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Date:         Mon, 2 May 2005 19:25:35 -0700
Reply-To:     BA <ande@SAN.RR.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         BA <ande@SAN.RR.COM>
Subject:      Re: Astronomy via Westy (aNVC)
Comments: To: Jeffrey Earl <jefferrata@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <20050502143152.97762.qmail@web14612.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Hi,

Here's some stuff ...

My (one of the earliest) Celestron NexStar does not have any manual-override. I found that to be a serious shortcoming. When I don't feel like hooking up the battery or listening to the motor, I can't use this one. If you buy any "goto" scope, I recommend holding out for manual operation ability..

I have trouble thinking of any 8" scope as "compact". Even my NexStar, which is a 5", hardly qualifies as "compact". I have a Meade ETX 90 RA (approx. 3.5" - mine's not a "goto" but Meade does have a "goto" in that size) is my "compact" scope.

You decrease size/weight, but also decrease light-gathering when you get a smaller scope. It's a trade-off

If your scope will be doing a lot of traveling, you'll be needing to collimate (adjust the alignment) more often than usual. So whatever you buy, make sure collimation isn't a PITA.

Do lots of research before you buy. Better yet, find a local astronomy club and go to one of their "open" nights ... you can see lots of different scopes in real-life use (and get lots of different opinions about your own situation).

B(&S) '87 Westy 'Esmerelda Blanc' SoCal

On Mon, 02 May 2005 07:31:52 -0700, you wrote:

>I know the almighty list counts a few amateur >astronomers among our ranks, so I'm seeking any advice >you can offer. > >My wife and Westy traveling partner has recently >gotten the astronomy bug, and is interested in a good >quality telescope suitable for viewing, and perhaps >eventually photographing, planets and other heavenly >bodies. > >We'd like something relatively compact enough to fit >in the Westy for weekends spent camping and stargazing >in the north woods, so she's presently leaning toward >a Schmitt-Cassegrain design, probably in the 8-inch >range, but we are open to other suggestions. > >• Other telescope designs or brands to consider? >• Is one design significantly more durable and >therefore better suited to backwoods travel than the >others? >• Is one design better for astrophotography than >another? >• Do most telescope celestial navigation computers >have a manual-override function to enable manual >navigation? > >Any advice would be appreciated, and if this subject >is considered too oblique for the Vanagon List, please >pmail with any responses. > >Thanks! > >Jeffrey Earl >1983 diesel Westfalia "Vanasazi" >http://www.vanthology.com/ > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around >http://mail.yahoo.com


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