[AZ-Observing] Re: Mare Orientale quite easy this morning
- From: Jeff Hopkins <phxjeff@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2003 15:05:21 -0700
>Jeff;
>
>I did not plan anything, I literally fell asleep in the couch and just woke
>up at 4:50 AM. Just lucky. However, I had read about Mare Orientale before
>and had built the observatory and had the filter so I was ready, I guess
>that is better than "lucky".
>
>Which refractor do you have? Is it the same one you had at the Science
>Center? I am considering the Meade LXD55 for a future purchase. Looking
>for an easy to setup and use scope that I can also piggyback my 200mm lens
>for wide angle astrophotography.
>
>Clear Skies to us all;
>Steve Coe
Steve,
I took my Celestron 4" refractor to the Science Center Star party.
That's a very nice telescope and great for planets and lunar
observing, Not too good for deep sky objects, however. But it's
pretty portable and easy to set up.
My 6" refractor is a Meade LXD55. I don't use the auto find mode
(anyone who needs that to find the moon or Mars or Jupiter or Saturn
is in the wrong hobby), but the slewing and fine movement control
works great (9 different speeds for each axis). It's a bit big to
haul around, but possible. I really like the 6" and for the price
it's hard to beat. I do wish it were a bit longer focal length, but
f8 isn't too bad. Adding a camera mount would be very easy and there
are ample weights to adjust for it. Earlier I was disappointed at the
views of Mars, but it seems it was the sky not the telescope as now
with Mars retreating, the views seems to just get better (due to the
fall sky).
The observatory I built for the 6" is just an 8' X 8' wooden
structure with a roll off roof. The walls are 90" high to block my
neighbors and street lights. It provide a good view from about 30
degrees above the east horizon to 30 degrees west about the same
north and south. I have moveable small platform and adjustable stool
so I can observe in comfort. The mount is a 2" steel pipe set in
concrete and surrounded by 8" square cinder blocks filled with
concrete. If you grab it while observing at high power it jiggles a
lot, but dampens out in under 2 seconds so not bad.
I'm planning on getting up before dawn tomorrow and giving the moon a shot.
Jeff
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Jeff Hopkins
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