TELESCOPES & ASTRONOMY
NEWSLETTERS
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Contact Us - telescopes@adam.com.au
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TELESCOPE BASICS Australian
Residents Please Fax 08 8381 3588 Overseas
Residents Please Fax 61+ 8 8381 3588 |
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INFORMATION |
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ASTRONOMY BASICS |
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HOME PAGE Subscribe To Our Email Publication
Newsletter |
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TELESCOPES AND ASTRONOMY
DECEMBER NEWSLETTER 2011 NO.58
Phone: (08) 8381 3188
FAX: (08) 8381 3588
VOIP: 087 129 6316
SKYPE: telescopes.and.astronomy
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/telescopes1
OUR WEB SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/
EMAIL:
Please
let us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if
you receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let
me know if you want the August 2011 Newsletter, which was the
previous one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
Mainly
specials for Christmas gifts etc. in this issue.
Merry
Christmas!
IN THIS
ISSUE:
- ASTRONOMY 2012 BOOK
$18AUD
- ASTRONOMY 2012 CALENDARS $8AUD & $10AUD
- AUSSIE MADE GREEN LASER
POINTERS
- DVDs $10AUD & $5AUD
- SKYSHED POD OBSERVATORY
- CELESTRON LCM80mm GOTO TELESCOPE $450AUD
- TELRADs $50AUD
- QUIK FINDER BY RIGEL
SYSTEMS $50AUD
- BAADER UV/IR FILTERS
1.25" $73AUD
- NIGHT VISION SPECIAL NV-RANGER $349AUD
- 40mm PLOSSL EYEPIECES - CLEAR APERTURE (BIT YOU LOOK THROUGH)
34mm $60AUD
- PHILIPS TOUCAM SPC900NC
$110AUD
- WORLD SUPER MAP
LAMINATED $50AUD
- HEAVY DUTY DOVETAIL PLATES
- BOB'S KNOBS
- SECOND-HAND HEQ5 PRO
MOUNT & ACCESSORIES
- BOOK SPECIALS
CURRENT SPECIALS
- 40mm LONG - 2" DIAMETER EXTENSION TUBES
$18AUD
- CELESTRON NEXIMAGER PLANET & MOON CAMERAS
$95AUD
- CELESTRON F/6.3 FOCAL REDUCER $265AUD
- 1.25" 45° ERECTING DIAGONALS $25AUD
- 0.965" TO 1.25" EYEPIECE ADAPTORS
$20AUD
- DUAL LED (RED & WHITE LIGHT) FLASH LIGHTS
$25AUD
-
- 1.25" ACHROMATIC 2X BARLOW LENSES $45AUD
- ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT METAL TABLE TOP TRIPODS
$25AUD
- 90° 8x50mm FINDERSCOPES $60AUD
- 40mm PLOSSL EYEPIECES - CLEAR APERTURE (BIT
YOU LOOK THROUGH) 34mm $60AUD
- LASER POINTER HOLDERS $50AUD
- BINOVIEWERS (WITHOUT EYEPIECES) HIGH QUALITY,
NOT CHEAPIES! $120AUD
- Binocular Cases - suit 60mm and larger
Binoculars up to 80mm $10AUD
- RED DOT FINDERSCOPES $20AUD
- 11mm, 1.25" 80° EYEPIECES $70
- EDMUND SCIENTIFIC RKE EYEPIECES:
- 21mm $70AUD
- 8mm $70AUD
http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlinecatalog/displayproduct.cfm?productid=2075
- F/3.3 FOCAL REDUCERS TO SUIT SCT $120AUD
- CAMERA T RINGS $12AUD
- NIKON
- PENTAX
- CANON
- SONY $15AUD
- RUSSIAN 8 ELEMENT, 2" 80° FIELD OF VIEW
EYEPIECES $150AUD (£199 in the UK!)
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=278
- LASER COLLIMATORS $40AUD
- PYREX 1/10 WAVE 4" SECONDARY MIRROR
(NEWPORT GLASS) $350AUD
- ALL PYREX 1/10 WAVE SECONDARY MIRRORS
(NEWPORT GLASS) 20% OFF
- 152mm x 750mm REFRACTOR OTA $550AUD
- ECLIPSE GLASSES $4AUD
ASTRONOMY 2012 BOOK $18AUD
Latest
annual with the easiest and quickest reference book for knowing your way around
the Night Sky.
Quasar
Publishing has been producing these annual publications since 1991. The
yearbooks are written by Australians for Australians.
This
yearbook has been designed for anyone who looks at the night sky whether they
are using just their eyes, a pair of binoculars or a telescope. The book has
something for everyone, from the basic novice, up to the advanced amateur
astronomer. This includes those with a casual interest who might just want to
know, "what is that bright star next to the Moon?"
ASTRONOMY CALENDARS FOR 2012
For
2012 there have been two calendars produced instead of one! In addition
to the traditional Astronomy calendar, we have an Australian Sky Calendar
which is more Australia-specific and designed for the general public rather
than just amateur astronomers. The Astronomy calendar can also be used in
We
are now producing a wide range of "Aussie Made" Laser Pointers.
Through better Crystals and Optics, we can now
produce a high quality product with a certified output. This is
perfect tool for pointing out objects to family and friends. It is also
great for use as a Finderscope on your telescope.
Here's our complete range:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/green-laser-pointers-international-supplier.htm
- DVDs $10AUD & $5AUD
- SPACEFLIGHT - All the highlights from
50 years of manned spaceflights
- SOLAR SYSTEM - Latest News from the
NASA and ESA Probes
- UNIVERSE - All the latest
discoveries about the Cosmos
- HUBBLE - 15 Years of Hubble
Discoveries
- EYES ON THE SKIES - 400 Years of Telescopic
Discovery
-
THE SOLAR SYSTEM $5AUD
-
SPACEFLIGHT $5AUD
-
ASTRONOMY $5AUD
SKYSHED POD OBSERVATORIES 3RD SHIPMENT
Anyone
who is interested in the 3rd shipment of SkyShed Pods to Australia, contact us
via email for current pricing and information. We need 2 more orders to
fill the current container!
Imagine
not having to set up your telescope. A SkyShed Pod houses your
equipment in a lockable Observatory, ready for use at any time.
SkyShed are
now producing a larger Pod. Contact us for details.
SkyShed
POD - 1 Dome, 5 Wall Panels, 1 Door Panel $3470
SkyShed
POD XL3 - 1 Dome, 2 Wall Panels, 3 Bays, 1 Door Panel $4698
SkyShed
POD XL5 - 1 Dome, 5 Bays, 1 Door Panel $5500
SkyShed
POD - Dome only $2235
Bay
Pull Out Shelf $116
Other
Accessories available.
CELESTRON LCM80mm GOTO TELESCOPE $450AUD
http://www.celestron.com/c3/product.php?ProdID=589
TELRADs $50AUD
I
use a Telrad on my 16" Newtonian Reflector. It the fastest way of
finding an object, with its ease of use.
The
Telrad is used instead of a Finderscope. The Telrad uses a bull's eye
projected onto the back ground sky. There are many advantages:
-
a very wide field of view
-
image is not upside down
-
aligned by three Knobs on the back
-
portable to other scopes
Telrad
1x, illuminated reticle bulls eye, Excellent device $50AUD
Telrad Dew
Shield
$20AUD
Mounting Base
only
$12AUD
Telrad
Pulser $30AUD
Telrad Dew Shield+
$32AUD
(w/mirror for 90° viewing)
Telrad 2” Riser
Base
$23AUD
Telrad 4” Riser
Base
$25AUD
Reticle
$6AUD
Lens
$12AUD
Combining Glass (clear or
tinted) $10AUD
Potentiometer
$10AUD
Thumb Screw (steel w/plastic knob) $1AUD
Thumb Screw (brass)
$2AUD
Review:
http://www.company7.com/telrad/products/telrad.html
QUIK FINDER BY RIGEL
SYSTEMS $50AUD
Rigel System only make a select number of
accessories for astronomical purposes. The Quik Finder is one of the fastest
ways around the sky. The Puls Guide is a
high quality Illuminated Eyepiece for Guiding or Polar Alignment. Amongst
others, the Red and White Torch is invaluable to the amateur astronomers:
BAADER UV/IR FILTERS
1.25" $73AUD
http://www.company7.com/baader/options/ir-uv.html
NIGHT VISION SPECIAL NV-RANGER $349AUD
NV-RANGER
Product code: 2X42 CG (17125-1)
Image
intensifier tube classification Gen 1+
Magnification --------------------------------2x
Lens diameter ---------------------------42mm
Field of view --------------------------------25º
Resolution
---------------------------38lp/mm
Focus
range --------------------1meter to
inf.
Eye
relief --------------------------------10mm
Diopter
adjustment------------------- ± 1.5m
Detection
distance -------------up to 350 m
Power
supply ----------------3V (CR 123A)
Operating temperature --
Dimensions
----145 (L) x 52 (W) x 60” (H)
Weight---------------------------------
0,55 Kg
One
place had these on the net for $1500US$!!!
40mm PLOSSL EYEPIECES - CLEAR APERTURE (BIT YOU LOOK THROUGH) 34mm
$50AUD
-
huge Eye Relief
-
easy to look through!
PHILIPS TOUCAM SPC900NC $110AUD
The
Philips ToUcam SPC900NC is a great camera for use on the Moon,
planets, DeepSky or as a Guide Camera. There are many examples of great
images on the web. Best value for money available - thousands of hours of
fun and images!
- Philips
900NC ToUcam $110AUD
-
Philips 900NC ToUcam Modified for Long Exposure $250AUD
-
1.25" Adaptor with Filter Thread, Baffled, Anodised $55AUD
-
ToUcam to T Thread Adaptor $45AUD
-
Camera Thread to Eyepiece Adaptor (for eyepieces around 34mm diameter) $55AUD -
$60AUD
-
5m USB Extension Lead $18AUD (camera comes with 2m lead)
http://www.technoplus.nl/astro/webcam/webcam.htm
http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/~fringwal/moon-gallery.html
http://www.deep-sky.co.uk/imaging/webcam/toucam.htm
WORLD SUPER MAP LAMINATED $50AUD
-
1.9m x 1.1m
-
high detailed - email for image
HEAVY DUTY DOVETAIL & OTHER MACHINING WEB SITE
Blair Lade, of the Astronomical
Society of South Australia, first pointed out the problems with many
commercially designed Dovetails and Attachments. Blair has been the societies
equipment officer for the past number of years.
With the help of an experienced engineer and
machinist, a number of components for various popular model Mounts were
developed.
"Components have been
designed and engineered for rigidity and strength. The use of sound mechanical
principles results in repetitive mating of components without damaging dovetail
faces, thereby maintaining greater accuracy over their life".
The systems are designed to
replace the current systems which accompany many popular mounts.
"It was Blair who showed me
the setup he had at the time. The setup had ball end thumbscrews biting into
the Dovetail. This caused peening/denting to the Dovetail faces to the point
where they would not mate accurately, unless a metal file was used, to dress
flat the facings."
The Side By Side setup is generally used for camera work
where stability is paramount. The system is designed rigid, due to all the
components being machined matched.
"Stability starts at the
top of the Mount using our Replacement Head. Once the Head is replaced,
it provides a base for the rest of the system to ensures rigidness,
instead of failing somewhere along the chain of connecting points
supporting the optics. There can be many connection points
including the Head, Main Dovetail Plate, Side Saddles, and also the optics
Dovetail Plate."
Some telescopes are setup
and dismantled each night, or each time it's used. Once aligned the user would
expect to setup each time without realignment/ balancing.
This is where the design came from,
the recesses in the dovetail faces where the thumbscrews bite, the special
brass insert thumbscrews, the important heavy duty cross section of the
dovetail plate which resists bend.
The system also allows users of
SkyWatcher/Vixen/Celestron type Dovetails to update to the wider 80mm
"D" type Dovetails like Losmandy, providing better stability.
See our range of CNC machined items:
BOB'S KNOBS
New
products include Knobs for the following scopes:
- Meade Schmidt-Newt 6"
- Meade 8" SCT with four factory secondary screws
- Vixen VMC 200L and 260L secondary
- Orion by Celestron 11" SCT, standard and metric
- Orion Optics (UK) OD series Newtonian secondary
Bob has also developed a No-Tools Kit for the Celestron CGE
Equatorial Mount that includes Knobs for mounting the Equatorial Head to
the Electronics Pier, Knobs for mounting the Electronics Pier to
the Tripod, and a Knob for the Weight Bar Safety Stop:
We
try to keep most of Bob's Knobs in stock:
Meade LightBridge 12" Primary $58AUD
Meade Light Bridge 8", 10", 12" Primary Springs $34AUD
Meade 8" F/10 with 6 Secondary Screws $$34AUD
Meade 10" F/10 with 6 Secondary Screws $34AUD
Celestron 8" Standard - All SCT except with Black Collimation Screws
$34AUD
Celestron 9.25" Standard - All except CPC 925 $34AUD
Celestron 11" - All except CPC 1100 $34AUD
Celestron 8" Metric - SCT with Black Phillips Collimation Screws $38AUD
SECOND-HAND HEQ5 PRO MOUNT & ACCESSORIES
- HEQ5-Pro goto, in excellent condition.
- Synscan firmware updated to latest V 3.27
- Synscan GPS Unit+software
- Vixen half pillar
- All books & cables.
Mount, counterweights,hand piece, GPS & cables,
all contained in a wheeled luggage case.
$1400AUD ONO.
BOOK SPECIALS
Teach
Yourself Astronomy - Sir Patrick Moore $29AUD
Exploring
the Moon - Steve Massey $29AUD
The
Australian Guide to StarGazing - Gregg D. Thompson $29AUD
The
Night Sky (Guide) - Steve Massey $29AUD
Moon
Maps (16x Foolscap Phases of the Moon) $16AUD - "must have"
Astronomy Map
SkyCharts
(18x Foolscap Maps covering the whole sky) $18AUD
Milky
Way Chart $10AUD
The
Solar System (updated) $12AUD
The
Night Sky Observer's Guide - Ian Cooper, Jenni Kay, George Robert Kepple
$60AUD
http://www.willbell.com/handbook/nitesky.htm
Atlas
of the Universe - Sir Patrick Moore $75AUD
Bright
Star Atlas $29AUD
http://www.willbell.com/atlas/atlas1.htm
Manual
for Amateur Telescope Makers - Karine and Jean-Marc Lecleire $40AUD
http://www.willbell.com/tm/atmmanual/index.htm
The
Dobsonian Telescope - David Kriege, Richard Berry $45AUD
http://www.willbell.com/tm/dobtel.htm
How
to Make a Telescope - Jean Texereau $40AUD
http://www.willbell.com/tm/tm3.htm
Introduction
to WebCam Astrophotography - Robert Reeves $50AUD
http://www.willbell.com/WebcamAstrophoto/webcam.htm
CURRENT SPECIALS
- 40mm LONG - 2" DIAMETER EXTENSION TUBES
$18AUD
- CELESTRON NEXIMAGER PLANET & MOON CAMERAS
$95AUD
- CELESTRON F/6.3 FOCAL REDUCER $265AUD
- 2" NEUTRAL DENSITY MOON FILTERS
$30AUD
- 1.25" 45° ERECTING DIAGONALS $25AUD
- 0.965" TO 1.25" EYEPIECE ADAPTORS
$20AUD
- DUAL LED (RED & WHITE LIGHT) FLASH LIGHTS
$25AUD
- CHESHIRE COLLIMATION EYEPIECES $40AUD
- 1.25" ACHROMATIC 2X BARLOW LENSES $45AUD
- ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT METAL TABLE TOP TRIPODS
$25AUD
- 90° 8x50mm FINDERSCOPES $60AUD
- 40mm PLOSSL EYEPIECES - CLEAR APERTURE (BIT
YOU LOOK THROUGH) 34mm $60AUD
- LASER POINTER HOLDERS $50AUD
- BINOVIEWERS (WITHOUT EYEPIECES) HIGH QUALITY,
NOT CHEAPIES! $120AUD
- Binocular Cases - suit 60mm and larger
Binoculars up to 80mm $10AUD
- RED DOT FINDERSCOPES $20AUD
- 11mm, 1.25" 80° EYEPIECES $70
- EDMUND SCIENTIFIC RKE EYEPIECES:
- 21mm $70AUD
- 8mm $70AUD
http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlinecatalog/displayproduct.cfm?productid=2075
- F/3.3 FOCAL REDUCERS TO SUIT SCT $120AUD
- CAMERA T RINGS $12AUD
- NIKON
- PENTAX
- CANON
- SONY $15AUD
- RUSSIAN 8 ELEMENT, 2" 80° FIELD OF VIEW
EYEPIECES $150AUD (£199 in the
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=278
- LASER COLLIMATORS $40AUD
- PYREX 1/10 WAVE 4" SECONDARY MIRROR (
- ALL PYREX 1/10 WAVE SECONDARY MIRRORS (
- 152mm x 750mm REFRACTOR OTA $550AUD
Regards,
Matthew
Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
OHALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 08 8381 3188
FAX: 08 8381 3588
telescopes@adam.com.au
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
TELESCOPES
AND ASTRONOMY
AUGUST
NEWSLETTER 2011 NO.57
Phone:
(08) 8381 3188
FAX:
(08) 8381 3588
VOIP:
087 129 6316
SKYPE: telescopes.and.astronomy
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/telescopes1
OUR
WEB SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/
EMAIL:
Please let
us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if you
receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let me know
if you want the June 2011 Newsletter, which was the previous
one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
IN THIS ISSUE:
-
ASTRONOMY CALENDARS FOR 2012
- NEW
LOSMANDY PRICING
- NEW
LOWER PRICING FOR AUSSIE MADE MACHINED PRODUCTS
-
"L'ASTROFILO" - THE FREE INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMY WEBZINE
-
"THE CRUX" DAILY ONLINE NEWSPAPER
-
WILLIAM OPTICS LATEST REFRACTOR TELESCOPE
-
LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE TELESCOPE OBSERVING CHAIRS
- CANCELLATION OF THE JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE!?
- TESTING
YOUR TELESCOPE'S MIRROR
- FREE FLOATING PLANETS MAY BE MORE
COMMON THAN STARS!
- SKY COMMANDER DIGITAL SETTING CIRCLES
- THE EQMOD PROJECT
- LOSMANDY "STARLAPSE"
ASTRONOMICAL AND TERRESTRIAL CAMERA MOTION SYSTEM
- TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE AUSTRALIA
2012 - WHERE TO SEE IT QUICK REFERENCE
- WILLIAM OPTICS SPECIALS - NEW ITEMS
ADDED
- PST (PERSONAL SOLAR TELESCOPE) BINOVIEWER/CAMERA
ADAPTOR
- "RESPECT THE SCIENCE"
CAMPAIGNE
- AROUND
- WILLIAM OPTICS 2" 45° ERECTING PRISM DIAGONAL $209AUD
- LOW PROFILE HELICAL FOCUSER TO
ACHIEVE CAMERA FOCUS
- 5 PAIRS OF BINOCULARS FOR THE
NIGHT SKY
- EXTRA
TALL, STURDY BINOCULAR TRIPODS
- JUST BECAUSE IT'S INTERESTING
-
STOCKTAKE SPECIALS - (ALL ITEMS NEW)
- 40mm LONG - 2" DIAMETER EXTENSION TUBES $18AUD
- CELESTRON NEXIMAGER PLANET & MOON CAMERAS $95AUD
- CELESTRON F/6.3 FOCAL REDUCER $265AUD
- DVDs $10AUD
- SPACEFLIGHT - All the highlights from 50 years of manned
spaceflights
- SOLAR SYSTEM - Latest News from the NASA and ESA Probes
- UNIVERSE - All the latest discoveries about the Cosmos
- HUBBLE - 15 Years of Hubble Discoveries
- EYES ON THE SKIES - 400 Years of Telescopic Discovery
- 2" NEUTRAL DENSITY MOON FILTERS $30AUD
- 1.25" 45° ERECTING DIAGONALS $25AUD
- 0.965" TO 1.25" EYEPIECE ADAPTORS $20AUD
- DUAL LED (RED & WHITE LIGHT) FLASH LIGHTS $25AUD
-
- 1.25" ACHROMATIC 2X BARLOW LENSES $45AUD
- ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT METAL TABLE TOP TRIPODS $25AUD
- 90° 8x50mm FINDERSCOPES $60AUD
- 40mm PLOSSL EYEPIECES - CLEAR APERTURE (BIT
YOU LOOK THROUGH) 34mm $60AUD
- LASER POINTER
HOLDERS $50AUD
- BINOVIEWERS
(WITHOUT EYEPIECES) HIGH QUALITY, NOT CHEAPIES! $120AUD
- Binocular Cases - suit 60mm and
larger Binoculars up to 80mm $10AUD
- RED DOT FINDERSCOPES $20AUD
- 11mm, 1.25"
80° EYEPIECES $70
- EDMUND SCIENTIFIC
RKE EYEPIECES:
-
21mm $70AUD
-
8mm $70AUD
http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlinecatalog/displayproduct.cfm?productid=2075
- F/3.3 FOCAL
REDUCERS TO SUIT SCT $120AUD
- CAMERA T RINGS
$10AUD
-
NIKON
-
PENTAX
-
CANON
-
SONY $15AUD
- RUSSIAN 8 ELEMENT,
2" 80° FIELD OF VIEW EYEPIECES $150AUD (£199 in the
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=278
- LASER COLLIMATORS
$40AUD
- PYREX 1/10 WAVE
4" SECONDARY MIRROR (
- ALL PYREX 1/10
WAVE SECONDARY MIRRORS (
- 152mm x 750mm
REFRACTOR OTA $550AUD
ASTRONOMY CALENDARS FOR 2012
For 2012
there have been two calendars produced instead of one! In addition
to the traditional Astronomy calendar, we have an Australian Sky Calendar
which is more Australia-specific and designed for the general public rather
than just amateur astronomers. The Astronomy calendar can also be used in
We have
once again reduced the pricing of Losmandy products:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/losmandy-mount-telescope-astronomical-dovetail-pricelist.htm
NEW
LOWER PRICING FOR AUSSIE MADE MACHINED PRODUCTS
To compete
with imports, we have reduced the pricing of our range of machined products
including Dovetail, Counter Weights, Guide Rings, Mount Conversion Adaptors and
Side By Side Setups:
"L'ASTROFILO"
- THE FREE INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMY WEBZINE
Produced in
http://www.astropublishing.com/
"THE
CRUX" DAILY ONLINE NEWSPAPER
Produced in
http://paper.li/AstronomyMike/1309065212
WILLIAM
OPTICS LATEST REFRACTOR TELESCOPE
William
Optics have produced a new telescope call the Gran Turismo 81mm. The
GT81DDG APO features a 3-element f/5.9 objective using high-quality FPL-53
extra-low dispersion glass which provides the best colour correction possible
for astrophotography and visual views.
|
Aperture |
81mm |
|
|
Focal
Ratio |
F/5.9 |
|
|
Focal
Length |
478mm |
|
|
Objective
Type |
Triplet
FPL-53 Air Spaced |
|
|
Tube
Length |
340mm
Fully Retracted Comes
with carry handle |
|
|
Tube
Weight |
2.9kg |
|
|
Backpack |
Carry-on
rigid backpack with custom-fitted foam. |
|
|
|
|
|
$899AUD
LOOKING
FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE TELESCOPE OBSERVING CHAIRS
We're looking
for someone to make Telescope Observing Chairs.
