It will rain in Connecticut tonight!

[wavelandscott]

Hi All,

I am predicting a big rain in Connecticut for the next several days...I just bought another telescope.

I found an Obsession (15 inch) with Argo Navis and Servo-cat for sale about an hour from my new house and I could not resist.

Famous last words...this will be the last telescope that I buy...I am now reduced to ionly buying eyepieces and other bits.

This will be the largest telescope that I ever own, at 15 inches I can just stand on my own two feet when it is pointed at zenith and peer into the eyepiece. I have no desire to climb a ladder.

Since getting back to the USA I have been on a telescope buying spree...Ain't it grand!

[erick]

You lucky devil! Green with envy, are we!

[jjjnettie]

The last telescope you'll buy?
Famous last words indeed.:lol:
Congratulations on your new purchase. I'm sure that once the clouds clear, you're going to love it.:)

[astroron]

Scott it's only an inch smaller than mine:P
I hope you get plenty of use out of it:)
I am jealous of the Servo-Cat:whistle::thumbsup:

[RB]

Congrats on the new purchase Scott !!!

Now we expect to see you at the pony club on the 30th for first light. :whistle:

[h0ughy]

so where are the happy snaps of you embracing the scope

[scopemankit]

Nice buy. of course the other name for a telescope is "Cloud Bait"!!

[wavelandscott]

I'd love to...however, I don't think I can drive there in a time, even if I leave now.

[wavelandscott]

I will try and try and get that done over the weekend if weather allows. It will aslo be a challenge to see if I can put it all back together!!!

As I have been on a scope buying spree lately, I figured I'd better spend a few minutes with my wife and kids instead of my new toy. I'm afraid my wife is the jealous type...

[wavelandscott]

Still raining and cloud covered...looks like it will stay that way for a while...

[h0ughy]

Just don’t put the shroud over it so it looks like a dress :rofl: - that’s a dead giveaway for poisoned coffee for brekkie the next day :scared:, or waking with a sharp pain to the chest or other extremities :whistle:, but sleeping with one eye open will keep you in practice for using the scope :rofl:

LOL maybe you could get away with the scope dressed up as your wife and then add covers on the eyepieces and call that the kids and say that your spending time with the family that way :help: :rofl:

