DOWN HOME gumbo astronomy from Chaos Manor South! Uncle Rod Mollise’s
Fall 2005 – Winter 2006 Volume 14, Issue 4+ “A Newsletter for the Truly Skywatch Outbound!” Number 79 (New Series) :
1 Letter from the Coast as Katrina, but Mobile was back to A Letter from the Gulf something resembling normalcy in a few weeks. There are there are still 2 Denkmeier Powerswitch Coast plenty of signs of Bitch Katrina’s passing even four months down the line, though, and plenty of people in
3 DAS User’s Guide Part II Dear Friends (“Howdy Y’all”): the coastal areas of the county are still hurting bad. Some of you may have been
4 In Praise of DSCs wondering what happened to The main thing standing in the way Skywatch. I’ll confess that my little of Skywatch? Uncle Rod earns the newsletter has developed a small largest part of his livelihood as an
5 Apogee 25x100s following over the years; with each engineer at Northrop Grumman Ship issue being read by several Systems in Pascagoula, Mississippi thousand amateurs during the time (no, unfortunately, astronomy
Tsunami from Space it’s current. And I have gotten some writers don’t get paid like Stephen 6 Kings, so most of us must hustle “whatever happened to Skywatch” emails recently. Bottom line? It’s along doing day jobs). If you saw 7 My Back Pages! been a wild ride for several months, any of the video of the aftermath of starting on the morning when the storm, you don’t have to be told Hurricane Katrina came ashore on that Pascagoula and the shipyard Uncle Rod’s beloved Gulf Coast. were absolutely WRECKED. Much
“WATERLOGGED BUT UNBOWED!”
Skywatch 1207 Selma Street Mobile, AL 36604 U.S.A...... of your old Uncle’s time has been there, too. There are no lights here “Well, what the hell. I grabbed a pair spent helping his colleagues get in the Garden District, and I don’t of Burgess 15x70s and the Orion their homes back in order (where believe that anybody’s got lights StarBlast richfield Newtonian scope possible), and putting things back across most of the Mobile metro and headed for the backyard. Very together at work so we can proceed area (save those folks prescient carefully. As you can see from the with the testing of DDG 100, the enough to buy generators before the picture, out back was mostly mud Navy’s newest AEGIS Class storm). Perhaps you’ll forgive me, and downed tree limbs. Once I Destroyer (she took quite a then, if, in the midst of all this found a relatively clear spot, I pounding). What was it like trouble and suffering, I started looked up. What did I see? The immediately following Katrina’s thinking about the night sky.” Cygnus-Cepheus stretch of Milky passage? The following paragraphs Way just 'bout put my pore ol' were written not long after the winds “Heat is not something that bothers peepers out. I mean blazing, folks, finally died down… me too much. I’ve lived the balance preternaturally bright. TSP bright. of my life down here on the coast Maybe it was just my fevered brain’s “Dorothy and I are still at home and where summer nights are rarely imagination kickin’ into four-wheel- doing well. For the last two days I've cooler than 80F. Yes, we’ve got drive, or maybe the powerful winds been checking my email once a day, plenty of air-conditioning (two of Katrina did bore a hole in our nursing the laptop along to conserve massive heat pumps serve Chaos area’s usually hazy late-summer that power-hungry P4's waning Manor South), but I grew up mostly skies.” battery. Frankly, two days after the without it, and can still tolerate the storm, we've decided we’ve had occasional Mobile summer night ”Whatever. I spent the next several enough; decided to leave Chaos without it. To a certain point. hours traveling up and down the Manor South and the Garden “Toleration” involves an electric fan Milky Way in style. I could have District for at least a while. It's just or at least open windows. wrestled a C8 into the yard, but pain miserable in this heat --90F in Unfortunately, neither of those there was really no need to. Hell, the shade; don’t even ask about the things is currently an option. I’m not the little 4 inch StarBlast returned humidity. There’s no power. No going to waste the waning batteries views that reminded me of what a gasoline to be had save what’s in that power the PC and the radio for 12 inch can do from Prude Ranch the tanks of our vehicles. Grub? The a few hours of an inverter-run fan. on a good evenin’. For example, food is whatever’s still good as the Open windows? We’ve installed The North America Nebula was as refrigerator assumes room storm windows to keep the power prominent as I've ever seen it in a temperature, and those cans of bills down, and, apparently, four inch scope. Were those wisps Vienna sausage (pronounced vye- something has swollen in the the Pelican? Folks, this was without enna) and Chef Boyardee Rod laid- incredible humidity. I found there an OIII filter.” in as Katrina approached.” was ONE upstairs window that could be opened without doing “The scope view was nice, and the “Our minor discomfort is really major damage.” 15x70s delivered a 3D panorama of nothing, of course. It PALES in the celestial Swan, but almost more comparison to what our neighbors in “The night after Katrina I tried to impressive was the view with my Pascagoula, Ocean Springs, Biloxi, sleep. Tossed and turned, turned unaided eyes. What was that to the and, of course, New Orleans are and tossed. Just too gull-derned- northeast? The Double Cluster, suffering. We do have the consarned hot to doze off, even with looking as good without any optical opportunity to setup temporary the aid of a shot or three of Rebel aid as it does from any dark site, housekeeping at Dorothy’s office at Yell Whiskey. Decided I might as and—no lie—seeming to easily the University of South Alabama, well get up. What to do? Listen to compete with the 10x50 binoc views however, so, guilty as we might feel the same reports on the radio I’d I usually have from the suburbs. I doing so, it’s hard to resist the lure listed to all day (the media didn’t stayed with the magic sky until dawn of the air-conditioning, hot food, and know much more than we did began, and, with the rising Sun, it Internet connectivity that, we’re told anyway…for the most part we and began to resemble what I usually awaits us there.” they were cut off from what the see on an average night from my wider world was seeing of the backyard. With day, the friendly “What have the nights been like? devastation)? And I really couldn’t stars fled and depressing reality Long. Quiet. Very quiet indeed. bear to hear another word about returned.” Except for the passing of an how bad things were. Well, let’s occasional police or National Guard see. What happens after a major “The best description I've heard of vehicle, the streets are silent and hurricane? The power goes out. And the condition of our Gulf Coast deserted; a curfew is in effect from the cloudy skies usually clear came from a nurse who was trying dusk until dawn. Very dark out dramatically…” to treat patients with few resources
2 ...... Skywatch of ANY kind at her disposal: "We are Chiefland Star degree angle so you can view in now a third world country." comfort. There are plenty of Party with Only questions and controversies ”Experiencing post storm conditions, surrounding these seemingly simple even in relatively lightly damaged Two Eyepieces accessories: How important is Mobile (as such things go), leads Multiply Your Observing optical quality in diagonals? Do you me to reflect upon the INSANE need those new-fangled enhanced hubris of the people, who, in the Pleasure with Denkmeier coatings? Why would anybody in 50s, 60s, 70s, and even the 80s, Power X Switch her right mind pay 400 bucks for a proposed that the U.S. could survive diagonal to stick in the back of a (or win) a thermonuclear war. 1500 dollar Meade or Celestron Tonight, with only a relatively small Rod Mollise Cat? part of the nation devastated, men, women, and children are dying and Before I attempt to answer the the survivors, most of them, still And I could probably have done it above questions in my typical feeble haven’t received any aid of any kind. with one. No, you can’t have the rest and wrongheaded fashion, I should There are bodies floating in the of my collection of Naglers and say that this article is aimed mainly water, and, in the case of some Panoptics, but I’ll admit that, thanks at SCT owners. While diagonals are areas, we have no idea what the to the Denk “Power x Switch” an issue for refractor and MCT conditions are. diagonal, I could probably live users too, I don’t have too much Mississippi’s Governor, Haley without most of them now. interest in those scopes or an Barber, took one look at Waveland, abundance of knowledge about Mississippiand declared that he now I'm getting way ahead of the