CANCELLATION
OF THE JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE!?
There is
much budgetary politicking in the U.S. Congress around the James Webb Space
Telescope. Roland Idaczyk pointed out a sample of reports and responses.
House Committee Votes the
http://planetary.org/blog/article/00003099/
An article in the New York Times, dated July 6, with the initial announcement:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/07/science/07webb.html?_r=2
***And a petition to President Obama to restore the project. International petitioners go to:***
http://planetary.org/special/action/index_international.html
TESTING YOUR TELESCOPE'S MIRROR
We have increased our mirror testing and re-figuring
lately. We are testing many people's mirrors to see what sort of
improvement they can expect from a re-figure, and of course a thorough
examination of their current figure. There is a fee of $45AUD. The
main cost is posting the mirror. The test results will be in a documented
form which includes Ronchi and Foucault images. Results will include
Surface Deviation from the Parabola, Radius of Curvature, Data for Single Zones
and a overall Strehl (most important - determines how much light the mirror
returns to a single point within the airy disk), Root of the Mean of Squares
and Peak to Valley Wavelength. The documentation will also include a
summary of what it all means.
WILLIAM
OPTICS SPECIALS - NEW ITEMS ADDED
FLT98 -
Soft Carry Bag, Mounting Rings and 2” CF Diagonal $2280AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/telescopes/flt98_aluminum_features.php
FLT110
(DDG) - Soft Carry Bag, Mounting Rings and 2” CF Diagonal $2465AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/telescopes/flt110_features.php
M-PVL New
Long Version Vixen Style Dovetail Plate (Fits EZT, Vixen, Orion, Synta etc.)
$70AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/accessories/vixenDovetailLong_features.php
Cosmetically
Damaged Combo Plate - M-PCOMB WO Combo Plate (Saddle Plate and Dovetail)
$30AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/accessories/comboPlate_features.php
M-PS Saddle
Plate only (Losmandy Style) $80AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/wo_shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=26_37&products_id=177
C-GUIDE-R -
100mm Guide Rings - same as any old Guide Rings $75AUD pair:
http://www.williamoptics.com/accessories/guiding100_features.php
E-SWA09 9mm
Super Wide Angle (72°) 1.25" high quality Eyepiece $70AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/wo_shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25_41&products_id=36
E-SWA15
15mm Super Wide Angle (72°) 1.25" high quality Eyepiece $80AUD
http://www.williamoptics.com/wo_shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25_41&products_id=37
E-SWA25
25mm Super Wide Angle (72°) 2" high quality Eyepiece $110AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/wo_shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25_29&products_id=39
E-SWA40
40mm Super Wide Angle (70°) 2" high quality Eyepiece $110AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/wo_shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25_29&products_id=100
F-DDGSCT NEW Digital Display Generation SCT 2" Crayford focuser with thermometer and 1:10 dual speed microfocuser (WHITE) $270AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/accessories/sct_ddg_feature.php
F-DDGSYN-W NEW GENERATION 2" DDG focuser for SYNTA REFRACTORS with new
drawtube locking system and installed thermometer (without 50mm bracket)
$310AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/accessories/synta_features.php
FREE FLOATING PLANETS MAY BE MORE
COMMON THAN STARS!
Astronomers
have discovered a new class of Jupiter-sized planets floating alone in the dark
of space, away from the light of a star. The team believes these lone worlds
are probably outcasts from developing planetary systems and, moreover, they
could be twice as numerous as the stars themselves.
"Although
free-floating planets have been predicted, they finally have been
detected," said Mario Perez, exoplanet program scientist at NASA
Headquarters in
The
discovery is based on a joint Japan-New Zealand survey that scanned the center
of the Milky Way galaxy during 2006 and 2007, revealing evidence for up to 10
free-floating planets roughly the mass of Jupiter. The isolated orbs, also
known as orphan planets, are difficult to spot, and had gone undetected until
now. The planets are located at an average approximate distance of 10,000 to
20,000 light years from Earth.
more...
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/18may_orphanplanets/
SKY COMMANDER DIGITAL SETTING CIRCLES
Sky Commander Digital Setting Circles from Sky Commander are
amongst the most popular DSC available.
- Turn your telescope into an efficient observing tool
- Thousands of Celestial goodies will be at your finger tips
- Use PC or stand alone
- Identify those faint fuzzies as you pan your scope
- Get the most of your limited observing time
- Great in light polluted skies
Sky Commander XP4 w/ Flash Cable, Manual,
2- 4000 step encoders and encoder cable.
Order ALT-AZ-1000 Dob Kit separate.
$400AUD
THE EQMOD PROJECT
The purpose of this website is to provide an introduction to
the EQMOD Project and applications. For more detailed information
please consider joining the EQMOD Yahoo group.
The aim of the EQMOD project is to develop and distribute FREE
Astronomy/mount control software. The majority of EQMOD software is made
available as open source
enabling applications to be customized to any particular users own specific
requirements. By placing the source in the public domain we believe we can best
ensure not only continued development but also the expansion of the project
into other areas and applications.
Before purchasing commercial mount control products it may well be worth
your while checking out what features the EQMOD project can deliver for
free. All EQMOD applications are subject to on-going development and new
features are readily added in response to user requests.
The software makes no modification to the original manufacturers firmware and
can be removed at any time. Use and distribution of the EQMOD software and
source is governed by the terms in the source code.
LOSMANDY
"STARLAPSE" ASTRONOMICAL AND TERRESTRIAL CAMERA MOTION SYSTEM
Designed
for the astronomer as well as the serious videographer, the StarLapse system will
accurately track your camera or telescope for celestial observation.
Using the
same worm-gear drive system as the time-tested Losmandy GM-8 German equatorial
mount (but without the declination portion) the StarLapse will maintain
accurate tracking at both sidereal and solar rates for razor-sharp
astro-photographs.
In addition
to sky viewing, the StarLapse can add dynamics to time-lapse videography by
permitting camera motion during the duration of the shot. The camera can be set
up to pan or tilt at nine different speeds from 7.5° to 240° per hour to
provide smooth camera motion at any frame rate.
More...
http://www.losmandy.com/starlapse.html
TOTAL
SOLAR ECLIPSE AUSTRALIA 2012 - WHERE TO SEE IT QUICK REFERENCE
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/index.php?id=63,371,0,0,1,0#WHEN
PST (PERSONAL SOLAR TELESCOPE)
BINOVIEWER/CAMERA ADAPTOR
http://www.siebertoptics.com/SiebertOptics-H%20alpha.html
Review:
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1229
$115AUD
"RESPECT THE SCIENCE"
CAMPAIGNE
Science
& Technology Australia (formerly FASTS) have launched a 'Respect the
Science' Campaign, calling on all Australians to take some time to understand
how scientific evidence is generated so they can place the
appropriate weight on the information they receive and use it to inform
decisions they make.
The campaign website is:
Click on
"What makes science so credible?" to watch the 'Respect the Science'
presentation (the video is a bit quirky and requires a lot of clicking of
the forward arrow). You can also see a one-click 7 min version at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBrUPwSfUzI
Science and Technology
A link has been placed on the Astronomical Society of Australia home page and you
might consider asking your institution to do the same.
AROUND
The perfect book for anyone considering making the ultimate
‘road trip’ around
– Full 2011
edition road atlas for navigation
– Inset
maps throughout
– Lists
over 1000 caravan parks – all shown on the maps
– Maps show
24-hour fuel, accredited information centres, ‘big things’ and bush pubs
– What to
see and do in every state
– Maps show
wastewater disposal sites
– Driving
advice and itineraries
WILLIAM OPTICS 2" 45° ERECTING
PRISM DIAGONAL $209AUD
If you wish to use your Refractor during the day, this is
the best option.
LOW PROFILE HELICAL FOCUSER TO ACHIEVE CAMERA FOCUS
The HC-1
and HC-2 Helical Focusers are extremely low profile.
This allows a camera to achieve focus on the telescope.
- 1400 HC Focusers as of 2010 and none have been returned.
- Focusers are machined to very precise tolerances which is
necessary to provide accurate alignment of the focusing tube and proper
operation. Use care when disassembling and cleaning.
- the aluminium focusing tube is anodized to provide
proper surface hardness for the bearings. We will not sell focusing tubes
without anodizing.
- high quality stainless steel bearings and precision 303
stainless steel shoulder screws are used and made in USA. The shoulder screws
are necessary to mount the bearings. Full threaded screws should not be
substituted as they are under size and do not properly align
the bearings.
- large Eyepieces, Binocular Heads, and Cameras have been
used successfully, but with slightly reduced stiffness. We have designed a
backward compatible modification, Service Note 10.20.06, to improve the
stiffness of the HC-2 when using these heavy items.
http://www.kineoptics.com/HC-1.html
HC-1
(1.25") $135AUD
HC-2
(2") $150AUD
5 PAIRS OF BINOCULARS FOR THE NIGHT SKY
The same as
Telescopes, the bigger the better, for light gathering power. Beginner
amateur astronomers should buy the biggest telescope, for the smallest
price. This enables the owner to see the most objects in the greatest
detail. It's the same for Binoculars. An inexpensive pair of large
binoculars is great for finding objects before looking through the telescope:
20x
Magnification with 80mm Objective (20x80) Binoculars:
- Multi-Coated
- rubber covered
- Tripod Adaptor
- soft Carry Case
$125AUD
20x80mm
Triplet Binoculars are well priced. Fully Multi-Coated:
http://www.binocularschina.com/binoculars/80mmstandard.html
$230AUD
The best
7x50mm Binoculars we have found for the price are the William Optics
7x50mm ED Binoculars. These binoculars have the same Exit Pupil as a
person's eye (7mm). This means the maximum amount of light is entering
the eye from the binoculars. The 7x50 ED's produce a real WOW factor, due
to the clarity of the optics. They can be held up for much longer than
20x80mm Binoculars due to being smaller and more manageable. Fully
Multi-Coated:
http://www.williamoptics.com/binoculars/astro750_features.php
$310AUD
The largest
pair of handheld Binoculars we sell are the 25x100FBs. It's best to use
them on a sturdy Tripod - see below. The Binoculars optics are Fully
Multi-Coated. Collimation Screws allow the optics to be re-aligned if
dropped. Details of the binoculars can be seen here:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/binocular_25x100.htm
$469AUD
Next type
of binoculars are also 25x or 40x 100mm. These binoculars have 45°,
interchangeable Eyepieces. Fully Multi-Coated. We have managed to
comfortably magnify the binoculars to 125x. The 25x or 40x 100mm
Binoculars have a Fork Mount and a Wooden Tripod. Reaching
Zenith (straight up) is no problem. Optics are Fully Coated and have
Collimation Screws if the optics ever go out of alignment:
http://www.binocularschina.com/binoculars/100mmangled.html
$1350AUD
EXTRA TALL, STURDY BINOCULAR TRIPODS
These tripods handle 20x80mm binoculars very easily. Their height
can be raised to 190cm (6' 3"). Although 25x100mm (6kg) can be used
on the tripod, we still recommend using a Manfrotto Tripod for Giant Binoculars
over 5kg.
Tall, Sturdy Tripod $170AUD
Manfrotto Tripod $386AUD
Tripod to Binocular Adaptors $15AUD (if needed)
JUST BECAUSE IT'S INTERESTING:
Largest picture in the world:
http://www.sevilla111.com/default_en.htm
STOCKTAKE
SPECIALS - (ALL ITEMS NEW)
- 40mm LONG - 2" DIAMETER EXTENSION TUBES $18AUD
- CELESTRON NEXIMAGER PLANET & MOON CAMERAS $95AUD
- CELESTRON F/6.3 FOCAL REDUCER $265AUD
- DVDs $10AUD
- SPACEFLIGHT - All the highlights from 50 years of manned
spaceflights
- SOLAR SYSTEM - Latest News from the NASA and ESA Probes
- UNIVERSE - All the latest discoveries about the Cosmos
- HUBBLE - 15 Years of Hubble Discoveries
- EYES ON THE SKIES - 400 Years of Telescopic Discovery
- 2" NEUTRAL DENSITY MOON FILTERS $30AUD
- 1.25" 45° ERECTING DIAGONALS $25AUD
- 0.965" TO 1.25" EYEPIECE ADAPTORS $20AUD
- DUAL LED (RED & WHITE LIGHT) FLASH LIGHTS $25AUD
-
- 1.25" ACHROMATIC 2X BARLOW LENSES $45AUD
- ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT METAL TABLE TOP TRIPODS $25AUD
- 90° 8x50mm FINDERSCOPES $60AUD
- 40mm PLOSSL EYEPIECES - CLEAR APERTURE (BIT
YOU LOOK THROUGH) 34mm $60AUD
- LASER POINTER
HOLDERS $50AUD
- BINOVIEWERS
(WITHOUT EYEPIECES) HIGH QUALITY, NOT CHEAPIES! $120AUD
- Binocular Cases - suit 60mm and
larger Binoculars up to 80mm $10AUD
- RED DOT FINDERSCOPES $20AUD
- 11mm, 1.25"
80° EYEPIECES $70
- EDMUND SCIENTIFIC
RKE EYEPIECES:
-
21mm $70AUD
-
8mm $70AUD
http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlinecatalog/displayproduct.cfm?productid=2075
- F/3.3 FOCAL
REDUCERS TO SUIT SCT $120AUD
- CAMERA T RINGS
$10AUD
-
NIKON
-
PENTAX
-
CANON
-
SONY $15AUD
- RUSSIAN 8 ELEMENT,
2" 80° FIELD OF VIEW EYEPIECES $150AUD (£199 in the
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=278
- LASER COLLIMATORS
$40AUD
- PYREX 1/10 WAVE
4" SECONDARY MIRROR (
- ALL PYREX 1/10
WAVE SECONDARY MIRRORS (
- 152mm x 750mm REFRACTOR OTA $550AUD
Regards,
Matthew Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
OHALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 08 8381 3188
FAX: 08 8381 3588
telescopes@adam.com.au
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
TELESCOPES
AND ASTRONOMY
JUNE
NEWSLETTER 2011 NO.56
Phone:
(08) 8381 3188
FAX:
(08) 8381 3588
VOIP:
087 129 6316
SKYPE: telescopes.and.astronomy
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/telescopes1
OUR
WEB SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/
EMAIL:
Please let
us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if you
receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let me know
if you want the April 2011 Newsletter, which was the previous
one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
IN THIS ISSUE:
- TOTAL LUNAR
ECLIPSE JUNE 15th/16th 2011
- SKYSHED POD UPDATE - 3rd SHIPMENT
-
TELRAD AND ACCESSORIES
- RSpec - THE REAL-TIME SPECTROSCOPY APPLICATION
-
NEW iOPTRON MOUNT FOR SERIOUS ASTRONOMERS
-
DIGITAL UNIVERSE ATLAS
-
WILLIAM OPTICS SPECIALS
-
NEW QUADRUPLET APOCHROMATIC REFRACTORS
-
EXPLORING THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD ON YOUR COMPUTER
-
16" MIRRORS COMPLETED MIRRORS
-
OCCULTATION OF PLUTO - A POSSIBLE FASCINATING STUDY
-
POWER TANKS
- BRILLIANT PHYSICS STUDENT DIES IN LATHE ACCIDENT
- ToUcams
- 900NC $110AUD
-
POLAR ALIGNMENT
-
BLACK HOLE SWALLOW STAR
-
THE SQUARE KILOMETRE ARRAY - LARGEST RADIO TELESCOPE IN THE WORLD
-
AMAZING LED TORCH $18AUD
-
ALUMINIUM TELESCOPE CASES $150AUD
- AROUND
- BST
EXPLORER EYEPIECES $65AUD
-
HOT HANDS $3AUD
-
STOCKTAKE SPECIALS - (ALL ITEMS NEW)
- 40mm LONG - 2" DIAMETER EXTENSION TUBES $18AUD
- CELESTRON NEXIMAGER PLANET & MOON CAMERAS $95AUD
- CELESTRON F/6.3 FOCAL REDUCER $265AUD
- DVDs $10AUD
- SPACEFLIGHT - All the highlights from 50 years of manned
spaceflights
- SOLAR SYSTEM - Latest News from the NASA and ESA Probes
- UNIVERSE - All the latest discoveries about the Cosmos
- HUBBLE - 15 Years of Hubble Discoveries
- EYES ON THE SKIES - 400 Years of Telescopic Discovery
- 2" NEUTRAL DENSITY MOON FILTERS $30AUD
- 1.25" 45° ERECTING DIAGONALS $25AUD
- 0.965" TO 1.25" EYEPIECE ADAPTORS $20AUD
- DUAL LED (RED & WHITE LIGHT) FLASH LIGHTS $25AUD
-
- 1.25" ACHROMATIC 2X BARLOW LENSES $45AUD
- ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT METAL TABLE TOP TRIPODS $25AUD
- 90° 8x50mm FINDERSCOPES $60AUD
- 40mm PLOSSL EYEPIECES - CLEAR APERTURE (BIT
YOU LOOK THROUGH) 34mm $60AUD
- LASER POINTER HOLDERS $50AUD
- BINOVIEWERS (WITHOUT EYEPIECES) HIGH QUALITY, NOT CHEAPIES! $120AUD
- Binocular Cases - suit 60mm and larger Binoculars up to 80mm $10AUD
- RED DOT FINDERSCOPES $20AUD
- 11mm, 1.25" 80° EYEPIECES $70
- EDMUND SCIENTIFIC RKE EYEPIECES:
- 21mm $70AUD
- 8mm $70AUD
http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlinecatalog/displayproduct.cfm?productid=2075
- F/3.3 FOCAL REDUCERS TO SUIT SCT $120AUD
- CAMERA T RINGS $10AUD
- NIKON
- PENTAX
- CANON
- SONY $15AUD
- RUSSIAN 8 ELEMENT, 2" 80° FIELD OF VIEW EYEPIECES $150AUD (£199 in the
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=278
- LASER COLLIMATORS $40AUD
- PYREX 1/10 WAVE 4" SECONDARY MIRROR (
- ALL PYREX 1/10 WAVE SECONDARY MIRRORS (
- 152mm x 750mm REFRACTOR OTA $550AUD
TOTAL
LUNAR ECLIPSE JUNE 15th/16th 2011
Total Lunar
Eclipse for the whole of
- First
Lunar Eclipse of the Year
- Totality
Duration is 100mins (very long!)
For more
information:
http://www.mreclipse.com/Special/LEprimer.html
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/63-618-0-0-1-0.html
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot2001/LE2011Jun15T.pdf
SKYSHED
POD UPDATE - 3rd SHIPMENT
We
currently have 5 deposits for Pods out of a total of 10-12 to fill a
container. A couple of people have pulled out (this would have
meant 7 deposits). A number of people have asked, or are holding out
for a price drop due to the strong Aussie dollar compared to the US
dollar. I have reviewed reducing the price of the Pods.
Firstly, the Pods come from Canada, and we have to pay in Canadian dollars now
instead of US dollars, which is around 6 cents less than the US$ rate,
and this is sell rate, not a buy rate. Secondly, the price of
shipping a 40' container to
I have also
considered purchasing extra Pods to keep in stock, although in the majority of
cases, this works out more expensive, due to shipping from our premises to
interstate customers.
TELRAD AND
ACCESSORIES
We have
been able to drop the price of the all famous Telrad. I use a Telrad on
my 16" Newtonian Reflector. It the fastest way of finding an object,
with its ease of use.
The Telrad
is used instead of a Finderscope. The Telrad uses a bull's eye projected
onto the back ground sky. There are many advantages:
- a very
wide field of view
- image is
not upside down
- aligned by
three Knobs on the back
- portable
to other scopes
Telrad 1x,
illuminated reticle bulls eye, Excellent device $50AUD
Telrad Dew
Shield
$20AUD
Mounting Base
only
$12AUD
Telrad
Pulser $30AUD
Telrad Dew
Shield+
$32AUD
(w/mirror for 90° viewing)
Telrad 2” Riser
Base
$23AUD
Telrad 4” Riser
Base
$25AUD
Reticle
$6AUD
Lens
$12AUD
Combining Glass (clear or
tinted) $10AUD
Potentiometer
$10AUD
Thumb Screw (steel w/plastic knob) $1AUD
Thumb Screw (brass)
$2AUD
Review:
http://www.company7.com/telrad/products/telrad.html
RSpec
- THE REAL-TIME SPECTROSCOPY APPLICATION
Introducing
Tom Field's real-time spectroscopy program – RSpec. The application reads
in image data from live videos, AVI files, or still images, and analyses the
spectrum of the images instantly.
This
application could become a practical tool for astrophotography community, as it
enables amateur astronomers to reveal the composition, temperature, and
movement of stars with their spectrum.
Other major
features of RSpec include:
- Image
Averaging
- Background
Subtraction
-
Calibration
- Focusing
Tool
-
Multi-Core Processor Support
Tom used
The Imaging Source Astronomy Cameras and SDK (Imaging Control Software) for the
development:
Review -
"I have been using Rspec for over a year now. It has proven to be the
easiest to use software out there. I was able to get spectra from the first
night using the live video capture feature. I highly recommend the Rspec
Software. Tom Field has done a remarkable job, and will continue to update and
upgrade the program.
As far as cameras go, I have found that my DBK41 is my camera of choice. Its
resolution and long instrument response curve has allowed me to see detail I
can’t get with other CCD cameras."
NEW
iOPTRON MOUNT FOR SERIOUS ASTRONOMERS
iOptron is
proud to announce its latest innovative iEQ German equatorial mount for the
serious astronomer – The iEQ45-GT.
- Extremely
accurate tracking. Test results consistently show a PE of less than 1 Arc
second. Also, the iEQ45-GT has a built-in high precision encoder that allows
for double close-loop control.
- Compared
to similar products that cost two or more times as much—so more folks
can afford the iEQ45-GT
- The
iEQ45-GT is easier to carry compared to typical products at this level.
- Ideal for
astrophotography. The iEQ45-GT offers superior stability for serious
astronomers needing to track for longer periods of time:
http://www.ioptron.com/pdf_articles/iEQ45-GT_PE_test_results.pdf
$2150AUD
FLEA3 PLANETARY AND MOON CAMERAS
The Flea3
by Point Grey is the latest and greatest Planetary and Moon Camera available
for under $1000AUD. The first thing you notice about the Flea3 is its
size and weight (29mm x 29mm x 30mm). This makes it at least half the
size and weight of The Imaging Source's DMK Camera.
Here are
some stunning images of the Sun taken by the Flea3:
http://www.ptgrey.com/news/pressreleases/details.asp?articleID=415
Let us know
if you would like more information including pricing.
DIGITAL
UNIVERSE ATLAS
Since 1998,
the American
The Digital
Universe Atlas is distributed to you via packages that contain flying
through it on your
computer.
