Dave In Vermont

Now that's a great miss-match! Looks similar to my extended and mostly miss-matched entourage. Well done! Dave

I have one and use it often in my 150mm SW Maksutov. Does an excellent job! Go ahead and 'pull-the-trigger.' The only issue is the same as all Zoom EP's of the 8mm - 24mm range, after about 20mm the F.O.V. drops-off rather dramatically. Some find this a problem. So just be aware - that is the 'nature-of-the-beast' and not to be an unexpected occurance. Have fun, Dave

I love those Vixen LV EP's! I wish I'd known back then what I do now - I'd have bought the whole fleet. As stands I only have 3 of them - 4mm, 9mm, & 15mm. They have certainly passed the test of time very well indeed. Enjoy - Dave

I wonder if this has been noted to Alex Wolf - of the Stellarium Developer's group. Who knows if it's already included? But no harm in sending him a 'heads' up' on this. Stellarium has a great many quasars noted as is. But I don't know if a 'quadruple-lensed' has been noted in it. Yet. Fascinated - Dave

Figure me out - if you dare! evaD

Your first Saturn is always etched in your mind and will never leave. I remember my first time in 1972 at age 12. Jupiter too. The only thing I'd change from these views would be to have a celebration with the best food & drink to go with. Make a whole day celebration! Dave

One little piece of advice about collimating a Newtonian - whatever type of mount matters not: If you are using any tools, Allen-wrench or such, do the deed with the telescope either level - or with it's nose (the front of the tube) pointing somewhat down. This is so when you drop the wrench or a bolt - it won't free-fall down the inside of the tube and strike the primary-mirror. Even dropping a little bolt down inside is no fun to retrieve. +1 for Bob's Knobs! They are also available for SCT's. Dave

Someplace around 5kg. from the original info-specs that came out in the beginning of it's arrival. Which is when I decided I wasn't interested personally. I'll be staying with my Vixen Porta II, thank you, Dave

Or anything will ever perceive! Wow! Thank you for the find, very cool indeed! Dave

That's why I have both - TeleVue® & GSO Plössls. And some older Vixen LV's from 2003 - excellent! And a whole battalion of others as well. Something for everyday of the week (or month). Variations are a spice of life! Dave

It's a personal choice. What is one willing to pay, and believe worth it, for a fractional improvement of the view? I have both. Dave

John - are Revelation Plössls not actually GSO's? I ask as GSO has been making some very nice optical gear lately. And from their prices - you'd not be likely to guess this. Many different outfits are using GSO equipment, but with their brand-names on them. This can be confusing to newcomers in the world of astronomy and the gear used by us people. My point to you, Edward, is that if you run across some nice looking, but quite inexpensive (compared to other things like TeleVue® Plössls for example) gear bearing the GSO brand - it's likely very good and you're looking at a true bargain. And this of course also is true for the branded GSO goods out there. As I think the Revelation's are. GSO is the abbreviation for Guan Sheng Optics located in Taiwan - the Republic of China. Have fun - Dave

The 'giant cat' didn't eat 'em. It was the nasty ol' terrapin! Dave - (hoping he has a full bottle, too!)

How abouts a "Polytetrahedron-Earth Society? As is: The Kresge Auditorium is an actual polytetrahedron. Owned by MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts - MIT is known to rent it out. We could lure our converts from the Flat-Earth Society there for a meeting.....And lock them all inside and leave (or something...)! Kresge Auditorium I'll go away now. Hold my calls... Dave

If you read garbage from the F.E.S. you risk sharing something in common with them - the need to wear the same uniforms: These dolts seem to be making huge social gains in this country (USA). I think it may be some new virus that escaped from someone's lab. Perhaps I'll write a letter to the newspaper here - and to my senators - proposing a funded study be conducted..... While I let this idea rattle about my mind - not unlike the brains of a flat-Earther stuffed-up a gnat's backsides - I'll let the following suffice... evaD

Oh no!! <wild shreiks in background!> I have 4 Crayfords! Oh - yes - and one to sell - Olly must DESPISE me! There! Got that outta my system! I hope your Moonlites' last their owners well for 100 more years and/or telescopes - which ever comes later. It's all about fun - Dave