story, them. I’m just a simple (minded?) knew “exactly what Hiroshima though, something I seem to do country boy havin’ a ball with the looked like.” when I’m excited about a new astro- inexpensive —but effective— product. Before talking about this Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope. And ”Those of us who lived through new creation from the Denkmeier there are certainly a lot of folks who Camille in 1969 thought we’d gang, we need to discuss a subject love SCTs as much as I do. A quick survived the worst that the storming that’s caused plenty of arguments trot across a club or star party Gulf could throw at us. We knew among amateur astronomers in the observin’ field shows that. It reveals nothing. Where Camille left the virtual astronomy hangouts, Yahoo something else too: there are many empty and gutted shells of buildings, and sci.astro.amateur, and down at of us who seem content to stick with Katrina left…NOTHING.” non-virtual local astronomy clubs: the cheap, plastic Chinese diagonals. You know, the little diagonals Meade and Celestron I know above makes for painful devices that bend the light coming now throw in the boxes with their reading, but at the time I wrote it we out the back of your scope in a 90 telescopes. on the Coast had plenty of pain to spare and precious little hope. Even now, as Christmas approaches, while things are incalculably better, there are still plenty of people suffering all across the Coast. What do we want y’all to do? Above all, just lend us a kindly ear or two. We know our “hurricane stories” are depressing, and, after four months, are beginning to bore. But please just listen to us. That helps almost as much as a FEMA trailer. In fact, that helps more than almost anything you can do for us. Uncle Rod
How Uncle Rod Survived the
...... 3 a tailwind) of the light that strikes If you’ve been working with SCTs them. The Fancy Dans, on the other Have I convinced you to spend the for a while, you’ve probably heard hand, feature coatings that can pass 300 dollar fare required to get a two diametrically opposed opinions as much as 99% of the light that good diagonal? If I have, let me when it comes to star diagonals, “A enters them on to the eyepiece. urge you to go just one, wee step good diagonal is almost as critical to That means that, contrary to what further. Consider spending less than SCT performance as a good some old-timers may have told you, 100 dollars more than that for a eyepiece,’ and, on the other side, you will notice a difference in image diagonal that’s so revolutionary it “Look a really lousy diagonal might brightness. It won’t necessarily blow may not only improve your images, make a little difference in image your socks off, but it will be there. but also change your eyepiece quality, but having an optically buying habits and bolster your deep perfect star diagonal is not nearly as You’ve probably noticed that I’ve sky observing skills. I’m talking critical for good images as having been talking “2 inch” diagonals about the Denkmeier Power x an excellent secondary mirror is for mostly. That’s because other than a Switch diagonal (that’s a distinctive a Newtonian telescope.” The truth, little additional weight on the scope name, but I hope the Denk crew will thirty years of SCT using tells me, rear end, there’s no downside to a 2 pardon me if I refer to it more simply probably lies somewhere between incher. A 2 inch opens up the entire as the “Powerswitch” for the rest of these two extremes. world of wide field eyepieces to your this article…that rolls off my lazy Cat. Do be aware, however, that a 2 Southern tongue a little easier). The SCT’s diagonal may not be inch diagonal won’t produce images quite as critical to the quality of the that are any better than a 1.25 inch What’s a “Powerswitch?” The story final image as the of equal optical quality. began quite some time back with a diagonal/secondary mirror of a phone call from Russ at Denkmeier. Newtonian, sure (that’s what optical Since I’m mainly addressing the He wanted my opinion on the experts tell me, anyway), but there’s SCT ranks, can I speak freely about appeal of a diagonal that would no doubt that an optically excellent a couple of our dirty little secrets? allow SCT owners to switch in a diagonal can improve any SCT’s Hey, wait! Is that a dobsonian owner reducer or Barlow without removing performance. If you’re still using the lurking in the back row of the the eyepiece. Mindful of similar star diagonal that shipped with your audience? “Hall monitors, throw him gadgets that have come and gone Celestron or Meade, you may be out!” OK, anyway, you and I know over the years, I told Russ that I amazed at just how much better that as much as we love our thought the idea would fly if the Mars—or M13—looks in your scope telescopes, they do have a couple quality were there. Now, I really after you dig into your pockets and of liabilities. First, compared to the didn’t think I’d have anything to pony up for a super-premium 2 inch bigdobs sprouting on star party worry about in that regard. As most star diagonal. Not only is the wave observing fields, our aperture is of y’all know, I’m mightily impressed front error on these diagonals better, limited. Heck, even if you own a by the quality of the Denkmeier the mechanical alignment of their C14, that person set up next to you binoviewers (I’ve gotten in Dutch mirrors is also usually superior, with a 30 inch truss tube job will be with the folks moderating at least meaning that rotating the diagonal constantly referring to your “little one online venue for saying that the for a comfortable viewing angle scope.” Yes, we’re aperture Denks beat anything else out doesn’t shoot your collimation all to challenged, and that means every there—but that’s how I honestly hell. photon we can squeeze out of our feel). Still, as I said, gadgets come telescopes is vital. Also, because of and go in amateur astronomy, and How about high reflectivity the SCT design, what light our “little” it’s hard to tell what will be genuinely coatings? That’s another selling mirrors can collect is reduced by useful and what will be just a point of the high-priced jobs. Only having to pass through the corrector gimmick until you get the thing out you can decide whether it’s worth it and be reflected by the surfaces of into the field. Sometimes, what to part with the 300 or more George three mirrors—primary, secondary, sounds like a good idea ain’t one Washingtons the high-reflectivity and diagonal. What this all means is after all. You don’t, for example, see coating equipped 2 inch diagonals that, for us, anything that can help anybody bringing back the Unitron cost. The fact of the matter is this, our scopes deliver more light is vital. Unihex diagonal, do you (young however: stock diagonals shipped Sometimes the boost from a high sprouts: ask an old timer what I’m with telescopes (or the el cheapos reflectivity diagonal is enough to talking about)? you can buy in the 75 – 150 dollar make the difference between seeing range) have coatings that, at best, a little sprite of an NGC galaxy and reflect about 80% (maybe 85% with not seeing it.
4 ...... Skywatch Some time and several hurricanes “But wut happens if you push BOTH the Intes included a generous intervened after my conversation slides in, Unk Rod?” It was all I helping of hyperbole. with Russ. Then, one day, one of could do to keep from slappin’ the those white Denkmeier boxes boy—I keep tellin’ his mama he ain’t Chiefland time! In the car went the arrived at the doorstep of Chaos right in the head. At any rate, you Celestron Nexstar 11, my laptop, Manor South. You can bet I didn’t can’t push both slides in at the same and (only) two eyepieces, a 12mm waste any time tearin’ it open to see time, and it wouldn’t make any TeleVue Nagler Type II and a 27mm what lurked inside, which was the sense to do so if you could. TeleVue Panoptic. Yes, I own a beautiful Powerswitch diagonal pretty good collection of TeleVue shown below. Man, oh, man, I This is one big, pretty sucker. Like a oculars, but I left ‘em at home on couldn’t wait to give it a try. Which Denk binoviewer, it’s a handful purpose. I figured that the true test didn’t happen for a long time. A little weight-wise (don’t worry; it didn’t of the Powerswitch Diagonal would storm called “Katrina” blew through overload even a lightly mounted C8) be whether I missed my other focal town, you see. Gulf Coast folk are hardy souls, though, and we amateurs down here were not about to let a little thing like a hurricane spoil the fall star party season. That being the case, I took a few days—wish it could have been more—and headed for the dark skies of the Chiefland (Florida) Astronomy Village and the 2005 edition of the Chiefland Star Party to give the Powerswitch a good evaluation.
