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[timothy]

Recieved my new Orion 10-50 wide angle (6.5 degree field ) binoculars yesterday about a half an hour before sunset. the clouds had'nt started turning red yet, but while I was looking at the clouds with the binocs i noticed horizontal layers of a light aqua and pinkish along the bottom of the clouds. At first I thought it was a sun dog but it went for quite a distance, maybe about 30 or 40 degrees. Naked eye, I could not see any colors. It was like maybe the very begining of the sunset colors. Later at night I was able to spot comet Machholz. Even with the moon near by I could see a faint smudge. Also because of Dennis bringing up the Hyades cluster, I took a look at it. It's been awhile but it's just as stricking as always.

Tim

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Am I the ONLY one who hasn't viewed Macholz yet?

Good binocs, those 10x50's wide. I have mine set up on a tripod. I find it better to study and maintain solid views.

[Al Degutis]

Chicago said:

Am I the ONLY one who hasn't viewed Macholz yet?

No Joe... my wife hasn't seen it either.

Good binocs, those 10x50's wide. I have mine set up on a tripod. I find it better to study and maintain solid views.

I did the same by mounting mine to a tripod using a simple L-bracket. I unscrewed the small cap that has the Minolta name on it:

and used a bolt (1/4" 20) to attach it to the L-bracket. I don't have a picture of it mounted on the tripod but will take one eventually. The only problem is when the target is higher up in the sky. Comet Machholz is nicely placed for the mounted binoculars... for now anyway.

[timothy]

I'm going to use my tripod too. I had a pair of bushnell 16x that I used my tripod for. I got the 10x because I thought I would be able to hand hold them more steady, but it's still pretty shakey. I'm going to scavenge the primarys from the bushnells and make a small telescope binocular. Give me something to do this winter.

Tim

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Tim,

Instead of the cheapo and flimsy finder scope Meade provides, I have been using a home made 10x50 finder scope for my 4.5. I scavenged the parts from an old pair of binoculars that got so whacked out of shape when my dog knocked it to the floor. It works great, good FOV and best of all....it was free!

I was contemplating attaching one of my 60mm's as a secondary mid powered scope attached to the 4.5's OTA, but I need to think that one out a bit more. The alignment is most troublesome. This way I can have a low powered finder, mid powered secondary and higher powered main.

God bless those of us who never throw anything away.

[timothy]

Joe
I've heard of making a finder from binocs, sounds like a good idea. But I've been ga-ga over binocular telescopes for a while and since they are way out of my price range I'll make my own. As Spok would say with one eyebrow raised, " It's only logical captain "

Tim

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

On the subject of bino scopes...

WAY...out of my price range, but I may have the poor man's method.

As I have mentioned, I have several 60mm refractors. I always wanted to pair two up together and have one hell of a binocular. The problem is aligning the two exactly...else I look like Ben Turpin...quite cross eyed after an observation session.

But I shall never give up!