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[Alan]

Dear Group - I recently got my first telescope! I went earlier this month to the "far out friday" at the Adler and had a wonderful time - met Joe and learned a ton about scopes and astronomy as well. The whole thing was a real treat to attend, and I really lucked out since it wasn't that crowded Joe spent a lot of time teaching me astronomy ( I am eternally grateful Joe). After a lot of reading and soul searching - I went way past my original budget of $500 and purchased an orion 100mm Apo with their skyview pro mount and drives. The 80mm Apo got good reviews and the comments that I saw on the web regarding people who had used the 100mm Apo were very strong. Originally, I was going to go with the 8" dob from Orion but I really wanted to do some photography as well, and there seemed be a lot of people who felt that a 4"achromatic refractor was not a step up at all from a 8" Dob. I would have preferred to get a scope that I could do real time viewing of galaxies and clusters but I realized that this was not possible initially unless I got a really large Dob(you have to remember I am completely new to Astronomy and can't explain fully how I have squandered my time previously without stargazing). Many people seem to be raving about this starmaster 14.5" dob with zambuto mirror - I have to say I am very curious to take a look through one ( do you get real time viewing of Nebulae in detail?). At 5 grand I had to pass - but I am guessing it's price is only going to keep going up.

I had my first viewing of the moon two nights ago. It was very bright and I was stunned with the level of detail I could see . I snapped a quick picture with my digital rebel which came out well - but not as sharp as the view through the scope - I'll have to work on improving the sharpness.

Joe had recommended I get a wide field eyepiece - another friend of mine recommended a 41mm Panoptic. This is $500.00 - so if anyone has a significantly less expensive eyepiece that they like for wide views I would be very interested in recommendations.

I have been reading both of Brian Green's books the elegant universe and Fabric of the cosmos which are both pretty good. I read most of Hawking's brief history of time as well which I also liked ( I watched the DVD series Hawking's Universe with my daughter and thought that was very well done)

The astronomy bug has bitten deep - I'm looking forward to lots more viewing and learning.

Alan

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Alan,

Indeed...it was my pleasure to talk astronomy with you and share what we have at the Adler planetarium in your telescopic purchase decision. We did discuss a lot and although it was cloudy, the conversation with you and other visitors made up for it.

I anticipate viewing your cool scope. It sounds like a beauty and it will keep you looking at the skies for years to come. It will be the star attraction when you decide to join us in a Chicago Astronomer Star Party. Early spring perhaps? But I would like to share a session with you sooner than that. Let's talk more.

With digital cameras, I have found that you will need to refocus it to the cameras liking. Use the view screen to focus the image. Hold the camera still as any movement will not allow proper focusing.

Great to have you now well equipped and ready to unravel the wonders of the heavens. 100mm scopes are serious tools of exploration. And regarding the funds...You will never miss it 10 years from now, as your scope is still showing you the skies. They are all waiting for you now...go get 'em! Don't forget to share with us your detailed observations. It will be great to read first logs from a true beginner!

Good job.

[OscarH]

;D
Joe,
I have one id that I logon to from home and another from the office. Did that because I had forgotten the id I originally used from home.

[jglover]

Alan said:

original budget of $500 and purchased an orion 100mm Apo with their skyview pro mount and drives. The 80mm Apo got good reviews and the comments that I saw on the web regarding people who had used the 100mm Apo were very strong. Originally, I was going

The ED100 is a terrific scope. I've got the ED80 and am very pleased with the performance. The SVP mount is also a nice and solid platform for the scope and it will serve you well. Excellent choice.

to go with the 8" dob from Orion but I really wanted to do some photography as well, and there seemed be a lot of people who felt that a 4"achromatic

The 8" Dob is also a good scope, I've got one too! But they both serve different purposes. For viewing DSOs, you will be much better with the Dob, as the light gathering power is much better and objects will appear much brighter. Perhaps that's your second purchase? If you look you can find Hardin 8" dobs for right around $300.

14.5" dob with zambuto mirror - I have to say I am very curious to take a look through one ( do you get real time viewing of Nebulae in detail?). At 5 grand I

I can't imagine you'll get anywhere near photographic detail through any Dob, the eye just cannot accumulate and record detail like a film emulsion or imaging chip. Still, there will be a lot more detail, but it is subtle and takes some training of the eye to spot. Once you get used to viewing DSOs, you'll be surprised at the level of detail you can see even through an 8" scope.

