9.25 Celestron

[labdude]

Hi William and all,
Time for fun.
Consider going to Astromart and forking over the 12 bucks. It will be very worth while in gaining info on scopes and there portability. There are a lot of very helpful people there. A portable alternative to a SCT would be a dob with an Argo Navis system on it. Just like a SCT with goto function, only it is a pushto system. Thing being that you can get possibly more aperature for your buck, and that extra size is easier to transport and set up than a same size SCT.
Orion has some nice XTI scopes from 8 to 12 inches. They are a pushto system, with a large data base.
There is also the high end dob area, like Jay has. Obsession. (smokers)
Take a look in the gallery pictures, he has his scope pictured there. My scope shed is there as well. Fun stuff!!
Astromart charges 12 bucks to "join up" as it were. They do this as a safety method for people on the site as there is "a lot" of buying and selling done there for scopes and cameras. Birding goodies as well.
Astromart is not so interested in the 12 bucks, it gives them a credit card number that they can turn over to the proper authorities if someone does you wrong. This and other things that go on there make it probably the most secure site for purchaseing items. Not just astro stuf, but mostly astro stuff is exchanged there. Not to mention the forums on a large assorment of topics.
My 10" SCT on board electronics just died. Now I will probably be scraping it and investing the bucks from it into Argo Navis and Servo Cat equipment making it as functional as my SCT and more dependable ans easily fixable, compared to the SCT.
Mike.

[labdude]

Cade,
Your wife likes scopes. You could get her a really nice one for a song. I know you have a lot of light at night where you live. You can cut through some of it with a 10 or 12 inch DOB.
YOU WOULD BE A HERO FOR SURE!!
Check out orion.com or celestron.com.
Mike.

[Denturist]

Great info Mike, thanks ... I will check them out.

[labdude]

I thought you said you never left Oregon???

[Denturist]

in the old days I used to take a trip and never leave the farm.....LOL

[Denturist]

Hey Mike have you seen this site.......
Four Online Telescopes Serve the Stars to Interstellar Paparazzi

[labdude]

I have heard of the Slooh place.
Never saw the others. Those things look like fun to me.
Time is so tight most times, and I've got a couple of scopes, so I just fiddle around on my own.
They would be cool for astro photography I'm sure. Maybe someday I'll try one out.
mike.

[JEmirzian]

Mike,
Servo Cat makes a junior version that is a bit less expencive. But I can't see why you don't want to just call MEADE for some replacement parts. You might be able to post a wanted ad for a scope for parts. Between the cost of Argo Navis and the Servo Cat you could probably replace your scope with a new one.
I had a 9.25 and loved it. Properly collimated it is a planet killer. But it needs few upgrades first. That scope was actually developed for the military and Celestron still has the rights to sell it. Give me a call we can talk about some options!!

Jay

PS I wll answer Emirzian Dental Lab....Dave told me you got em good!!! LOL

[labdude]

I can here it now....AAMirzan dental hayuh...Jay spaking.
How many sylabbllless in there?
I don't know your number and am to lazy to look for it. If it ain't here anyhow. I found whats his names number here, he put his web site in his profile.
Call me. O.K.? 888-996-0522.
I gave these guys a hard time cuz of how they answered. Me.... your lucky I pick up the phone.(not really)
Sometimes I say "Mckenzie Ortho" sometimes other stuff. Caller id doesn't look like sombody I know, then the fun starts.
Mike.

[RetainerDesigner]

Im otta my league here, and a little slow
But have you guys seen this?

Google Sky

I've been having fun with it


Cade

[Denturist]

Google does it again...... very cool site.......

[Denturist]

Hey Mike.....
I went up to Sean's last weekend and came home with a Meade LX 200 8" scope.

[Brian8]

Cool site.

Brian

[labdude]

Google sky is very informative.
Try this one.....Cartes Du Ciel. It has a free down load that you can really mess with. I use to google site to play. I use Cartes download as it hooks into my telescope and drives it to objects. I have 3 programs thatwill control my 10" scope. One is from Astro Physics, a telescope maker. It actually talks to you real time, and you talk to it using a microphone, spacy wierd fun for when someone visits. Talk to your scope and it moves around.
Cade your wife needs a scope!!

[labdude]

Hi William,
You get the one they had online!! Cool scope. You getting any work done???
You gonna bring it down here??? Does it have a carry case and stuff??
Mike.

[Denturist]

yeah it was on his site, yeah.. still getting work done LOL, I won't be bringing it with me too much other stuff to deal with when we come down there. as to the carry case it is the Mead shipping case, but that works just fine.
Not a lot of extras, 3 eye pieces and a 12 volt power adapter to run from the car, thinking about some of the star parties this summer for our getaways.
anyway see ya next week sometime, I'l give you a call to touch base before we show up.

[JEmirzian]

Thats a great scope.....send me your address and I'll send you a little tool you can use for collimating your secondary mirror. Your image will only be as sharp as your collimation. JEmirzian@aol.com

Jay

[Denturist]

Thanks again Jay.
Here is some pretty cool freeware you might want to take a look at....
Where is M13?

Also this one may be of use....
Dark Adapted

[JEmirzian]

M-13 is in the outer edge of the keystone of Hercules.......

Thanks for the links!!!!

[labdude]

Jay your so darned technical!!
It's a web site, "Where is m13".
Everybody knows the cluster M13 is up in the air someplace. All you got to do is get your goto to find it.