Many .PDF
files accompany the software, including the Digital Universe Guide, which gets
you flying around straight away
http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/universe
WILLIAM
OPTICS SPECIALS
FLT98 -
Soft Carry Bag, Mounting Rings and 2” CF Diagonal $2280AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/telescopes/flt98_aluminum_features.php
FLT110
(DDG) - Soft Carry Bag, Mounting Rings and 2” CF Diagonal $2465AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/telescopes/flt110_features.php
M-PVL New
Long Version Vixen Style Dovetail Plate (Fits EZT, Vixen, Orion, Synta etc.)
$70AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/accessories/vixenDovetailLong_features.php
Cosmetically
Damaged Combo Plate - M-PCOMB WO Combo Plate (Saddle Plate and Dovetail)
$30AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/accessories/comboPlate_features.php
M-PS Saddle
Plate only (Losmandy Style) $80AUD - DON'T
PAY $119!!! - LOL
http://www.williamoptics.com/wo_shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=26_37&products_id=177
C-GUIDE-R -
100mm Guide Rings - same as any old Guide Rings $75AUD pair:
http://www.williamoptics.com/accessories/guiding100_features.php
E-SWA09 9mm
Super Wide Angle (72°) 1.25" high quality Eyepiece $70AUD:
http://www.williamoptics.com/wo_shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25_41&products_id=36
E-SWA15
15mm Super Wide Angle (72°) 1.25" high quality Eyepiece $80AUD
http://www.williamoptics.com/wo_shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25_41&products_id=37
E-SWA25
25mm Super Wide Angle (72°) 2" high quality Eyepiece $110AUD
http://www.williamoptics.com/wo_shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25_29&products_id=39
E-SWA40
40mm Super Wide Angle (70°) 2" high quality Eyepiece $110AUD
http://www.williamoptics.com/wo_shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25_29&products_id=100
NEW
QUADRUPLET APOCHROMATIC REFRACTORS
A new
Quadruplet Apo Refractor has been released for Astrophotography. The lens
is made from FPL-53 Glass. Pricing for the 65mm is $520AUD and includes
2" 10:1 Focuser, Tube Rings, Dovetail Plate and Case.
Contact
us for more information.
EXPLORING
THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD ON YOUR COMPUTER
The Large
Magellanic Cloud is a nearby Dwarf Galaxy held by the gravity of our own Milky
Way Galaxy. There are many features to the small galaxy including the
first witnessed Super Nova of modern times (SN 1987A). The following
web page allows a Google Earth type exploration of the Large Magellanic
Cloud:
http://astrosurf.com/lorenzi/ccd/LMC_HaOIIILRGB.htm
16" MIRRORS COMPLETED MIRRORS
Completed GSO 16" BK7 F/4.5 Mirrors $800AUD.
OCCULTATION
OF PLUTO - A POSSIBLE FASCINATING STUDY
There are
two occultation's of Pluto this year, on UT June 23rd and 27th. While the Pluto
occultation's themselves may not be observable from the Australian continent,
it now appears likely that the occultation shadow path of Pluto's outermost
moon Hydra will cross
For the
current updated predications, see below.
For anyone who feels they have the expertise,
and right gear to record an occultation, information can be seen on the
following sites:
General
Information including Links
http://www.oarval.org/Occult.htm
Specific
Information on the June Occultation's
On the 12th
of June 2006, Pluto's system occulted star UCAC 2603 9859 which is 15th
magnitude (brightness scale). Predictions had the main line of visibility
at latitude of around 45° south. As it turned out, the line of visibility
occurred further north at around 36°. A number of teams were sent out
from the
A couple of intrepid Astronomical Society of South Australia members, decided
to have a go themselves using the society's 20" Reflector and a Meade LPI
Camera. Obtaining the images was particularly difficult as the full Moon
was right next to Pluto! After much preparation, and a failed laptop keyboard
resulting in a dash back to town, 2 hrs drive away, several images were
captured and results examined. Initial results from the 20"
Reflector and Meade LPI showed an atmosphere around Pluto! This showed
how easily contributions to space science can be made with simple
equipment. Although the telescope was quite large, it was not necessary.
POWER
TANKS
For a while
now we have been searching for an affordable way of powering telescopes and
their accessories in the field. A number of known brands have been tested
by us and have been found to have problems including life expectancy, number of
Power Sockets, charging problems etc.
One of the
most important thing about all these types of these Power Supplies is to
recharge them asap after use. This will give them long life.
Our
technician has modified our Power Tanks to make them reliable, and an
excellent power source. Advantages of our new Power Tanks are:
- accurate
LED charge indicators
- LED
Working Light for long life
- excellent
charging controller which will detect a faulty battery and cannot be fooled
like other Power Tanks
- 3x 12v
Power Sockets
- on/off
switch for the terminals, so you have the ability to keep things switched off
until you need them, instead of pulling plugs out
-
- Outside
Fuse. No dismantling the unit, to change the Fuse
- On/Off
Switch Illuminated
The 3 Power
Sockets are 12v. If other voltages are required, a separate, inexpensive
Adaptor can be used.
$115AUD
BRILLIANT
PHYSICS STUDENT DIES IN LATHE ACCIDENT
As a Yale undergraduate majoring in astronomy and physics, Michele Dufault was used to extreme physical environments. She worked on underwater robotic vehicles last summer as a fellow at the Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution
in
more...
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/nyregion/yale-student-dies-in-machine-shop-accident.html
ToUcams
- 900NC $110AUD
The ToUcam
is the highest quality, lowest priced camera available for imaging the major
planets and Moon, and can still be used as a very high quality webcam!
See images and information here:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/toucam_philips.htm
Australian
Made Baffled 1.25" Adaptor $55AUD
Chinese
Made standard 1.25" Adaptor $30AUD
ToUcams Modified
for Long Exposure $250AUD
Basically,
there is one setup for the planets and Moon, and another setup for deep
sky objects. If the ToUcam has the Long Exposure Modification,
then both can be done. A physical switch allows the change between Video
and Long Exposure.
The Long
Exposure Modification is also used for guiding with faint stars for
astrophotography.
POLAR
ALIGNMENT
One of the
most common questions I get asked about is Polar Alignment. The
Brayebrook Observatory have produced a number of free online publications
dealing with the subject, including different methods.
There are
also many other publications of hard to find articles on the web page:
http://www.brayebrookobservatory.org/BrayObsWebSite/HOMEPAGE/BRAYOBS%20PUBLICATIONS.html
BLACK
HOLE SWALLOW STAR
A gamma-ray
burst recorded on March 28 was probably caused by a massive black hole
swallowing a star. Satellites detected a burst of gamma rays from a very
distant galaxy. Usually these events are very brief - two
seconds to a 100 seconds. This one lasted longer then kept emitting
x-rays for several days.
Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are detected by satellites every few days. They are
believed be caused by two different happenings. The very short bursts are made
when a pair of orbiting neutron stars joining up to make a black
hole. The longer gamma-ray bursts happen when a massive star -- tens of times
bigger than the sun -- runs out of energy in its core. It collapses in on
itself, making a black hole.
The March 28 burst came from the very centre of a galaxy. We know that most
galaxies like our Milky Way have a central black hole millions of times the
sun's mass at their centres. We also know that stars orbit
close to the black hole at the centre of our galaxy.
What seems to have happened is that a star got too close to that galaxy's
central black hole, and got shredded by tidal forces. As the gas from the
star spiralled into the black hole, it made gamma- and x-rays. Detailed
analysis
of the GRB and the following x-rays indicates that the star was about half the
mass of the sun. The black hole had a mass several million times the mass
of the sun. The galaxy is around 3.8 billion light years away.
THE
SQUARE KILOMETRE ARRAY - LARGEST RADIO TELESCOPE IN THE WORLD
The Square
Kilometre Array (SKA) will be the world’s largest, and most sensitive, radio
telescope.
An array of
thousands of receptors will extend out to distances of 3,000 km from a central
core region. The SKA will address fundamental unanswered questions about our
Universe including how the first stars and galaxies formed after the Big Bang,
how galaxies have evolved since then, the role of magnetism in the cosmos, the
nature of gravity, and the search for life beyond Earth.
Sixty seven
organisations in 20 countries, together with industry partners, are
participating in the scientific and technical design of the SKA telescope which
will be located in either
Federal
funding has been announced for the project.
A large
amount of resource material is available for schools including Teacher
Notes. RiAus PDplus Teacher Notes is a new initiative of RiAus that has
been designed to assist middle school (Years 7 – 9) teachers engage and involve
their students.
The notes
supplement a PDplus presentation hosted by RiAus on radio astronomy and the
Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which will allow teachers to have access and put
questions to scientists about their research and careers.
Let us know
you would like a copy of the Teacher's Notes.
SKA
website:
COSMOS
Magazine feature:
http://ska.cosmosmagazine.com/
AMAZING
LED TORCH $18AUD
SPECIFICATIONS:
- LED Type - Edixeon Star (Super Cool White)
- Light Output - 2W 190 Lumen
- Lens - Spotlight Beam Collimator
- Current Draw - 550mA nominal
- Power Source - 4.5vDC 3x AAA Alkaline Batteries
- Beam Distance - 200m plus
- Light Dispersion - 25°
- LED Life - 100,000 hrs
- Running Time - 4hrs with fresh batteries
- Accessories - Mounting Bracket (not supplied)
- Warranty - 6 months
ALUMINIUM
TELESCOPE CASES $150AUD
- Perel
Aluminium Metal Tool Case With Trolley Wheels
- Brand new
item still in plastic packaging.
-
Dimensions : 610 x 400 x 303mm
-
Features : Telescopic handle and 2 safety locks (padlock possible)
AROUND
AUSTRALIA ATLAS & GUIDE - 3rd EDITION $45AUD
The perfect
book for anyone considering making the ultimate ‘road trip’ around Australia
has now been completely updated. Now in its third edition, this popular Hema
guide has been totally revised and features the 2011 edition road atlas.
– Full 2011
edition road atlas for navigation
– Inset
maps throughout
– Lists
over 1000 caravan parks – all shown on the maps
– Maps show
24-hour fuel, accredited information centres, ‘big things’ and bush pubs
– What to
see and do in every state
– Maps show
wastewater disposal sites
– Driving
advice and itineraries
BST
EXPLORER EYEPIECES $65AUD
FMC - Fully
MultiCoated - 6 Elements, 4 Groups
8mm $65AUD
12mm $65AUD
15mm $65AUD
25mm $65AUD
Review:
http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-discussion/125119-bst-explorer-eyepieces.html
HOT
HANDS - $3AUD
Designed
for skiers, hunters, fishermen, golfers, or people who work or play in the cold
for long hours. HotHands-2® hand warmers are air-activated and will provide up
to 10 hours of soothing warmth inside gloves, pockets or wherever you feel a
chill.
http://www.heatmax.com/HotHands/hothands2.htm
$3AUD
STOCKTAKE
SPECIALS (ALL ITEMS NEW)
-
40mm or 45mm LONG - 2" DIAMETER EXTENSION TUBES $18AUD
-
CELESTRON NEXIMAGER PLANET & MOON CAMERAS $95AUD
-
CELESTRON F/6.3 FOCAL REDUCER $265AUD
-
DVDs $10AUD
- SPACEFLIGHT - All the highlights from 50 years of manned
spaceflights
- SOLAR SYSTEM - Latest News from the NASA and ESA Probes
- UNIVERSE - All the latest discoveries about the Cosmos
- HUBBLE - 15 Years of Hubble Discoveries
- EYES ON THE SKIES - 400 Years of Telescopic Discovery
-
2" NEUTRAL DENSITY MOON FILTERS $30AUD
-
1.25" 45° ERECTING DIAGONALS $25AUD
-
0.965" TO 1.25" EYEPIECE ADAPTORS $20AUD
-
DUAL LED (RED & WHITE LIGHT) FLASH LIGHTS $25AUD
-
CHESHIRE COLLIMATION EYEPIECES $40AUD
-
1.25" ACHROMATIC 2X BARLOW LENSES $45AUD
-
ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT METAL TABLE TOP TRIPODS $25AUD
-
90° 8x50mm FINDERSCOPES $60AUD
- 40mm PLOSSL EYEPIECES - CLEAR APERTURE (BIT YOU LOOK THROUGH)
34mm $60AUD
-
LASER POINTER HOLDERS $50AUD
-
BINOVIEWERS (WITHOUT EYEPIECES) HIGH QUALITY, NOT CHEAPIES! $120AUD
-
Binocular Cases - suit 60mm and larger Binoculars up to 80mm $10AUD
- RED DOT FINDERSCOPES $20AUD
-
11mm, 1.25" 80° EYEPIECES $70
- EDMUND
SCIENTIFIC RKE EYEPIECES:
- 21mm $70AUD
- 8mm $70AUD
http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlinecatalog/displayproduct.cfm?productid=2075
- F/3.3
FOCAL REDUCERS TO SUIT SCT $120AUD
-
CAMERA T RINGS $10AUD
- NIKON
- PENTAX
- CANON
- SONY $15AUD
-
RUSSIAN 8 ELEMENT, 2" 80° FIELD OF VIEW EYEPIECES $150AUD (£199 in the
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=278
-
LASER COLLIMATORS $40AUD
-
PYREX 1/10 WAVE 4" SECONDARY MIRROR (NEWPORT GLASS) $350AUD
-
ALL PYREX 1/10 WAVE SECONDARY MIRRORS (NEWPORT GLASS) 20% OFF
-
152mm x 750mm REFRACTOR OTA $550AUD
Regards,
Matthew
Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
OHALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 08 8381 3188
FAX: 08 8381 3588
telescopes@adam.com.au
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
TELESCOPES
AND ASTRONOMY
APRIL
NEWSLETTER 2011 NO.55
Phone:
(08) 8381 3188
FAX:
(08) 8381 3588
VOIP:
087 129 6316
SKYPE: telescopes.and.astronomy
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/telescopes1
OUR
WEB SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/
EMAIL:
Please let
us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if you
receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let me know
if you want the February 2011 Newsletter, which was the previous
one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
IN THIS
ISSUE:
- TWO DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKES
-
SKYSHED POD UPDATE
- NEW LARGER SKYSHED POD - POD MAX
-
POWER TANKS
-
HOW TO SCIENTIFICALLY DETERMINE CCD GAIN & OFFSET SETTINGS
-
LOSMANDY PRECISION MOUNTS & ACCESSORIES LOWER PRICES
- AMAZING
IMAGE OF ASTRONAUT FROM BACKYARD
-
FLEA3 PLANETARY AND MOON CAMERAS
-
GLOBAL ASTRONOMY MONTH APRIL 2011
-
DIGIBORG (OPTICS FOR HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGING) HAVE THEIR NEW ITEMS FOR 2011
-
CARBON FIBRE TUBING - BACK ON THE MENU!
-
HUGO SCOPE PROJECT FOR SCHOOLS OR HOME
-
MESSENGER SPACECRAFT CREATES HISTORY ORBITING MERCURY
-
TS FLAT 2 FIELD FLATTENER - FAR SUPERIOR
-
NEW OR UPDATED PRICELISTS
-
DIGITAL CAMERAS WITHOUT A LENS THREAD - UNIVERSAL DIGISCOPING ADAPTOR
-
SOLAR MYSTERY SOLVED
-
ASA ECLIPSE 2012 FACT SHEET- SOLAR FILM FOR YOUR EYES, BINOCULARS OR TELESCOPE
- R-G SOLAR FILM - 1000 OAKS OPTICAL
- BLACK POLYMER SOLAR FILM - 1000 OAKS OPTICAL
- GLASS SOLAR FILTERS - 1000 OAKS OPTICAL
-
THE SUN SPOTTER KEPLERIAN TELESCOPE
-
MOTORISED EQUATORIAL PLATFORMS FOR DOBSONIANS - BACK ON THE MENU!
-
BOB'S KNOBS
- C
MOUNT CAMERA TO SLR CAMERA LENSES $85AUD
CURRENT
SPECIALS
- 2" NEUTRAL DENSITY MOON FILTERS $30AUD
- DUAL LED (RED & WHITE LIGHT) FLASH LIGHTS $25AUD
- CELESTRON NEXIMAGER PLANET & MOON CAMERAS $95AUD
-
CHESHIRE COLLIMATION EYEPIECES $40AUD
- 1.25" ACHROMATIC BARLOW LENSES $45AUD
- DVDs $10AUD
- SPACEFLIGHT - All the highlights from 50 years of manned
spaceflights
- SOLAR SYSTEM - Latest News from the NASA and ESA Probes
- UNIVERSE - All the latest discoveries about the Cosmos
- HUBBLE - 15 Years of Hubble Discoveries
- EYES ON THE SKIES - 400 Years of Telescopic Discovery
- 20x80mm TRIPLET BINOCULARS WITH TRIPOD ATTACHMENT $260AUD
- T RINGS FOR COMMON CAMERAS - NIKON, CANON & PENTAX $12AUD
- STELLACAM EX B&W PLANETARY CAMERA
$600AUD
- CORONADO PST (PERSONAL SOLAR
TELESCOPE) $600AUD
TWO
DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKES
Two devastating
Earthquakes occurred in the past month. A magnitude 6.3 quake close to
Christchurch killed around 180 people in the CBD. A much bigger shake,
magnitude 9 and 300 km off the coast of Japan produced a devastating tsunami
that destroyed towns and villages along several hundred km of coast, killing
thousands. Our thoughts are with friends and colleagues in both
places.
On February 22 a Richter magnitude 6.3 earthquake devastated much of
central
A Wikipedia article forwarded by Philip Barker gave an early analysis:
"... the vertical acceleration was far greater than the horizontal
acceleration. The intensity felt in Christchurch was MM VIII. [MM is the
Modified Mercalli scale. It gives the shaking intensity on the
ground. The Richter magnitude gives the total energy release of the
earthquake. -- Ed.] The peak ground acceleration (PGA) in the Christchurch area
exceeded 1.8g (i.e. 1.8 times the acceleration of gravity), with the highest
recording 2.2g, at Heathcote Valley Primary School, a shaking intensity
equivalent to MM X+. This is the highest PGA ever recorded in New Zealand; the
highest reading during the September 2010 event was 1.26g, recorded near
Darfield."
Later analysis indicates that the quake energy was 'aimed' at the Christchurch
CBD by the direction of the fault. Bill Fry, a seismologist with
Geological and Nuclear Sciences, was reported in the 'The Press' (March 18,
p.A4) as saying that the waves from the fault rupture, and the rupture, were
moving in the same direction,
concentrating
the energy.
The historic Townsend Observatory, at the old University of Canterbury site --
now the Arts Centre -- in downtown Christchurch, was destroyed. The
observatory tower had been weakened by the September earthquake. Plans
were afoot to remove the venerable Townsend Telescope from the observatory once
the tower had been stabilized. The telescope was a 6-inch Thomas Cooke &
Sons refractor made in 1864. Sadly the February 22nd quake overtook this
work. Photos of the observatory and the telescope appear on the cover of
the March issue of Southern Stars. On page 9 of the same issue is a photo
taken by Mita Brierley of the destroyed tower with,
presumably,
the telescope in the debris. Mita, a recent Canterbury PhD in astronomy,
was part of a search and rescue team working in the CBD after the earthquake.
Canterbury University's Department of Physics and Astronomy is housed in the
Rutherford building on the University's Ilam campus west of the CBD. The
building is a solid 1960s Ministry of Works design. Early indications are that
it has no structural damage, despite several more recent buildings on the
campus being 'red stickered'. It is hoped that students and staff can re-occupy
Rutherford in mid April.
Japanese Earthquake
As far as is known, the shaking from the March 11 Japanese earthquake did
little damage to astronomical equipment.
The global effects of the earthquake are still being calculated. Some
early results have been seen in the news media. The Japanese east coast moved 4
metres east. The oceanic plate (on the other side of the plate boundary)
moved 20 metres west. The dipped part of the plate, a slab 400 km wide and 100
km long, moved down about 10 metres.
Earth's axis moved 16.5 cm. This is no big deal. The Earth moves
many metres in relation to the axis every year. It's called the Chandler
wobble. Earth's rotation rate shortened by 1.8 microseconds. So a day is
now 1.8 millionths of a second shorter that it was before. The length of
day varies by tens of milliseconds (thousandths of a
second) over a year due to northern hemisphere seasons. In both cases it is
caused by stuff being moved closer to, or further from, the rotation axis.
Reproduced
with king permission from Alan Gilmore - Royal Astronomical Society of New
Zealand.
SKYSHED
POD UPDATE
What is the
number 1 reason for owning a SkyShed Pod? - the ability to leave your
telescope setup, so that you can start observing straight away. This
is brilliant, especially if you have a Goto, or Equatorial Mount setup for
Astrophotography.
We currently
have 7 deposits for the SkyShed Pods container. This leaves room in the
container for 3 or 4 more. If you're are interested, or want more
information, send us an email, or visit SkyShed's web site:
NEW
LARGER SKYSHED POD - POD MAX
The New
Larger SkyShed Pod 3.9m (12.5') is being developed and will be ready later in
2012. Here are some initial images of the POD MAX in 3D (use your 3D
Glasses) although they can be viewed perfectly well without 3D Glasses:
POD MAX -
No Bays with 175cm (5' 9") "Gort" for scale
http://skyshedpod.com/images/PODMAXEXT1.bmp
POD MAX - XL3:
http://skyshedpod.com/images/PODMAXXL3Ext1.bmp
POD MAX - XL5 (or 6):
http://skyshedpod.com/images/PODMAXXL6PreviewExt1.bmp
POD MAX - Interior shots:
http://skyshedpod.com/images/PODMAXXL6PreviewInt2.bmp
http://www.skyshedpod.com/images/PODMAXXL3PreviewIntSolo2.bmp
http://www.skyshedpod.com/images/PODMAXXL3PreviewIntSolo.bmp
Gort is the name of the robot in The Day The Earth Stood Still*
POWER
TANKS
For a while
now we have been searching for an affordable way of powering telescopes and
their accessories in the field. A number of known brands have been tested
by us and have been found to have problems including life expectancy, number of
Power Sockets, charging problems etc.
One of the
most important thing about all these types of these Power Supplies is to
recharge them asap after use. This will give them long life.
Our
technician has modified our Power Tanks to make them reliable, and an
excellent power source. Advantages of our new Power Tanks are:
- accurate
LED charge indicators
- LED
Working Light for long life
- excellent
charging controller which will detect a faulty battery and cannot be fooled
like other Power Tanks
- 3x 12v
Power Sockets
- on/off
switch for the terminals, so you have the ability to keep things switched off
until you need them, instead of pulling plugs out
- Battery
Life Guide
- Outside
Fuse. No dismantling the unit, to change the Fuse
- On/Off
Switch Illuminated
The 3 Power
Sockets are 12v. If other voltages are required, a separate, inexpensive
Adaptor can be used.
$115AUD
HOW
TO SCIENTIFICALLY DETERMINE CCD GAIN & OFFSET SETTINGS
This PDF
article outlines the technique for a QHY9M, although the method can certainly
be used for other CCD cameras:
http://www.cool.id.au/astronomy/Neb_tut/Scientifically%20determining%20CCD%20Gain%20and%20Offset.pdf
LOSMANDY
PRECISION MOUNTS & ACCESSORIES LOWER PRICES
If you are
interested in Astrophotography, then it's important to know that the mount is
more important than the telescope. Better images can be obtained using a
precision Mount with a $100 Optical Tube Assembly than using a cheaper Mount
with an expensive telescope.