But I’m getting ahead of myself again. What’s this diagonal like? What’s in the box? As you can see from the picture, it’s a beautifully executed thing with the diagonal portion being finished a glossy black. It’s and quite impressive in the daytime lengths. Oh, of course a bottle of got that typical Denkmeier appeal, as well as at night. The diagonal’s fine Rebel Yell Bourbon went into with fine machining, brass mirror is available in one of two the trunk, too, though I vowed not to compression rings, and beautiful varieties. You can get it with 97% break the seal till I was done testing metal aperture plugs rather than reflectivity silver coatings or, for the Powerswitch. Tent? Sleeping smarmy plastic caps. Forward of the some extra moola, with 99.7% (!) bag? Are you kiddin’? Uncle Rod diagonal is the Powerswitch dielectric coatings. I reviewed the “camps” at Chiefland’s Holiday Inn assembly itself, which is composed 97% version. Optics? Denk claims these days. of two slides that can be pushed in 1/10th wave, which seems accurate or pulled out. The slide on the right based on my observations. If you’re Arriving on the final Thursday of this introduces a .66 reducer into the smart, you’ll let your eyeballs and weeklong star party, a look at the focal train, while the one on the left maybe a planet be the judge of sky revealed what looked like typical puts a 2x Barlow in the light path. these things. I’ve been using a 2 Chiefland weather: scudding clouds With both slides out, things are inch Intes diagonal for several years during the day that would clear normal, without anything between that claimed to be 1/10 wave too, away and reveal the dark reaches of eyepiece and secondary. The way it but when it was compared to the space after sunset. Hate to bring works seemed easy enough to optically excellent Denk, it became you Yanks down, but we hit 85F understand, but Uncle Rod’s clear that the advertising claims for during the daytime during this first backwoods cousin, Elmer, asked, week of November. Cool enough at ...... 5 night, though. Perfect deep sky often has to fumble around to find than the Intes. weather if you ask me. the focus knob. When the reducer switch was extended, it helped me OK, back in went the Powerswitch. The Nexstar and the laptop were easily locate that that elusive Now I’d have some fun. Pushed in booted and ready. Where to first? control. the reducer slide. Some folks have The initial entry in the observing list asked me whether using these the planning program running on the OK, click on M13. “Telescope slides gives the scope the computer had generated was M13. slewing,” says Skytools. “Slew shimmies. It doesn’t. Not with the Why not? Bit low, but, hail, how can complete.” Eye goes to eyepiece. NS11 or—even—with my C8 you pass up Hercules any time he’s Beautiful, as always. Little teeny mounted on its light CG5 mount. above the horizon? In went the stars spilling out of the Pan’s field. The action of the Powerswitch slides Powerswitch and the 27 Pan. I didn’t But how beautiful? While I longed to is not overly easy. It can’t be; you use the nicely machined SCT rear try the reducer and Barlow/multiplier don’t want things rattling around and port adapter/2 inch visual back switches, I restrained myself. I going out of alignment. But the that’s included with the wanted to check the optical quality action is far from “too tight,” either. I Powerswitch, as I use one of the big of the diagonal first. Out with the was somewhat concerned about the Eyeopener visual backs on the C11. Powerswitch. In with the Intes 2 action of the switches introducing All I had to do was slide the incher. Back in with the vibration, and checked carefully, Powerswitch into the Eyeopener. Powerswitch. Vice versa. One more leaving the Nexstar 11’s vibration Since I do mostly visual observing time. Verdict. The Denk was suppression pads in the scope case. with the NS11 with it set up in alt-az noticeably superior to my Any shaking caused by sliding the mode, I was a little concerned that “enhanced” Intes. The image was switches in and out was minor and the Powerswitch’s “reducer switch” brighter and, I felt, slightly sharper was less than that which would be would get in the way of the focus and “snappier.” Yes, this hardly incurred by inserting or removing a knob and prove irritating (see quantifies the Powerswitch’s optical big, honkin’ 2 inch eyepiece. image). Not only did it not impede quality, but I’ve looked through the focus knob, it wasn’t a bit enough eyepieces over the last 40 What was the image quality like with irritating. In fact, it actually helped. years to be able tell when one setup the reducer in the light path? Very When it’s late, late, late and Old is better than another, even if I can’t good. It seemed pretty much Rod gets a case of the stupids, he quantify squat. The Denk was better identical to Denk’s standalone Starsweeper reducer— that is, similar to Celestron’s f/6.3 reducer/corrector at the edges and a lot easier to use. Vignetting? There was a little with the 27 Pan, but that was, I’m quite sure, due to the baffle tube in the scope and not because of any failing in the Powerswitch (it boasts 37mm of clear aperture). At any rate, this vignetting was very minor indeed and did not detract from the view one iota. The 27 Pan did so well, in fact, that I was a little sorry I’d left its 35mm sister at home.
But, heck, I could have gotten good image quality with the Starsweeper or a 6 ...... Skywatch cheap Celestron or Meade Barlow system is, but it must be a of your scope. Nothing more, reducer/corrector. The real beauty good one. Running the 27 Pan up to nothing less. Sure you have to of this system was not that it 200x didn’t stress it out at all. OK, refocus. But it ain’t that hard, troops. delivered good images, but that I then, bring on the 12 Nagler. Sure, Especially when you realize that all could remove and reinsert the the sky was dark and steady and you have to do is remember to turn reducer at will in just a couple of that helped, but a poor Barlow the SCT’s focus knob (R)ight when seconds. This allowed me to easily would not have delivered the crisp you (R)aise the magnification with compare views and determine 466x images that I was seeing with the Barlow and (L)eft when you “optimum” magnifications for difficult the Denk Barlow switched in. Small, (L)ower it with the reducer. deep sky objects. With a standard crisp stars and good contrast were diagonal, the fact that I’d have had the rule. Yes, my TV Big Barlow will What really makes the Denkmeier a to remove the diagonal to switch out do that too. But I don’t use it often, worthy addition to your setup? Well, the optical quality is a factor. So is the convenience and novelty of being able to slide a reducer or Barlow into the path of your eyepiece at will. But that’s not what makes this such a revolutionary tool for the SCT user. What makes this a groundbreaker is the way it changes your observing routine for the better. Yes, I love my eyepieces, but not having to hunt for them or go thorough the motions of trading them in and out of the diagonal has improved my visual deep sky results a lot, even with just a couple of Powerswitch observing runs under the reducer or, at least, remove the as it’s a hassle to pull the eyepiece my belt. With the Powerswitch, my eyepiece and replace it with out, put the Barlow in, replace the eye stays on the object in the field something else, would have eyepiece, and wonder if I’ve except for a brief interlude for discouraged me from fooling around bumped the scope off target as I focusing, and I am much more with a lot of different powers. When focus. inclined to experiment with higher you’ve got one of Fornax’s dim little and lower powers on difficult deep ghosts of a galaxy in the eyepiece, That last brings us to a curious sky objects that I would otherwise you don’t want to remove your eye reaction a few people have had to be. Yes, I have been enjoying the from the eyepiece for fear of losing the Denkmeier Powerswitch. They deep sky for 40 plus years, but I that elusive DSO. And that was the are surprised that you have to have no doubt that this thing has the thing; I didn’t have to remove my refocus when you switch the Barlow power to make me a better eye to switch the reducer in and out, and reducer in and out. Don’t ask observer—it seems as if you can just slide the smooth slide back and me why they are surprised. It’s clear indeed teach an old dog new tricks. forth. from the instructions that come with the diagonal (they are provided on a Did I say I could have gotten away The Barlow/amplifier on the CD, by the way) that what you’re with bringing just one eyepiece? In Powerswitch? Worked just as well. I doing with the ‘Switch is inserting a truth, I could have. The 27mm don’t know what the design of the Barlow or reducer into the light path Panoptic provided, roughly, 50x, ...... 