New Tools!

[timthelder]

The mail just delivered my new Hirsh color filters,and SCT focal reducer.These filters are absolutely beautiful.They look like fine gems.:Chessy_Smile:

I also picked up off of Ebay,a new series 5000 8.8mm 82 degree Ultra-wide lens,(less than new price),but it has yet to arrive.

[rmcpb]

Good luck, now go a play with those new toys.....

[Radar]

Awesome Tim. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the focal reducer.

Ray

[timthelder]

Awesome Tim. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the focal reducer.

Ray

Well Ray,...after two successive nights of viewing,I think I'm going to have to consider the focal reducer as another tool in my slowly accumilating arsenal of viewing epuipment.

My observations...The FR works well on many of the nebula's especially the Swan nebula.It seems to make them just a tad brighter.It reduces the object by 37% in size,collects a little more light,and increases my field of view.Using an 18mm eyepiece,M31 & M32 fit into my field of view nicely.Without the FR, M31 only fits in the field of view.

On cluster's,depending on how many light years away and luminosity,play a big factor in wether or not to use a FR.
M13 looks much better without the FR,where as looser cluster's seem to work well with the FR.
Viewing binary's it seems best not to use a FR,OR you can use a filter to cut down on the glare.

The moon looks fantastic using the FR,paired with either a 30% or 15% light filter.

Far as putting it on ,and leaving it on,I don't think that will happen.It is a nice option though.I can use a 4mm plossl with the FR as it only gives me a magnification of 370x.Without the FR A 4mm gives me 587x which is fuzzy and is not a useful magnification.

My 8.8mm Series 5000 82degree ulta-wide just arrived,8/22.I can't wait to try that next.(fingers are crossed for clear skies.)

[timthelder]

My 8.8mm Series 5000 82degree ulta-wide just arrived,8/22.I can't wait to try that next.(fingers are crossed for clear skies.)

8/25
The skies were clear...Humidity is about like the deep,dark jungles of gitchagoomee though.It's been above 100 degrees during the day for a week now.BUT.

This eyepiece is awesome!Expensive,but awesome.

[Radar]

Hi Tim,

That's great that you are getting some good use out of the focal reducer. I guess it's a matter of taste. I go for brightness rather than size these days, so the FR suits me fine.

The Series 5000 eyepiece sounds good to. I've never looked through one yet. Are the views sharp all the way to the edge? Is there any kind of image distortion (hope not but interested to find out just how good they are)?

Cheers mate

Ray

[timthelder]

Hi Tim,

The Series 5000 eyepiece sounds good to. I've never looked through one yet. Are the views sharp all the way to the edge? Is there any kind of image distortion (hope not but interested to find out just how good they are)?

Cheers mate

Ray

I used this lens(8.8) last night to split Epsilon Lyrae,"the double-double".This was at 267x magnification.It will not split with the focal reducer on @168x mag.Too much light.
You can look around inside this lense,so to speak,you have to move your head to do it though.Images are good from almost edge to edge.A very little distortion as you near the very edge,looking right or left inside the lense.
As I said it does pick up a lot of light.Antares,Arcturus,Vega,are exteremly bright(not a round dot,more like a glaring orb.)Works well on faint objects,but nebula still look best with a filter.I would love to find some deals on a couple of other magnifications.

Well,gotta go,Tim