Due to the
strengthening Australian dollar, we have once again re-assessed the Losmandy
Mount & Accessories pricing and reduced their prices:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/losmandy-mount-telescope-astronomical-dovetail-pricelist.htm
AMAZING
IMAGE OF ASTRONAUT FROM BACKYARD
A British space boffin has managed to snap a spacewalking
astronaut, from his back garden — with a webcam and homemade telescope!...
more:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3447010/Brit-snaps-space-man-from-garden.html
FLEA3 PLANETARY AND MOON CAMERAS
The Flea3
by Point Grey is the latest and greatest Planetary and Moon Camera available
for under $1000AUD. The first thing you notice about the Flea3 is its
size and weight (29mm x 29mm x 30mm). This makes it at least half the
size and weight of The Imaging Source's DMK Camera.
The Flea3
uses the latest ICX618 Chip with higher sensitivity in the longer wavelengths
like IR and Red. The Frame Rate is variable.
The Flea3
is the next step up from the DMK21AU04.AS Camera by The Imaging Source for
$460AUD. The DMK is a step up from the Philips ToUcam 900NC for $110AUD
(plus Adaptor).
As with
most successful Planetary and Moon Cameras, they all started out as Security
Cameras or Webcams, which just happen to be great for the
application. The Flea3 is no different. Generally people look at
the other cameras in the manufacturer's range and think "Hey, they have
other cameras will higher resolution etc. which must be great for astronomy as
well" - this is not the case. The Flea3, DMK and ToUcam 900NC just
happen to fit the bill!
For further
information on the Cameras, please see the following link:
http://www.ptgrey.com/products/flea3/Flea3_Datasheet.pdf
First time
buyers are encouraged to purchase a Development Kit, as a baseline setup, to
ensure the Cameras are fully functional with your application.
Development Kits provide the tools and documentation to take advantage
of Point Grey imaging products.
Additionally,
we suggest you review the information located at:
http://www.ptgrey.com/sales/ordering.asp
Flea3 -
FL3-FW-03S1C-C (Colour) - $925AUD
Flea3 -
FL3-FW-03S1M-C (B&W) - $925AUD
DEVKIT-01-0001
- Flea3 Development Kit with PCI 1394b Card - $138AUD
DEVKIT-01-0002
- Flea3 Development Kit with PCI Express 1349b Card - $138AUD
DMK21AU04.AS:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/imaging_source_the_camera_ccd_astro_pricelist.htm
ToUcam:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/toucam_philips.htm
GLOBAL
ASTRONOMY MONTH APRIL 2011
Global Astronomy Month continues the excitement of the
unprecedented International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009).
IYA2009's 100 Hours of Astronomy showed what the
astronomy community can do working together. Amateur astronomers, clubs, science
centres and others held events by the thousands around the world, attracting
the largest public audience ever. And everyone wanted more.
Global Astronomy Month is Astronomers Without Borders'
response, bringing new ideas, new opportunities and again bringing enthusiasts
together worldwide, celebrating One
People, One Sky... more:
http://www.astronomerswithoutborders.org/global-astronomy-month-2011.html
DIGIBORG
(OPTICS FOR HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGING) HAVE THEIR NEW ITEMS FOR 2011
Borg have
announced their new items for 2011. Borg is Japanese made, high quality
optics and accessories for imaging. Don't expect Takahashi type prices
though. Borg's outstanding quality and reputation are very reasonably
priced.
Anyone
interested in doing photography, or especially Astrophotography, must
understand that to take great shots does not require a large instrument.
In fact, the larger the instrument, the more the problems associated with
atmosphere come into effect. A smaller scope is better for taking
beautiful images of the night sky, bringing out the marvellous colours and
features. A larger instrument is needed for imaging very faint, distant
objects.
Borg's new
Night and Day web site including many images and comments from Borg owners:
http://digiborg.wordpress.com/
If you'd
like to check out Borg/Hutech's huge PDF catalogue:
http://sciencecenter.net/hutech/catalog/index.htm
We have
most of the pricing here:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/hutech_astro_borg_telescopes_filter_imaging.htm
CARBON
FIBRE TUBING - BACK ON THE MENU!
We reported
in past Newsletters about supplying Carbon Fibre Tubing for telescope
builders. We are moving ahead with the Carbon Fibre Tubes once
again. Generally we need the Mandrel to make your size tube. If you
would like a quote (or another quote) for a Carbon Fibre Tube, let us know, and
we'll see what we can do.
HUGO
SCOPE PROJECT FOR SCHOOLS OR HOME
The “HUGO” is
aimed primarily at younger users. Once assembled, it is a fully functioning
114mm Newtonian reflector on an equatorial mount, ready to let its owner start
exploring the night sky after having had the satisfaction of building it.
The scope
comes in two versions with anodised rods of different colours:
-
GA114KITGOLD with gold anodising
-
GA114KITPURPLE with purple anodising
http://www.hugoscope.com/assembly.htm
$195AUD
MESSENGER
SPACECRAFT CREATES HISTORY ORBITING MERCURY
The NASA
Messenger SpaceCraft has created history by being the first scientific
observatory to enter orbit around the planet Mercury... more:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/messenger/main/index.html
TS
FLAT 2 FIELD FLATTENER - FAR SUPERIOR
The
TS Flat 2 is a very high quality, top performance Field Flattener that
works with almost any refractor telescope. It has been tested and approved for
many refractors from f/5 to f/8.
In all refractors we tested it with, the results with the TS Flattener
were at least equal to, and typically much better than any other Flattener we
have compared it with, including the Flatteners recommended by the respective
telescope manufacturers.
With its special layout the TS Flattener allows for the use of Filter
Supports, Off Axis Guiders and similar accessories between the camera and the
Flattener. This offers a previously unheard-of flexibility of use!
$395AUD
NEW
OR UPDATED PRICELISTS
Losmandy:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/losmandy-mount-telescope-astronomical-dovetail-pricelist.htm
ToUcam:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/toucam_philips.htm
Dovetail
& Side by Side Setups and other CNC Machined Product by Telescopes &
Astronomy:
"Aussie
Made Laser Pointers":
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/green-laser-pointers-international-supplier.htm
StellaCam
Astronomy Cameras:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/stellacam-astrovid-adirondack-pricelist.htm
William
Optics:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/william_optics_telescope_usa_astronomy.htm
SeeCoast
Binoculars:
A la Carte
City Maps:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/a_la_carte_maps_world_design_city.htm
DIGITAL
CAMERAS WITHOUT A LENS THREAD - UNIVERSAL DIGISCOPING ADAPTOR
If your
Digital Camera doesn't have a thread for attachments, then the DigiScope
Adaptor is well made, adjustable and sturdy way of holding the camera in front
of the eyepiece. Many applications include Telescopes, Spotting Scopes
and Microscopes. Let us know and we can send you all the information
including images.
28mm-45mm
dia $35AUD
45mm-65mm
dia $45AUD
SOLAR
MYSTERY SOLVED
The Sun has
been in the news a lot lately because it's beginning to send out more flares and
solar storms. Its recent turmoil is particularly newsworthy because the Sun was
very quiet for an unusually long time. Astronomers had a tough time explaining
the extended solar minimum. New computer simulations imply that the Sun's long
quiet spell resulted from changing flows of hot plasma within it.
"The Sun contains huge rivers of plasma similar to Earth's ocean
currents," says Andres Munoz-Jaramillo, a visiting research fellow at the
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). "Those plasma rivers
affect solar activity in ways we're just beginning to understand."
The Sun is made of a fourth state of matter -- plasma, in which negative
electrons and positive ions flow freely. Flowing plasma creates magnetic
fields, which lie at the core of solar activity like flares, eruptions, and
sunspots.
Astronomers have known for decades that the Sun's activity rises and falls in a
cycle that lasts 11 years on average. At its most active, called solar maximum,
dark sunspots dot the Sun's surface and frequent eruptions send billions of
tons of hot plasma into space. If the plasma hits Earth, it can disrupt
communications and electrical grids and short out satellites.
During solar minimum, the Sun calms down and both sunspots and eruptions are
rare. The effects on Earth, while less dramatic, are still significant. For
example, Earth's outer atmosphere shrinks closer to the surface, meaning there
is less drag on orbiting space junk. Also, the solar wind that blows through
the solar system (and its associated magnetic field) weakens, allowing more
cosmic rays to reach us from interstellar space.
The most recent solar minimum had an unusually long number of spotless days:
780 days during 2008-2010. In a typical solar minimum, the Sun goes spot-free
for about 300 days, making the last minimum the longest since 1913.
"The last solar minimum had two key characteristics: a long period of no
sunspots and a weak polar magnetic field," explains Munoz-Jaramillo. (A
polar magnetic field is the magnetic field at the Sun's north and south poles.)
"We have to explain both factors if we want to understand the solar
minimum."
To study the problem, Munoz-Jaramillo used computer simulations to model the
Sun's behaviour over 210 activity cycles spanning some 2,000 years. He specifically
looked at the role of the plasma rivers that circulate from the Sun's equator
to higher latitudes. These currents flow much like Earth's ocean currents:
rising at the equator,
streaming toward the poles, then sinking and flowing back to the equator. At a
typical speed of 40 miles per hour, it takes about 11 years to make one loop.
Munoz-Jaramillo and his colleagues discovered that the Sun's plasma rivers
speed up and slow down like a malfunctioning conveyor belt. They find that a
faster flow during the first half of the solar cycle, followed by a slower flow
in the second half of the cycle, can lead to an extended solar minimum. The
cause of the speed-up and slowdown
likely involves a complicated feedback between the plasma flow and solar magnetic
fields.
"It's like a production line -- a slowdown puts 'distance' between the end
of the last solar cycle and the start of the new one," says
Munoz-Jaramillo.
The ultimate goal of studies like this is to predict upcoming solar maxima and
minima -- both their strength and timing. The team focused on simulating solar
minima, and say that they can't forecast the next solar minimum (which is
expected to occur in 2019) just yet.
"We can't predict how the flow of these plasma rivers will change,"
explains lead author Dibyendu Nandi (Indian Institute of Science Education and
Research, Kolkata). "Instead, once we see how the flow is changing, we can
predict the consequences."
Their findings appeared in the March 3 issue of the journal Nature. The paper
is co-authored by Nandi, Munoz-Jaramillo, and Petrus Martens (Montana State
University and Center for Astrophysics).
-- A Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) press release
forwarded by Karen Pollard.
ASA
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE CAIRNS 2012 FACT SHEET
Here's the
Astronomical Society of Australia's fact sheet on the 2012 Eclipse in Cairns
Australia:
http://www.astronomy.org.au/ngn/engine.php?SID=1000011&AID=100324
Anyone who
is going, can organise their Solar Filter systems with us before departing.
We have in stock a number of Solar Films like Baader, Black Polymer and R-G -
see below. We also have Glass Filters for telescopes or
Binoculars. Let us know your dimensions, or make and model of your
optics.
Eclipse
Viewing Glasses $6AUD
Eclipse
Viewing Screens $6AUD
SOLAR
FILM FOR YOUR EYES, BINOCULARS OR TELESCOPE
*Warning*
Viewing the Sun without solar film will blind the observer. Solar Film
and/or Dust Cap fitted with the Film must be attached properly to prevent the
Film from coming free during observation.
The Sun's
solar activity is at an all time high, after an unusually long period of
being quiet. This active period produces fantastic Sunspots which can be
viewed easily, and safely, through various optical instruments including
Binoculars, Telescopes, Spotting Scopes, Cameras and Video Cameras (Cameras
depending on their magnification capabilities).
It's not
necessary to cover the whole end of the Telescope with Solar Film.
Generally, the hole in the Dust Cap is large enough to cover with Film for
solar viewing. Covering just the hole in the Dust Cap alters the Focal
Ratio of the telescope greatly, and the Secondary Mirror (in Reflectors) is
no longer an obstruction to the image. However, the size of the optics is
now greatly reduced to the size of the Dust Cap hole. There are
advantages to using a small hole, like in the Dust Cap (off-axis - ie. not in
the center), and also using the whole of the optics.
For more
information on observing the Sun:
http://solar-center.stanford.edu/observe/
BAADER
SOLAR FILM
Baader Solar
Film is made for the construction of high-quality objective Filters for
observing the Sun with telescopes, binoculars, camera or video lenses. This
foil is CE-tested and reduces the intensity of sunlight by 99.999% (neutral
density 5.0).
30cm x 30cm
$55AUD
A4 Sheet -
$45AUD
25cm x 25cm
$40AUD
20cm x 20cm
$35AUD
15cm x 15cm
$20AUD
10cm x 10cm
$12AUD
8cm x 8cm
$8AUD
R-G SOLAR FILM - 1000 OAKS OPTICAL
Designed with quality and cost in
mind, R-G solar film provides a superior image of the sun that rivals Glass
Solar Filters at a lower price. Unlike other solar filters, the R-G solar film
will provide a more pleasing and natural Yellow-
http://www.thousandoaksoptical.com/www/Products/Solar%20filter.html
165mm x 165mm (6.5" x
6.5") $25AUD
210mm x 297mm (A4) $40AUD
BLACK POLYMER SOLAR FILM - 1000 OAKS OPTICAL
A lower cost alternative where lower magnification is used such as with
binoculars, camera filters, finder scopes and small telescopes. Stronger than
Mylar with the filtering properties protected within the substrate. Guaranteed
fifteen years.
300mm x 300mm $45AUD
GLASS
SOLAR FILTERS - 1000 OAKS OPTICAL
TYPE
2 + : Made with
high quality, hand select glass, coated with 1000 Oaks exclusive
Solar II Plus. The most durable Glass Filter on the market. Transmission is
1/1,000th of 1% (Optical Density 5). Great for both visual and photographic
use. Solar image is yellow-orange. Guaranteed fifteen years.
Let us know your Telescope or Binocular's dimensions, or brand and
model for a quote.
THE
SUN SPOTTER KEPLERIAN TELESCOPE
This wooden, folded-path, Keplerian telescope provides a much safer and
convenient way to view the brilliant light of the sun than other more common methods.
By using a series of mirrors, the device projects a bright 3.25-inch solar
image onto a 5-inch white viewing screen through a powerful 62mm diameter
objective lens. In its perfectly curved cradle, the SunSpotter is easily
aligned to the sun in seconds, without the complication of telescopes, solar
filters, and tripods. Unlike other ways of viewing the sun, the compact and
sturdy SunSpotter is convenient, easy to set up, lightweight and fun to use.
And, because of its unique design, this kid-friendly instrument makes our
closest star a safer subject of study by even the youngest students.
Use the SunSpotter for viewing the sun, eclipses, transits, and for daily
record keeping. Track sunspots as they appear, move, and vanish. Useful for
group viewing, the SunSpotter allows several observers to simultaneously see
the sun’s disk and quickly trace the changing positions of Sunspots and compare
them on a daily basis:
http://www.sciencefirst.com/Sunspotter.html
$350AUD
MOTORISED
EQUATORIAL PLATFORMS FOR DOBSONIANS - BACK ON THE MENU!
The Equatorial Platform for Dobsonian allows a Dobsonian Telescope to
track the night sky, keeping fast moving objects like planets centered in the
Eyepiece, and also the ability to perform astrophotography.
In June 2007 we mentioned in the Newsletter that the
"Equatorial Platforms are ready for Order". Unfortunately,
due to health problems of our main designer and builder, we had to put it
off. The good news now is we are now finishing off our Advanced
Prototype. Many improvements have been made, and we should have more news
and availability in the next Newsletter.
BOB'S
KNOBS
New products include Knobs for the following scopes:
- Meade Schmidt-Newt 6"
- Meade 8" SCT with four factory secondary screws
- Vixen VMC 200L and 260L secondary
- Orion by Celestron 11" SCT, standard and metric
- Orion Optics (UK) OD series Newtonian secondary
Bob has also developed a No-Tools Kit for the Celestron CGE Equatorial Mount
that includes Knobs for mounting the Equatorial Head to the Electronics
Pier, Knobs for mounting the Electronics Pier to the Tripod, and a Knob
for the Weight Bar Safety Stop:
We try to keep most of Bob's Knobs in stock:
C
MOUNT CAMERA TO SLR CAMERA LENSES $85AUD
These Adaptors allow popular brand SLR Camera Lenses to fit onto a C
Mount camera like many security Cameras, DMK, StellaCam etc. etc. etc.
The result is very wide field, low magnification, shorter exposures and
brighter images. The high quality of the SLR lens produces stunning
results!
CURRENT
SPECIALS
- 2" NEUTRAL DENSITY MOON FILTERS $30AUD
- DUAL LED (RED & WHITE LIGHT) FLASH LIGHTS $25AUD
- CELESTRON NEXIMAGER PLANET & MOON CAMERAS $95AUD
-
CHESHIRE COLLIMATION EYEPIECES $40AUD
- 1.25" ACHROMATIC BARLOW LENSES $45AUD
- William
Optics Vixen Style Dovetail Plate $55AUD
- William
Optics Red Dot Finder without Base $50AUD
- Lens Clothes
$0.50AUD
- DVDs $10AUD
- SPACEFLIGHT - All the highlights from 50 years of manned
spaceflights
- SOLAR SYSTEM - Latest News from the NASA and ESA Probes
- UNIVERSE - All the latest discoveries about the Cosmos
- HUBBLE - 15 Years of Hubble Discoveries
- EYES ON THE SKIES - 400 Years of Telescopic Discovery
- 20x80mm TRIPLET BINOCULARS WITH TRIPOD ATTACHMENT $260AUD
- T RINGS FOR
COMMON CAMERAS - NIKON, CANON & PENTAX $12AUD
- STELLACAM EX
B&W PLANETARY CAMERA $600AUD
- CORONADO PST
(PERSONAL SOLAR TELESCOPE) $600AUD
Regards,
Matthew Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
OHALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 08 8381 3188
FAX: 08 8381 3588
Skype: telescopes.and.astronomy
telescopes@adam.com.au
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
https://twitter.com/telescopes1
TELESCOPES
AND ASTRONOMY
FEBRUARY
NEWSLETTER 2011 NO.54
Phone:
(08) 8381 3188
FAX:
(08) 8381 3588
VOIP:
087 129 6316
SKYPE: telescopes.and.astronomy
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/telescopes1
OUR
WEB SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/
EMAIL:
Please let us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if you receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let me know if you want the November 2010 Newsletter, which was the previous one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
IN THIS ISSUE:
-
LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO OVERHAUL MICROSCOPES
- NEW SSS PLANETARY ORTHOSCOPIC EYEPIECES BY HARRY
SIEBERT
- SKYSHED POD 3rd SHIPMENT
- SKYSHED POD NEW PRODUCTS
- Lexel Sealant
- LED Red Strip Lighting
with Dimmer
- Krylon Paint
-
50th ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST SPACE SHIP
-
EXTRA TALL, STURDY BINOCULAR TRIPODS
-
ToUcams ARE BACK ON THE MENU! - 900NC $110AUD
- ToUcams Modified for Long
Exposure $250AUD
- T&A Baffled, Anodised 1.25" Adaptor
$55AUD
-
CELESTRON NEXIMAGER CCD CAMERA $90AUD
-
LOW PROFILE HELICAL FOCUSER TO ACHIEVE CAMERA FOCUS
-
LOSMANDY'S NEW MOUNT INTERFACE NOW AVAILABLE
-
THE MILKYWAY PROJECT - HELP MAP THE GALAXY!
-
FARPOINT ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH PRODUCTS
-
DUAL BEAM LED FLASH LIGHTS $30
-
AUSTRALIAN ASTRO IMAGING CONFERENCE 2011
- HOTECH'S ADVANCED CT (SCT) COLLIMATOR
-
HOW TO TAKE NICE SUN IMAGES!
- FOCAL REDUCER FOR TAL200K
- STARLIGHT INSTRUMENTS PARRACORR SYSTEM
-
WIKISKY.ORG
-
QHY5 CAMERA SPECIAL $260AUD
-
MINI BIG BANGS MADE AT CERN -
-
254MM (10") & 305MM (12") REFRACTOR LENSES IN CELL NOW AVAILABLE
-
458mm (18") PARABOLIC MIRRORS NOW AVAILABLE
-
APRIL 2011 IS GLOBAL ASTRONOMY MONTH
- BAADER HERSCHEL WEDGE - SOLAR VIEWER
- JOHN DOBSON INAUGURATES LIVING LEGEND SERIES
-
APPLICATIONS FOR iPAD/iPHONE $5.99AUD
-
HARD CORE ASTRONOMY FOR AMATEURS - PLANET HUNTING
-
UPDATED PRICELISTS INCLUDING NEW SUPPLIERS
-
SPECIALS
- 11X70mm LE BINOCULARS, TRIPOD ADAPTOR & CASE $80AUD
- 90° 8x50mm FINDERSCOPES $60AUD
- 40mm PLOSSL EYEPIECES $60AUD
- ATIK MFW MANUAL FILTER WHEEL $160AUD
- 2" 45° ERECTING PRISM DIAGONAL $145AUD
- HARRY SIEBERT 2" 11mm ULTRA EYEPIECE $195AUD
Sky & Telescope Hot Products:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/equipment/news/114370914.html
LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO OVERHAUL MICROSCOPES
We are looking for someone to overhaul Microscopes. Optical experience with Microscopes is necessary. Will be plenty to do, as time goes on, all types and brands with preference to Japanese or higher quality optics.
NEW SSS PLANETARY ORTHOSCOPIC EYEPIECES BY HARRY SIEBERT
Totally new design! It all comes together here. Razor sharp performance, good eye relief and 60+ deg FOV. Sharper and with higher contrast than anything you have tried.
- enhanced 5 element design
- 18mm Eye Relief
- 16mm Clear Aperture
- 62° Field of View
Excel in F/4 up to F/15 Focal Ratio.
Available in 4.9mm, 5.4mm, 5.9mm, 6.4mm, 6.9mm, 7.4mm, 7.9mm, 8.4mm, 8.9mm, 9.4mm, 9.9mm, 10.4mm, 10.9mm, 11.4mm, 11.9mm, 12.4mm, 12.9mm
http://www.siebertoptics.bizland.com/SiebertOptics-Ortho%20page).html
$195AUD
SKYSHED
POD 3rd SHIPMENT
Now is the
time to send a 10% deposit, if you are interested in receiving a SkyShed Pod in
the next 2 months.
There are
currently 5 Pods ordered. The container holds around 10 to 12 Pods - not
including accessories.
Here's how
the ordering works:
Please note that we are able to supply
If you are
in NZ, please contact Ivan Vazey:
ivazey@surfer.co.nz
PRICE LIST
The latest Price List is attached.
YOUR DETAILS
Please forward us the details of the SkyShed Pod you want:
- model
- dome colour
- wall colour
- glow
- number of shelves
http://www.skyshedpod.com/
Please supply your contact details and delivery address.
We will quote a price including delivery.
DELIVERY
We'll drop the Pods off ourselves in
Sydney,
PAYMENT
A 10% deposit will need to be made before manufacturer.