This minor 'scuff' is harmless to the performance of the focuser. In other words - cosmetic only. Assuming it only appeared following use, not caused by being run over by a car or beaten with a steel-pipe! But it does seem this minor (in my opinion) quibble has taken on a life of it's own. Your confusion is well justified. Hope this helps - Dave

My GSO 10:1's aren't painted black - they're anodized - anodised in the UK - to create a thicker layer of oxide to prevent wear over time. Try this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodizing Anodizing can be done in most any colour, but why black? Likely to cut down on reflections, but this is a guess. You could try writing to Guan Sheng Optics and asking them. It's not a difficult process to anodize a hunk of aluminum. If you wanted to, it wouldn't be terribly costly or difficult to do it yourself. You'd just need some simple equipment like a good battery and a source for a few chemicals like Titanium Nitride if you wanted your GSO to be shiny golden like a Moonlite. Hope this helps - Dave

The Crayford 10:1Dual-Focus 'branded' Skywatcher is, in fact, a GSO. Nice isn't it, Dave? Indeed it does support a camera - and more I've found. These also are a breeze to rotate as desired, as well as to bolt in place to prevent rotation or slippage. What's not to love?! I thought my outfitting my Skywatcher-branded ST80*with a GSO Dual-Focus Crayford was pretty outlandish - cost-wise. But I must admit I never even considered giving it a Moonlite instead! To use an American closing: "Let's not - but say we did!" Dave * I have both a Skywatcher-branded blue-tube ST80, as well as the Orion-branded ST80. Orion-USA got ahold of these a few years ago, but they were originally branded 'Skywatcher' when they first became available in the US.

Joe: One shop here in the States used to print a notice to this effect in their ads for the GSO focusers. So I guess from this that they can. But I've never seen this phenomena with any of the 4 I have. So I'd surmise that some production-runs do, or have, exhibited this behavior. This appears to be harmless to the efficacy of the focuser to produce the intended results: Super-sharp focusing. I suppose if I'd shelled out 3 times the price of a GSO for a shiny* gold finish, and a smudge were to appear on the drawtube, I'd be rather upset about this. This is the first time of heard about this happening with the Moonlite ones. Thanks for the information. Does this happen frequently with these - if you know? Dave * - The gold-finish is actually Titanium Nitride (TiN), not gold. For further information on this stuff: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium_nitride

I have Crayford 10:1 Dual Focus units made by GSO in Taiwan on 4 of my telescopes. These cost just about 1/3rd the price of a Moonlite and - though these don't come in some pretty golden colour - they work the same way. I really don't see how people can shell out the £££'s when you can have a 10:1 Crayford that focuses 'scalpel-sharp' in basic-black. To the original question in this thread, my guess for a reason hinges on having that "Bling!" that a golden-metallic colour is supposed to cause in the local star-parties the owners' bring their scope to. If they'd had the opportunity to try a GSO 10:1 Crayford before shelling out their cash on a Moonlite (or the other aforementioned brands), they likely would realize that there is really no way or purpose to improving on these. They work beautifully. But to each there own. I, persoally, would prefer to stick to the GSO models. The money I'd save could buy me something with an even better resolution and clarity - like a TeleVue® Nagler or such - or even a nice 'grab & go' telescope like an ST80. Speaking of Crayford 10:1 dual-focuser by GSO & ST80's..... Best Wishes - Dave

And this (your report) explains why I have laid out the money for 2 of these Meade LX90-LX200-series beasts! !2" though. A 14" would land me in traction from trying to heft those monsters! You may find some good info & improvements from here: http://www.petersonengineering.com/ There are shops local to you which carry these goodies. Peterson-Equipped, Dave

Very interesting unit - thank you for posting it. Me thinks I'll do a bit of hunting to see if it also live over here. Over & Out - Dave

Your Moon is excellent! Thank you for sharing this. And your processing is certainly paying off nicely. Keep on going! Dave

A good site for inspirations, anyone? Try this: https://bestdoubles.wordpress.com/ If you love stars, double-stars, and more - bookmark this outfit. Cosmic Jewels - Dave