7 100x, and 200x, a reasonable range Rod Mollise “Select Columns to Display” to for general deep sky observing. It arrange things to your liking. was nice having the added top end Last time, in the Summer 2005 of the 12mm at hand, however, as I issue, we installed and configured You’ve got a spreadsheet full of was intent on doing all those tiny Messier objects, but these likely planetaries hiding in Aquila and Deepsky (DAS, “Deepsky don’t contain the objects or all the Cygnus. No, as I said, I’m not Astronomy Software”). This time, objects you’re interested in getting rid of the rest of my we’ll actually start using it. observing. How do you get eyepieces, but I doubt they’ll get candidate DSOs out of Deepsky’s much use anymore. Dismissing the “help” window allows databases and onto the you to see what it’s been covering spreadsheet so you can work with Oh, and I should also mention that up, the main program screen, a them? You can do this the easy way Power x Switch diagonal is available spreadsheet full of objects, the with “Preferences and Filters,” or the in a couple of other models, too, Messier objects, to be exact. No hard way (for some of us which are suitable for use with matter what you set your filters to, computerphobes, anyway) with refractors and binoviewers (the you’ll always be greeted by these queries. model I reviewed, the S1, is familiar Ms in spreadsheet number intended for single eyepiece one (you’ll notice, by the way, that To use Preferences and Filters to viewing, mainly with SCTs). Verdict? there are tabs for five different retrieve objects, begin by selecting If you’re ready to get rid of that spreadsheets (see Plate 8)). the “Filters” tab at bottom of Synta 1.25” diagonal you’ve been Frankly, I really don’t like this. I’d spreadsheet. The first time you use using for so long, think carefully much rather the program start up Deepsky, you might want to set about the Powerswitch. Even if my with my last-used spreadsheet, but “minimum altitude” here (See Plate claims regarding how it can help it only takes one button push to 9). Entering a figure of “30,” for your observing technique don’t retrieve the previous sheet of example, will exclude all objects that impress, consider the fact that the objects, so this is not a tremendous are not at 30 degrees of altitude at images it produces are good annoyance. the current time. Remember, of enough to make spending lots of course, to reset the program to the money on large sets of expensive Remember: this is a spreadsheet, time you’ll be making your eyepieces unnecessary and— not an observing list. You’ll use observations (in the Prefs date/time frankly—a little bit silly. Yep, you spreadsheets to build an observing menu) if you’ve previously told can easily “save” yourself enough list, which is called a “Plan” in Deepsky to use your PC’s system bread for a week’s visit to deep sky Deepsky parlance. If you date and time. There are several wonderland in Chiefland, even if you understand that, you’ve basically got other entries you can make in this throw in a couple o’ bottles of good, Deepsky licked, and everything else window, but Altitude is the most ol’ Rebel Yell. is mere mechanics. Before you can important. I normally also check create the observing list for the “include altitude/azimuth” and evening, you’ll have to have a set of “include rise/set times.” You can The objects to choose targets from; the leave everything else alone for now. spreadsheet is that set of objects. Where does the spreadsheet come Next, you’ll begin selecting the Dummy’s from? You’ll retrieve spreadsheet range of objects that will go into objects from Deepsky’s massive your spreadsheet and onto the database. That is your first task in screen. Click the “Select” tab, which Guide to planning tonight’s observing run. is just to the right of Filters, and you’ll be allowed to choose Deepsky Before you begin using “constellation,” “catalog” (of objects, spreadsheets, though, it’s a good NGC, for example), and “type” (as in idea to set up the columns you want type of deep sky object) via buttons Part II to display. Not showing things like and drop-down menus. For our “galactic longitude” will mean you example, let’s select Scorpius, NGC don’t have to scroll horizontally to 2000, and “all types.” One slight A Deep Sky User’s view all the data in a spreadsheet. oddity here is that if you’ve used Guide for the Rest of Set this up by using the Select previously, you must hit clear “Spreadsheet” submenu under the to enter a new constellation, Us… same Prefs menu we visited earlier. catalog, or type. For example, if Select the “Formatting” tab in the you’ve entered “Ursa Major” in the window that appears and click constellation field in a previous 8 ...... Skywatch session, you’ll have to hit clear lookup. It’s less confusing, at first, doing that returns all the visible before you enter “Scorpius,” or you’ll however, just to click on Messiers from all constellations, and wind up with both Scorpius AND spreadsheet columns to sort the there’s no way to modify What’s Up Ursa Major in your search/retrieval objects after they’re displayed. Messier. range.
Plate 8
At first I was stymied Now, you’re ready to light the fuse. I and unhappy over this seeming You’re almost ready to hit the “go” know it seems as if we’ve had to do limitation. I wanted just the Scorpius button, but not quite. If you’re using a lot of work to get here, but, Messiers, dangit. I cooled off for a a 4 inch refractor from suburban normally, the only tab in this area minute, did some looking around skies, you may not want ALL the you’ll come back to again and again and manual reading (horrors), and NGCs that Scorpius/NGC/all types is Select, when you want to specify found that there is an easy way to will deliver to your spreadsheet; different constellations and object show a single constellation’s some will be so dim they will surely types and catalogs. Messier objects, but it involves elude your little scope. You need to using the Search function, which filter magnitudes. To do that, select OK. Click the “Apply Filters” button we’ll talk about in a minute, rather the next tab over from Select, to the left of the tabs we’ve been than filters or wizards or queries. “Ranges 1.” The fields you mostly working with (the button showing the need to worry about are those current Moon phase…cool, huh?). And what about the Query function associated with “Magnitude 1” When you do, the program will think mentioned above. You can access (Plate 10). Let’s set “upper limit” for a while—a progress bar will this tool either by clicking on the tab (dimmest) to 10 (999, the default, appear at the bottom of the screen-- next to “Sort” at the bottom of the will retrieve all magnitudes). The and your spreadsheet display will spreadsheet or by choosing “Query lower limit (brightest) setting is –1, eventually change and should show Builder” from the Query menu at the and you can leave that as it is. Also, all the NGC objects in Scorpius top of the screen. If you’re used to be sure to leave the “Include Blank” brighter than magnitude 10 and using databases and, in particular, boxes in the Magnitude 2 and Size higher than 30 degrees in altitude SQL databases, you’ll find these fields checked. You should uncheck for the time you’ve specified. query tools quite powerful, and I’m this same box for Magnitude 1. sure they will allow you to select out Doing these things will ensure that Purty simple. But what if you want to Messiers or anything else you objects for which size and/or narrow things down a little? That’s choose from any constellation. If magnitude is uncertain (many fairly easy to do by altering your you know how to to use them. nebulae) will be included in the Ranges and Select choices. Unless Unfortunately, if you’re as computer- spreadsheet, normally a good thing. you want to include only the ignorant as Unk Rod, you’ll find this Messiers in Scorpius (or any other whole query business a little scary The tab to the right, “Ranges 2,” lets constellation). This is one of the few and will stick to “select,” “What’s Up you set separations and position areas where Deepsky offers no Messier,” and the more powerful, angles (for double stars) as well as immediately obvious solutions—not but still easy, “What’s Up Wizard.” search parameters for object type. using Filters/Ranges, anyway. That’s OK. You can do anything you You can leave this alone unless Oddly, there’s no “Messier” choice want using Filters and the What’s you’re going after doubles on your in Select or in any of the program’s Up features along with Deepsky’s first Deepsky run. catalogs menus. You can easily very powerful search function. You display visible Messiers by clicking may not achieve power-geek status The next tab, “Sort,” can also be “Whats Up Messier” from the Query by doing things the easy way, but bypassed at the moment. This, as menu (to the right of Prefs in the top you’d guess, sorts object during of screen menu bar). Unfortunately, ...... 9 Plate 9
your blood pressure will stay down do is sort them to suit your top left (it’s a member of a horizontal and your hairline will stay intact. preferences. Maybe by object row of mostly useful and identifiable number, maybe by rise time, maybe toolbar icons) and print the The “What’s Up Wizard” is one of by magnitude. It’s up to you. To sort spreadsheet you’ve got in front of the best features of the program, the chart by a particular column you. If that’s what you want, that’s and really makes thinking in SQL value, just click on the column fine. Deepsky does a fine job of unnecessary for most of us. Just heading you’re interested in. Rise printing, allowing you to specify just click on this Wizard in the Query (time) for example. By clicking a how you want the finished hardcopy menu (se e Plate 11), answer the second time, you can reverse the to look. But I think you’ll find that the questions it asks you, and you order ascending/descending. One spreadsheet isn’t quite right. It either should have no trouble filling a annoyance here is that when you shows too many objects (the whole spreadsheet with the objects of your sort by M number, M100 comes NGC bunch from Scorpius, for desire. No, it won’t pick out the after M10, and you don’t get M11 example, some of which are not Messiers, but it will pick out anything until after M109. M2? After M19. Ah, overly interesting visually) or not else. well. enough (maybe you’re also interested in viewing objects in So, let’s say you’ve pushed the You’ve got bunches of objects Sagittarius). What you really want is Filter button and you’ve now got a displayed, and you’ve sorted them not a spreadsheet, but the spreadsheet on screen. What the into some kind of order that’s aforementioned Plan, an Observing aitch-E double-L can you do with meaningful to you. If you’re happy Plan. this list of (let’s say) Scorpius with what’s onscreen, you could just NGCs? The first thing you’ll want to click the li’l printer icon at the screen
10 ...... Skywatch How do you move choice objects Williams chart for your object, which beneath “Apply Filters” at the bottom from the spreadsheet and into this can be zoomed in and out (only the left of the screen. When you do that, hypothetical Plan? Not so fast, not Williams charts are available here; the original spreadsheet will be so fast. You may need help deciding you can’t show a Cartes du Ciel replaced with one containing a if you really want a particular object chart in this window, apparently-- single object, M7. This is your plan, to go into your plan before you put it unfortunately). Once you’ve made which can be sorted, saved and there. Is it suitable for you, your site up your mind whether M7 is an printed. and your scope? To get this help, appropriate object to view on this double click on an object’s ID. Let’s evening, close the info window, and Once you’ve looked at the plan, do that to M7, for example. Place look for a spreadsheet column you’ll probably want to go back to your cursor on this object’s ID field called “pln” (this should normally be your original spreadsheet to choose (NGC 6475) or its “Other ID” field the leftmost spreadsheet column). more objects for inclusion. Here we (M7 – Scorpion’s Tail), and double- run into another of the program’s click. In a few moments, you’ll be Click this block for M7, and it will be minor peculiarities. The Observing presented with a window full of data, added to an Observing Plan. The Plan now occupies the Spreadsheet