I had my first viewing of the moon two nights ago. It was very bright and I was stunned with the level of detail I could see . I snapped a quick picture with my digital rebel which came out well - but not as sharp as the view through the scope - I'll have to work on improving the sharpness.

Get a t-mount for your camera. It will thread directly onto the drawtube of the ED100. I use my *istD on the ED80 that way and got some very nice pics of the eclipse last October.

Joe had recommended I get a wide field eyepiece - another friend of mine recommended a 41mm Panoptic. This is $500.00 - so if anyone has a significantly less expensive eyepiece that they like for

Check out a used 24mm Panoptic off Astromart. They will give you the widest field of view possible in a 1.25" EP. Do you have a 2" diagonal? If so, the GSO Superviews are a good value in 2" wide field EPs. I like the 30mm...it is a 70 degree EP and give a field of view of almost 3.5 degrees in my ED80. Brnad new they run about $60 off eBay. The Televue EPs are nice. The best way I found to get into them is buy them used off Astromart. You can try out the EP, and if you do not like, you can sell it back for what you paid for it. TVs hold their value really well, so it is like renting a $200 EP for the price of shipping.

Have fun! And start spending the rest of your money like all the rest of us here...who needs food anyway??


John
ED80/DSH8/SW102 Achro/ETX105

[Alan]

Joe and John,

Thanks for the advice and encouragement. I should have mentioned that I had my camera attached to a t-ring which was then attached to the camera adaptor which attached directly to the tube. A friend was saying that I have to try focusing at various small lengths both away from and towards what appears to be the sharpest image on the viewfinder to get the sharpest image. I'm curious to know if you guys have found that to be true.

[Alan]

John,

I forgot to mention, yes the package I got from orion did include a 2" diagonal. Thanks for the info on the eyepieces and the referral to astromart - I'll probably end up getting my eyepieces there. I have no problem buying used stuff.

Alan

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Alan,

In regards to focusing a digital camera...

Yes...you need to micro-focus ever so carefully as shown on the LCD view screen. The focal plane is dramatically different from what is sharp to our eye, to what is in the sharpest image to the camera. It is trial and error with every different camera, as they have different behaviors. Once you get the set-up all they way you want it, then you can mark the focuser with a slight mark or nick, so you no longer need to do the micro focusing. Cup your hand to sheild the screen from the ambient light...you want the highest contrast to judge your focus. Of course the optical sight-thru viewfinder on the camera is useless in this application, but I have seen people trying to look thru it while taking a shot. Habit I guess.

You might also notice that different lighting circumstances might alter your usual focus. I know I have. If you look at my images of the transit and lunar pics on the forum...they were all taken with a digital camera...handheld to the eyepiece.

Be sure to share your images with us...and I'll be sure to post them on the forum.

[jglover]

Alan said:

John,

I forgot to mention, yes the package I got from orion did include a 2" diagonal. Thanks for the info on the eyepieces and the referral to astromart - I'll probably end up getting my eyepieces there. I have no problem buying used stuff.
quote]

The Orion 2" in a nice diagonal, especially for the price. I used it on my ED80 until I found a deal on a like new William Optic diagonal. $85 for a $130 diagonal, highly recommended, beautifuly machined and finished...not something I could pass up!

Being able to use the 2" EPs is nice. check out the GSO Superviews as they will give you a nice widefield experience without having to spend a fortune on Televues or Pentaxes.

Astromart is a great resource. I'm in the market for either a 35mm Panoptic or a 13mm Nagler right now, and am looking on AM for them. The nice thing about the premium EPs is when it comes time to sell them, as I said, you get your money back. I'm funding my new TV by selling a Pentax, and it actually sold for $10 more than I orignally paid for it so that was a nice bonus!

Another good source for used gear is cloudynights.com's swap and shop forum. That's where I picked up the WO diagonal for a dirt cheap price. You just gotta get lucky!

