From: Collin Smith [mailto:CollinofAlabama@cox.net]
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2006 3:38 PM
Subject: Observational report for 30 Jan 2006

Finally made it out to Emma again for some REALLY dark sky viewing, the moon a tiny sliver of a crescent past New. Travis & I didn't arrive at the cemetery in time to observe Luna as she was lost in the western Lubbock glare, though we got there about 7:45. I had my custom 6" F/6 dob. Two other friends, Tom English and his son Austin showed up, too. We started right in on the great Andromeda Galaxy and satellites -- M31, M32 & M110.
Curt Pfarr called and showed up soon thereafter. He had his Meade 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain. Don Fritz had called and was on his way with the Stellarvue 80 lensed scope riding his new toy, the Alt-Azimuth Vixen Porta Mount. Forgot my camera this time, so no photos from the event, but it was a great time, just the same.
I gave Travis, Tom and Austin the Winter Gemini/Auriga star cluster tour of M35/NGC 2158, M37, M36 & M38/NGC 1907 while Curt set up. Around this time we began in on the Double Cluster of Perseus-Cassiopeia when Don arrived with his appropriate wide field and we all looked at the Double Cluster in a number of different ways and eyepieces. Don put his 28mm Meade SWA into Curt's Meade SCT for some nice, wide angle views.
It was Curt that led us straightway to M42 and the glories of the Orion Nebula region. Through his Meade with Don's Meade eyepiece the trapezium was quite nice with tons of filamentary structure in this cloudy star nursery. My own 6" did a nice job, too, with the GSO SuperView 30mm. I also put in my new Meade 26mm Series 5000 Plossl for a nice view. But this eyepiece really excelled in Curt's SCT. Something about the all-Meade optics that really fits together nicely. The views through the 26mm were stunning, with all six large Trapezium stars visible in the Series 5000 Plossl, thanks to the 2000mm focal length of Curt's Schmidt.
Then Curt put in his new, inexpensive binoviewer. He bought one of the newer units that cost many hundreds less than the Denkmeier product (hope mentioning that manufacturer won't make me the target of Muslim fundamentalists!) Everyone enjoyed the view but me. My eyesight is such that binoviewing is an inconvenient, disorienting experience. But Curt, Don and Travis all enjoyed it. Curt later confided that the advantages of binoviewing were lessened when viewing from a seated position. Curt's CGE mount indeed steadily hoisted the weighty Schmidt 8" high enough that we all observed from a standing position, so the binoviewers were particularly nice for the other folks. Fortunately with my dob, I brought the stool. The two Kellner eyepieces that came with Curt's binoviewer delivered pleasing views of M42 (even with one eye closed ;-)
The really big eyepiece testing, however, was for Saturn and Mars. The views were quite spectacular of Saturn particularly. The eyepiece testing we did was between the new Burgess/TMB Planetary 9mm and the University Optics 9mm orthoscopic. The UO is mine, and it's an original volcano top model, not one of the newer HD series. We used Don's 9mm, though Curt has two for his binoviewer. The Crepe Ring was quite apparent in the Schmidt and my Newtonian, with the light from the globe of the planet clearly muffled by this inner faint ring's obstruction. We all noticed banding on the globe as well, to say nothing of the apparent Cassini Division (did I say that?)
Ironically, the view through the Burgess/TMB almost looked smaller to my eye between the two oculars. This is no doubt because of the larger True Field of View in the eyepiece, owing to the 60 degree Apparent Field of View of the Burgess compared with the 43 degree AFOV of the UO. The amount of sky was indeed larger, but we all agreed that the Burgess/TMB Planetary 9mm delivered as optically contrasty and sound image to the pupil as the UO did. The detail was the same. That's an amazing feat for a more optically complex design that employs many more optical elements than an orthoscopic. Folks, the glass is getting exceedingly fine!
Tom and Austin got cold and left earlier. But before we knew it the clock read 11:20 and, after all, it WAS a Monday night and I DID have to be at work the next day and I WAS 40 minutes from my house! Oh well, another sleepy Tuesday, but well worth the fun of exploring the heavens.
I forgot to compare the Meade 5000 Series 26mm Plossl to Curt's excellent 25mm Orion Ultrascopic. Wow, what an oversight. Guess we'll have to return to the dark skies of Emma or Skyview for more optical exploration!
Ciao astroamigos,
CDS

From: Collin Smith [mailto:CollinofAlabama@cox.net]
Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2006 9:52 PM
Subject: Emma bound
Folks,
Tomorrow night Curt Pfarr, Don Fritz and I are planning to be at the Emma Cemetery to look at the stars. Should be dark around 6:50 PM. Call me if you are interested and need to caravan there or otherwise arrange for transportation (about 40 miles from the heart of the city). See the map below…

As the map indicates, Highway 40 is East 4th Street. The skies are spectacular out there, and a dark sky is guaranteed. Curt and I will be comparing the 9mm Burgess/TMB to the UO 9mm orthoscopic and also the Orion Ultrascopic 25mm to the new 60º AFOV Meade 5000 26mm Plossl. But the optics are nothing compared to Mars, Saturn, the Andromeda Galaxy, the Great Orion Nebula, etc. Arriving early will also permit a nice viewing of the crescent moon, which sets at 19:50. PLEASE dress warmly, as it is ALWAYS colder out there. The wind is supposed to be less on Monday than it was Sunday, but the lack of miles of heat retaining asphalt & concrete makes a difference.
Guaranteed, there's nothing on TV as good as the universe!
CDS