including a picture if one’s available Plan is identical to a spreadsheet, 1 tab. To get the original as shown in Plate 12. Running but it will only contain objects you spreadsheet back, you’ll need to along the left are the cluster’s vital select from other spreadsheets for either apply your filters again with a stats like magnitude, type, size, etc. inclusion in this manner. Actually, click of the button or, if you’re While I wish Mr. Tuma had included clicking “pln” for M7, first delivers an working with the Messier list, click the Dreyer NGC “codes” in this data, informational window asking you “What’s Up Messier” again. what’s here, along with the copious which “tab” you want to add the observer’s notes available for many object to. This refers to the You can avoid this need to restore objects by clicking the “notes” button spreadsheet tabs. If you click the your spreadsheet by placing your of this window (Plate 13), usually “Spreadsheet 1” button, an Plan on one of the other tabs, 2, 3, gives you more than enough acknowledgment window will appear or 4 if you’ve got your working information to decide whether a briefly, and you’ll be returned to your spreadsheet in tab 1, as you particular DSO is something you original spreadsheet, which will normally will have. If you place the really want to view. appear unchanged except for an “X” plan in one of the other tabs, you’ll that’s been placed in M7’s “pln” be able to toggle back and forth Clicking the “charts” button in this column. To see your Plan, you must between it and tab 1 without clicking window creates an attractive Dean click “Show Plan,” the button directly filters or anything else to restore the ...... 11 features.
Just to the right of the “pln” column on your spreadsheet, you’ll find one titled “img.” If there’s an “X” in this column, there’s a picture of this object available. Clicking on the X for the object of your choice will bring up Deepsky’s built-in and rather full-featured image processor (yes, this program does do almost anything) and display that image. If your images are on a DVD or CD, be sure that disk is in the drive or nothing much will happen, obviously.
What else? Highlight an object by clicking once on its ID field. Then right click. You’ll be presented with a large menu of choices that includes selections for creating large scale charts. You’ll have a choice of using the built in Williams charting module or Cartes du Ciel, and also of displaying all the objects in your spreadsheet. Oddly, though, if you existing plan” to load these useful spreadsheet on the chart, or just the do things this way, the program Plans. selected object. Remember, please, does not place an X in the pln that the charts, whether Deepsky or column on your spreadsheet, even Once you’ve got a Plan ready, the CdC generated, will only display the though it places selected objects in next step is, guess what? Get out objects contained in your the Plan. Keep in mind that every and observe. A look out the window spreadsheet. Which do I prefer time you add a new object to your on this summer afternoon, though, Williams or CdC? Both have their Plan, you’ll have to click “Show shows there are still a few hours to strengths. The Williams charts (see Plan” again to make the new object go before astronomical twilight Plate 14) are pretty, and give you appear, no matter which tab you’ve arrives. While waiting, let’s explore a access to the observing notes for placed the Plan in. few of Deepsky’s other useful objects (the latest version of
Once you’ve got a Plan going, you can continue to add objects to it, either from your original spreadsheet, or from new spreadsheets you generate with the What’s Up Wizard, Filters, or queries. Once your Plan is complete, be SURE to save it. If you don’t, it will go bye-bye into Never-Neverland when you exit the program. To save it or bring it back, go to the Plan menu in the top of the screen menu bar and choose “save” or “open existing plan.” Normally, you’ll save into the Deepsky Astronomy Software directory on your hard drive. In here, by the way, are MANY wonderful ready-made observing plans for your use. Use “open 12 ...... Skywatch the first object of my current spreadsheet.
The next “leftside” toolbar button is Logbook , which, as you might expect, brings up your logbook, which we’ll get to after we get in some telescope time.
The last button, What’s Up, gives you quick access to that particular wizard.
Does your spreadsheet or plan contain every single object you want to observe tonight? Anything left out? If you’ve got an object or two you need to add to the Plan, but which you didn’t retrieve by using What’s Up or Filters or Queries, you’ll find the Deepsky search function (Plate 15) to be a life saver, as it allows you to retrieve single objects from that humongous database. Clicking on the cute Deepsky includes over 8,000 notes says, a “quick chart.” While you can binoculars icon in the toolbar brings up from experienced observers) in a move around and zoom in and out, this slightly daunting dialog. Don’t be larger, easier to read format than in you can’t click on objects or perform afraid, though, it’s easy to use once CdC. You can access this useful other “interactive” operations. These you get it figgered out. The Predefined data, whether in the Williams charts buttons are occasionally useful, but Searches buttons at the bottom of the or CdC by clicking on the object of never operated in an intuitive window are your friends, boys and interest. On the downside, the Dean manner it seemed to me. Yes, as girls. Williams charts are comparatively above, they seemed to sometimes slow, not terribly interactive, and center the chart on the first object in Want to show all Messiers? Just only the bright stars are clickable for a spreadsheet. But several new click the Messier pre-defined search information. CdC is a wonderful and spreadsheets later, they still took button and the Begin Search” full-featured planetarium program me to this initial spot. Never did get button. Curiously, unlike a and goes together with Deepsky like these buttons quite figured out. spreadsheet sort, they are arrayed ham and eggs, love and marriage, When I wanted a quick chart, I in correct numerical order, with M11 or a horse and a carriage. The right found it more efficacious just to go coming after M10, and so forth. click menu also includes numerous to the chart in the object information Want to look for a particular other tasks and options, the most window by double clicking on one of Messier? Change the operator from important of which concern the DSOs in my spreadsheet. > to = and from 0 to the M number controlling a goto scope, something Course, you’re probably a lot of your choice on the first line of the we’ll take up later. smarter than Old Uncle Rod and criteria field. Need an NGC? Click may be able to figure out what the the NGC predefined search and Returning back to the main program does with these buttons. I type an NGC number in the criteria spreadsheet screen, you’ll find a couldn’t, though. field (you’ll have to type “NGC vertical row of attractive toolbar
14 ...... Skywatch and very few peripherals use it serial cable. It’s worked reliably with allow you to set up the driver for anymore. Except telescopes. my Toshiba Satellite and my your particular scope. Enter your Unfortunately, scope makers are Nexstar 11 and AS GT scopes, that scope model, position data, and the way behind the computer makers is, but I cannot swear it will work as other requested information, click when it comes to i/o issues. With well for you depending on your type OK, and you’re finished. If you’re one exception, every commercial and vintage of gear. A little asking using a Meade scope, you’ll find a scope still uses, good, old, clunky around on your particular goto few more blanks to fill in, including RS-232. Unless you have invested telescope’s Yahoo group should get data concerning the Meade LX200 in one of Meade’s new USB you some answers about what focuser, which can be operated from equipped RCX 400s, you’ll have to works best with your equipment Deepsky. figure out a way to make your when it comes to serial interfacing. computer talk serial if you want to With scope physically connected to use Deepsky to send it to objects. Once you’ve got a working link computer (make your cable between scope and computer connections to both before you turn A solution, if not a perfect one, to everything else is easy. Oh, you do on the power to either, please) and this serial problem is a USB to serial have to configure ASCOM, but this ASCOM configured, your next step converter cable. This is a (relatively) is simple. Just choose “Scope” and is to do a goto alignment of your inexpensive little device that takes “Scope Setup” from the menu bar at scope just like you usually do. Once the USB your computer spits out the top of the Deepsky screen. you’ve done that and the telescope and translates it to the serial your You’ll be presented with ASCOM’s is tracking, go back to the Scope scope understands and vice-versa. “Scope Chooser.” Select your brand menu and click “Connect This is not a perfect solution since from the long list provided (see Telescope.” If you’ve got everything not all combinations of USB – serial Plate 17), and, once you’ve done, correctly cabled and configured, you converters, scopes, and computers that, push the “Properties” button. should get a message indicating work well together. What has Doing so brings up the configuration that your telescope is connected to worked for me is a Belkin USB to dialog shown in Plate 18, which will the computer. What next? Goto some gotos. There are two basic ways to do that with Deepsky.
