Why is it...

[timthelder]

Every time I decide to upgrade something I wind up having to do a ton of research???:duh:

I was checking out some of the dielectric diagonals when so many questions seem to manifest themselves...BK7 glass,or quartz?

1/10th wave,or 1/12th wave?

How many times was it coated???once?46?:hmm:

And you can't find any quick info or charts for comparison!It isn't like you can buy four or five and test drive them.Arrrgh.And it's been cloudy for a week!

I feel better now.:Chessy_Smile:

[rmcpb]

Well, its a favour from the weather gods actually. It gives you something to do during the cloudy nights or the weather gods give you lots of cloudy nights to allow research time :Chessy_Smile:

[Radar]

Every time I decide to upgrade something I wind up having to do a ton of research???:duh:

I was checking out some of the dielectric diagonals when so many questions seem to manifest themselves...BK7 glass,or quartz?

1/10th wave,or 1/12th wave?

How many times was it coated???once?46?:hmm:

And you can't find any quick info or charts for comparison!It isn't like you can buy four or five and test drive them.Arrrgh.And it's been cloudy for a week!

I feel better now.:Chessy_Smile:

I know the feeling Tim. Better off putting questions here sometimes. :thumbsupmate:


Well, its a favour from the weather gods actually. It gives you something to do during the cloudy nights or the weather gods give you lots of cloudy nights to allow research time :Chessy_Smile:

lol, the gods are so kind :ahh!:

[AstroBob]

I'm so glad other's feel the same as me. :thumbsupmate:

[Stephen]

G'day Timthelder,
this is where you go and find a really reliable astro shop which has people who are astro geeks like us, give them a couple of good bottles of scotch and then ask them what you need to know. If I have any questions about what is good bad or ugly in equipment, I ring or email and ask Don at Bintel in Sydney..... and I live in Perth on the other side of Australia. He's always done good by me and is honest about what is and isn't good. He and Mike head to Meade Central in the States about once a year or so to upgrade their info and knowledge base.
Guys like them are hard to find but worth the search. :yesplease:

clear skies....... hopefully soon

Stephen

[timthelder]

Well after bribing people with several bottles of scotch.....

My new dielectric star diagonal arrived today(Sat),$140.00 US.for any one who is interested in price.

To answer some of my own questions for other inquiring minds...::hmm:

To be considered a dielectric coating,it MUST have 46 layers.

However some of the difference lies within the visible spectrum of the glass,and the type of glass used.BK7 glass is good,but quartz glass is better due to it's thermal expansion characteristics(better for photography as well).

1/10th and 1/12th wave refer to the amount of visible color the glass reproduces that you can see with the naked eye,or with a camera.1/12th is better than a mirror that is only ground to 1/10th or 1/6th for example.

Most stock diagonals that come with a scope are only about 88% to 92% reflective,Celestron's XLT coatings are advertised as 96%,Meade's UHTC 98%.

Am praying to the cloud gods for clear viewing.:Chessy_Smile:

I will give a comparison to my stock celestron digonal to let you know if I feel it's worth the added $$$.