January 2005 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Re: Lumicon Easy-Guider
by Chuck Hards 20 Jan '05

20 Jan '05

Debbie, if he was using it with a telescope that would fit on a Losmandy mount, it was probably too-small, or marginal. That parallels my experience. It's a great product, but not really suitable for small apertures. Even 10" is pushing the small side for the Easy-Guider. Many (most, it seems) objects just don't have a bright enough guide star at the right radial distance from the center of the field, this can be frustrating and you can't always compose the shot just the way you want it as a result. No competent reflecting telescope maker would design for 100% illumination 1" off-axis unless it was a dedicated imaging system like a Schmidt camera or similar, and not many amateurs can afford a 12" refractor (except for Al George, who has a 15"!) One a large scope, it would work much better. That said, the principle of the off-axis guider is excellent: Guide with the same optical train as the one you're imaging with, and you eliminate differential flexure as a possible source of trouble. The bigger the image scale, the greater this problem can be. I use a separate guidescope on my small set-up. Debbie wrote: > I guy e-mailed me from the Losmandy yahoo group the > other day and he had trouble using it and sent it > back. I'm not considering that option anymore. I'm > now looking into a guidescope on a dual scope > platform right now. Thanks for the feedback. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250

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Re: A Cassini editorial
by Chuck Hards 20 Jan '05

20 Jan '05

Originally there wasn't going to be a camera on Huygens; the on-board imager is actually just part of another instrument. Any images at all are just icing on the cake IMO. The public rarely gets anything 100% right, and there are flaws in the way many worthwhile enterprises are funded. Life-saving drugs only get developed if stockholders think they'll get a dividend...planetariums get built only if they generate revenue. At the same time, we spend millions on political ceremonies while children starve. It should come as no surprise that most people, some science writers included, just don't get it, and probably never will. What makes humanity great has nothing at all to do with clever marketing or generating profits, but that's what occupies the minds of the masses. I was initially harsh on the mission, based on "press releases" and editorials, but then I tried to educate myself. Luckily as long as a person is alive there is still room for personal growth. Life is too short to worry about what an ignoramus thinks. Huygens is a remarkable engineering accomplishment and only a fool would try and marginalize any part of it in retrospect; the deed is done and it was magnificent. Looking at the images, just as they are, I am proud to be human being. My 2 cents. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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A Cassini editorial
by Patrick Wiggins 20 Jan '05

20 Jan '05

Comments? http://www.spacedaily.com/news/oped-05i.html Patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Lumicon Easy-Guider
by astrodeb＠charter.net 20 Jan '05

20 Jan '05

Chuck, I guy e-mailed me from the Losmandy yahoo group the other day and he had trouble using it and sent it back. I'm not considering that option anymore. I'm now looking into a guidescope on a dual scope platform right now. Thanks for the feedback. Debbie > > From: Chuck Hards <chuckhards(a)yahoo.com> > Date: 2005/01/20 Thu AM 11:30:23 MST > To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Lumicon Easy-Guider > > Debbie, I've had the 2" model for decades, used with > my Pentax 35mm SLR. > > The pick-off prism is tiny, and is at the very edge of > the field, best positioned at the top or bottom of a > 35mm frame, not much room on the sides and you may get > a shadow if positioned there. Also in fast systems > the stars are usually comatic out at the very edge of > the field and it can be difficult to guide on a tiny > Vee shape instead of a point. I used the Lumicon > coma-corrector whenever I used the Easy-Guider, but my > autoguider (non-digital type) still had big problems > with the non-round edge-of-field stars. By the time > you add a 2x or 3x Barlow to the pick-off path, the > guide star can be really, really dim. I don't use one > anymore unless I have at least ten or twelve inches of > aperture, and use a separate guide scope most of the > time now. But I'm saving it for that "big scope" in > my backyard observatory when I retire! ;) > > Any help? > > Debbie wrote: > > > Does anybody have any experience with the Lumicon > > Easy Guiders? It seems like an elegant way to do > > guiding without worrying about rings, guidescopes, > > or flexure from guidescopes. Plus, I could add an > > autoguider later on. > > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > All your favorites on one personal page ? Try My Yahoo! > http://my.yahoo.com > > _______________________________________________ > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com >

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Re: Lumicon Easy-Guider
by Chuck Hards 20 Jan '05