The easiest way to get the scope slewing? From the spreadsheet/Plan screen, select an object and right click. In the menu that appears, you’ll see that one of the previously grayed-out options at the bottom is now clickable, namely, “Locate Object in Telescope.” Click that and way she goes. Like to do things the planetarium way? Bring up a Dean Williams chart, click on your object of choice, and you’ll notice that there’s a goto button at the bottom of the info window that appears. Pushing that will—you guessed it—send your scope to that particular object. Once your slew is complete, a yellow cross will be superimposed on your object.
Not too hip to this GUI graphics stuff? Click the middle scope icon on the toolbar at the top of the screen, which is “Enable Telescope Control Panel” (the scope icons to the left and right of this middle one will allow you to connect the scope and slew to coordinates, ...... 15 respectively, without fooling with the programming wizardry (don’t ask me your log data as you go along rather Scope pull-down menu). This to explain it), Steve has figured a than recording it on a piece of paper enables a control panel that allows way to make the paddle send for later entry, and are not using the you to slew the scope manually with instructions to the PC, anyway. Set slideshow logging feature, you’ll a virtual hand paddle or send it to up the slide show as per the probably want to use Deepsky’s typed-in coordinates. This screen, instructions, and, with a couple of “outdoor” logging system. This form, shown in Plate 19, does a lot more, button presses on the hand control, shown in Plate 21, is a little less but, unfortunately, most of this is you can make the LX200 slew to comprehensive than the normal log only of interest to Meade scope each succeeding object in your pages, but it has one big advantage: users, as these other interesting spreadsheet/plan. Not only that, you mouse use is eliminated and functions are reserved for the can set it to automatically fill-in log keyboard use is minimized. This can Meade way of doing things. data. If that ain’t the cat’s meow, I be a real help in a dark, cramped don’t know what is. observatory. You can make all the Unfortunately, so is one of the entries on this form with the program’s most interesting Obviously, Deepsky has a lot of exception of notes by using the tab, functions, “Slide Show.” Well, goto functionality, and, at first blush, arrow, and ent er keys. Tab from actually only in part. It works well it all seems somewhat entry field to entry field, selecting with other scope brands, but it’s overwhelming. Luckily, the ASCOM menus with Enter and items to enter really nicest under Meade protocol. program provides a telescope with the up and down arrows and If you do have a Meade or Meade “simulator,” so you can figure out the enter key. To enter logbook data compatible scope, it is really slick. how the computer end of everything for an object in your plan, just click Not that it isn’t slick with a Celestron works inside in the daytime. Just the “obs” column and choose the telescope or other brand; maybe I select “Simulator” from the ASCOM “Outside” option. should say it is super slick with the menu of scope choices. There are a Meades. What does slideshow do? couple of gotchas here. You must Once you’re back inside, you can edit It allows you to goto each object in a “unpark” the scope by clicking on or add to these brief entries using the spreadsheet with just the click of a the “Park” button on the simulator normal log format, which is available slide advance button. control panel and you must also from the logbook menu by clicking check the “Track” box on this same “View Edit Logbook” or by clicking the Enable slide show from the Scope simulated hand controller. If you Log button on the leftmost toolbar. The menu, and you’ll get the window don’t, nothing much will happen logbook entry screen is a form with shown in Plate 20. When you do (other than the appearance of error four tabs. The first displays a that, your scope will also slew to the windows when you try to slew the spreadsheet type display of your first object in your spreadsheet (or scope). logbook. Need to find a particular Plan). The window will indicate your object? Highlight the object ID column current object, show you an image What now? What I like to do is just and use the right click menu’s “Enter of it if one is available, offer logbook slew from object to object via Filter Criteria” option. Enter “NGC fields for you to fill in for the target, Slideshow, filling in the simplified log 6903” in the Filter Criteria field, hit and display basic object info fields (what Steve calls “generic log enter, and only that object will be (including the Dreyer NGC codes, fields”) as I go. That’s more than displayed. This is actually a handy tool which, you’ll recall, I wished for in good enough for simple little me. to use with any spreadsheet at any the object info window) with a press But if you yearn for a more formal time, not just the logbook spreadsheet. of the “Additional Object Info” type of log, or if you’re one of those To edit your already existing button. folks who eschews goto and wants observations, you Click, that’s right, to initially record observations on the “Edit” button at the bottom of the Now, all that is all quite wonderful. paper for transfer to Deepsky’s logs window. In my opinion, almost worth the later, you’ll want to learn the entire cost of the program. But if you program’s more fleshed out logging You’ll usually do initial logbook are Meade LX200 user, Steve has features. entries from the spreadsheet. When taken things to a whole ‘nother level. you want to make a logbook entry A look at the manual (this section is It’s a beautiful night. One of those for an object, all you have to do is, very clear and understandable), rare Summer evenings when the as above, click the “obs” column for reveals the amazing fact that Steve sky is dark, clear, and relatively your object of choice. Assuming has figured out a way to make the transparent. You guide your faithful you’re back inside, choose LX200 hand paddle act like a slide scope from deep sky wonder to “Standard” rather than “Outside” to projector remote. Normally, the deep sky wonder effortlessly, use the fullblown logbook format. scope can’t tell a computer to do logging marvel after marvel. Ah, You’ll be taken to the form in Plate anything. But with a bit of yes, logging. If you choose to enter 22. You’ll then fill-in all the 16 ...... Skywatch
Sure, you can cross index entries on cards like I did for years, but that means you must add a note to an index card in addition to making an entry in your log. Every time. Will you do it every time? No. I didn’t, anyway. Deepsky, on the other hand, allows you to easily find a log entry using its advanced search tools. Paranoid about letting your treasured entries exist on a hard drive? Don’t be. If you’re super paranoid, like me, you can print out each observation. Most of you will be OK with just backing up the logbook file occasionally via the “Backup Logbook” option in the top menu’s “Logbook” selection (if you’re forgetful, like I am, you can set the program to automatically backup your logbook).
