My first scope (gift at age 9) was a
"monocular style" spyglass that telescopes in/out. It was
impossibly unsteady, and useless for anything but shaky
moon viewing, but it was my first conscious experience viewing with an optical instrument.
My first "real" scope was a Meade 90mm ETX. It was one of the first of that series to come out, and has a battery
operated tracking gear inside, but does not include (as
all of them now do) a "Go-To" function. This also prompted
my first attempts at ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY. Surprisingly, using
the ETX, I was able to take mediocre pics of the Moon, Sun, Jupiter & Saturn, but soon
realized I'd need a bigger, nicer, more steady scope to
take better images.
Eventually, as my skill and knowledge of astronomical imaging
improved, I purchased a MEADE 12" LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain
catadioptric computer controlled telescope. This outstanding
"observatory quality" instrument has allowed me much room
to grow and improve.
TELESCOPES
* Tasco 25x35 mm "monocular" spyglass
* Pentax 8x42 waterproof nitrogen sealed
roof prism binoculars
* Meade 90mm ETX Maksutov-Cassegrain
(with heavy-duty field tripod)
(also with Rigel laser viewfinder)
* Meade 114 mm (DS114) reflector (with a rather unstable
tripod) (also with Telrad laser viewfinder)
* Meade 12" LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain catadioptric
(computer controlled) (With equatorial Super-Wedge, heavy-duty field
tripod, and portable roller system)
CAMERAS
* Canon EOS 10d (6.3 megapixel) Digital
SLR
(with various lenses) (also with Canon magnifying
right angle viewfinder)
* Phillips ToUcam Pro webcam (with scope
adapter)
* Pentax ME Super (35mm film) (with various lenses) (also
with Olympus Vari-Magnifier right angle viewfinder)
* Canon AE1 (35mm film) (with various lenses)
* Canon FT6 (35mm film) (with various lenses)
* Nikon FM2 (35 mm film) (with various
lenses)
* SBIG ST-4000xcm color ccd camera
EYEPIECES
* Meade 2x Barlow
* Full set of multi-coated Meade Super-Plossel eyepieces (6.4mm
- 40mm)
* Meade multi-coated 9mm Illuminated Reticle eyepiece (for
manual guiding through most scopes)
PHOTOGRAPHIC ACCESSORIES
* Meade Variable Projection Tele-Extender (uses eyepieces inside
an adapter for "prime focus" astroimaging through LX200)
* Meade Variable Projection camera adapter
(For "eyepiece projection" astroimaging through
LX200)
* Meade multi-coated 9mm Illuminated Reticle eyepiece (for manual
guiding through most scopes)
* Meade camera T-Adapter (for "prime focus" imaging through ETX)
* Meade camera T-Adapter (for "prime focus" imaging through 12"
LX200)
* Meade Off-Axis Guider
(for manual guiding during imaging)
* Kendrick 3-hole focusing mask (for LX200)
* Meade Series 4000 CCD/35mm camera Flip-Mirror system
SOLAR FILTERS
* 12" Identi-View glass "white light" solar filter
(For LX200)
* 90mm Baader film solar filter (home made) (for 90mm ETX)
MISCELLANEOUS ACCESSORIES
* 12" Meade dew shield (for LX200)
* Kendrick multi-port battery operated automatic dew removal
system
* Meade Field De-Rotator (for LX200 when not in equatorial mode)
* Meade f 6.3 Focal Reducer/Field Flattener
* Meade 201xt autoguider (for 12" LX200) |