John

[jglover]

Chicago said:

Yes...you need to micro-focus ever so carefully as shown on the LCD view screen. The focal plane is

Hi Alan and Joe,


One thing you can do to improve your focus is change the focusing screen, provided the DRebel supports interchangeable screens. That was the nice thing about the old K1000s or Canon FT's was the ground glass, microprism focus aids on the screens. The new autofocus cameras dropped those in favor of the matte laser cut screens, and while those allow for easier AF, they are just awful for trying to achieve critical focus manually.....and they are even worse in low light!

However, as Joe says, once you find the prime focal point, you can mark your draw tube. Another thing you can do to help is work with the tensioning knobs on the ED100 focuser. The Crayford will hold quite a bit of weight and you can adjust it for a little tighter focus for critical work. Adding a larger diameter focusing knob will also help out in fine focusing.

Finally, since I have no problem spending other peoples money , you coudl look at gettting a Moonlite focuser for the ED100. They make a two speed model which is sweet.....but pricey at $375 for the focuser (www.focuser.com). I did upgrade my ED80 with a Moonlite single speed and it is VERY nice. Though I've not had much time at all to use it since the weather has been awful here recently!

[Alan]

Guys,

Just got in from a three hour viewing session. Got a very very nice look at Saturn with the Apo 100mm orion -used the 2x shorty barlow and 10mm eyepiece for a total of 180x - could just make out the Cassini division. I'm craving a look at 300x. Took some pictures of the moon ( which was exciting for me - Joe I'm happy to post it - do I email it to you?) and some pictures of Saturn ( but with no magnification - I thought I could put my eyepieces into the camera adaptor and I can but they extend past the rim of the T-ring and so I can't mount the t-ring to the camera- I'll have to call orion to see what I can do) - I won't embarrass myself by posting my pictures of Saturn - they look like they were taken with a 1" achromat with plastic elements. I definitely need to get the optional metal adjustment knobs for the mount - the plastic ones work well but not fun to use. My friend just bought a orion 100mm today as well and hopefully he'll be joining our site. ( - he got Nagler eyepieces and barlow)

John - I'm very curious - what did you find to be the difference when you upgraded your diagonal to the Williams Optics? Also, you mentioned you had an 8" Dob - would you recommend getting one early on - do you really get a completely different view of the stars?- since an orion xt8 costs about the same ($349) as a televue eyepiece I'm actually considering it ( yes I know I'm crazy and will be destitute but I can't help it ). I'm sure a focuser will come into my life in the near future as well. It really seems like skies the limit to take nice photographs through the scope.

Do you guys have a favorite method of polar alignment that's not too painful and is posted somewhere on web?

Alan

[jglover]

Alan said:

Guys,

Just got in from a three hour viewing session. Got a very very nice look at Saturn with the Apo 100mm orion -used the 2x shorty barlow and 10mm eyepiece for a total of 180x - could just make out the Cassini division. I'm craving a look at 300x. Took some pictures of the moon ( which was exciting for me - Joe I'm happy to post it - do I email it to you?)

I managed about half an hour this evening. Looked mostly at Saturn and M42 through the Dob. Seeing here in Naperville was really crappy for the stars, but Saturn was reasonably sharp up to 133x with the 9mm Nagler.

plastic elements. I definitely need to get the optional metal adjustment knobs for the mount - the plastic ones work well but not fun to use. My friend just bought a orion 100mm today as well and hopefully he'll be joining our site. ( - he got Nagler eyepieces and barlow)

Wow! Lots of Orion 100's out there! The ED100 was not yet available when I went for the ED80 or I'd have gone with that instead. The 102mm Achro I've got is a nice scope, but the views are so much better through the Ed scope.......and I definitely could not afford a 100mm APO from anyone else!!

For a good set of focus knobs, check out www.focusknobs.com. I've got the set shown on the cover photo on that web page. Very nice for about $60. The longer knods on the dec axis make using the scope so much easier. And for a nice mount, the plastic knobs supplied by Orion really are rotten. I never could get mine to even fit correctly.

John - I'm very curious - what did you find to be the difference when you upgraded your diagonal to the Williams Optics? Also, you mentioned you had an 8" Dob - would you recommend getting one early on - do you really get a completely different view of the stars?- since an orion xt8 costs about the same ($349) as a televue eyepiece I'm actually considering it ( yes I know I'm crazy and will be destitute but I can't help it ). I'm sure a focuser will come into my life in the near future as well. It really seems like skies the limit to take nice photographs through the scope.

