Remember me? I'm back!

[Soldant]

Hey guys, do any of you remember me? Maybe the word "Optisan" will jog your memory. After being incredibly busy with lots of different things... I'm still incredibly busy, but I've come back to finish off the story of the Optisan.

For some who don't know what I'm talking about, search for Optisan on this forum. It's a chilling tale of lots of stuff, and was rated as a pretty good read for its time. But for those of us who don't have the patience to sit through something that long (and being honest, my attention span isn't exactly long) the story basically turns out with me tearing the tripod apart for use as a binocular mount. That mount is currently stacked under a lot of stuff while we finish building the extension to our house (a second storey, how exciting!), so I can't get to it anymore though I'd really, really like to pull it out. Just without a torrent of stuff crushing me.

Anyway recently I became the owner of an ETX-70AT scope that I got cheaply from a friend. I'm happy with it (mostly because I knew exactly what I could expect to see with it, and after the Optisan I think I'd be happy with a coke bottle on a stick) and I'm happy that I have a reason to sit there out in the feezing cold that doesn't include a wobbly tripod mount hack for my binoculars (which didn't really work anway, though it served its purpose till now).

Now, to actually get to the point, I have some questions.


Firstly, I seem to remember somebody having an ETX-70AT as well, but I can't remember if that was here or somewhere else. My question is about power. I have a rather large collection of NiMH AA batteries (six of which I used tonight, but in typical New Scope Syndrome fashion, clouds rolled in) as well as two chargers. I have no idea why I have these, I just happen to like them I guess. I've read that the ETX chews up batteries quickly, but I don't know if they were talking about NiMH rechargables or stock standard batteries. I was out there for a decent amount of time tonight and they didn't go flat, but then again I wasn't out there for as long as I usually am. If it doesn't chew through NiMH batteries too quickly, I'm going to buy six of them especially for the scope to use (so I don't get confused or use them in other devices, where I'm likely to never find them again until they go flat), but if the ETX has a tendancy to eat them like popcorn, I may as well go and buy an adapter and wire it up. I don't particularly want to do this since it'd mean running extension cables from the nearest socket to the scope, but if I'm not going to get a decent look on NiMH then I may as well do it. Any comments, and if it's better to wire up an adapter, any specifics? I know it's 9 volt, but what about amps? And does it have to be regulated?

Second question: the manual says to align it with "north" when doing 2 star alignment. I've seen some people say "north" and others saying "true north". The manual just says "north". Which is it, and more importantly, what's the real difference between true north and north?

Third question: Anyone got any suitable suggetions for accessories? Currently I've got the two stock standard 9mm and 25mm MA eyepieces that come with the ETX-70AT, and I'm building my own tripod since I've heard the stock Meade one is flimsy and prone to breaking. I was thinking of buying some sort of fliter. Is it worth it with the ETX? If I was going to buy just one, which one should it be? Any price approximations? I like viewing the brighter DSOs (my skies aren't exceptionally dark).

Uh... there was something else I was going to ask, but I can't actually remember it right now. Blame the exam I've got tomorrow which I haven't really figured out yet. Anyway thanks for taking the time listening to me ramble on again... for the third time.

Oh and if anyone's wondering what happened to the rest of the Optisan: it still exists... sort of ;)

[Dennis]

Welcome back!

True North is north as per the axis of rotation, around which the Earth appears to revolve. This is the important one for polar alignment.

Magnetic North is where a magnetic compass points and this varies significantly for different geographic locations, and from year to year.

From Brisbane, you subtract the magnetic deviation, which I believe is approx 11 deg, from 360 deg, giving you 349 deg.

If you then make sure the magnetic pointer or arrow of the compass is at pointing at 349 degrees, then True North should lie at the 360 degree mark on your compass, assuming you have one that has a rotating bezel.

Cheers

Dennis

[h0ughy]

your nuts, but get yourself a 17amp hour supercheap battery pack! those mount do eat batteries easily

[ballaratdragons]

Hi Soldier Ant.

I remember you :thumbsup:

[Soldant]

Hey guys, thanks for feedback :)

New scope syndrome sucks, about the exact same time every night clouds roll in and it starts raining. Then when I check to see if they've cleared, they roll in again. It's a conspiracy.

