Space Forum / Amateur Astronomy / November 2004

TeleVue has more or less been the only ones
using this for apos, with the other makers
doing only full size lenses and no sub-diameter
lenses.  I think the only competition with the

Anyone got a clue if I can install the CG5-GT motors (and covers) on a Vixen
GP?
The mounts are nearly identical, so I figure I should be able.
Thanks,

Nice clear skies here so tried hunting down DSOs (towards the
North to avoid the Moon).  Few minutes later low cloud starts rolling
in towards the North, so turns the scope around to the South.  Used
S&T's Interactive Sky Chart to re-plan observing.  Notice Saturn

The time is ripe for me to upgrade my 20 year old, short eye-relief
20x80s in favor of more powerful, larger aperture binoculars with
longer eye-relief.
Orion has a good price on a pair they're unable to deliver yet.

Eye give up, I just can't seem to see a thing. You'd almost think they
forgot to put a primary mirror in the darned scope and put the finder on
backwards too.
http://www.philharrington.net/doral.gif

Does anyone know of a way to tell if an objective has been polished
well by say looking at a bright star?

I recently purchased an Orion XT8 Dobsonian Reflector which came with
a copy of Orion's very impressive The Sky software.
Being relatively new to astronomy I was having difficulty navigating
my way around the sky using the traditional star hopping technique so

At what magnification should I be able to see the platerlets with
an 80mm F 7.5 refractor?

Just seen excellent first time telescope buyers advice on this on the MSNBC
web-site.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6590620/
Good to see this in the main-stream media.

I have discoverd that the Celestron ED80 is not a good buy. The focuser
is too short a travel to allow prime focus photography unless you can get a
longer 1.25" adapter. It is off by about 1"!  Also you always have to use
the 45 deg. diagonal to get focus.

Starry Night Enthusiast is showing Comet Machholtz as a very prominent night
sky object with a dramatic tail.  I couldn't even find the thing last night
under seeing of 7/10.  Tonight looks like a 9/10 maybe a 10!  Assuming power
of 100 in my MK-67 (6" Mak), what can I expect to ...

How about the spot diagrams for the TMB 100mm f8 posted on the
TMB apo group?  It looks like this scope could be a kind of
benchmark since it keeps the colours just inside the airy disk?
Before any other apo makers freak out, I figured this scope

We're looking at both the Orion Star Blast and the Orion XT6.
As to criteria that led us to these two units: We've ruled out terrestrial
use, as for most things, binoculars will suffice. We desire portability. We
want something that won't be a disappointment, or end up being so ...

I just now got the Celestial Wonders 2005 Calendar from Sky & Telescope and
it is a BAD A** calendar!. The pics are awesome but what I am really
drooling over is all the celestial information. I am the Outreach Director
for the SVAS and this is exactly what I needed!  I had no clue ...

There has been alot of talk about the
William Optics 66mm refractor coming out.
It's price is low, around $300, build quality
no doubt high, it's some kind of ED (I won't