The only difference between the diagonals was really the fit and finish. The WO diagonal is just a better looking diagonal and makes the scope look really sharp. in terms of performance, I couldn;t tell a difference. But I was able to sell the Orion on AM for $60, so I was only out $25 in getting the WO diag.

As far as the Dob goes, it true that aperture rules. The ED100 is going to shine on the planets, double stars and the like, but for DSOs, you will get a brighter view through the Dob. I don;t recall the focal length of the ED100 but you will also get more power through the Dob too, so you'll have a little more mag when you need it. Overall the two scopes compliment each other. For nebula, galaxies and low surface brightness things, the Dob excells. The Dob is also really easy to set up, just wheel it out in the driveway and you;re ready to go!

As far as Dobs go, unless you want to upgrade to an Orion Intelliscope one day, the Hardin 10 inch Dobs ($495) are a great value, as they come with a *very* nice stock Crayford focuser. I don't know if they offer that on the 8" models, but it is about a $150 dollar focuser as standard on the 10" Dob

Adding a focuser really makes a difference in these scopes. My Moonlite was one of the best upgrades I've made. I've now got the equivalent of $2K Televue APO for just under $750....yeah I was cheap and bought a "second" Orion scope!

Do you guys have a favorite method of polar alignment that's not too painful and is posted somewhere on web?

www.cloudynights.com has terrific how-to articles on many things, including alignment. Check them out! For visual only, i've found just sighting up Polaris roughly through the polar finder hole in the mount works well enough for me. I've only got the single axis drive, but it takes minutes for thigs to drift out of the FOV with a rough alignment. I don;t have a polar scope either, I just sight on Polaris though the hole where the scope would go.

For long exposure astrophotography, you will need to be more precise, using some sort of drift alignment procedures. However, the SVP mounts we have really cannot do any long exposure stuff as the gears have no error correction to take care of the periodic tracking errors inherrent in worm gears, nor do they have a guiding feature, so you have to watch and guide manually. For serious astrophotography, and I mean long exposures 30+ minutes, you need a much better mount, and those typically rn $2k for the mount alone! Yikes!!

Anyway, you;re on the right track here. The important thing is have fun.....and try not to go broke like me! LOL

[jglover]

jglover said:

Alan said:

John,

I forgot to mention, yes the package I got from orion did include a 2" diagonal. Thanks for the info on the eyepieces and the referral to astromart - I'll probably end up getting my eyepieces there. I have no problem buying used stuff.

For the 2" GSO Superviews, I'd recommend this web site:

www.speednetllc.com/dbaastronomyproducts/GSO%20EP's.htm

I've bought several items from Dale and he's a straight up guy and terrific to do business with. And at $62 for new, wide field EP, they are a heck of a bargain!

[Alan]

John,

Thanks for the great advice, its really very helpful to get your ideas and perspectives on these issues. I am toning down by astrophotography expectations becuase of lack of high quality tracking equipment ( what did I know - I got basic sidereal tracking so I thought I was all set to go).

I ordered a variable camera adaptor from Orion this afternoon and since I was on the phone with them anyway - I got a 6mm eyepiece from their Expanse line - the reviews I saw on the Cloudynights site were favorable, though not the raves that the radians get. I'm going to check out the GSOs for a widefield piece.

Have you or anyone else out there seen any detail of nebulae in real time with any of your scopes? Can it be done with a 4" Apo or does it require a large Dob? Joe has already patiently explained to me that what I see in the scope is not going to look anything like the photos in the book - but I still have to try to get as close as I can to viewing them with at least some level of detail.

Which filter do you guys recommend first for nebulae, an OIII?

I'm going to read some more about those Hardins - their name keeps popping up.

Alan

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Alan,

Regarding the nebulas...

Right now, you have the perfect opportunity to catch the Orion Nebula (M42). With that Messier object, one can certainly see great detail in my modest 4.5" and should have good contrast in yours. I have tried several filters, I like blue myself, as it darkens the wisps a bit and makes a good sight. I have not tried the fancier ones tho.