20 Jan '05

Debbie, I've had the 2" model for decades, used with my Pentax 35mm SLR. The pick-off prism is tiny, and is at the very edge of the field, best positioned at the top or bottom of a 35mm frame, not much room on the sides and you may get a shadow if positioned there. Also in fast systems the stars are usually comatic out at the very edge of the field and it can be difficult to guide on a tiny Vee shape instead of a point. I used the Lumicon coma-corrector whenever I used the Easy-Guider, but my autoguider (non-digital type) still had big problems with the non-round edge-of-field stars. By the time you add a 2x or 3x Barlow to the pick-off path, the guide star can be really, really dim. I don't use one anymore unless I have at least ten or twelve inches of aperture, and use a separate guide scope most of the time now. But I'm saving it for that "big scope" in my backyard observatory when I retire! ;) Any help? Debbie wrote: > Does anybody have any experience with the Lumicon > Easy Guiders? It seems like an elegant way to do > guiding without worrying about rings, guidescopes, > or flexure from guidescopes. Plus, I could add an > autoguider later on. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? All your favorites on one personal page Try My Yahoo! http://my.yahoo.com

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Re: Swap meet
by Chuck Hards 20 Jan '05

20 Jan '05

Some post-swap meet sales; the rifle/optics case has been sold, the small equatorial mount has been sold, and the 9x63mm roofs have been sold. The 5" f/9 refractor OTA is still available, I may be able to drop the price a bit, yes the hinged rings/cradle is included. Contact me off-list if interested. Thanks! __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! - What will yours do? http://my.yahoo.com

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Top-notch Swap Meet
by Chuck Hards 20 Jan '05

20 Jan '05

Many thanks to Jo Grahn and the good people of the Lutheran church. And I felt no compunctions to nail a Thesis to any doors at all! ;) Beautiful building. It's in the part of town I grew up in, yet I've never seen the inside until today. It was a first-class swap meet with first-class people. Good to put faces to names and see old friends again. Glad we could find new homes for all that jun..ah, fine astronomical hardware! Seriously, the wares ranged from the inexpensive to the princely and everything in-between. I wish I could attend weeknight functions regularly and see all of you more often! BTW, the 9x63mm roof binos are still available (Joe, where were you?) along with the 5" f/9 refractor and the earthrise mural. When I got home I saw the little equatorial mount sitting there, as if asking me "why did you forget me?" Someone make me an offer (Charlie, would go great with that little refractor, hint-hint...) Thanks again! Let's do it again this summer, maybe with some barbeque and viewing afterwards. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Find what you need with new enhanced search. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250

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Re: Sanpete Star Party
by Richard Tenney 19 Jan '05

19 Jan '05

Dave, I think we can probably drum up some local interest in this event (I've included the various list members in my reply here). Anyone in the lists have a good idea for a date or dates? -Rich --- Dave Fullmer <davef(a)hallmarkcabinet.com> wrote: > Hi Rich > I'm the manager of the Mt Pleasant airport in > Sanpete County. Each year we hold a fly in at the > airport and it's steadily expanded into all things > that fly, including rockets. You've probably > already heard that Jake Garn (who has roots in > Sanpete County and often comes to our fly in) has > succeeded in scheduling the Interplanetary > Conference in Utah next October. Conference members > which include astronauts from all over the world, > are scheduled to visit school districts throughout > the state. In conjunction with their visit to > Sanpete County I'm planning on several days of space > related activities including model rocket > demonstrations, space related movies at the local > drive-in, and numerous educational outreach programs > at the local schools. A star party would also be > most appropriate and the remote location of places > like Spring City Utah would be perfect for it. > Other than sometime in October, I don't have any > dates yet, but I'll be visiting with the Utah State > Office of Education tomorrow (Wednesday) and > presenting ideas for this event. Would your group > be interested in holding a star party as part of the > Sanpete County Space Exploration Event? > > Thank you, Dave Fullmer __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

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Lumicon Easy Guider for refractors
by astrodeb＠charter.net 19 Jan '05

19 Jan '05

Does anybody have any experience with the Lumicon Easy Guiders? It seems like an elegant way to do guiding without worrying about rings, guidescopes, or flexure from guidescopes. Plus, I could add an autoguider later on. Debbie

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Re: Swap Meet preview
by Chuck Hards 18 Jan '05

18 Jan '05

The 10x50mm binos have been sold. The 9x63mm roof binos are being held for someone with right of first refusal. If they decide to pass, or they don't show-up tonight, then they will again be available. See many of you tonight, thanks again Jo! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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