A pre-order
50% deposit will be needed (includes the initial 10%), so SkyShed can
manufacturer your Pod. The remanding 50% to be paid once the shipment is
ready to set sail from the USA. Usually 5-6 weeks at sea, then we
pass them through customs etc. and deliver.
A shipping container needs to be filled first. Container numbers are
dependant on Pod types.
As a guesstimate, Pods to be delivered around the end of April at this
stage.
Let us know if you have any questions.
SKYSHED
POD NEW PRODUCTS
Lexel
Sealant
I've
organised to have some Lexel delivered with the shipment. For those who
don't know, Lexel is the tubed sealant which is recommended by SkyShed Pod for
use on the Pods. It is available here in
If you are
interested in the Lexel, let me know and I'll organise it.
LED
Red Strip Lighting with Dimmer
Owners of
the Pods have used Red LED Strip Lighting to illuminate the inside, and
preserve their dark adaptation. The Strip goes all the way around the Pod
and has a Dimmer.
$132AUD
Krylon
Paint
We've
tested Black Krylon Paint for plastic and had great results preventing IR
intrusion and heat build up in high heat environments. For less cost than
adding optional Bay Linings, or panel insulation. You can spray black
Krylon Fusion in your Bays and onto your Primary Dome interior. This will
provide excellent IR and heat build up protection. View the Krylon
Fusion commercial (Real Player needed):
http://www.skyshedpod.com/SherwinWilliamsCommercial.ivr
Krylon will
eventually crack and flake off. So you really only want to use it on the two
inside "triangles" of the primary dome if at all. To avoid having to
re-paint in a few years. 6-8 cans for inner Primary dome only.
Contact us
for more information and pricing.
50th
ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST SPACE SHIP
16th of
February celebrates 50 years of the first space ship launched into orbit by all
Solid Rocket:
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1961-004A
EXTRA
TALL, STURDY BINOCULAR TRIPODS
These tripods handle 20x80mm binoculars very easily. Their height
can be raised to 190cm (6' 3"). Although 25x100mm (6kg) can be used
on the tripod, we still recommend using a Manfrotto Tripod for Giant Binoculars
over 5kg.
Tall, Sturdy Tripod $120AUD
Manfrotto Tripod $380AUD
Tripod to Binocular Adaptors $8AUD (if needed)
ToUcams ARE BACK
ON THE MENU - 900NC $110AUD
The ToUcam
is the highest quality, lowest priced camera available for imaging the major
planets and Moon, and can still be used as a very high quality webcam!
See images and information here:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/toucam_philips.htm
ToUcams Modified
for Long Exposure $250AUD
Basically,
there is one setup for the planets and Moon, and another setup for deep
sky objects. If the ToUcam has the Long Exposure Modification,
then both can be done. A physical switch allows the change between Video
and Long Exposure.
The Long
Exposure Modification is also used for guiding with faint stars for
astrophotography.
T&A
Baffled, Anodised 1.25" Adaptor $55AUD
Made by us
ensures the Adaptor to Camera thread doesn't cut into the camera's plastic
thread, leaving a mess on the CCD Chip. The internal part of the Adaptor
is Baffled to eliminate stray light from reflecting down the inside.
Standard
1.25" Adaptors are $30AUD
CELESTRON
NEXIMAGER CCD CAMERA $90AUD
The
Neximager is very similar to the ToUcam. We do
not modify it for Long Exposure, although people have done
it. The NexImager has a slightly slower Frame Rate than the
ToUcam and cannot be used as a webcam. However, Solar System
imaging is nearly as good as the ToUcam, and the NexImager comes complete
with a 1.25" Adaptor.
LOW
PROFILE HELICAL FOCUSER TO ACHIEVE CAMERA FOCUS
The HC-1
and HC-2 Helical Focusers are extremely low profile.
This allows a camera to achieve focus on the telescope.
- 1400 HC Focusers as of 2010 and none have been returned.
- Focusers are machined to very precise tolerances which is
necessary to provide accurate alignment of the focusing tube and proper
operation. Use care when disassembling and cleaning.
- the aluminium focusing tube is anodized to provide
proper surface hardness for the bearings. We will not sell focusing tubes
without anodizing.
- high quality stainless steel bearings and precision 303
stainless steel shoulder screws are used and made in USA. The shoulder screws
are necessary to mount the bearings. Full threaded screws should not be
substituted as they are under size and do not properly align
the bearings.
- large Eyepieces, Binocular Heads, and Cameras have been
used successfully, but with slightly reduced stiffness. We have designed a
backward compatible modification, Service Note 10.20.06, to improve the
stiffness of the HC-2 when using these heavy items.
http://www.kineoptics.com/HC-1.html
HC-1
(1.25") $135AUD
HC-2
(2") $145AUD
LOSMANDY'S
NEW MOUNT INTERFACE NOW AVAILABLE
Check it!:
http://www.losmandy.com/losmandygoto/gemini2-specs.html
G11G
Mount $4300AUD
GM8G Mount
$3590AUD
THE
MILKYWAY PROJECT - HELP MAP THE GALAXY!
The Milky Way
Project aims to sort and measure our galaxy, the Milky Way. Initially we're
asking you to help us find and draw bubbles in beautiful infrared data from the
Spitzer Space Telescope. Understanding the cold, dusty material that we
see in these images, helps scientists to learn how stars form and how our
galaxy changes and evolves with time.
A beautiful
image is provided by the Spitzer Space Telescope. Using your mouse, draw
bubbles around objects found in the image. Bubbles can be altered in a
number of ways to highlight the objects size and spread. A multiple
choice description of the object can be placed in the bubble. You can
record your favourite images as well.
To see the
full tutorial, or browse the site to find out more about the science behind the
Milky Way Project:
http://www.milkywayproject.org/
FARPOINT
ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH PRODUCTS
I've been
misbehaving and selling FarPoint Astronomical Research Products below
their MAP (Minimum Advertised Price). In the USA, suppliers can make
their dealers sell at a minimum price. However, in Australia, this is
breaking the law, as it is seen as anti-competitive by ACCC (Australian
Competition & Consumer Commission).
Other
overseas suppliers have previously been sent warning letters from the ACCC, and
have consequently "backed off".
What does
this mean to my customers? Well, FarPoint Astronomical make a wide range
of high quality astronomical accessories. It is all very well made and
prices are extremely good! ;-)
A full
colour PDF catalogue is available via email from us, and we have a current
pricelist:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/farpoint-astronomical-research-accessories-pricelist.htm
DUAL
BEAM LED FLASH LIGHTS $30AUD
- variable
brightness
- red
light's maximum brightness is brighter than most Red Light Torches
AUSTRALIAN
ASTRO IMAGING CONFERENCE 2011
With the
assistance of Griffith University, the first Australian Astro Imaging
Conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Broadbeach on Queensland’s
Gold Coast from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th July 2011. The conference
features a keynote address by Prof. David Malin as well as workshops by
visiting American imagers, Ken Crawford and Rogelio Andreo. Papers are also
being presented by a range of well known Australian Imagers such as Mike
Sidonio, Jason Jennings and Eddie Trimachi to name just a few.
http://www.griffith.conferenceonline.com.au/index.cfm?page=details_conference&pg=1&id=15928
HOTECH'S
ADVANCED CT (SCT) COLLIMATOR - S&T Hot Product
Collimate
Your Cassegrain Telescope:
- Without
using a star
- Indoor
or outdoor - day or night
- Focus
stays at final view setting
- Within
focal distance from your telescope
- One-man
operation
- Portable
and simple to setup and use
- Works on
CT, SCT, Maksutov, & RC
Complete
information;
http://www.hotechusa.com/category-s/23.htm
$550AUD
HOW
TO TAKE NICE SUN IMAGES!
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/10/making-a-sun-photo/
FOCAL
REDUCER FOR TAL200K
The focal
reducer is intended for reducing the focal distance and correction of field
aberrations of the objective lens of the TAL-200K Klestov-Cassegrain Telescope.
It reduces the exposure time when photographing deep-space objects. The focal
reducer is installed into the focusing tube with a bore diameter of 1.25".
F/6 $250AUD
STARLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS PARACORR SYSTEM (SIPS) - S&T Hot Product
Starlight
Instruments is
proud to introduce the new Starlight
Integrated Paracorr System (referred to as SIPS hereafter). The
SIPS is an integrated focuser-mounted version of the TeleVue Paracorr Type 2.
The SIPS combines Starlight Instruments finely crafted Feather Touch focuser
and TeleVue's 1st class optics to make the ultimate coma corrector.
The
advantages of the SIPS is once it is set-up, there is no need to fumble with
locking screws, turning your flashlight on to check its position, etc. This
saves time and hassle. Also, the assembly is more rigid and flexure is greatly
reduced. The SIPS totally eliminates the need to re-adjust/calibrate when
switching eyepieces. You will simply adjust the focus knobs of your Feather
Touch focuser for viewing. Because of this, the SIPS will save you valuable
observing time.
More
Information...
http://www.starlightinstruments.com/
$1040AUD
including FeatherTouch Focuser
WIKISKY.ORG
- INTERACTIVE SKYMAP
QHY5
CAMERA SPECIAL $260AUD
The QHY5 is
the Guiding Camera of QHY range. More information can be seen here:
http://www.qhyccd.com/QHY5.html
MINI
BIG BANGS MADE AT CERN
During the
last couple of months scientists working on CERN's Large Hadron Collider
(LHC) in Switzerland have been studying a piece of the Universe as it would
have been just moments after the Big Bang. This has been done by
accelerating and smashing together lead nuclei at the highest possible
energies. The collisions make incredibly hot and dense sub-atomic fireballs to
recreate the fundamental particles that existed in the first few microseconds
after the Big Bang.
The tiny fireballs exist for a fleeting moment (less than a trillionth of a
trillionth of a second) at temperatures over ten trillion degrees, a million
times hotter than the centre of the Sun.
This allows us to study a tiny piece of what the universe was made of
just a millionth of a second after the Big Bang. At the temperatures generated
even protons and neutrons, which make up the nuclei of atoms, melt resulting in
a hot dense soup of quarks and gluons known as a Quark-Gluon Plasma. By
studying this quark-gluon plasma, physicists hope to learn more about the
strong force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature, which not only
binds the nuclei of atoms together but is responsible for 98% of their mass.
The 10,000 ton ALICE experiment has been specifically designed to study the
extreme conditions produced in these lead collisions. ALICE is one of the four
main experiments at the LHC designed to study the physics from ultra-high
energy proton-proton and lead-lead interactions.
ALICE utilizes state-of-the-art technology including high precision systems for
the detection and tracking of subatomic particles, ultra-miniaturized systems
for the processing of electronic signals, and a worldwide distribution network
of the computing resources for data analysis (the GRID). Many of these
technological developments
have direct implications to everyday life such as medical imaging,
microelectronics and information technology.
-- adapted from a U.K. Science and Technology Facilities Council press
release forwarded by Karen Pollard.
254MM
(10") & 305MM (12") REFRACTOR LENSES IN CELL NOW AVAILABLE
Contact us
for more information and pricing.
458mm
(18") PARABOLIC MIRRORS NOW AVAILABLE
Contact us
for more information and pricing.
APRIL
2011 IS GLOBAL ASTRONOMY MONTH
More
information:
http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1101/
BAADER
HERSCHEL WEDGE - SOLAR VIEWER - S&T Hot Product
With the
sun slowly showing increased activity, it’s a good time to be promoting safe
solar observing to those telescope owners who may have previously not
considered it. For white-light views of the sun, arguably the most detailed and
pleasing images will be obtained through a good Herschel Wedge.
The Baader
Cool-Ceramic Safety Herschel Wedge is intended for refractors only, with 2”
focusers. All the filtering of the intense heat and light is done in the Wedge,
so it does not use a filter at the objective. Some of this excess light is
transmitted through a translucent tile at the rear, which doubles as an aiming
device. In addition to the internal fixed ND filter, the Wedge also includes a
Baader Solar Continuum Filter to enhance the already-high quality view of the
sun’s disc. Two versions are offered, visual and photographic (which can also
be used visually):
2956500V
Visual $550AUD
2956500P
Photographic $636AUD
JOHN
DOBSON INAUGURATES LIVING LEGEND SERIES
John
Dobson, popularizer of the widely-used Dobsonian telescope design that now bears
his name, was interviewed in the first episode of a new series of webcasts:
http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1104/
APPLICATIONS FOR iPAD/iPHONE $5.99AUD
We have had
our very popular sets of A4 maps (Moon Phase Maps and Star Charts), converted
to applications for the iPhone and iPad. Both apps provide all the great
features of the original physical maps and have additional features added.
For
instance, the Star Charts can be viewed in positive (white on black) as well as
the original negative (black on white) - the former being best for preserving
night vision. The app also features the grid lines, constellation boundaries
and object numbers and names as extra layers that can be added or removed as
needed.
The Moon
Maps have an extra 12 images included to make 30 images all together, covering
all phases of the Moon, waxing and waning. Maps can be viewed north or south up
and also mirror-reversed for use with star diagonals at the telescope. Crater
names, names of seas (in Latin or English) and smaller details (such as rilles
and faults) feature as removable layers. The index can be used to search maps
by feature names:
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/?id=411816392
HARD
CORE ASTRONOMY FOR AMATEURS - PLANET HUNTING
If you own
a telescope greater than 300mm (12") and is Computer Controlled, it can be
used to search for planets around other stars. It is one of the many
projects offered by organisations, which enables amateurs to do hard core
research with their own equipment.
Imagine
having your name linked to a newly discovered planet!
SPADES is a
long-term, wide-ranging project for finding exoplanets in a relatively new way
that needs to involve amateurs as well as professionals. In addition to finding
planets (or even where it doesn't) it will yield valuable research data on EA
type eclipsing binaries. The project was proposed by Dr Simon O'Toole of the
AAO (Anglo Australian Observatory), and is being developed and run jointly with
Dr Tom Richards, Director of VSS (Variable Stars South - Promoting research
into Southern Variable Stars).
If you have
experience in CCD time series work, and have a Johnson V or Cousins R filter
(or actually even if you don't) you are invited to join in this project. Your
observational contribution can be as intensive or as sparse as suits your
circumstances; so long as when you do, you are happy to take a long time-series
and carry out photometry on it.
This link
outlines the goals and methods of the project, and observational requirements.
Additional web-based information will contain observational requirements on the
individual target stars and our results and analyses:
http://www.variablestarssouth.org/index.php/research-projects/spades
UPDATED
PRICELISTS INCLUDING NEW PRODUCTS
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/pricelists.htm
SPECIALS
- 11X70LE BINOCULARS, TRIPOD ADAPTOR & CASE $80AUD
These
Binoculars have been tested by us to be great for astronomy. They
have an Exit Pupil of 6.4mm which illuminates the whole of the eye.
Great for finding objects before looking through your scope.
- 90° 8x50mm FINDERSCOPES $60AUD
Have
your Finderscope at the same angle as your Focuser for comfortable
viewing. No more back breaking!
- 40mm PLOSSL EYEPIECES $60AUD
These
Eyepieces have Clear Aperture (hole you look through) of 34mm, and an Eye
Relief of 20mm. Great for beginners and spectacle wearers!
- ATIK MFW MANUAL FILTER WHEEL $160AUD
5 Position,
very popular.
- 2" 45° ERECTING PRISM DIAGONAL
$145AUD
If you wish
to use your Refractor during the day, this is the best option.
- Image erecting
BAK4 prism with anti-reflection FMC coating
- high accuracy and high light reflection prism
- brass compression ring
- internally matte blackened and threaded for 2" filter
- entirely machined aluminium
- includes 1.25" Adaptor
- HARRY SIEBERT 2" 11mm ULTRA EYEPIECE $195AUD
http://www.siebertoptics.bizland.com/SiebertOptics-1.25in-eyepieces-ultra.html#11mm
Regards,
Matthew
Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
OHALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 08 8381 3188
FAX: 08 8381 3588
Skype: telescopes.and.astronomy
telescopes@adam.com.au
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
https://twitter.com/telescopes1
TELESCOPES
AND ASTRONOMY
NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER 2010 NO.53
Phone:
(08) 8381 3188
FAX:
(08) 8381 3588
VOIP:
087 129 6316
SKYPE: telescopes.and.astronomy
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/telescopes1
OUR
WEB SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/
EMAIL:
Please let
us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if you
receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let me know
if you want the July 2010 Newsletter, which was the previous
one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
IN THIS
ISSUE:
-
LASERS
- NEW "LEGAL" 1MW GREEN LASER POINTER SHINES BRIGHT!
- LESS THAN 1MW GREEN LASER POINTERS FOR LECTURERS
- ToUcam UPDATE - REPLACED BY CELESTRON NEXIMAGER... or not!
- ASTRONOMY 2010 BOOK AVAILABLE NOVEMBER $18AUD
- ASTRONOMY 2011 CALENDARS
- ECLIPSING PULSAR
PROMISES CLUES TO CRUSHED MATTER
-
HEAVY DUTY DOVETAIL & OTHER MACHINING WEB SITE
-
WILLIAM OPTICS FIELD FLATTENER - FLAT2 REPLACEMENT
-
ALUMINIUM CASES
-
STELLACAMS
-
TELESCOPE PIERS BY TELESCOPES & ASTRONOMY
-
LATEST PLANETARY IMAGES BY AMATEUR
-
NEW OR UPDATED PRICE LISTS
-
MOONLITE TELESCOPE ACCESSORIES
- INTERNATIONAL
YEAR OF ASTRONOMY 2009 - FINAL REPORT RELEASED
- SKYSHED POD OBSERVATORIES 3RD
SHIPMENT
-
SWISS ARMY KNIVES!?
-
STARGPS - ADD GPS TO YOUR TELESCOPE!
-
BORG HuTech TELESCOPE COMPONENTS
-
PARFOCAL RINGS
- 1.25" to 2" ADAPTORS
-
DOWN2EARTH WEB SITE - INCLUDING IMPACT CALCULATOR
-
MALE TO MALE T THREAD ADAPTOR
-
TELESCOPE ADVICE
-
CLEANING CLOTHS
-
LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO OVERHAUL MICROSCOPES
-
PYREX DIAGONALS/SECONDARY MIRRORS
-
iOPTRON'S NEW HEAVY DUTY MOUNT
-
STARLIGHT INSTRUMENTS Starlight Integrated Paracorr System
(SIPS)
-
SPECIALS:
- WILLIAM OPTICS DDG MEGREZ 72mm
$620AUD
- 10% DISCOUNT ON THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS
- 2" SUPER WIDE ANGLE 36MM EYEPIECES $95AUD
- VOYAGE TO THE PLANETS DVD $25AUD
- THE IMAGING SOURCE DBK41AF02.AS CAMERA $675AUD
- 11x70mm LE BINOCULARS $95AUD
NEW "LEGAL" 1MW GREEN LASER POINTER SHINES BRIGHT!
We are now
producing a wide range of "Aussie Made" Laser Pointers. Through better Crystals and Optics, we can now produce a
high quality 1mW and certify the output. The 1mW Green Laser Pointer is
now the ideal output for the amateur astronomer, as it can produce a beam
in less than Dark Sky locations, due to a brighter and finer point.
This is perfect for pointing out objects to family and friends. It is
also great for use as a Finderscope on your telescope.
$125AUD
Here's our complete range:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/green-laser-pointers-international-supplier.htm
LESS
THAN 1MW GREEN LASER POINTERS FOR LECTURERS
The brighter 1mW Green Laser Pointers outlined above,
are in some circumstances, too bright for lecturing. We have produced a
new Lecturer's Laser Pointer Pen. Details are:
- 0.6mW Output
- will last longer since it is wound down from 1mW Diode
- Aussie "Made to Last!"
- made by us, so it can be repaired or serviced
easily
- KTM Crystal Assembly is screwed in, not glued. The
laser will not stop working after the first knock!
- 1 year warranty
- glass lenses only, no plastic - glass produces
crystal clear spots
- all inner fittings are solid brass
- certified output with certificate
-
re-chargeable Lithium Batteries included
-
"Aussie Made" engraved on every laser
- Optional
Laser Casing colours and designs
$115AUD
ToUcam
UPDATE - REPLACED BY CELESTRON NEXIMAGER... or not!
In the last
Newsletter we reported the end of the ToUcam Supply. We have managed to
find some more in Europe! We can once again Modify the ToUcams with Long
Exposure, Amp Off and now Peltier Cooling.
We will
also continue to supply the NexImager with the Modifications as well.
Contact us
for any further information:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/toucam_philips.htm
ASTRONOMY
2010 BOOK AVAILABLE NOVEMBER $18AUD
Latest
annual with the easiest and quickest reference book for knowing your way around
the Night Sky.
Quasar
Publishing has been producing these annual publications since 1991. The
yearbooks are written by Australians for Australians.
This
yearbook has been designed for anyone who looks at the night sky whether they
are using just their eyes, a pair of binoculars or a telescope. The book has
something for everyone, from the basic novice, up to the advanced amateur
astronomer. This includes those with a casual interest who might just want to
know, "what is that bright star next to the Moon?"
ECLIPSING PULSAR PROMISES CLUES TO CRUSHED MATTER
Discovery
of X-ray eclipses in the recently discovered accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar
SWIFT J1749.4-2807.
SWIFT J1749
is a Neutron Star, rapidly rotating, to create a Pulsar. It is
around 16 to 25km across, and spins 518 times a second!!!
Astronomers
using NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) have found the first fast X-ray
pulsar to be eclipsed by its companion star. Further studies of this unique
stellar system will shed light on some of the most compressed matter in the
universe and test a key prediction of Einstein's relativity theory.
NASA's report:
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/eclipsing-pulsar.html
Further
details in the AstroPhysical Journal:
http://iopscience.iop.org/2041-8205/717/2/L149
HEAVY
DUTY DOVETAIL & OTHER MACHINING WEB SITE
We have been selling a number of CNC Lathed items for many years, and have now have a web page for these items. It includes various setups, information and pricing:
Under Construction
WILLIAM OPTICS FIELD FLATTENER - FLAT2 REPLACEMENT
We receive a lot of requests for the William Optics, Field Flattener - FLAT2. The Flattener has been discontinued for quite some time.
In replacement, we offer the TS FLAT 2.
The
TS Flat 2 is a very high quality, top performance field flattener that works
with almost any refractor telescope. It has been tested and approved for many
refractors from f/5 to f/8.
In all refractors we tested it with, the results with
the TS Flattener were at least equal to, and typically much better than any
other flattener we have compared it with, including the flatteners recommended
by the respective telescope manufacturers. Performance tests show a
flatter field than the William Optics FLAT 2.
With its special layout the TS Flattener allows
for the use of filter supports, off axis guiders and similar accessories
between the camera and the flattener. This offers a previously unheard-of
flexibility of use!
Adaptors to suit different telescopes are available.
Let us know your Scope type for a quote.
$395AUD
ASTRONOMY 2011 CALENDARS
The 2011
Calendars are in stock now.
Featuring 12 great images and daily details about
planetary positions, eclipses, lunar occultations, planetary conjunctions,
meteor showers, etc. This year the calendar features nine images by some of
The Astronomy Calendar provides a nightly guide
to what’s visible in the sky, including Moon phase, planetary positions,
eclipses, lunar occultations, conjunctions and meteor showers. Includes summary
of the year indicating best time to view the planets. Maps best for 25° to 45°
south latitude.