Thanks for the info Dennis, looks like I'll have to acquire one of these compasses. I know where one is but I think due to general disuse or possibly somebody breaking it, it no longer rotates. Which is a pity, it was a good one too.

h0ughy: As soon as exams are over I'll go take a look. I hate uni exams :(

ballaratdragons: I remember you too :)

Any suggestions for accessories?

[ving]

hi soldant :) going from 150mm down to 70mm must take a bit of adjusting!
welcome back :)

[iceman]

Welcome back mate!

You'll get aperture fever in no time!

[fringe_dweller]

:hi: :welcome: back soldant - have fun with your new toy mate
hope you find answers to your questions :)

[rmcpb]

Pretty unique this bloke, not many people get reverse aperture fever.

Welcome back and good luck with the exams. As for the batteries, get a powerpack like houghy said. As for the accessories, forget them for now and just get to know your scope, how to power it, how to align it and how to look through it. THEN start thinking about accessories.

[Soldant]

Hehe, I suppose it does look really strange, someone owning a 150mm and suddenly dumping it for a 70mm. But there's actually a method to the madness (believe it or not) though I'm sure the dob owners will come over, chain me to a wall and try to smack some sense into me to go out and buy a dob :)

The story (in a short, condensed form) revolves around my old Optisan 150mm newtonian reflector that my parents bought (I can't really blame them, they didn't know what they were talking about) as a Christmas gift from a camera store staffed by a charasmatic shark for $600(!). The same telescope, albeit with slightly different branding (Optrons or something) went on eBay for $100. There were a lot of problems with the scope, it having a spherical mirror and incorporating a corrector lense, as well as a thick spider for the secondary mirror (which incidentally had a large and noticable chip in it), and the less said about the mount (which I've since broken and partially salvaged) and the finderscope (one word: plastic) the better. It frustrated me to no end, and then my Dad got the brilliant idea to clean the mirror with metho(?!) or something, turning it a coppery tinge. Interesting effect but after that (and arguing with the guy at the shop, who claimed that ONE company made the mirrors for ALL telescopes, even implicating Meade in this worldwide conspiracy) and asking for help on these forums (which were, and still remain the mose helpful place so far) I surrendered and fell back on my 10x50 binoculars for a while, which I was happy with since I didn't have a lot of time for observing at that point.

Further information? Want to read the entire epic saga?
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=3304&page=1&pp=20
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=6291

The Optisan EQ part of the mount is lying rusting, like it should after proving that four bits of string and couple of washers would be more use. The tripod is serving as a binocular mount, but when I find it I'm going to use it as a mount for the ETX (since the tripod is still relatively sturdy, but the EQ controls were very, very poor). The optical tube is... um... actually I have no idea where it is. It's still complete, I haven't actually removed anything from it and I never really BROKE anything (unless you count the primary mirror turning a shade of copper as "broken") but I have no use for it. I think I might have broken the finderscope... though you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference anyway, considering how incredibly bad it was (it actually IMPARIED vision).

Anyway I've always liked the ETX line of telescopes (I think there's an article on this site about a certain charm watching the "cutest telescope" slewing around finding objects... it's true ya'know) and recently an ETX-70AT as new came up cheap... and since I made a bundle from a tax return I decided I'd get one. Since I already knew exactly what to expect from it (being only 70mm and short tube and all) I wasn't disappointed by it, and I just had a great time (though very, very cold time) outside tonight playing around with it, since the clouds stayed away.

And uh yeah... that's why Cheese is usually yellow. Or more specifically why I've come from a 150mm to a 70mm with a tiny bit of method to the madness :screwy:

[ballaratdragons]

Hey Soldier Ant,

It was fun reading about the Saga of the Optijunk way back when.

Stepping 'down' from a 150mm Optisick to a 70mm ETX is an improvement!

What you have lost in apature you have gained in quality. The ETX will slaughter the Opticrap.

Good move.

[Soldant]

It already has :). I could actually pick out the cloud bands on Jupiter last night. The Optisan showed a large blob at the best of times, and I can't even describe exactly what I was looking at when it was really messed up.

It sure is an improvement :)