of course on a more serious note, please follow these directions


Ridgefield, CT, USA

1. Head north on CT-33/CT-35/Main St toward Branchville Rd/CT-102
Continue to follow CT-35 3.9 mi
2. Turn left at CT-35/Danbury Rd/US-7
Continue to follow US-7 4.3 mi
3. Take the exit onto I-84 W toward NY State
Passing through New York
Entering Pennsylvania 125 mi
4. Take the exit onto I-380 N/I-84 W toward I-81/Scranton/I-380 3.9 mi
5. Take the I-81/Robert P Casey Hwy exit on the left toward Wilkes-Barre 0.6 mi
6. Merge onto Robert P Casey Hwy 0.7 mi
7. Merge onto I-81 S 35.0 mi
8. Take exit 151B to merge onto I-80 W toward BLOOMSBURG
Entering Ohio 272 mi
9. Take the exit onto I-80 W toward Cleveland 4.5 mi
10. Take the exit onto I-80 W toward Cleveland
Partial toll road
Entering Indiana 354 mi
11. Continue on I-90 W (signs for I-90/Chicago)
Partial toll road
Passing through Illinois
Entering Wisconsin 271 mi
12. Continue on I-94 W (signs for Eau Claire/I-94/St Paul)
Entering Minnesota 156 mi
13. Take the I-494 exit 0.3 mi
14. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for I-694 and merge onto I-694 W 30.2 mi
15. Continue on I-94 W (signs for St Cloud/I-94)
Passing through North Dakota
Entering Montana 818 mi
16. Merge onto I-90 W
Passing through Idaho
Entering Washington 815 mi
17. Take the exit onto I-405 N toward Everett/Bellevue 3.6 mi
18. Take the exit onto WA-520 W 6.0 mi
19. Take the Montlake Blvd exit 0.5 mi
20. Merge onto Montlake Blvd E/WA-513 0.3 mi
21. Turn left at NE Pacific St 0.7 mi
22. Continue on NE Northlake Way 0.2 mi
23. Turn left to stay on NE Northlake Way 1.0 mi
24. Kayak across the Pacific Ocean
Entering Hawaii 2,756 mi
25. Slight right at Turtle Bay Hilton 0.1 mi
26. Turn left at Kuilima Dr 0.5 mi
27. Turn right at HI-83/Kamehameha Hwy 10.5 mi
28. Continue on Joseph P Leong Hwy 1.9 mi
29. Slight right at HI-99/Kamehameha Hwy
Continue to follow Kamehameha Hwy 8.6 mi
30. Merge onto I-H2 S via the ramp to Honolulu 8.2 mi
31. Merge onto I-H1 E 4.5 mi
32. Take exit 13B to merge onto HI-78 E/I-H201 E 4.7 mi
33. Merge onto I-H1 E 3.8 mi
34. Take exit 23 for Punahou St 0.2 mi
35. Turn right at Punahou St 0.1 mi
36. Turn right at S Beretania St 0.1 mi
37. Turn left at Kalakaua Ave 1.9 mi
38. Kayak across the Pacific Ocean
Entering Japan 3,879 mi
39. Continue straight 0.3 mi
40. Turn right 184 ft
41. Turn left toward 県道263号線 0.2 mi
42. Turn left toward 県道263号線 0.2 mi
43. Turn right at 県道263号線 0.3 mi
44. Slight left to stay on 県道263号線 200 ft
45. Turn left to stay on 県道263号線 0.3 mi
46. Turn right at 国道125号線 0.4 mi
47. Turn left at 亀城公園北（交差点） onto 国道354号線 0.4 mi
48. Slight left at 千束町（交差点） to stay on 国道354号線 2.0 mi
49. Turn right at 中村陸橋下（交差点） to stay on 国道354号線 1.0 mi
50. Take the ramp to 常磐自動車道
Toll road 0.3 mi
51. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for 東京 and merge onto 常磐自動車道
Toll road 23.8 mi
52. Take exit 三郷ＪＣＴ toward 首都高・銀座・湾岸線
Toll road 0.7 mi
53. Merge onto 首都高速6号三郷線
Toll road 5.7 mi
54. Take exit 小菅ＪＣＴ toward 湾岸線・銀座
Toll road 0.4 mi
55. Merge onto 首都高速中央環状線
Toll road 0.4 mi
56. Take exit 堀切ＪＣＴ on the right toward 銀座・箱崎
Toll road 0.3 mi
57. Merge onto 首都高速6号向島線
Toll road 5.4 mi
58. Take exit 江戸橋ＪＣＴ toward 新宿・北池袋
Toll road 0.4 mi
59. Merge onto 首都高速都心環状線
Toll road 3.8 mi
60. Take exit 谷町ＪＣＴ on the right toward 東名・渋谷
Toll road 0.3 mi
61. Merge onto 首都高速3号渋谷線
Toll road 6.9 mi
62. At 首都高用賀, continue on 東名高速道路
Toll road 189 mi
63. Take exit 豊田ＪＣＴ toward 東海環状・伊勢湾岸道・豊田東出口・土岐ＪＣＴ・四日市・新名 神
Toll road 0.3 mi
64. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for 伊勢湾岸道・四日市・新名神 and merge onto 伊勢湾岸自動車道
Toll road 19.8 mi
65. Take the ramp onto 伊勢湾岸自動車道
Toll road 12.1 mi
66. Take exit 四日市ＪＣＴ toward 東名阪道・大阪・伊勢道
Toll road 0.6 mi
67. Merge onto 東名阪自動車道
Toll road 13.8 mi
68. Take exit 亀山ＪＣＴ toward 新名神・京都・大阪
Toll road 0.6 mi
69. Merge onto 新名神高速道路
Toll road 30.9 mi
70. Take exit 草津ＪＣＴ toward 草津ＰＡ・名神・京滋・京都・大阪
Toll road 0.2 mi
71. Take exit 草津ＰＡ on the right toward 名神
Toll road 0.5 mi
72. Merge onto 名神高速道路
Toll road 30.1 mi
73. Take exit 吹田ＪＣＴ toward 中国道・山陽道・宝塚・岡山
Toll road 1.1 mi
74. Merge onto 中国自動車道
Toll road 18.8 mi
75. Take exit 神戸ＪＣＴ toward 山陽道・岡山・徳島
Toll road 0.9 mi
76. Merge onto 山陽自動車道
Toll road 192 mi
77. Take exit 廿日市ＪＣＴ toward 山陽道・岩国・北九州
Toll road 0.7 mi
78. Merge onto 広島岩国道路
Toll road 7.4 mi
79. Take the ramp onto 山陽自動車道
Toll road 59.4 mi
80. Take exit 山口ＪＣＴ to merge onto 中国自動車道
Toll road 40.5 mi
81. At 高速下関ＩＣ, continue on 関門橋
Toll road 5.9 mi
82. At 門司ＩＣ, continue on 九州自動車道 (signs for 九州道・福岡・熊本)
Toll road 59.1 mi
83. Take exit 鳥栖ＪＣＴ toward 大分道・大分・長崎道・長崎・佐賀
Toll road 0.3 mi
84. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for 長崎道・長崎・佐賀 and merge onto 長崎自動車道
Toll road 75.0 mi
85. Take exit 高速長崎ＩＣ toward ながさき出島道路・（長崎市街）
Toll road 0.6 mi
86. Merge onto ながさき出島道路/国道324号バイパス
Toll road 1.8 mi
87. Take the ramp onto 出島海岸通り/国道499号線
Partial toll road 0.4 mi
88. Turn left at 玉江橋（交差点） 0.2 mi
89. Turn left 482 ft
90. Turn left 404 ft
91. Take the 長崎~奈良尾~奈留島~福江 ferry
Toll road 60.8 mi
92. Continue straight 0.2 mi
93. Turn right toward 国道384号線 0.3 mi
94. Turn left at 東浜町（交差点） onto 国道384号線 1.3 mi
95. Slight left at 馬責馬場（交差点） onto 県道27号線 7.0 mi
96. Turn left at 県道31号線 0.4 mi
97. Continue on 県道164号線 4.7 mi
98. Turn left to stay on 県道164号線 0.2 mi
99. Slight left at 国道384号線 2.9 mi
100. Turn left 0.6 mi
101. Kayak across the Pacific Ocean
Entering Australia (Northern Territory) 3,358 mi
102. Turn right at Myilly Tce 0.2 mi
103. Turn left at Kahlin Ave 0.2 mi
104. Turn left at Gilruth Ave 1.1 mi
105. Turn right at Goyder Rd 0.2 mi
106. Turn left at Stuart Hwy 598 mi
107. Turn left at Barkly Hwy
Entering Queensland 395 mi
108. Turn left to stay on Barkly Hwy 74.8 mi
109. Continue on Flinders Hwy 9.1 mi
110. Turn right at Landsborough Hwy 207 mi
111. Turn left to stay on Landsborough Hwy
Go through 2 roundabouts 177 mi
112. Turn right to stay on Landsborough Hwy 257 mi
113. Slight left at Warrego Hwy 57.3 mi
114. Turn left to stay on Warrego Hwy 0.3 mi
115. Turn right at Alice St 0.8 mi
116. Continue on Mitchell St George Rd 126 mi
117. Turn left at Balonne Hwy 3.3 mi
118. Turn right at Carnarvon Hwy
Entering New South Wales 73.6 mi
119. Continue on George St 0.8 mi
120. Turn right at Yarouah St 0.8 mi
121. Continue on Carnarvon Hwy 42.0 mi
122. Carnarvon Hwy turns slightly right and becomes Railway Pde 20.1 mi
123. Continue on Boolooroo St 9.2 mi
124. Continue on Mungindi Rd 1.8 mi
125. Turn right at Newell Hwy
Go through 1 roundabout 62.8 mi
126. At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit and stay on Newell Hwy
Go through 1 roundabout 2.6 mi
127. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Kamilaroi Hwy 33.7 mi
128. Turn left to stay on Kamilaroi Hwy
Go through 2 roundabouts 83.1 mi
129. Turn right at New England Hwy
Go through 1 roundabout 52.8 mi
130. Turn left to stay on New England Hwy 29.4 mi
131. Turn right at Campbell St 0.2 mi
132. Turn left at John St 0.7 mi
133. Continue on Putty Rd 5.2 mi
134. Turn left at Broke Mount Thorley Rd 9.4 mi
135. Continue on Paynes Crossing Rd 18.4 mi
136. Continue on Great North Rd 4.0 mi
137. Turn left to stay on Great North Rd 10.5 mi
138. Continue on George Downes Dr 17.2 mi
139. Turn right at Wisemans Ferry Rd 2.8 mi
140. Turn right at Waratah Rd 236 ft