Other Features:
- Additional Star Maps show
the planets in the pre-dawn and post-sunset sky, especially showing interesting
conjunctions of the planets.
- Summary of the year
indicating best time to view the planets and other events.
- Daily reminders of
eclipses, conjunctions, and meteor showers.
- Designed for use in
$12AUD
plus Postage
ALUMINIUM
CASES
We have had an order of Aluminium Cases for quite a while now. Our usual supplier was unable to complete the order, although they can continue supplying us at a later date. We are in contact with a number of suppliers, so we can have the shipment delivered asap.
In the meantime, we are still collecting names for Aluminium Cases.
Aluminium
Cases are particularly expensive to purchase. A Telescope Case, including
Foam, can cost up to $800AUD for an 8" Telescope Optical Tube.
We are preparing another shipment of Aluminium Cases. The cases come complete with Block Foam which breaks away in small cubes to form the shape of the item used in the case. The cases are particularly cheap and are brought in by sea. Let us know the size of the case you'd like, and we can quote a price.
The prices of the Aluminium Cases can be reduced further by ordering the common sizes:
Inside Dimensions:
640mm x
250mm x 150mm
1300mm x 250mm x 150mm
900mm x 600mmx 400mm
770mm x 350mm x 350mm
800mm x 550mm x 450mm
470mm x 470mm x 330mm
810mm x 330mm x 310mm
STELLACAMS
The
Astrovideo Camera business that Adirondack Video Astronomy (AVA) had been
providing has now been transferred over to CosmoLogic Systems. CosmoLogic
Systems has always provided the cooling system installation on the StellaCam II
and 3 cameras along with manufacturing of the StellaCam Wireless Controllers.
We also provided servicing of the cameras for AVA. So now the marketing of the
Astrovid camera line (StellaCam/Watec Cameras and the Wireless Controller) has
changed hands from AVA to CosmoLogic Systems.
Due to the difficult economic situation, AVA has ceased its operation, but the
Astrovid product line will still continue through CosmoLogic Systems. New pricing, better product support, and the ability to
have the cameras serviced here in Australia, has continued to
make the StellaCam one of the most sort after Astronomical Cameras.
The StellaCam range allows the camera to be used on a PC, as well as plugged straight into a television set or monitor!
There are many advantages of the StellaCam over other cameras like the MallinCam - see web page for details.
Here is a review of the StellaCam being used on a Small Refracting Telescope:
http://www.lafterhall.com/deepskyvideoimaging.html
StellaCam Information and pricing:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/stellacam-astrovid-adirondack-pricelist.htm
TELESCOPE PIERS BY TELESCOPES & ASTRONOMY
We are now producing Observatory Piers. Let us know the height required, if you need a Plate at the bottom, and Mount type for a price quote. I've put some images on our new Pier web page, with more to come:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/pier-observatory-telescope-astronomy.htm
LATEST PLANETARY IMAGES BY AMATEUR
Anthony
Wesley's latest attempts, at a new location in
http://acquerra.com.au/astro/gallery/jupiter/index.live
NEW OR UPDATED PRICE LISTS
Telescope Piers:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/pier-observatory-telescope-astronomy.htm
William Optics:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/william_optics_telescope_usa_astronomy.htm
HiOptic:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/hioptic-pricelist-telescope-astronomy-refractor.htm
AstroDon:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/astrodon-filters-ccd-tru-balance-camera-pricelist.htm
StarLight Express:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/starlight-express-astronomy-cameras-imaging-telescope.htm
StarGPS:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/stargps-gps-star-canada-australia.htm
MoonLite Telescope Accessories:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/moonlite-focuser-telescope-accessories-truss-components.htm
Telescope CNC Lathed Products:
Light Boxes:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/light-box-telescope-astrophotography-flat-frame.htm
HuTech/Borg - includes Borg Component update:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/hutech_astro_borg_telescopes_filter_imaging.htm
MOONLITE TELESCOPE ACCESSORIES
Moonlite Telescope Accessories manufacture a large range of Focusers designed as high end replacement to standard Focusers which accompany telescopes. Of course, telescope makers also use the premium quality Focusers for their telescope building projects. Many people have recognised the MoonLite brand by their distinctive coloured anodising available in red, orange, blue, green and yellow.
Unknown to many is MoonLite's range of Truss Components. They offer truss connectors and aluminium poles for builders designing Open Cage Truss Dobsonians. Connectors come in ball & socket and captive versions in both 1" and 1 1/4" sizes. Also available are black anodized 1" and 1 1/4" poles in 6 foot lengths:
Our MoonLite Telescope Accessories Price List:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/moonlite-focuser-telescope-accessories-truss-components.htm
MoonLite Telescopes Accessories home page:
INTERNATIONAL
YEAR OF ASTRONOMY 2009 - FINAL REPORT RELEASED
A 1300-page final report for the International Year of Astronomy
2009 was released this week at the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science
in
More information:
http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iya1006/
http://www.astronomy2009.org/resources/documents/detail/iya2009_final_report/
SKYSHED POD OBSERVATORIES 3RD SHIPMENT
Anyone who is interested in the 3rd shipment of SkyShed Pods to Australia, contact us via email for current pricing and information.
SkyShed are now producing a larger Pod. Contact us for details.
SWISS ARMY KNIVES!?
We are now a dealer for Swiss Army Knives (Victorinox). Victorinox have a wide range of products suited to the outdoors. The quality is still as high as ever, since they were established in 1884:
Ideal Christmas presents for anyone.
StarGPS
- ADD GPS TO YOUR TELESCOPE!
These have
turned out popular.
Imagine if
your telescope could access the Global Positioning System so that it always
knew when and where you were observing from. No more checking your watch,
looking up site coordinates or fiddling with the keypad to enter the date,
time, latitude and longitude. StarGPS uses a single cable to connect your
telescope to the GPS receiver and automatically input these values... making
your telescope setup much easier and more precise!
The new
16-channel GPS-NX01 receiver works with the Astro-Physics GTO, Celestron
NexStar, Losmandy Gemini, Meade 494/495/497/497EP Autostar, LX200 Classic,
Orion Atlas/Sirius GoTo, Sky-Watcher SynScan, Vixen StarBook and StarBook
Type-S
Here's a
review:
http://www.astronomyreviews.com/allscopes/stargpsnx.htm
$225AUD
BORG HuTech TELESCOPE COMPONENTS
Have you ever tried buying a telescope component which doesn't do exactly what you thought it would? Do you need an extensive range available so you can get exactly what you need, at a reasonable price, and premium quality? Borg components are made in Japan. Components range from Refractor Objective Assemblies, all size Step Down and Step Up Rings, Filters, Astro Cameras, Deep Sky Cooled Astro Cameras, UV/IR Cameras, Imaging Accessories, Mounts, BinoScopes, Eyepieces and Diagonals and a whole lot more.
The Borg HuTech web site has images of all the components. It also includes separate User Groups for Borg and HuTech, Blogs, News, Technical Documents and Gallery.
Borg HuTech Pricelist including links to the Borg HuTech web site:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/hutech_astro_borg_telescopes_filter_imaging.htm
PARFOCAL RINGS
Parfocal Rings are positioned on the Eyepiece's Barrel, keeping the eyepieces in the same position in the focuser, so the focus does not need to be adjusted when changing Eyepiece.
2" (50mm) diameter $5AUD each
1.25" (32mm) diameter $4AUD each
1.25" to 2" ADAPTORS
This adaptor allows 1.25" diameter telescope to accept 2" diameter Eyepieces.
$15AUD
DOWN2EARTH
WEB SITE - INCLUDING IMPACT CALCULATOR
Our Earth
gathers about 100 tonnes of extra terrestrial material every day. Most of this
material enters the atmosphere as tiny dust particles and burns up as meteors.
However,
some of this material is a lot larger and can pose a greater threat to the
Earth.
Through this website, students can study the threat posed by asteroids and
comets. The Impact Calculator program can be accessed through this website, and
has been specially designed for student use.
Using the
Impact Calculator, students can create a virtual impact on Earth by changing
the size, speed and composition of an approaching asteroid or comet. A
selection of worksheets gives students the opportunity to learn more about
asteroids and comets - their detection, orbits, deflection/destruction and the
possibility of impacts - and the study of meteorites.
Down2Earth
uses a mix of resources, some new and some adapted from various other sources.
Down2Earth is run by the Faulkes Telescope Project, supported by the National
Museum of Wales and the Science Technology Facilities Council (STFC):
http://education.down2earth.eu/
MALE
TO MALE T THREAD ADAPTOR
Male T Thread (43mm) both ends.
$20AUD
TELESCOPE ADVICE
A common cause of grief amongst amateur astronomers is the Optical Tube Assembly (OTA) sliding off the Mount, due to a loose device (screw or clamp), not holding the Dovetail Plate properly. Always double check the device. Most Dovetails allow a Machine Screw, at the bottom, of each end of the Dovetail Plate, so if the OTA slides, it comes to an abrupt halt.
Have I cone this before? - no I haven't - I did something completely different! ;-)
CLEANING CLOTHS
If you use a Soft Cleaning Cloth, it is important that it is changed regularly, to prevent cross contamination.
0.30AUD each
LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO OVERHAUL MICROSCOPES
We are looking for someone to overhaul Microscopes. Optical experience with Microscopes is necessary. Will be plenty to do, as time goes on, all types and brands.
PYREX DIAGONALS/SECONDARY MIRRORS
There are still some Pyrex Secondary Mirrors for Newtonian Telescopes available. The Mirrors are made from the last Pyrex available, since Dow Corning stopped making it. There is limited stock. All diagonals are 1/10 wave and have Enhanced Coatings. 28, 31, 50, 63, 70 & 80mm BK7 with 1/6 wave are generally always available. Prices can be seen on our Construction site:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/telescope_build_construction_help_parts_accessories.htm
iOPTRON'S NEW HEAVY DUTY MOUNT
The iEQ45 is the first in a new breed of premium astro-imaging mounts from iOptron. The iEQ45 offers the next generation GoTo technology from iOptron - not to mention built-in 32-bit GPS. With a payload of 45 lbs. balanced – it comes standard with a calibrated dark field illumination polar scope and a sturdy 2-inch stainless steel tripod. It also fits both Vixen and Losmandy-type mounting plates. Its lighter weight (only 25 lbs.) makes it much easier to carry.
Contact us for pricing and availability.
STARLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS Starlight Integrated Paracorr System (SIPS)
Starlight Instruments is proud to introduce the new Starlight Integrated Paracorr System (referred to as SIPS hereafter). The SIPS is an integrated focuser-mounted version of the TeleVue Paracorr Type 2. The SIPS functions with Starlight Instruments finely crafted Feather Touch focuser and combined with TeleVue’s 1st class optics, which together, makes this the ultimate coma corrector.
The
advantages of the SIPS is once it is set-up, there is no need to fumble with
locking screws, turning your flashlight on to check its position, etc.
This saves time and hassle. Also, the assembly is more rigid and flexure
is greatly reduced. The SIPS totally eliminates the need to
re-adjust/calibrate when switching eyepieces. You will simply adjust the
focus knobs of your Feather Touch focuser for viewing. Because of this,
the SIPS will save you valuable observing time.
Below is
the link of the SIPS for a customer who currently has a Feather Touch
FTF2015BCR focuser.
http://starlightinstruments.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=333
Below is
the link of the SIPS kit for a customer who does not already have a Feather
Touch focuser. This kit comes with a FTF2015BCR Feather Touch focuser.
http://starlightinstruments.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=334
$1338AUD
SPECIALS
WILLIAM OPTICS DDG MEGREZ 72mm
The DDG is the new Digital Readout Focuser from William Optics. The Optical Tube Assembly is on special:
A-M72-DDG NEW Megrez 72 F/ 6 ED Doublet APO with 2" DDG focuser and Soft Carry Case $620AUD
DDG
Focuser;
http://www.williamoptics.com/wo_shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=530
72mm
Megrez;
http://www.williamoptics.com/telescopes/megrez72_features.php
SPECIAL - 10% DISCOUNT ON THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS
Take 10% from the prices on the following products.
iOptron:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/ioptron-astro-mini-tower-cubepro-smart-star-pricelist.htm
Baader Planetarium:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/baader-planetarium-astro-accessories-pricelist.htm
2"
SUPER WIDE ANGLE 36MM EYEPIECES $95
70° Field
of View, low and wide magnification for searching, or deep sky objects.
VOYAGE
TO THE PLANETS DVD $25AUD
This ABC
Series is quite popular. It is a local production. 6x 50min.
Episodes
THE
IMAGING SOURCE DBK41AF02.AS CAMERA $675AUD
Sony
ICX205AK 1/2" CCD
· Progressive scan
· Resolution: 1280 x
960
· No IR cut filter
· Max. 15 fps
· Max exposure time 60
min
· C/CS Mount
· Computer interface
option:
- FireWire
- USB 2.0
11x70mm
LE BINOCULARS $95AUD
Great for
Astronomy spotting, or daytime use. Light weight and clear optics.
Regards,
Matthew
Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
O'HALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 61+ 8 8381 3188
FAX: 61+ 8 8381 3588
Skype: telescopes.and.astronomy
telescopes@adam.com.au
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
https://twitter.com/telescopes1
TELESCOPES
AND ASTRONOMY
JULY
NEWSLETTER 2010 NO.52
Phone:
(08) 8381 3188
FAX:
(08) 8381 3588
VOIP:
087 129 6316
SKYPE: telescopes.and.astronomy
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/telescopes1
OUR
WEB SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/
EMAIL:
telescopes@adam.com.au
Please let
us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if you
receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let me know
if you want the March 2010 Newsletter, which was the previous
one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/telescope_astronomy_newsletters_advice_products_information.htm
IN
THIS ISSUE:
- BIRTH OF ISAAC WILLIAM
-
SKYSHED POD 2ND SHIPMENT UPDATE
-
ASTRONOMY 2011 CALENDARS
- UPDATE ON GREEN & RED LASER POINTERS
- WHEN'S
THE NEXT TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE IN AUSTRALIA?
-
ToUcam UPDATE - REPLACED BY CELESTRON NEXIMAGER
-
TEACHING WITH TELESCOPES
-
ANALEMMAS YOU DON'T HAVE TO VISIT THE DOCTOR FOR
-
WORLD RECORD FOR STARGAZING
-
WILLIAM OPTICS RELEASE NEW 120MM ED APO REFRACTOR
-
PUBLIC SOLAR STORM WATCH
-
400 Years of the Telescope - a Journey of Science, Technology and Thought
-
HiOptic 127mm Triplet APO OTA
-
THE SHOCKING SIZE OF COMET McNAUGHT!
-
36" MIRRORS FOR SALE - $35,000AUD
-
STELLARIUM FREE SOFTWARE
- MORE
GREAT FREE SOFTWARE FOR IMAGING
-
BOROSILICATE MIRROR MAKING BLANKS NOW AVAILABLE UP TO 800mm DIAMETER
-
BIGGEST STAR EVER FOUND - RECORD BROKEN
-
MARS ANNULAR HOAX BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR
-
SPACE TEST MAKES BUBBLE BLOWING BREAKTHROUGH
-
FANTASTIC TELESCOPE FOR SALE
-
CENTRAL BLACK HOLES IN GALAXIES POWER QUASARS
-
SUNDISK SUNDIAL
- SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY IMAGES
-
NEW OR UPDATED PRICELISTS:
-
TIMER REMOTE SWITCHES
-
NEW VERSION OF AVISTACK SOFTWARE
- SPECIALS
- CHESHIRE COLLIMATORS $45AUD
- WILLIAM OPTICS FERRARI VISIO BINOCULARS $120AUD - RRP $250AUD
- TELRADS $70AUD
- THE IMAGING SOURCE DBK41AF02.AS
CAMERA $675AUD
- TELESCOPES & ASTRONOMY
BINOVIEWERS $180AUD
- 2" MOON FILTERS (NEUTRAL
DENSITY) $35AUD
- AUSTRALIAN GUIDE TO STARGAZING - GREGG. D
THOMPSON $18AUD
- ATLAS OF THE UNIVERSE - PATRICK MOORE
$65AUD
- HiOPTIC WIDE ANGLE, 7-23MM,
1.25" ZOOM EYEPIECE $75AUD
BIRTH
OF ISAAC WILLIAM
Isaac was
born on the 10th June 2010 weighing in at 4kg (8lb 15oz). All doing well,
except the usual sleep deprivation!
SKYSHED
POD 2ND SHIPMENT UPDATE
After a
number of delays, including container size and weather, the Pods are at sea,
and on their way to us. I'd like to thank all our customers for promptly fulfilling
the ordering process, and apologise on behalf of SkyShed for the shipment being
delayed.
We have
received a number of inquiries already for the 3rd Shipment, and hopefully will
have another full container by the end of the year. Let us know if you
want the pricelist and ordering information.
ASTRONOMY
2011 CALENDARS
The 2011
Calendars are in stock now.
Featuring 12 great images and daily details about
planetary positions, eclipses, lunar occultations, planetary conjunctions,
meteor showers, etc. This year the calendar features nine images by some of
The Astronomy Calendar provides a nightly guide
to what’s visible in the sky, including Moon phase, planetary positions,
eclipses, lunar occultations, conjunctions and meteor showers. Includes summary
of the year indicating best time to view the planets. Maps best for 25° to 45°
south latitude.
Other Features:
- Additional Star Maps show
the planets in the pre-dawn and post-sunset sky, especially showing interesting
conjunctions of the planets.
- Summary of the year
indicating best time to view the planets and other events.
- Daily reminders of eclipses,
conjunctions, and meteor showers.
- Designed for use in
$12AUD
plus Postage
UPDATE
ON GREEN & RED LASER POINTERS
We are now
carrying stock of our new "Aussie Made"
Laser Pointers. We have also decreased the cost of our usual imported JLP
Laser Pointers. Both the Aussie Made and JLP Laser Pointers can be seen
at:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/green-laser-pointers-international-supplier.htm
Main
benefits of Aussie Made Lasers:
-
"Made to Last!"
- made by us, so it can be repaired or serviced easily
- KTM Crystal Assembly is screwed in, not glued. The laser will not stop
working after the first knock!
- 1 year warranty
- glass lenses only, no plastic - glass produces crystal clear spots
- some lasers can be focused, for a concentrated beam
- all inner fittings are solid brass, for maximum heat transfer
WHEN'S
THE NEXT TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE IN AUSTRALIA?
Ice in
Space have heaps of information on the next Total Solar
Eclipse, November 13th, Far North Australia in 2012:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/63-371-0-0-1-0.html
For a most
in-depth look at any Eclipse, see Mr Eclipse:
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEplot/SEplot2001/SE2012Nov13T.GIF
Here's our page
for the 2003 Eclipse, which includes general information and product
information for viewing an Eclipse eg. Telescopes, Solar Scopes, Solar Film,
Filters and Eclipse Glasses:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/eclipse152.htm
Eclipse
Observing Glasses $5AUD
ToUcam
UPDATE - REPLACED BY CELESTRON NEXIMAGER
The ToUcam
was one of the most popular small cameras available for Astrophotography.
We made the 1.25" Adaptors for them. Supplied the Infra Red
Filters. Modified them for astronomy via the Amp Off Mod and Long
Exposure Mod. We also gave general and specific advice on the
cameras. The ToUcam produced a complete Deep Sky & Planetary Imaging
setup for $400.
The world has
now run out of ToUcams. 8-(
In its
place, we are now Modifying the NexImager from Celestron. The NexImager
uses the same CCD chip, which is the most important part of the camera.
Modifications will include Long Exposure, RAW Firmware and B&W Sensor
Replacement. Pricing of the Neximager will be the same as the
ToUcam ($110AUD), just for the camera, which includes the 1.25" Adaptor
and Software. Please contact us for Modification pricing, although
pricing should remain around the same.
TEACHING
WITH TELESCOPES
"Teaching With Telescopes" is designed to help teachers bring small
telescopes into the classroom. We focus on the Galileoscope, a low cost, high
optical quality telescope designed to let students recreate Galileo's historic
observations. The Galileoscope was designed for IYA2009 by a team of leading
astronomers, optical engineers, and science educators.
$65AUD
ANALEMMAS
YOU DON'T HAVE TO VISIT THE DOCTOR FOR!
http://www.perseus.gr/Astro-Solar-Analemma.htm
WORLD
RECORD FOR STARGAZING
The record of the most people stargazing was achieved by Mexico during the
Galilean Nights, October 2009. With more than 1100 telescopes officially
reported in 41 different sites the Noche de las Estrellas
(Night of the Stars) was one of the most successful IYA2009 projects.
WILLIAM
OPTICS RELEASE NEW 120MM ED
William
Optics have just introduced a new WO Megrez 120 Doublet
Features a very good doublet air-spaced objective made with FPL-53 glass.
The WO M120 includes the 3.5" DDG Linear Focuser with graduated
scale and two-speed microfocuser, Dual Mounting Rings, fully adjustable
Retracting Dew Shield and Soft Carry Case.
-
Weight 6kg
-
Design ED
-
Focal Length 900mm
-
Focal Ratio F/7.5
$2580AUD -
package includes Rings and Soft Case
PUBLIC
SOLAR STORM WATCH
Solar
Stormwatch volunteers can spot solar storms on Stereo spacecraft images and track
their progress across space towards the Earth:
http://www.solarstormwatch.com
400
Years of the Telescope - a Journey of Science, Technology and Thought
With panoramic
visuals, cutting-edge technologies and introspective contemplations position 400
Years of the Telescope as the must-see cinematic feature for the International Year of
Astronomy in 2009.
Beautifully
photographed in 4K resolution digital cinematography, the film is a visually
stunning chronicle of the history of the telescope from the time of Galileo,
its profound impact upon the science of astronomy, and how both have shaped the
way we view ourselves in the midst of an infinite universe.
Video of
the film is available from the following web site. Also available are
many video, and other resources for teaching:
HiOptic
127mm Triplet APO OTAs
We've stocked these
for while now. It has given me the opportunity to give them a
review. Side by side with my TeleVue 102ii, the HiOptic was
superior. I was expecting something around the same from the 2 scopes,
since the TeleVue Optics are certainly something serious to warrant around
$4000AUD. The extra aperture of the HiOptic gave better resolution and
light gathering.
The
only problem was the Focuser's single thumb screw to hold the
Diagonal in. Tightening the single thumb screw caused the Brass
Compression Ring to go oval shaped, making a gap around the diagonal, and
allowing movement. We have added an extra thumb screw to the setup.
Hey, it's exactly the same as my TeleVue Focuser Compression Ring setup
now! 8-)
Stay tuned
for the comparison between the HiOptic Triplet 102mm and the TeleVue 102ii.
- ProStar
127 WPF OTA
- Meade 5000 127 ED OTA
- Celestron 127mm APO OTA
- MaxVision 127mm APO OTA
- Explore
Scientific Air Spaced Triplet ED APO OTA
All the same Telescope. We call it the HiOptic ED127mm APO OTA! The
telescope has been supplied for many years, and only now, has the word gotten
out about their high quality for small price.