And so we come to the end of a beautiful evening’s observing run appropriate fields for your entry file formats are supported, though and our tour of Deepsky. Did I tell using the keyboard and drop down .fits is unfortunately not among you all there is to know about the menus. The info in the drop down them. If your files are in this format, program? Not hardly. I didn’t even menus--sites, telescopes, etc.--is you’ll need to convert them before mention the program’s that which you entered into the placing them in your log. Naturally, if online/Internet functions. Barely program during its set up, in the you’ve done a sketch, you’ll have to touched on the image processing Prefs menu. When you’ve get it onto your hard drive via a features. Skipped over the many completed all the fields you want to scanner before you can add it to the logbook options that are available fill-in, be sure to click the Add or logbook. Once it’s scanned, you’ll (did you know you can keep an Update button at the window bottom be able to attach your drawing to an unlimited number of different logs on when you’re done. Luckily, if you entry like any other image. your hard drive?). But it was not my forget to save a new entry (add), the goal to cover everything. As I said at program nags you to do so. That’s really all there is to logging. the beginning, this little guide’s Open your plan, click on the obs purpose is to get you started using What if you’re a CCDer or a column for the objects you’ve this complex program easily, doing confirmed astro-sketcher? Deepsky observed, and enter your notes. things in an easy—but not makes it easy to append image files What’s that you say, Cool Breeze? necessarily optimum--way. Once to your log entries. Hit the “View You don’t want to record your you’ve got the hang of Deepsky, Images” tab at the top of the observations on a computer outside which shouldn’t take long, you can logbook window, and you’ll be taken as you work, and wonder whether begin to explore the many rich to the window shown in Plate 23. it’s really worth the trouble to features this software offers. You To attach an image to an entry, just transcribe them into the computer can learn about them by exploring click the little folder icon and browse later? I’ll say it is. The main thing the User Manual, and, even better, to its location. You’ll also find that keeps amateur logs from being by hanging out on the Deepsky buttons that will let you detach an useful is the fact that it’s just too User’s Group at image from an entry and perform hard to find a particular entry for a http://www.deepsky2000.net. simple image processing functions. particular object in the average What kinds of images? Most popular observer’s logbook.
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What’s left to say? How about, “Thank you Steve Tuma for giving amateurs a wonderful program, one which, I’m sure, has helped many of us see far more than we ever dreamed possible.” Is Deepsky perfect? Uh-uh. As I’ve said in every review I’ve written, no program is. But some are better than others. What separates the good from the bad in software? The author’s commitment to users. Believe me, Mssr. Tuma, who’s been steadily improving this program for 10 years, has demonstrated this commitment. It shows both in the loyalty of his users and in the usefulness of his wonderful Deepsky Astronomy Software.
18 ...... Skywatch
...... 19 There are two critical considerations telescope is pointing from the object In Praise of Digital that apply to all DSCs however – you’ve chosen. The arrows indicate first is the initial position of the the direction toward the object. Setting Circles mount. You must be able to
precisely set the declination For example you might see Don Gallian (altitude) axis either to 0° or 90° something like M 057 < 25 ^ 11. depending on your setup. If this This means you would move the Recently, I was forced to spend an position is more than 1/2° off, you telescope 25 degrees left and 11 entire observing session using my won’t be able to find much of degrees up to find the Ring Nebula. Celestron 11 (the Stray CAT) anything. While only one or two As you move the telescope toward without an optical finder! OK, so stars are used to align a DSC the object, the numbers decrease. did have a ‘red-dot’ and digital computer, the initial 0/90 point might When you get closer than 10 setting circles… be thought of as a ‘third star’. The degrees, the display changes to accuracy needed for this position is read tenths of a degree. When both Locating faint fuzzies with a 9-foot basically equal to what’s required for sets of numbers read 0.0, the object focal length telescope can be the alignment stars. should be in the field of a moderate ‘interesting’ to say the least even power eyepiece. JMI says any using mechanical setting eyepiece that yields circles and/or a finder. between a ¼ - ½ degree But digital setting circles field is appropriate. Very make it really easy! simple but quite accurate Every object I looked for too! appeared in the ½ degree field of the 24mm About the only change I’d TeleVue Wide Field I like to see would be was using! I happen to adding direct entry for have a JMI NGC-MAX objects, catalogs, or setup, but most options. For example, contemporary DSCs are the hand paddles for similar in features and most current GOTO accuracy. Prices vary scopes have numeric depending on the keypads. If you want to particular installation, the locate the Orion Nebula, components included, you press “M 0 4 2” and “ENTER” or the size of the database, the feature The second critical consideration is “GOTO”. On the other hand, DSCs set, and the retailer/manufacturer. that the computer assumes the only have a few buttons (and/or a mount is ‘orthogonal’ – the dial), so you’re required to scroll JMI’s ‘complete installation’ costs mechanical and optical axes are through various items to choose a $628 including shipping so it's not perfectly square and/or parallel to Mode, a Catalog, each digit for the exactly cheap. But, as the name each other. If your mount meets this object, etc., etc. While it’s not as implies, everything is included, plus criterion and you center the bad as it sounds in actual use, I’ve it's simple to install. The C11 kit alignment stars properly (extremely had both GOTO and ‘Push To’ consists of all required hardware; easy using a cross hair eyepiece!), systems and the direct entry method encoders, cables, a manual, a short you are almost guaranteed excellent is easier. Ironically though, because video, and the MAX computer all results! On the other hand, if you or the GOTO scopes slew the neatly packed in a foam-lined box. your mount don’t meet these telescope slower than you typically Purchasing additional hardware criteria, the phrase ‘vastness of move it, you won’t actually find would also allow the same computer space’ will take on a brand new objects any faster with an to be used on multiple telescopes if meaning for you! automated system than you will with one desired. a manual system! Once the system has been aligned, It is not necessary to polar align, or you choose a ‘Catalog’, and then even level the tripod, to get accurate select the particular object you want My only real regret is that I waited results – I know because I did to observe from that catalog. You this long to get Digital Setting neither! And of course, DSCs work then enter a ‘Guide’ mode in which Circles! with either equatorial or alt-azimuth the display will show a set of telescopes. numbers and arrows. The numbers represent how many degrees the 20 ...... Skywatch to educate the public on astronomy. transport (second picture down). ONE YEAR This is where I have done most of The mount is surprisingly stable with the observations with these this weight. The only penalty is the REVIEW binoculars. tripod will not raise the head, but it First rule for this beast is, “If seems needless to have this feature APOGEE 25 x you buy them, you must mount while using the binoculars anyway. them.” I have tried several ways, The 3.5° field of view is 100’S but resorted to cheat somewhat. I better than most 25 X 100’s. This used the Orion Paragon-Plus pair supposes to have a 13mm eye binocular mount and tripod. Part relief, but I believe it is closer to Joe Rome number 5347. Replaced the 4 Lb. 11mm. Eyeglass wearers may have Weight with a 16 Lb. Manufactured somewhat of a problem, but several
in a local machine shop. Also I who have used this pair had not Well it’s almost a year, and I have viewed both sides of the Milky replace the bracket that secures the complained. This pair chased down binocular with ScopeStuff’s cradle comets better than the Orion 80ED Way now using the Apogee’s mount. and 100ED. I don’t know what the mammoth 25 X 100’s. This pair of binoculars can be used for terrestrial http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_binm. exit pupil is, but if your eye is not htm I had to notch part of the cradle centered in the eyepieces, you get but I have only used them for mount to secure it to the Orion some color on bright objects. A astronomy. mount. This was to prevent small yellow highlight on the moon’s rim. When the eye is centered you would be pressed to find any problems, and the images appear to be from a much more expensive pair. Most scopes have their strong points and weak ones also. The major weak spot on these is the eyepieces. Its not that they are bad, it’s the fact the objective optics are very good and interchangeable eyepieces would greatly extent the ability of the binoculars. Well, I can wish, can’t I? The I am part of a group in unwanted movement. Seen right strong attributes are many in Austin called the Austin Dam above my hand. observing there are objects which Astronomers. They even have a telescopes can not touch the view web site where we can plan our The finished product looks these give. The Double Cluster, weekly gatherings like the following picture. Properly M13 is very surprising, M31 shown http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Austi balanced it can be guided by a child, a dust lane aside was M32 and ndamastronomers/ we congregate and have done so many times. It M110. One night M51 shown better at the Mansfield dam’s public park brakes apart in no time at all for ...... 21 in these than an 11” SCT. M42 restaurant called “the Oasis”; you Asia, he felt the same shock and generated a lot of can distinguish people eating on the sadness over the tremendous loss outside area. At five miles we watch of human life that most people Response from those who view it, someone across the lake set up a certainly felt. Later, though, he NGC 2244 looked nice. Weak but barbeque . began to wonder: were these waves M57 can be viewed, M27 real nice. big enough to see from space? M7 and M44 better seen through This is such a good pair, these than any scope I have seen and for the money, more than likely So he decided to check. At JPL, through. Tr24 is unreal; M8 shows for the price, the best bargain you Garay analyzes data from MISR— some structure, and M17 shoes the can run across. These binoculars the Multi-angle Imaging neck of the swine, M36, 37,38 and are not just a tool for the large SpectroRadiometer instrument so on. A lot of double stars are telescope, but a companion that aboard NASA's Terra satellite. He accessible, and looks impressive complements with wide views and scoured MISR images from the day also. enough aperture to reach many of the tsunami, looking for signs of Planets are limited to DSO’s. the waves near the coasts of India, Jupiter and Saturn. Of course Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Thailand.