This is about what it will look like in color and definition.

With time, your observational eye will become more trained and educated in smart observation. At first you will take in all and have a good time, but later on with experience, you will start to pick up subtle nuances and stuff you overlooked earlier. And more when you use the averted vision technique.

With nebulae, you will find that lower magnification is preferred, as it dims in great proportion with the lower mm's. They are not that bright and you want to grab as much light as you can. I really only use the higher eyepieces with lunar, planetary and some globular targets. The rest it's mostly 25mm or lower. And my favorite eyepiece is my converted 10x Wide field that I salvaged from a broken pair of binoculars.

What I like to do is to aim the scope just outside of the target I desire, and let the Earth's rotation sweep it thru the field of vision.

It's all manual for me, baby!

[Alan]

Joe,

Awesome picture! - if I see a nebula that well through my scope you guys will have to scrape me off the floor - Orion is my next viewing session target. I guess I should work my way through the Messier list.

Alan

[jglover]

Alan said:

Thanks for the great advice, its really very helpful to get your ideas and perspectives on these issues. I am toning down by astrophotography expectations becuase of lack of high quality tracking equipment ( what did I know - I got basic sidereal tracking so I thought I was all set to go).

You're welcome!

Your gear should be good enough for basic photography, lunar and planetary. The SVP mount wil do that just fine. Another thing you should be able to do is piggyback your camera on the ED100.....just mount it on top the rings using the mounting screw there, pop on a wide angle angle lens and just some wide field stuff. The guiding needed for wide field piggyback images is no where near as precise as prime focus stuff. Bump the ISO up to the top end on the DReb and see what you get for a 5 minute, 10 minute, 15 minte, etc., exposure. I'll bet you'd be surprised.

You can also try stacking images using a program such as Registax. With Registax, you take a series of shorter exposure, say 30 seconds apiece, then electronically "stack" them together. With birghter DSOs, such as M42 or M31 or some of brighter nebulae and clusters, this often gives a nice image without the need for a 30 minute expsosure.

I was in the same boat as you when I got my mount. I wanted to do astrophoto work, until I found out I needed two grand worth of mount!! I've not had a chance to try using Registax yet, but I do have a Meade lpI to play around with, and it has some image porcessing software with it I'm going to experiment around with once the weather warms up a bit.......I just don't like having the laptop outside in this cold weather.

anyway - I got a 6mm eyepiece from their Expanse line - the reviews I saw on the Cloudynights site were favorable, though not the raves that the radians get. I'm going to check out the GSOs for a

I've read about the Expanse line. There are several other companies who also offer this eyepiece under their brand name, and it seems to be a pretty good bargain in a higher powered EP. You'll love the GSO, but I was so surprised at just how physically *big* a 2" EP actually is......

Have you or anyone else out there seen any detail of nebulae in real time with any of your scopes? Can it be done with a 4" Apo or does it require a large Dob? Joe

You'll see detail in a 4" APO. I can see with with my ED80 as well as my 4" achro. But, as Joe said, it takes some training of your eye to learn to pick it up. It also takes good seeing and sky transparency. Often times the detail will pop in and out, as the sky conditions change. I think patience and time at the eyepiece are what is needed to get the most out of any scope. A big Dob just makes it easier.......

Which filter do you guys recommend first for nebulae, an OIII?

The OIII seems to get the best reviews for emission nebula. I've never used one, but I did buy an Orion Ultrablock off AM a week ago, just have not yet had a chance to try it our to see the difference. Eveything I've read says the line filters, such as an OIII, Ultrablock or UHC type are better visually than a broadband type filter. I'll let you know once I get some clear skies!

I'm going to read some more about those Hardins - their name keeps popping up.

Hardin Dobs are made by GSO in China while Orion's are made by Synta. Both are essentially the same scope but the Hardins are priced a bit more aggressively. Plus the Hardin scope have a better focuser on the 10/12 inchers, and the 10" scope come in 4 colors.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

John,

You are a wealth of information and I appreciate that you elect to share your knowledge and skills here with fellow Chicago Astronomers. The info is concise and coding used smartly. Alan and others reading the data here will benefit much by it.

Thanks.

