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.....- who will pay the legal fees in the event of a lawsuit? ...

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I don’t think all of the details are worked out on this project, but here is the relevant web link: http://tinyurl.com/688qm9

As I see it these scopes will be purchased by organizations holding an IYA 2009 related event, and the scopes will be provided to attendees as either a free item, a purchased item, or as something covered in the fee for attending the event – at the event sponsor’s discretion. It seems that the scopes will need to be assembled, with the idea that the event organizers will lead the new owners thru the assembly steps, and provide other related info on what to observe, how do it, etc. I would be surprised if the scopes were not provided with relevant printed material that would cover the subject of safe solar observing.

Bottom line: I thing you have a good point that these scopes should be accompanied with a written warning about the dangers of unfiltered solar observing. I know that my Obsession 20 has a sticker near the eyepiece warning that the scope should not be pointed at or even near the sun, even though one would assume that the purchaser of a $10,000 telescope would know that already. With such a warning provided I don’t think any lawsuit would get very far particularly since the scope design is supported by NASA, etc.

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George N

Obsession 20
Optical Guidance Systems 10" F/9 R-C Cass
6" F/5 & 8" F/8 home-made Newts
MI-250 mount
SBIG STL-1301E CCD
Member, International Dark-Sky Association

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