Looking at an image of the southern tip of Sri Lanka taken by one of MISR's angled cameras, he spotted the distinct shape of waves made visible by the glint of reflected sunlight. They look a bit like normal waves, except for their scale: These waves were more than a kilometer wide!
Most satellites have cameras that point straight down. From that angle, waves are hard to see. But MISR is unique in having nine Jupiter shows off its four moons with cameras, each viewing Earth at a the NEB/SEB clearly seen. Saturn different angle. “We could see the shows off its rings (can’t split them) waves because MISR's forward- some surface features are also Asian Tsunami looking camera caught the reflected seen. sunlight just right,” Garay explains. The Moon, Full moons are Seen from Space great, and just after a new moon the In another set of images, MISR’s earthshine shows off all of the dark Patrick L. Barry cameras caught the white foam of side features. tsunami waves breaking off the To give you an idea of how coast of India. By looking at various sharp and powerful these things are. When JPL research scientist angles as the Terra satellite passed We set up at the Dam, and seven Michael Garay first heard the news over the area, MISR’s cameras miles across the lake you see a that a tsunami had struck southern snapped seven shots of the 22 ...... Skywatch breaking waves, each about a minute apart. This gave scientists a unique time-lapse view of the motion of the waves, providing valuable data such as the location, speed, and direction of the breaking waves.
Realizing the importance of the find, Garay contacted Vasily Titov at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle, Washington. Titov is a tsunami expert who had made a computer simulation of the Asian tsunami.
”Because the Indian Ocean doesn't have a tsunami warning system, hardly any scientific measurements of the tsunami's propagation exist, making it hard for Dr. Titov to check his simulations against reality,” Garay explains. “Our images provide some important data points to help make his simulations more accurate. By predicting where a tsunami will hit hardest, those simulations may someday help authorities issue more effective warnings next time a tsunami strikes.”
Find out more about MISR and see the latest images at www- misr.jpl.nasa.gov/. Kids can read their own version of the MISR tsunami story at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/ misr_tsunami .
This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
...... 23 My Back Pages “Crimson flames tied through my ears Rollin' high and mighty traps Pounced with fire on flaming roads Using ideas as my maps "We'll meet on edges, soon," said I Proud 'neath heated brow. Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.”
Comeback? Comeback? I hope they NEVER come military sights, military optics and night vision back! Word on the street was that those two only. scoundrels, Beavis and Butthead, had deserted the Coast in the wake of Katrina. Good thing. We don’t I always wondered why the heck Meade or exactly need their bumbling help with reconstruction! Celestron didn’t produce a well-made Seems as their movie career, such as it ever was, is back on for the moment. I wonder, though, how do you inexpensive truss tube dob. Well, now they’ve follow up on a title like Beavis and Butthead Do done it—or at least Meade has--with the new America?! Be that as it may, I felt a brief, very brief, Lightbridge series. These are 8, 10, and 12 inch moment of sadness as a lonely Mayo Jar (kept on Funk scopes that look something like a cross between and Wagnall’s porch for a fortnight) came floating one of Meade’s old StarFinder jobs (particle board down the muddy river that was once Selma Street and rocker box and all) and something a wee bit more hove itself up in the front yard of the unbowed edifice sophisticated. Time will tell how good they are. of Chaos Manor South…naturally, a quick glance Maybe quite some time…Uncle Rod ordered one revealed that it contained some… of the first 12 inch StarFinders back in March of Rumours 1994. Said scope arrived on 3 September of that year, the day before Uncle Rod and Miss Dorothy got married. As you can imagine, I at least insisted Two down, how many to go? After several years of being very hot items, Russian telescopes seem on opening the box and assembling the scope the evenin’ before those weddin’ bells rang. Good to have fallen on hard times (maybe those dirt cheap/good quality Chinese scopes are just thing for Rod it was CLOUDY THE too…well…dirt cheap to compete with?). Intes, FOLLOWING NIGHT! One curious thing beloved for their MCTs and MNTs, stopped is…why an 8? An 8 inch really isn’t much of a production some time back. Now LOMO is out of candidate for truss-tube-dom. Now a 16 would be a different matter. Meade’s old 16 inch warhorse the amateur scope biz. LOMO has not produced telescopes, (non-military that is), for a few months cried out for a truss body. now. If you want one you'd better get it now. I did not know just how highly the LOMO line was Well, somebody HAS already thought of that. regarded. LOMO is still in business but produces Word is that the Chinese are preparing to send 16 inch dobbies, truss tube dobbies, our way. Who in China? I’ve heard Guan Sheng…
24 ...... Skywatch I’ve got some great stuff lined up for Are Meade’s RCX problems over? After an y’all, including an IN-DEPTH review of exciting introduction, Meade’s new line of super- the new Meade ETX 125PE. And, as they say late at night on WTBS, “AND MUCH, sophisticated SCTs hit a few snags. Main one was MUCH MORE!” trouble with the focus/collimation motors that move the secondary to—well--focus and As always, I solicit your fine articles. collimate. There have been some problems I think you can see from this issue reported with “motor runaway,” and some folks thaat the quality of our contributors is getting higher all the time, with some also reported that focusing changed collimation. of ‘em easily puttin’ poor little me to Last I heard, the RCXes are shipping again, so shame. apparently Meade thinks they’ve exterminated the bugs. Stay tuned. One more note…things were EXTREMELY confused down here for a while. If you submitted material to me and it hasn’t The Orion Starshoot camera is finally shipping. been printed in this issue, please e- Those of you who’ve been itchin’ to get your mail me. Some material was lost with the hands on the (cooled) “DSI killer” (some say) hard drive crashes, etc. that happened from Orion/SAC/Cyanogen now have your due to the storm and the funky AC after. chance. --Rod Mollise
Celestron guru Bob Piekiel has a new and greatly expanded edition of his fantastic e-book, Celestron the Early Years, out. Look for a review soon, but if you can’t wait, contact Bob at [email protected] for information about getting a copy of this VALUABLE resource for Celestron fanciers!
That’s all this time. But with things nearing normalcy here, we at the Skywatch Editorial Offices in glorious Chaos Manor South shall and will be keeping our ears to the ground for much more delicious gossip for the Spring issue!
--The Anonymous Astronomer
The Wrap-up…
“See y’all in October,” I wrote in July. Because of a THING called “Katrina,” life here at Chaos Manor South has been, shall we say, “disrupted” over the last BLOODY BUT UNBOWED: CHAOS MANOR several months. Things are basically SOUTH THE DAY AFTER KATRINA. back to normal now, and after this SEE http://skywatch.brainiac.com/katrina/katrina.htm “double issue,” I expect to be back on FOR MORE PIX… our regular quarterly schedule—as we define “regular” down here in Possum Swamp, that is.
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