The HiOptic
127mm APO Triplet Optical Tube Assembly is receiving the best reviews I've seen
on a new telescope for many years:
http://explorescientific.com/telescopes/127mm_ed_apo.html
http://deepspaceplace.com/ed127.php
http://ghonis2.ho8.com/astrotech127mm.html
The Optical
Tube Assembly is great for crisp Astrophotography and ability to see excellent
surface details on the planets and Moon. A new 10:1 Crayford
Focuser has been designed by the manufacturer and has solved the only
problem with the OTA in past years.
Perfect
Terrestrial (day time) crisp viewing with high resolution.
127mm ED
Triplet Apochromatic Refractor Telescope Optical Tube Assembly
- Weight 10kg
- Focal Length 952mm F/7.5
- 3 Element/Triplet Objective and Fully Multi Coated
- Advance Astrophotography Dual Speed Focuser
- Rings and Dovetail Plate
- High Quality Aluminium Case
- Interferometer Test Report
$2060AUD
See more HiOptic
Telescope items:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/hioptic-pricelist-telescope-astronomy-refractor.htm
THE
SHOCKING SIZE OF COMET McNAUGHT!
http://www.astro.gla.ac.uk/nam2010/pr8.php
36"
MIRRORS FOR SALE - $35,000AUD
Same as the
Orion 36" Monster Telescope Mirror:
http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=bargainsgalore/~product_id=09160
A pair of
these will make an excellent Binocular Telescope. We're serious, if you
are!
STELLARIUM
FREE SOFTWARE
Stellarium
is a free open source planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky
in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.
It is being used in planetarium projectors. Just set your coordinates and go:
MORE
GREAT FREE SOFTWARE FOR IMAGING
This free
software is particularly good for RAW images, as long as you have the computing
power!:
http://www.fitswork.de/software/softw_en.php
BOROSILICATE
MIRROR MAKING BLANKS NOW AVAILABLE UP TO 800MM DIAMETER
We are now
able to supply custom made Borosilicate Disks for Mirror Making up 800mm in
diameter. Please contact us for a quote.
BIGGEST
STAR EVER FOUND - RECORD BROKEN
http://www.universetoday.com/2010/07/22/most-massive-star-discovered-over-300-suns-at-birth/
or
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/7933192/british-scientists-find-monster-star
MARS
ANNULAR HOAX BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR
Sorry, Mars
will not be big and close this August. This well advertised hoax
gets a lot of people. Mars will be small and insignificant this year (as
usual), unless you have a larger telescope, and higher magnification.
SPACE
TEST MAKES BUBBLE BLOWING BREAKTHROUGH
FANTASTIC
TELESCOPE FOR SALE
One of our
Mirror/Telescope makers, Normand Fullum, has one of his fantastic telescopes
for sale. Well, not just any homemade telescope! Normand has won
Stellafane's (largest Star party in the world) Telescope Making
Award numerous, again, still, time!:
16"
F/4.75 Newtonian Reflector on Dobsonian Mount.
You can see
some of Normand's telescopes here:
http://www.normandfullumtelescope.com/home_en.html
Email us
for images of the 16", F/4.75 for sale.
CENTRAL
BLACK HOLES IN GALAXIES POWER QUASARS
Galaxy
Mergers Grow Central Black Holes:
Giant black holes in the centers of galaxies grow mainly as a result of
intergalactic collisions, according to results presented by a group of
astronomers led by Dr. Ezequiel Treister from the
As gas clouds in galaxies are sucked into the central black hole, they emit
vast amounts of radiation, giving rise to objects called quasars. At first the
growing black holes are hidden by large amounts of dust. After 10-100 million
years the dust is blown out by the strong radiation pressure, leaving a naked
quasar. It is visible in optical wavelengths and keeps shining for another 100 million years.
Because most of the emission from these early quasars is hidden by dust the
astronomers looked at infrared wavelengths, for signs of very hot dust, and in
X-rays, which are less affected by obscuration. For this they combined data
obtained with the Hubble, Chandra and Spitzer space observatories. They
identified a large number of obscured, dust enshrouded quasars at very large
distances, up to 11 billion light-years away when the Universe was still in its
infancy. This showed that the number of obscured quasars relative to the
unobscured ones was significantly larger in the early Universe than it is now.
Researchers further analysed images of these distant galaxies taken by the
Hubble Space Telescope, using the new Wide Field Camera 3 installed 10 months
ago during the last servicing mission. These images revealed obvious signatures
of interactions and mergers, thus confirming the hypothesis of this group.
Finally, using a simple theoretical
prescription, the authors estimated that it takes about 100 million
years for radiation from the growing black hole to wipe out the surrounding
dust and gas and reveal the naked quasar.
Major galaxy mergers are important to trigger star formation episodes and
modify galaxy morphologies. This work confirmed that mergers are also critical
for the growth of the nuclear giant black hole.
For more see:
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/press-releases/mergers_quasars/
SUN DISC SUN DIAL
http://www.astrovisuals.com.au/SunDisc.html
$28AUD
SOLAR
DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY IMAGES
The images
taken by the new Solar Dynamics Observatory well surpass any images taken
previously of the Sun. Definitely worth a Look!:
NEW
OR UPDATED PRICELIST:
HIOPTIC - http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/hioptic-pricelist-telescope-astronomy-refractor.htm
STARLIGHT
EXPRESS - http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/starlight-express-astronomy-cameras-imaging-telescope.htm
FARPOINT - http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/farpoint-astronomical-research-accessories-pricelist.htm
BARSKA - http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/barska_rifle_spotting_scope_binoculars.htm
LIGHT BOXES
FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY - http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/light-box-telescope-astrophotography-flat-frame.htm
LASER
POINTERS - http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/green-laser-pointers-international-supplier.htm
THE IMAGING
SOURCE - http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/imaging_source_the_camera_ccd_astro_pricelist.htm
SECOND-HAND
- http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/secondhand_used_telescope_classifieds_equipment_astronomy.htm
TIMER
REMOTE SWITCHES
Timer
Remote Switches to suit most popular brands of SLR including Nikon, Canon and
Pentax. The Timer Switch, with a built in interval timer, is
a premium electronic remote timer for exact control
over exposure time. Moreover, compared with the original products, it is
affordable and is good quality. The Timer Switch allows the user to
choose different functions like length, interval, delay and total number of
exposures. It also has a speaker to notify the various functions.
It uses an LCD background light for the display. The timer switch has
been tested by one of our astro society member and he recommends it!
- Thanks to Alan Brinkworth.
$95AUD
Also
available are Non Electronic Remote Timer Switches for $15AUD
NEW
VERSION OF AVISTACK SOFTWARE
"Now
AviStack2 has reached a stage where I'd like to release it to this group for
testing. And you are allowed to tell friends about it :-)"
Unfortunately, I know there are some bugs in there that I wasn't able to track
down. So I need your help!
The general rule for bug reporting:
A screen
shot (jpeg preferred) and a detailed description of what you were doing at the
time the error occurred.
If you encounter something like "WSET: Window is closed and
unavailable.", please, try to write down exactly what you did.
Send the bug reports it to the email address stated in the manual (link
below). The deadline for this testing period is Friday, 9 July, 12 UTC.
You can download a 32-bit-Windows version from here:
http://www.avistack.de/downloads/AviStack2_Beta_Win32.zip
The package which is necessary for other operating systems (see manual) from
here:
http://www.avistack.de/downloads/AviStack2_Beta.zip
And, very importantly, the manual can be found here:
http://www.avistack.de/downloads/AviStack2_eng.pdf
Please, do not yet start translating the manual or the program! I expect there
to be some changes.
If you'd like to report on your experience with AviStack2:
SPECIALS
-
CHESHIRE COLLIMATORS $45AUD
-
WILLIAM OPTICS FERRARI VISIO BINOCULARS $120AUD - RRP $250AUD
Have you always wanted that ultimate pair of compact binoculars? We have a special on the William Optics Ferrari Visio Compact Binoculars for just $120.
-
TELRADS $70AUD
-
THE IMAGING SOURCE DBK41AF02.AS CAMERA $675AUD
-
TELESCOPES & ASTRONOMY BINOVIEWERS $180AUD
-
2" MOON FILTERS (NEUTRAL DENSITY) $35AUD
-
AUSTRALIAN GUIDE TO STARGAZING - GREGG. D THOMPSON $18AUD
-
ATLAS OF THE UNIVERSE - PATRICK MOORE $65AUD
- HiOPTIC
WIDE ANGLE, 7-23MM, 1.25" ZOOM EYEPIECE $75AUD
Regards,
Matthew
Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
O'HALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 61+ 8 8381 3188
FAX: 61+ 8 8381 3588
Skype: telescopes.and.astronomy
telescopes@adam.com.au
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TELESCOPES
AND ASTRONOMY
MARCH
NEWSLETTER 2010 NO.51
Phone:
(08) 8381 3188
FAX:
(08) 8381 3588
VOIP:
087 129 6316
SKYPE: telescopes.and.astronomy
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/telescopes1
OUR
WEB SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/
EMAIL:
Please let
us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if you
receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let me know
if you want the December 2009 Newsletter, which was the previous
one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/telescope_astronomy_newsletters_advice_products_information.htm
IN
THIS ISSUE:
- UPDATE ON GREEN & RED LASER POINTERS
-
SKYSHED POD 2ND SHIPMENT UPDATE
-
PUBLIC SOLAR STORM WATCH
-
ToUcam STILL THE BEST VALUE FOR IMAGING
-
CELESTRON CPC 8 SPECIAL
-
LABORATORY REACHES 4 MILLION DEGREES
-
OBTAINING CAMERA FOCUS ON COMMERCIAL NEWTONIAN REFLECTORS
- 2" to 1.25" LOW PROFILE REDUCERS TO ACHIEVE CAMERA FOCUS
- LOW PROFILE HELICAL FOCUSER TO
ACHIEVE CAMERA FOCUS
- 5
PAIRS OF BINOCULARS FOR THE NIGHT SKY
-
EXTRA TALL, STURDY BINOCULAR TRIPODS
-
VIXEN OPTICAL ITEMS
-
BREAKING NEWS - FIRST EXOPLANET FOUND TO BE SIMILAR TO JUPITER
- FARPOINT ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH
-
NEW EMAIL LISTS
- WILLIAM
OPTICS FERRARI VISIO BINOCULARS $120AUD - RRP $250AUD
-
FROM THE HIMALAYAS TO THE END OF THE UNIVERSE VIDEO
-
POPULAR FIXED 8X50MM & INTERCHANGEABLE 1.25" X 50MM 90° FINDERSCOPES
-
LENS MAKING KITS
-
StarGPS - ADD GPS TO YOUR TELESCOPE!
- SIR
ISAAC NEWTON'S BIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED
-
GRAVITATIONAL LENSING - A UNIQUE PROBE OF DARK MATTER AND DARK ENERGY
-
iOPTRON'S
-
SOLAR WINDS TEAR AT A COMET TAIL
-
TAL NOVOSIBRISK ARE PRODUCING 5", 6" & 8" APO
REFRACTORS!
-
HAVE YOU CHECKED NASA's WEB TV?
-
TELESCOPE SECONDARY MIRRORS
-
CURRENT SPECIALS
- Ronchi Eyepieces $10AUD
- Saxon 6" Reflecting Telescope on Equatorial Mount $470AUD
- Saxon 8" Reflecting Telescope on Equatorial Mount $780AUD
- 6" Dobsonian $360AUD
- 8" Dobsonian $490AUD
- 10" Dobsonian $740AUD
- 12" Dobsonian $1230AUD
- Collapsible 8" Dobsonian $545AUD
- Collapsible 10" Dobsonian $880AUD
- Collapsible 12" Dobsonian $1490AUD
- iOPTRON
- iOPTRON MINI TOWER PRO $1950AUD
- Pentax Optio E80 10MP Compact Camera $105AUD
- Newtonian Laser Collimators 45° Target Area $50AUD
UPDATE
ON GREEN & RED LASER POINTERS
Many Astronomical
Societies have set limits to the Output of Green Laser Pointers for use within
their clubs. Various by-laws have been passed and proposed. In
accordance with the new limit of 60mW for my own society, we have de-tuned a
Red Laser Pointer to this output and carried out some testing.
Pricing
needs to be established (looks like $140AUD for the 60mW at this
stage). The Red Laser Pointer Diode we de-tuned was originally
200mW, which is a more expensive diode than a 60mW. However, a 200mW
de-tuned to 60mW will last much longer.
The 60mW
Red Laser Pointer produces a clear beam in suburban lighting without dark eye
adaptation. We are reducing the Ouput to suit less light
polluted skies and Dark Skies.
The 60mW
Red Laser produces no heat - held on the hand at point blank range.
The 60mW
Red Laser Pointer has the following features:
- produces
a beam for finderscope use
- better
dark eye adaptation due to the laser being red, not green
- more
reliable than green and overseas made lasers
- made by
us, so it can be repaired easily
- heavy
duty aluminium tube for reliability
- accurate
output
- adjustable
lens, so it can be used as a red light torch
- 1 year
warranty
- remote
cable available - optional extra
- remote
power source (12v) capable - optional extra
- mounting
brackets available - optional extra
- leather
belt carry pouch available - optional extra
- engraving
service - optional extra
- highest
quality rechargeable batteries - optional extra
- battery
charger - optional extra
90% of the
parts and labour are made here in Adelaide.
Not
designed to show groups at this output, since the beam is not so noticeable
when viewed from the side. This is also true for pilots, who would have
trouble noticing one of these beams.
For large
groups a Green Laser Pointer is best.
We are also
working on Windage and Elevation Controls, built into the head of the Pointer,
for use as a Finderscope. A practical test needs to be done.
If you are
interested in the Aussie Made Red or Green Laser Pointers, send us an email
joining our group of the same name. I'll send out updates and
pricing.
SKYSHED
POD 2ND SHIPMENT UPDATE
Last
days to add to the 2nd shipment!
We are up
to the stage where customer's Pods are now being made by SkyShed, ready
for our shipment. We expect the Pods to be finished at the end
of mid March for the shipment to be delivery to customers in Australia, at
the end of April, early May.
If you are
still interested in getting one, now is the time to pay a deposit, and let us
know exactly what you want. Here is an update of how the ordering
works:
Please note that we are able to supply
If you are
in NZ, please contact Ivan Vazey:
ivazey@surfer.co.nz
PRICE LIST
Contact us for a price list. The price list does not include
delivery. People are welcome to collect their Pods if they wish.
NEW items
include:
Pod Visor
$420AUD
Pod Zenith
Table (PZT) $650AUD
Poly Dome
Cover $505AUD
Vinyl Dome
Cover - choose colour $650AUD
YOUR DETAILS
Please forward us the details of the SkyShed Pod you want:
- model
- dome colour
- wall colour
- glow
- number of shelves
http://www.skyshedpod.com/
Please supply your contact details and delivery address.
We will quote a price including delivery.
DELIVERY
We'll drop the Pods off ourselves in
PAYMENT
A 10% deposit will need to be made before manufacturer.
A pre-order 50% deposit will be needed (includes the initial
10%), so SkyShed can manufacturer your Pod. The remanding 50% to be paid
once the shipment is ready to set sail from the USA. Usually 5-6 weeks at
sea, then we pass them through customs etc. and deliver.
Let us know
if you have any questions.
PUBLIC
SOLAR STORM WATCH
The Royal
Observatory, Greenwich (ROG), in partnership with the Science and Technology
Facilities Council's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Zooniverse are
launching Solar Stormwatch, a new web project where anyone can help spot and
track solar storms and be involved in the latest solar research.
The Sun is much more dynamic than it appears in our sky. Intense magnetic
fields churn and pummel the Sun's atmosphere and they store enormous amounts of
energy that, when released, hurl billions of tons of material out into space in
explosions called Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) -- or solar storms.
Solar Stormwatch volunteers can spot these storms and track their progress
across space towards the Earth. Such storms can be harmful to astronauts in
orbit and have the potential to knock out communication
satellites, disrupt mobile phone networks and damage power lines. With the
public's help, Solar Stormwatch will allow solar scientists to better
understand these potentially dangerous storms and help to forecast their
arrival time at Earth.
The project uses real data from NASA's STEREO spacecraft, a pair of satellites
in orbit around the Sun which give scientists a constant eye on the
ever-changing solar surface.
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich, press release did not give a website contact,
only the email addresses of the authors. I'm happy to forward these to
anyone interested.
ToUcam
STILL THE BEST VALUE FOR IMAGING
The Philips
ToUcam replaces the Eyepiece to image brighter objects like the Sun (using a
solar filter, or projection), planets, Moon and stars. Using the free
popular software from the internet (Registax or K3 CCD Tools), Images like
these can be taken:
http://fiveprime.org/hivemind/Tags/toucam
To enable
imaging of fainter objects like nebula, galaxies and clusters, the Long
Exposure Modification is needed.
To improve
images, an IR Filter can be used.
ToUcam
900NC $110AUD
Standard
Adaptor $20AUD
TOTAL =
$130AUD - this is all that's needed to image the brighter objects like the
Sun, planets, Moon and stars.
We also
machine our own High Performance Adaptor for $55AUD
Long
Exposure Modification $140AUD
Baader
UV/IR Filter $80AUD
Finally,
the ToUcam is a brilliant Web Cam for communicating via the internet.
Images, and video of objects, can be uploaded to the internet.
CELESTRON
CPC 8 SPECIAL
New
Celestron 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain CPC Goto GPS XLT Telescope
$3200AUD
http://www.celestron.com/c3/product.php?CatID=9&ProdID=33
LABORATORY
REACHES 4 MILLION DEGREES
The Large
Hadron Collider is attempting to re-produce the environment in which the Big
Bang took place. Hopefully the LHC will be up and running again
soon. The operation of the LHC has been handed back over to the operators
and some data for processing is being sent out to eager volunteers, who help by
processing the data on their home computers.
In the
meantime, another collider in the USA has reached a record temperature of 4
million degrees by colliding gold ions:
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1013504
OBTAINING
CAMERA FOCUS ON COMMERCIAL NEWTONIAN REFLECTORS
Connecting a
camera to a telescope can be difficult. The biggest problem using
commercially made telescopes is the Focuser cannot be wound in far enough to
achieve camera focus.
2"
to 1.25" LOW PROFILE REDUCERS TO ACHIEVE CAMERA FOCUS
If your
telescope has a 2" Focuser, we have a special Low Profile 1.25"
Adaptor which, when inserted into the 2" Focuser, reduces the overall
height further, to allow camera focus.
LOW
PROFILE HELICAL FOCUSER TO ACHIEVE CAMERA FOCUS
The HC-1
and HC-2 Helical Focusers are extremely low profile.
This allows a camera to achieve focus on the telescope.
- 1400 HC Focusers as of 2010 and none have been returned.
- Focusers
are machined to very precise tolerances which is necessary to provide accurate
alignment of the focusing tube and proper operation. Use care when
disassembling and cleaning.
- the
aluminium focusing tube is anodized to provide proper surface hardness for
the bearings. We will not sell focusing tubes without anodizing.
- high quality stainless steel bearings and precision 303
stainless steel shoulder screws are used and made in USA. The shoulder screws
are necessary to mount the bearings. Full threaded screws should not be
substituted as they are under size and do not properly align
the bearings.
- large Eyepieces, Binocular Heads, and Cameras have been
used successfully, but with slightly reduced stiffness. We have designed a
backward compatible modification, Service Note 10.20.06, to improve the
stiffness of the HC-2 when using these heavy items.
http://www.kineoptics.com/HC-1.html
HC-1
(1.25") $140AUD
HC-2
(2") $155AUD
5 PAIRS
OF BINOCULARS FOR THE NIGHT SKY
The same as
Telescopes, the bigger the better, for light gathering power. Beginner
amateur astronomers should buy the biggest telescope, for the smallest
price. This enables the owner to see the most objects in the greatest
detail. It's the same for Binoculars. An inexpensive pair of large
binoculars is great for finding objects before looking through the telescope:
20x
Magnification with 80mm Objective (20x80) Binoculars:
- Multi-Coated
- rubber covered
- Tripod Adaptor
- soft Carry Case
$125AUD
For a good
quality pair of 20x80 binoculars, our 20x80mm Triplet Binoculars are well
priced. Fully Multi-Coated:
http://www.binocularschina.com/binoculars/80mmstandard.html
$220AUD
The best
7x50mm Binoculars we have found for the price are the William Optics
7x50mm ED Binoculars. These binoculars have the same Exit Pupil as a
person's eye (7mm). This means the maximum amount of light is entering
the eye from the binoculars. The 7x50 ED's produce a real WOW factor, due
to the clarity of the optics. They can be held up for much longer than
20x80mm Binoculars due to being smaller and more manageable. Fully
Multi-Coated:
http://www.williamoptics.com/binoculars/astro750_features.php
$341AUD
The largest
pair of handheld Binoculars we sell are the 25x100FBs. It's best to use
them on a sturdy Tripod - see below. The Binoculars optics are Fully
Multi-Coated. Collimation Screws allow the optics to be re-aligned if
dropped. Details of the binoculars can be seen here:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/binocular_25x100.htm
$489AUD
Next type
of binoculars are also 25x or 40x 100mm. These binoculars have 45°,
interchangeable Eyepieces. Fully Multi-Coated. We have managed to
comfortably magnify the binoculars to 125x. The 25x or 40x 100mm
Binoculars have a Fork Mount and a Wooden Tripod. Reaching
Zenith (straight up) is no problem. Optics are Fully Coated and have
Collimation Screws if the optics ever go out of alignment:
http://www.binocularschina.com/binoculars/100mmangled.html
$1350AUD
EXTRA
TALL, STURDY BINOCULAR TRIPODS
These tripods handle 20x80mm binoculars very easily. Their height can be raised to 190cm (6' 3"). Although 25x100mm (6kg) can be used on the tripod, we still recommend using a Manfrotto Tripod for Giant Binoculars over 5kg.
Tall, Sturdy Tripod $180AUD
Manfrotto Tripod $396AUD
Tripod to Binocular Adaptors $15AUD (if needed)
VIXEN
OPTICAL ITEMS
We are once again able to supply Vixen Optical items are great
prices. We have also managed to get the waiting times down. Vixen
have always produced the highest optical standard, especially in quality
control. We will update our Vixen web pages soon to reflect the new
changes. In the meantime, let us know any items you need a quote on:
http://www.vixen.co.jp/English/index_e.html
BREAKING
NEWS - FIRST EXOPLANET FOUND TO BE SIMILAR TO JUPITER
FARPOINT
ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH
At Farpoint Astronomical Research, we were
stargazers before we designed or built anything—and it is our passion for
astronomy that imbues everything we execute. As experienced users, we are
pleased with our creations, and we hope our customers will feel as we do. If
for any reason, our product does not meet with your expectations, please feel
free to contact us and we will work with you to create a positive outcome. We
are unremitting in our quest to improve our value to the marketplace, so if you
have any comments or suggestions as to how we might better serve you, please
don’t hesitate to contact us.
Anyone interested in the FarPoint Astronomical Research catalogue,
which includes image links and pricing, can contact our email address.