Mangrove Mountain NSW

[AdrianF]

When you get to Mitchell take the Warrego hwy to Roma (it's only an 80k) go straight ahead at KFC onto Northern Road right onto Miscamble St right into Nightingale and there I am.

Adrian

[wavelandscott]

Thanks for the directions...aside from the Kayaking, it might be doable!

[wavelandscott]

After that kind of road trip I am sorry but I won't likely make it past KFC!!!

[AdrianF]

If you stop at KFC you definately won't make it any further. I have only eaten there twice in the last 2 years and both times I couldn't venture more than a 100 meters from home.:whistle::help:

Adrian

[ausastronomer]

Hi Scott,

Great choice, you will really love it. I think a 14" to 15"/F4.5 is about the perfect size telescope. Easily transportable, no ladder or steps required and you can see a lot.

Does it have an OMI mirror and if so what is the mirror number. I will direct you to the mirror specs.

Cheers,
John B

[wavelandscott]

Thanks John, I thought you might approve!

I've attached the mirror stats. It will be interesting to see how it performs once the sky gets clear

While I have confidence that the mirror will be okay (better than okay but you know what I mean), I don't put a lot of stock in the data sheet...the proof will be in the way it works at night!

Now I'll just have to see what additions must be made to my eyepiece case...

[ausastronomer]

Hi Scott,

That mirror should be a cracker. Did the owner say why he was selling the scope after only one year? Irrespective, it's your win but I assume financial constraints.

Cheers,
John B

[PhilW]

My guess is the GFC. There is a flood of high-end stuff coming onto the secondary market (eg Astro-Physics refractors). Along with a lot of heavily discounted condos in Florida.. :whistle:

[wavelandscott]

We did talk a lot about the reason for the sale...basically, it did not match his viewing style. He had jumped up to this scope after having more modest and portable gear and thought he would enjoy going "deep".

However, the scope did not fit his "grab and go" interest very well. It was used sparingly but kept in superb condition...It was only used in his driveway and has never seen truly dark skies. He felt that he would be better served with a different scope. I agree!

I only hope that the clouds clear soon...so far this weekend does not look good either.

[wavelandscott]

The condos are still overpriced...but in terms of Astro gear, there are some good opportunities that might not come up again until an estate sale.