degree AFOV for seconds at a time." had me thinking of a better mount, like maybe an LXD75. Post Extras:       werewolf6977 Lord High Smasher Reged: 12/15/03 Posts: 8431 Loc: Hanover, Ohio Re: Barebones Astronomy #1 [Re: noah way]       #3430181 - 11/04/09 11:30 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   That might not be a bad idea. I'm thinking of throwing my WO Z66ED on mine for giggles. -------------------- Pete 6" Apogee/LXD55 Starhopper 6" Dob Spaceprobe 130EQ Black C8 OTA WO Zenith Star 66 Patriot Edition Sun Pak Pro 7500 Platinum Edition 8X42 Bushnell H2O Porro 7X35 Tasco 10X50 Nikon Actions (Type 7) 15X70 Skymasters Dell Inspiron Dual Core 531s "Science without Religion is lame, Religion without Science is blind" A.Einstein. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all) Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 2 registered and 4 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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