Jump to content

SkySurveyBanner.jpg.21855908fce40597655603b6c9af720d.jpg

laservet

Members
  • Posts

    57
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Reputation

118 Excellent

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Virginia, USA

Recent Profile Visitors

The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

  1. Some really nice scopes in this thread. As humorist Dave Barry said, "There is a fine dividing line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness.'"
  2. The guide scope is a pretty nice little scope. I was repeatedly asked to take an open spot in the 180 f7 production run (~$8K back in those days, a real steal), declined thinking I could get one from a later run. Next chance I had for a 180 f7 it was $35K used and way outside my range. I've touched a 206 EDF...
  3. Family picture. L to R -->Zeiss 5x10 MIniQuick, A-P 80mm f11 guide scope (nice little achromat), A-P 92mm f4.9 Stowaway, A-P 92mm f6.6 Stowaway, A-P 105mm f5.8 Traveler, A-P 130mm f6 EDF, A-P 130mm f6.3 EDFGT, A-P 155mm f7 EDFS, A-P 175mm f8 EDF, A-P 254mm f14.6 Mak-Cass.
  4. It's the face of a Mexican axolotl, a patient of mine brought to the clinic because it was having difficulty swallowing.
  5. When I was observing with my 155 at a local soccer field a police car rolled up next to me at 2 AM. He told me someone at one of the neighboring houses reported me setting up a missile launcher. He scared the fool out of me, I was sitting in my observing chair and had dozed off and didn't hear or see the police car pull up next to me on the field, and when he hit his lights and siren I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I showed him Saturn and the moon through the scope and after that when he saw me out in the field at night he'd cut off his lights and drive up to observe for a few minutes with me. I now make a habit of calling the local police, telling them where I'm going to be set up, and inviting them to stop by and observe. One officer during the summer brings her children to observe for a bit after her shift ends at midnight. One night I was observing at a local golf resort, on a bluff overlooking the James River giving me a clear unobstructed view to the south over the water. Before I left that evening I told my wife I had a great hobby, I could leave at 8 PM, get back at 8 AM, no spousal questions asked. She laughed, said she wasn't worried, and told me to look in the mirror. I did, and laughed at my reflection in my layered winter observing clothes, all different colors, a black eye patch, and a headband holding a red flashlight. So I was observing, needed something from my car, and walked out of the woods to the parking lot where there were a couple dozen young women in formal gowns, some sort of debutante thing at the resort I guess. I smiled, said, "Good evening, ladies," got what I needed out of the car and went back to observe. I checked my watch and four minutes later an officer (same woman who brings her kids) came up behind me and said, "Oh, it's you! We had the strangest 911 call about a crazy man." The next time I went to my car I found the debutantes had moved their cars so they wouldn't even be parked near me. :-) Another time I was observing in the soccer field and a dozen teenage boys came up out of the dark. I'm used to crowds at the scope since our NASA-Langley astronomy club is all about outreach, but I could tell this time was different and something ugly was afoot. I didn't pick up my phone, just reached down and touched the redial button and about 60 seconds later a police car rolled up (they were my last call) and the teenagers scattered. Not sure what their plans were but I was relieved that the police interfered.
  6. Astro-Physics 175 EDF on a 900 GTO mount.
  7. Thanks, found the button, looks like an eraser. I was posting from my cell phone in an airport, lesson learned.
  8. Not sure why my post came out with reversed color font, looks ridiculous. Sorry!
  9. Leica 8x20 BA Leica 8x20 Ultravid Leica 10x32 BA Leica 8+12x42 Duovid Leica 8x50BA Zeiss 7x42 FL Zeiss 15x60 B/GA T* Celestron Regal LX 8x42 Eagle Optics 10x50 Canon 10x42L IS Although I have owned larger binos in the past, I find, for me at least, that if I need to drag out my parallelogram binocular mount to hold a large binocular, I'd rather set up a telescope and use the binoviewer for its flexibility in magnification. The Canons have been a deal changer for me, nice Canon L glass and with the IS I definitely see more detail than more expensive glass hand held.
  10. I have them stored by focal length increasing from front to back. I can reach in and pick out what I need without looking.
  11. 1 1/4" eyepieces for binoviewer in 1550: 2" eyepieces in 1550: Orthos for binoviewer in smaller Pelican, a 1400 IIRC: Binoviewer in a 1300 (IIRC): I'm figuring out how to post here, sorry for being a slow learner!
  12. Not sure how to edit my previous post so will add here. I've tried putting all my eyepieces in one very large case but it wound up being too heavy for this old man trying to avoid surgery for a herniated disc. The Pelican 1550's are a comfortable carry for me. However, they aren't deep enough to hold all of the Ethos line upright in the case, one of the Ethos is just a little too tall. The 1560 would be tall enough to hold the tallest Ethos. Storm cases, now owned by Pelican, are lighter, have easier to open latches, but aren't as sturdy.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.