[jglover]

Chicago said:

You are a wealth of information and I appreciate that you elect to share your knowledge and skills here with fellow Chicago Astronomers. The info is concise and coding used smartly. Alan and others reading the data here will benefit much by it.

No problem Joe, I'm happy to help out. Any info I can provide I'm more than happy to assist. We were all beginners once and do not need to forget that no matter how much experience one has gained.

One thing I always try to do is code the reply appropriately. A pet peeve of mine is folks who quote every single of every single message in a thread when a little judicscious editing would cut down the length of the post. I guess it is a hold over from my days on dial up.

The talking telescopes Yahoo group is really bad about people quoting huge volumes of unnecessary text and it makes it hard to read and follow the threads. I'm more likley to delete thelong ones rather than pick my way through the same stuff through 14 diffierent posts.

On a side note, I may try to swing by Adler tomorrow afternoon if i can swing the time away from work. I work downtown at Jackson and Clark so its just a quick ride over to Adler.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

John,

Great that you may make it to the Adler tomorrow. I'll be there at 2 pm and till about 4 pm. I'll be teaching a member of the telescope interpreter staff on the use of the H-Alpha scope, and showing the public some solar views. It looks like a clear day tomorrow and should be a good day for it.

I like to meet up with members of the Chicago Astronomer and would be pleased if you would join us in our star parties and gatherings...once the weather breaks.

In regards to replying to posts...

I am so with you on this. The Einsteins that reply on numerous groups send back the "entire" messages before it...and only say something insignificant to the topic string at the end. I really gloss over the entire message. I am glad that at least here, on the way this board is set-up, it is not possible...unless you really make a conscience attempt to do so.

Hail the Chicago Astronomers...

[Alan]

John,

I was wandering what that screw was for on top of my tube ring! I think I'm going to order that ultrablock filter next week.

I was hunting around on the web and I came across a very interesting site - people who sketch their views from their scopes rather than shoot photos - on this site they sketched views from nebulae - www.belmontnc.4dw.net/nebulae.htm. I am going to make the assumption that these are sketches from real time viewing.
I was pretty impressed with the views from the Dobs that were sized 14" and up. These were, quite honestly, the real time views I was hoping to get from my telescope.

The problem for me with getting a giant Dob is the weight and portability issue.
I talked with the guys at Disovery today and found out that for the past several months they have started making a split tube Dob. The base, lower part of the tube, and upper part of the tube could all be carried separately ( yes, I'm thinking that this is a good thing). The orion or hardin 10" would also be an option - both for less than 500.

Alan

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Alan,

That web site is a nice one.

The sketches displayed are about as accurate as one gets in actual viewing and observation. (Sorry, no dramatic color).

This evening looks crystal clear...hurry up and get your scope ready. M42 awaits!

For me, it's just a bit too much on the chilly side. Just give me a shawl, rocking chair and warm milk. zzzzzzzzzz

[jglover]

Alan said:

I was wandering what that screw was for on top of my tube ring! I think I'm going to order that ultrablock filter next week.

Yep, that's 1/4-20 thread bolt. Your Dreb ought to fit right on there. Polar align your scope, fire up the dirves and you should be able to get some nice wide field images. A point of caution though, since the shutter is electronic, it will draw power from the batteires as long as it is open, so make sure you have fully charged batteries. does the DReb use AAs or does it take a proprietary Canon battery? Both my *istD and my Canon A75 take rechargeable AAs which is terrific, and one of the primary reasons i selected the cameras.

making a split tube Dob. The base, lower part of the tube, and upper part of the tube could all be carried separately ( yes, I'm thinking that this is a good thing). The orion or hardin 10" would also be an option - both for less than 500.

Split tube and truss type Dobs are a nice way to make a large mirror more manageable. But they do get pricey. My 8" Hardin only weighs about 40 lbs total, base and OTA together. It's not to heavy to pick up and carry, just bulky. However, here's a tip......a portable luggage cart from Walmart (or any of the other Marts) sure does make a Dob much easier to move, especially out in the driveway!

