My other obsession - Page 2

**poppasmurf** · #11 05-27-2009, 12:17 AM

Phil, the best I can come up with is Alphard, SAO 155785, and SAO 156256, all in constelation Hydra.
Chris, the dob is 12" on permanent loan from a friend who doesn't use it anymore, he spent a fortune on big refractor with goto. My scope is 4.25" Newtonian.Just love the views through 12" dob(nicknamed 'BERTHA').

**Phil** · #12 05-27-2009, 06:48 AM

I believe, if you magnify a photo of those stars and use a straight edge, you will find they are triangular.

**Gharbad** · #13 05-27-2009, 02:23 PM

Unless the 3 stars are in a straight line they'll always be a triangle of one form or another. That being said, Orion's belt is very close to being straight...
http://media.skyandtelescope.com/images/Orion_l.jpg

I have a 135mm (5.25" ?) reflector. Managed to see the ice cap on Mars, though I had to stare at it for a few minutes before it showed up. Kind of funny how much weirdness you notice about the sky and your own eyes from using a telescope.
I don't use it all that much because I can't see much where I live. It's also a pretty cold and demanding hobby. We got a camera adapter but it doesn't focus properly, need to toy around with it some day...

Edit:
More specifically, it's a Newtonian that looks near identical to yours. 650mm focal length, which is about 25.5"

**poppasmurf** · #14 05-28-2009, 01:33 AM

Your just being picky Phil. LOL.
Kuba, I stuck a home modified webcam in my newt and have similar probs, I've been told its because there is not enough back focus with a Newt.But I still get good moon shots withit and still working on improving Saturn shots. BTW my Newt is 114mm/500mm f/l

**Phil** · #15 05-28-2009, 06:46 AM

I went to a planetarium as a teen. The teacher challenged us with the same proposal, and I have been hooked on stars ever since...I guess I'm a star-pusher.

"Pinprick holes in a colorless sky
Let insipid figures of light pass by..."

**poppasmurf** · #16 05-30-2009, 01:19 AM

I only started abot 3 years ago and had 2 year break due to health issues, am currently trying to convince the Minister of Finance to let me buy goto mount.

**Gharbad** · #17 05-30-2009, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppasmurf

Your just being picky Phil. LOL.
Kuba, I stuck a home modified webcam in my newt and have similar probs, I've been told its because there is not enough back focus with a Newt.But I still get good moon shots withit and still working on improving Saturn shots. BTW my Newt is 114mm/500mm f/l

Yeah, the issue is definitely that the focus plane isn't on the camera. You either need to change the length of the adapter or put something inbetween... haven't experimented enough to come to a conclusion.