snake valley is west of ballarat where ken lives i assume. end of october 28th ish thru to the 1st november. i am coming over on the boat to learn about collimation and look thru other guys scopes and review eyepieces. not sure where in sa you are, but if any of you guys from sa can make the trip for a 3 or 4 days, it would be great.
BTW Ving. After thinking about it, I'm not sure how to do a 'review' on that neb filter. I can't compare it to another brand not having used one before. I can't even really elaborate on what I've already said about it in my first post. All I know is it does seem to make looking at some DSOs better, so I guess it is doing something? I guess I'll tell you later if I think it was worth the dosh to make a few DSOs better to look at? I look at it this way: better to pay just over 100 bucks than pay twice the amount for a filter that does a similar job.
If it makes the orion nebula look any more spectacular than what it already is, I'll count it as that money well spent!!
David, Didn't you get this other link some time ago? http://skyandtelescope.com/printable...rticle_790.asp
Someone was asking about collimation again, so I posted it again.
We definitely need a sub forum on collimation, Mike, with ALL the available links broken down for Reflectors, Refractors & SCT's.......
Will save a lot of time... etc.... L.
Most newbies are totally over-come with the amount of mind-boggling articles & opinions on how to collimate. It took me years to weed through the bull & highly technical info out there, only to find out collimation is essentially easy to do.
We definately could do with a sub-forum in this department!
asimov, can you give more details on the motor/controller you have perked my intrest.
I have recently been offered a great deal on a NGC-max DSC plus encoders. However i would like to add tracking motors to my 10" dob.
Being basically brain-dead in the electronics department, I can tell you only this: The stepper is from a really old electronic typewriter. A step-syn 6V 1.2A 1.8 deg/step by sanyo denki.
The controller was built using this curcuit in the pic. Thanks to Laurie for supplying the curcuit diagram.
Not sure if it will be suitable yet, the motor takes rather big steps. But we'll see what happens after I fit it.
Davo, If money's tight (or even if it's not) get a set of GS Ploessls (9, 15 & 25mm) + 1.25" barlow for under $170 from Andrews or maybe AOE. If later you decided to upgrade, I'd bet you could honestly resell the lot second hand for 80+% new price.
I borrowed a 14mm version of that ED series of EP from Andrews for a review, about 3-4 months ago. It (the review) is still sitting on my disk at home here (in random thoughts/observations). I should compile it properly and post it up.
In general, my review wasn't as praising as yours. Could have something to do with mine being @ f/5. I compared it to my 15mm GSO plossl, and I concluded that my plossl represented better value (at the time, the ED was being priced at $129 or something).
I'll hunt it down and try and get it on the site.
John, when you get time to do the review in your f/5 you can write them both up in the one document with pictures if you like, and i'll post it up on the site.
Thanks Mike. Yes, I remember you telling me awhile back when I asked about the EDs that they were...a bit crappy. I wonder if theres a difference between the ED you borrowed to the ED-2 that I have? I wonder if mines a "later model" ....Probably the same I'd say..I have been told the long FL ED-2 (including the 14mm) have considerable kidney beaning & blackouts. The 9.5mm & shorter are supposed to be ok in this respect.
BTW it's not time stopping me doing the F5 review, it's the rotten weather! Rain has set in for about a week.
I actaully have a 5mm version of this but mine is a Celestron X-Cel ED2. The ep is surprisingly sharp in my f/5 scopes ( I have three Very little if any edge distortion. And like you I think contrast is also very good in the ep. But on bright objects there is a slight off axis flare but it does not really affect the views. I say it is a very good buy for the price although I am now trying to get my hands on some Orion Stratus ep's
Well I received my TV plossl 20mm today, & got to test it in between showers with the refractor, only because It's quicker to pull down & get it out of the rain if necessary.
First impression out of the box was it's a fine looking EP. Nice build quality & the best element coatings I've ever seen on any EP. A lovely deep green.
A quick look at jupiter revealed A very nice view. Not enough magnification to see much detail obviously, but none the less a nice view! Seeing the pesky moon is out, I can't do a decent evaluation on any DSOs Naturally. Had a quick glance at omega centauri. Not a good view. (moon )
I don't think this is a far comparison test (or is it??) But I pitted the TV barlowed, against the ED-2 Giving me close to identical magnification.
I need opinions on weather or not this would by a fair "shoot-out" before giving the results...
BTW I reviewed the ED-2 again tonite, thinking perhaps I may have 'favored' the EP in my original documented review above because it was a 'new toy'.
After careful consideration, I'm sticking with my original review....It's pretty well the facts as I saw them. Definitely a keeper for the F8 if not for the F5.
Hi Darren. I have not seen any flare in the 9.5mm What about kidney beaning, any sign of that in the 5mm? It's also VERY interesting you say their ok @ F5!
....Probably the same I'd say..I have been told the long FL ED-2 (including the 14mm) have considerable kidney beaning & blackouts. The 9.5mm & shorter are supposed to be ok in this respect.
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