[jglover]

Chicago said:

John,

Great that you may make it to the Adler tomorrow. I'll be there at 2 pm and till about 4 pm. I'll be teaching a member of the telescope interpreter staff on the use of the H-Alpha scope, and showing the public some solar

Sounds good. I'm going to try to get away at 2pm if I can. what type of H-alpha scope do you have? i've never been able to look through one, jst seen the photos. A PST has been really tempting to me.......

Astronomer and would be pleased if you would join us in our star parties and gatherings...once the weather breaks.

I'm going to try to get out there. but I do agree about waiting till the weather breaks...supposed to be nice and clae rthis evening, but only 3 degrees out here in the burbs!

[Alan]

The digital rebel comes with a rechargable canon battery - its very robust - it seems like I rarely have to charge it. Pictures are very sharp but wont stand up to my leica or hassy photos. For the money I've been pretty impressed with what it can do.

I just put the kids to bed - I had no idea it was so clear out - thanks for the tip boys - looks like I'm heading out!

Alan

[jglover]

Alan said:

The digital rebel comes with a rechargable canon battery - its very robust - it seems like I rarely have to charge it. Pictures are very sharp but wont stand up to my leica or hassy photos. For the money I've been pretty impressed with what it can do.

Well, with your Hassy you're kinda cheatin' there.......a 2 1/4 neg will just about blow away anything digital these days!

Nice to see though you;ve added astronomy to your hobbies......another money-pit just like photography! LOL At one point in time I have seven 35 mm bodies and 22 lenses....that's actually what financed my DSLR. Thank you eBay!

I just put the kids to bed - I had no idea it was so clear out - thanks for the tip boys - looks like I'm heading out!

Put on the long johns, I was tempted tonite but it was just too darned cold for me. Plus, I had to make a run to Jewel this evening as well so I did not want to put in the time to drag out the scope for only a few minutes while my eyeball froze to the eyepiece. ;D

[Alan]

John,

It was good to meet you down at the planetarium. Too bad there was no solar activity. Have fun with your new Hardin, and thanks again for all the great help and advice. Wishing you clear skies,

Go You Northwestern,

Alan

[jglover]

Alan,

Same here, hopefully we can get together again soon at the Adler. We were talking about options to store your gear. Here's what I use:

www.lowes.com/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=24981-000010203-VGC-5200

This tool box is exactly the same one Orion sells on their web site for about twice Lowe's price. It's very handy and very secure, and with the pluck foam interior it is completely customizeable. I keep my three Televues EP's, an Orion EZ Red Dot Finder, 1.25" diagonal, a Shorty Plus Barlow, a Telelvue 2.5x Powermate, two filters, and two Sirius Plossl in the pluck foam portion of the case. I've also got room for three standard compartments on the right hand side which hols my Celestron handbox, a Rigel quick Finer, Celestron redlight flashlight and a cigarette lighter adapter and power cord for my batterry. I'm probably going to add one more case to store my 9x50 finders and my WO diagonal.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

John,

That is a great looking case, and an even greater price! I'm always looking for a strudy carry alls.

Also, Could you please tell me that place you mentioned where you get your sd memory cards from? I just got this palm sized digital/video cam, and I would like more memory to install.

You certainly have many good source ideas, indeed an asset to the group.

Chicago Astronomers are not only smart...but thrifty!

[Al Degutis]

jglover said:

We were talking about options to store your gear. Here's what I use:

www.lowes.com/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=24981-000010203-VGC-5200

This tool box is exactly the same one Orion sells on their web site for about twice Lowe's price. It's very handy and very secure, and with the pluck foam interior it is completely customizeable.

It looks just like the one I bought at Menards last month for $15 (regularly $19). The dimensions seem pretty close. Mine came with a shoulder strap which is handy. I bought it because I needed one with more height for my JMI MicroFocuser. It is a nice case, so I second the recommendation, especially at the price

[jglover]

Chicago said:

That is a great looking case, and an even greater price! I'm always looking for a strudy carry alls.

It's a great case and well worth the money.

Also, Could you please tell me that place you mentioned where you get your sd memory cards from? I just got this palm sized digital/video cam, and I would like more memory to install.

www.newegg.com used to have about the best prices on flash memory cards. I've gotten SD cards, Smartmedia and Cf cards from them in the past, never had a problem. They also used to do Fedex shipping for like $3.00.