NEW
EMAIL LISTS
We have introduced new email lists. Let us know if you wish to join
the following:
- Second-hand Listings
- SkyShed Pod Observatories
- Current Specials
- TAL NOVOSIBRISK ARE PRODUCING AN 8" APO REFRACTOR
WILLIAM
OPTICS FERRARI VISIO BINOCULARS $120AUD - RRP $250AUD
Have you always wanted that ultimate pair of compact binoculars? We
have a special on the William Optics Ferrari Visio Compact Binoculars for just
$120.
http://www.williamoptics.com/ferrari/ferrari_visio_features.php
FROM
THE HIMALAYAS TO THE END OF THE UNIVERSE VIDEO
This is pretty good!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17jymDn0W6U&fmt=22
POPULAR
FIXED 8X50MM & INTERCHANGEABLE 1.25" X 50MM 90° FINDERSCOPES
These have proven very popular. Have your Finderscope at the
same angle as your Focuser for comfortable viewing. No more back
breaking!
The Fixed 8x50mm 90° Finderscope is $60AUD
The New Interchangeable 1.25" 8x50mm 90° Finderscope is
$130AUD. The New model is Fully Multi-Coated.
Both Finderscopes include Holding Bracket and Mounting Shoe.
LENS
MAKING KITS
We have a
large amount of Raw Optical Glass (Flint - Crown Glass) available for making
your own lenses. We also have a large amount of Blocks and Prisms.
Items include:
- Lens
Blanks (The majority of the material)
- Blocks
- Completed
Items
- Sheet
Glass
- Penta
Prism Blanks
- Strips
- Right
Angle Prism Blanks
- Slabs
Lens Kits
will include some literature, although a recommended book is "Amateur
Telescope Making in the Internet Age". This book is currently being
published by the supplier of the Lens Kits. Otherwise we have many other
books on the subject.
Contact us
for a catalogue or further information.
StarGPS
- ADD GPS TO YOUR TELESCOPE!
Imagine if
your telescope could access the Global Positioning System so that it always
knew when and where you were observing from. No more checking your watch,
looking up site coordinates or fiddling with the keypad to enter the date,
time, latitude and longitude. StarGPS uses a single cable to connect your
telescope to the GPS receiver and automatically input these values... making
your telescope setup much easier and more precise!
The new
16-channel GPS-NX01 receiver works with the Astro-Physics GTO, Celestron
NexStar, Losmandy Gemini, Meade 494/495/497/497EP Autostar, LX200 Classic,
Orion Atlas/Sirius GoTo, Sky-Watcher SynScan, Vixen StarBook and StarBook
Type-S
Here's a
review:
http://www.astronomyreviews.com/allscopes/stargpsnx.htm
$235AUD
SIR
ISAAC NEWTON'S BIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED
An
18th-Century manuscript telling the original story of how Isaac Newton
developed his theory of gravity after seeing an apple fall off a tree has been
made public for the first time.
The account
forms part of William Stukeley's 1752 biography of the scientist, which has
been hidden away in the archives of Britain's Royal Society but has now been
published online.
"After
dinner, the weather being warm, we went out into the garden and drank tea under
the shade of some apple trees, only he and myself," reads Stukeley's
account of an evening with Newton in the scientist's garden.
"Amidst
other discourse, he told me he was just in the same situation as when formerly
the notion of gravitation came into his mind.
"Why
should that apple always descend perpendicularly to the ground", thought
he to himself, occasioned by the fall of an apple, as he sat in a contemplative
mood.
"Why
should it not go sideways or upwards, but constantly to the earth's centre?
Assuredly, the reason is that the earth draws it."
The
manuscript in PDF form is one of a number published online to mark the 350th
anniversary of the Royal Society, Britain's national academy of science, and
can be accessed at:
If the
above link does not work try The Royal Society web site:
or the
Society's publishing pages:
http://rsnr.royalsocietypublishing.org/
GRAVITATIONAL
LENSING - A UNIQUE PROBE OF DARK MATTER AND DARK ENERGY
If
you liked reading The Royal Society's web site, then another
interesting bit of literature is "Gravitational Lensing - a unique probe
of Dark Matter and Dark Energy".
http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/368/1914/967
iOPTRON'S
The iOptron's
Mini Tower and Mini Tower Pro Mounts are excellent for finding objects quickly,
and showing them to others.
The iOptron MiniTower Pro is a light-weight,
portable alt-azimuth mount capable of supporting up to 33 pounds!
Equipped
with two dovetail adapters, metal worm gears with typical 1 arc minute
accuracy, a heavier tripod with 2" stainless steel alloy legs, and
internal GPS.
With the
iOptron MiniTower Pro, you can go to 130,000 objects with the SmartStar hand
controller and USB port allows you to easily connect to a wide variety of
planetarium programs.
Advanced encoder system offers 600% greater resolution and improved tracking
performance.
http://www.ioptron.com/index.htm
Mini Tower
$1294AUD
Mini Tower
Pro $1880AUD
SOLAR
WINDS TEAR AT A COMET TAIL
Here are a
couple of videos showing comet Encke's Tail being blasted by Solar Winds.
This video
shows, from a distance, a storm of activity by Solar Winds, as it hits the
comet's tail. At one point the tail breaks completely away:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/video/tgKxYikyVn8-solar-storm-tears-off-comet.aspx
A closer
look shows the comet's tail being whipped away by the Solar Wind:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/01oct_encke.htm?list45222
TAL
NOVOSIBRISK ARE PRODUCING AN 8"
Please join
our email list of the same name for further updates. Just send us an
email with your interest.
HAVE
YOU CHECKED NASA's WEB TV?
The TV
provides real time coverage of agency activities and missions as well as
resource video to the news media and educational programming to teachers,
students and the general public. NASA's Web TV can be seen using
"Real Player" or "Windows Media Player" so there's no need
to download extra media software.
Best of
all... Its free!
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/
TELESCOPE
SECONDARY MIRRORS
We hold the
largest stock of Telescope Secondary Mirrors. They are in 2 Wave Length
Accuracies - 1/6 and 1/10 wave. 1/6 Wave Mirrors are made from BK7 and
the 1/10 Wave Mirrors are made from Pyrex. Pyrex is no longer made by Dow
Corning. We were lucky enough to get some of the last Pyrex available.
Please
email for sizes and prices.
CURRENT
SPECIALS
RONCHI
EYEPIECES
This simple
made device allows a telescope owner to check the shape of the Primary
Mirror. Using a Ronchi Grate mounted in a 1.25" tube, the Ronchi
Eyepiece shows a series of vertical lines produced by the Primary Mirror.
The shape of the lines determine the shape of the Mirror. Is your Primary
Mirror a Parabola, or a Spherical? Are there any major defects in your
Primary Mirror ie. Turned Down Edge, Central Hill etc.?
$10AUD
Saxon
6" Reflecting Telescope on Equatorial Mount
http://www.saxon.com.au/m_refl.html
- well suited to Planets
- EQ3 Equatorial Mount (allows Motor Drive)
- 1200mm Focal Length = F/8 Focal Ratio
- 2 Eyepieces, Finderscope
$470AUD
Saxon
8" Reflecting Telescope on Equatorial Mount
http://www.saxon.com.au/m_refl.html
- EQ5 Equatorial Mount (allows Motor Drive and Goto Computer Control)
- 1200mm Focal Length = F/6 Focal Ratio
- 2 Eyepieces, Finderscope
$780AUD
Saxon 6"
DOBSONIAN $360AUD
- 6"
Dobsonian $360AUD
- 8" Dobsonian $490AUD
- 10" Dobsonian $740AUD
- 12" Dobsonian $1230AUD
- Collapsible 8" Dobsonian $545AUD
- Collapsible 10" Dobsonian $880AUD
- Collapsible 12" Dobsonian $1490AUD
http://www.saxon.com.au/m_dob.html
Pentax
Optio E80 10MP Compact Camera
- 10MP CCD
- Large
2.7" Screen
- 3x
Optical Zoom
- Record
high resolution, Wide Screen HD Video at 720p at 15 fps with sound
- Large Shutter
Button and oversize Function Buttons
- Face
Detection
$105AUD
Newtonian
Laser Collimators 45° Target Area $50AUD
Regards,
Matthew
Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
OHALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 08 8381 3188
FAX: 08 8381 3588
Skype: telescopes.and.astronomy
telescopes@adam.com.au
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
https://twitter.com/telescopes1
TELESCOPES
AND ASTRONOMY
DECEMBER
NEWSLETTER 2009 NO.50
Phone:
(08) 8381 3188
FAX:
(08) 8381 3588
VOIP:
087 129 6316
SKYPE: telescopes.and.astronomy
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/telescopes1
OUR
WEB SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/
EMAIL:
Please let
us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if you
receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let me know
if you want the September 2009 Newsletter, which was the previous
one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
IN
THIS ISSUE:
- LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN REPAIR GREEN LASER
POINTERS
-
LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE UP HEATER BANDS FOR DEW CONTROL
-
SUN DISK - ADJUSTABLE SUNDIAL $30AUD
-
PENTAX 10K-x DIGITAL SLR CAMERA $790AUD
- PENTAX
K20D DIGITAL SLR WITH 18-55MM PENTAX LENS $1120AUD
-
IMPACT BY THE LCROSS MISSION SPACECRAFT CONFIRMS WATER ON THE MOON
-
VARIABLE POWER FOCAL REDUCER .4X TO .8X (1.25") $90AUD
-
THE IMAGING SOURCE'S NEW GIGABIT ETHERNET ASTRONOMY CAMERAS
-
LATEST IMAGE OF OUR GALACTIC CENTRE
-
ALUMINIUM CASES
-
EXCELLENT REVIEW ON THE RUSSIAN TAL200K $2550AUD OTA $1820AUD
-
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PIECE BY PIECE - QUITE AMAZING!
-
NEW BOB'S KNOBS
-
REPLICA GALILEO TELESCOPES
- SKYSHED POD OBSERVATORY - 2ND SHIPMENT
-
IF YOU OWN A CANON CAMERA READ THIS!
-
QHY RANGE OF CAMERAS & ACCESSORIES
-
VARIABLE AC ADAPTORS 90W MAXIMUM $45AUD
-
GALAXY CENTAURUS A (NGC 5128) REVEALS MORE
-
ToUcams
-
PHILIPS SPC600NC GAMING WEBCAM SPECIAL
- ASTRONOMY 2010 CALENDARS $16AUD
-
ASTRONOMY 2010 BOOK $18AUD
-
LARGE HADRON COLLIDER SETS ENERGY LEVEL RECORD
-
FIXED 8X50MM & INTERCHANGEABLE 1.25" X 50MM 90° FINDERSCOPES
-
FINDING OBJECTS EASILY IN THE NIGHT SKY
LOOKING
FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN REPAIR GREEN LASER POINTERS
We supply and
repair many Green Laser Pointers. However, some cannot be repaired
because they are not from our original manufacturers. We would like to
find someone who would like to repair the lasers. There would be around
30 or 40 a year currently. Problems range from loose wiring to
replacement Modules. We are able to help with instruction, some spare
parts and modules.
LOOKING
FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE UP HEATER BANDS FOR DEW CONTROL
We are also
interested in finding someone who is interested in making up various size Dew
Heater Bands. To give an idea of what is involved, please see the
following site:
http://www.deep-sky.co.uk/telescopemaking/tm16.htm
SUN
DISK - ADJUSTABLE SUNDIAL $30AUD
- read the
time from the Sun's shadow anywhere on the Earth
- disk can
be rotated to adjust for daylight saving time
- made of
strong, durable plastic
- easy to
assemble and setup
- can be
fixed in one place using flaps and screws provided
-
comprehensive instructions and scientific explanations
http://www.astrovisuals.com.au/SunDisc.html
PENTAX
10K-x DIGITAL SLR CAMERA $790AUD
The Pentax 10K-x is a camera that redefines the
entry-level digital SLR category. The PENTAX K-x offers high-end features
including Live View, HD video and photographic
performance that challenges higher class models. Four different
colours all available in time for
Christmas: Black, White, Red and Blue. A leap forward in Noise
Reduction. Here's a review:
http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2009/10/k-x-vs-k-m-k2000-iso-measurbation.html
PENTAX K20D DIGITAL SLR WITH 18-55MM
PENTAX LENS $1120AUD
Having risked being left behind by
the speed at which the 'affordable' DSLR market developed, Pentax showed how
serious its intentions were with the K10D, a semi-pro-level DSLR with a
features list to humble the competition at a very attractive price. Having
added so many bells and whistles to the K10D, it's not much of a surprise to
find that its successor, the K20D, is essentially a refinement of the same
design. But, even though it can't quite boast the same novel-feature-count as its
predecessor, the K20D still finds room for some interesting changes.
The
stand-out feature of the K20D is undoubtedly its 14.6MP CMOS sensor,
co-developed with the giant South Korean conglomerate Samsung. The companies
claim the design reduces the amount of circuitry around each photosite,
offering a similar light-sensitive area, per pixel, to a 12MP chip of
conventional design. The other major change is the addition of a live-view mode
that provides a zoomable, live preview directly from the imaging sensor.
More...:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PentaxK20D/
IMPACT
BY THE LCROSS MISSION SPACECRAFT CONFIRMS WATER ON THE MOON
Preliminary
data from the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite indicates that the
mission successfully uncovered water during the Oct. 9, 2009, impacts near the
moon's south pole:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/main/index.html
VARIABLE
POWER FOCAL REDUCER .4X TO .8X (1.25") $90AUD
If used
with a Webcam or DMK this simple and cost effective device works at around .5x
reduction. Used with a short C mount adaptor and a Mintron or Watec it provides
.6x to .66x reduction and .4x to .5x with the longer C mount adapter. For Atik,
DSI, QHY and other cameras the exact reduction ratio varies with the spacing
from the CCD chip, if sufficient focus travel is available. This depends on the
telescope and can be altered by using different adapters. The reduction ratio
is variable from about .4x to .8x Larger and "slower" instruments
(F7+) such as SCT's and MCT's really benefit from using this focal reducer and
achieving focus with them is not usually a problem. Brightens images and
increases field of view with almost all scopes. Increased FOV makes GOTO's more
reliable and reduces the visibility of tracking errors. Can be used visually in
many eyepieces and accepts 1.25" eyepiece filters. In our tests this
reducer outperformed other 1.25" reducers on the market in terms of image
quality.
THE
IMAGING SOURCE'S NEW GIGABIT ETHERNET ASTRONOMY CAMERAS
The cameras
are technically identical to their FireWire and USB 2.0 counterparts with the
exception of their interface.
These new
cameras permit cable lengths of up to 100 meters. The Gigabit Ethernet
Astronomy cameras package contains:
* 1 GigE Camera
* 1 10m GigE cable
* 1 universal power supply
* 1 Nosepiece
* 1 IC Capture.AS CD
For more
information please visit:
http://www.astronomycameras.com/en/products/
Contact us
for pricing.
LATEST
IMAGE OF OUR GALACTIC CENTRE
The latest
image showing the centre of our galaxy has been combined using a near-infrared
view from the Hubble Space Telescope, an infrared view from the Spitzer Space
Telescope, and an X-ray view from the Chandra X-ray Observatory into one
multiwavelength picture:
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2009/28
ALUMINIUM
CASES
Aluminium
Cases are particularly expensive to purchase. A Telescope Case can cost
up to $800AUD for an 8" Telescope Optical Tube.
We are
preparing another shipment of Aluminium Cases. The cases come complete
with Block Foam which breaks away in small cubes to form the shape of the item
used in the case. The cases are particularly cheap and are brought in by
sea. Let us know the size of the case you'd like, and we can quote a
price.
EXCELLENT
REVIEW ON THE RUSSIAN TAL200K $2550AUD OTA $1820AUD
http://www.nfilipovic.com/astrophotography/tal200k-ota-review
The TAL200K
Telescope and Optical Tube Assemblies are currently in stock. It is my
choice of telescope for imaging without paying an arm or leg.
INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION PIECE BY PIECE - QUITE AMAZING!
Graphic
animation of the International Space Station going together piece by
piece. No wonder it can be clearly seen through a small telescope!:
http://i.usatoday.net/tech/graphics/iss_timeline/flash.htm
NEW
BOB'S KNOBS
New products
include Knobs for the following scopes:
- Meade Schmidt-Newt 6"
- Meade 8" SCT with four factory secondary screws
- Vixen VMC 200L and 260L secondary
- Orion by Celestron 11" SCT, standard and metric
- Orion Optics (UK) OD series Newtonian secondary
Bob has also developed a No-Tools Kit for the Celestron CGE
Equatorial Mount that includes Knobs for mounting the Equatorial Head to
the Electronics Pier, Knobs for mounting the Electronics Pier to the
Tripod, and a Knob for the Weight Bar Safety Stop:
We try to
keep most of Bob's Knobs in stock:
REPLICA
GALILEO TELESCOPES
Some people
were after the International Year of Astronomy's Galileo Telescope
Replica. The Scope has educational information for schools as well.
We have some in stock for $65AUD:
https://www.galileoscope.org/gs/
http://astronomy2009.us/optics/galileoscope/
SKYSHED
POD OBSERVATORY - 2ND SHIPMENT
We are
once again accepting orders for the 2nd SkyShed Pod shipment. The
drop in the Australian dollar put the pricing up, and only a few were
interested. Now with the better exchange rate, I have produced a new
pricelist.
Contact us
for the latest Pod Pricelist
The price list does not include delivery. People are welcome to collect
their Pods if they wish.
YOUR DETAILS
Please forward us the details of the SkyShed Pod you want:
- model
- dome colour
- wall colour
- glow
- number of shelves
If a quote
is required for the "New Options" ie. Zenith Table, Covers
etc., let me know.
Please supply your contact details and delivery address.
We will quote a price including delivery.
DELIVERY
We'll drop the Pods off ourselves, if possible. Mainly to the eastern
states only (
PAYMENT
Payment will need to be before manufacturer, for this particular
product. An interested initial deposit of 10% is needed.
A pre-order
50% deposit will be needed (includes the initial 10%), so SkyShed can
manufacturer your Pod. The remanding 50% to be paid once the shipment is
ready to set sail from the USA. Usually 5-6 weeks at sea, then we
pass them through customs etc. and deliver.
A shipping container needs to be filled first. Container numbers are
dependant on Pod types.
I would like to see the 2nd Container arrive and delivered around March
2010. Our baby is due in May! 8-)
IF
YOU OWN A CANON CAMERA READ THIS!
This is a
very good web site. It includes many Firmware Upgrades for Canon
Cameras. The web site is under constant development and you only need to
check along the right hand column to see if your camera has an upgrade yet.
Development
for other cameras, including other manufacturers is in progress.
All updates
are free!:
http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK
QHY
RANGE OF CAMERAS & ACCESSORIES
The QHY
range of Astronomical Cameras are the latest available. They receive
excellent reviews and even better, the pricing is very good! If you
would like the latest QHY price list, please contact us. For more
information on the cameras please visit their site:
VARIABLE
AC ADAPTORS 90W MAXIMUM $45AUD
Input
110-240v ~50/60Hz 1.3A Max - Ouput 12/15/16/18/19V @ 4.5A Max - 20/24V @ 3.5A
Max - Dual Polarity
GALAXY
CENTAURUS A (NGC 5128) REVEALS MORE
Centaurus A
has always been an unusual galaxy and is one of the easiest galaxies
to see through a small telescope. Astronomers have always been curious
about its extremely high radio emissions. Now, a new technique has
allowed astronomers to see through its thick dust lanes, revealing Centaurus A
"eating" a smaller Spiral Galaxy. The new technique using
Near-Infrared images has also unveiled thousands of other star clusters:
http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2009/pr-44-09.html
ToUcams
ToUcam
900NC $110AUD OR $150AUD MODIFIED FOR LONG
EXPOSURE
The ToUcam
is a great budget camera which produces excellent results. Some sample
images, and more information including accessories, can be seen here:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/toucam_philips.htm
PHILIPS
SPC600NC GAMING WEBCAM SPECIAL
These
cameras are not designed for astrophotography. They were delivered by
mistake by Philips. We have 2 left, brand new, and will make
excellent Christmas presents for the teenage gamer. Here is a review:
http://www.v3.co.uk/computeractive/hardware/2142711/philips-spc-600nc
$40AUD
ASTRONOMY
2010 CALENDARS $16AUD
The 2010
Astronomy Calendars are now available for $16AUD. They are slightly
larger than last year.
ASTRONOMY
2010 BOOK $18AUD
The
Astronomy 2010 yearbook has been designed for anyone who looks at the
night sky, whether they are using just their eyes, a pair of binoculars or a
telescope. The book has something for everyone, from the basic novice, up to
the advanced amateur astronomer. Astronomy 2010 is an Australian publication
suitable for whole of
For more
information see Quasar's web site:
http://www.quasarastronomy.com.au/yb_10.htm
LARGE
HADRON COLLIDER SETS ENERGY LEVEL RECORD
The world's biggest atom-smasher has set a world
record by accelerating to energy levels that had never been previously reached,
the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) said on Monday. More...:
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/977914/atom-smasher-sets-energy-level-record
Information on the Large Hadron Collider:
http://public.web.cern.ch/public/en/LHC/LHC-en.html
FIXED
8X50MM & INTERCHANGEABLE 1.25" X 50MM 90° FINDERSCOPES
Have
your Finderscope at the same angle as your Focuser for comfortable
viewing. No more back breaking!
The Fixed
8x50mm 90° Finderscope is $60AUD
The New
Interchangeable 1.25" 8x50mm 90° Finderscope is $130AUD. The New
model is Fully Multi-Coated.
Both
Finderscopes include Holding Bracket and Mounting Shoe.
FINDING OBJECTS EASILY IN THE NIGHT
SKY
Sky Commander Encoders turn your
Dobsonian or Equatorial Mount into
a object locating Telescope. Attaching and using the
system is easy.
The Sky
Commander is a small self contained computer designed for the specific purpose
of locating and identifying celestial objects with a telescope.
The
computer reads the position of the telescope with the use of two optical
encoder modules. The encoders are attached mechanically to the telescope axes
in such a way that the encoder shaft turns as the telescope is turned. At the
beginning of an observing session, the user initializes the computer by
pointing the telescope at two different stars. By sensing the change in
position between the two stars, the computer is able to fix on the orientation
of the both telescope and sky.
A six
button keypad and LCD display form the easy operator interface. First you
select a catalogue, e.g. Messier, NGC or Planet. Then you enter the catalogue
number (four digits). Arrow buttons are used for this purpose. Pressing the
ENTER button makes the object current. The user moves the telescope while
watching the LCD. As the scope moves closer to the target object, the display
digits roll down to zero in AZ and EL. Arrows are displayed to indicate direction.
The Liquid
Crystal Display (LCD for short) shows you the position of the telescope in RA
and declination, or the relative position of the scope to the target object
(display). It also shows you the current catalogue and object number (used for
object selection) and some information such as object type, magnitude, and
constellation.
The Sky
Commander works on both Alt-Azimuth (e.g. Dobsonian) and Equatorial type
scopes. Sky Engineering supplies a general purpose encoder mounting kit (pn ALT-AZ-1000)
for Dobsonian type scopes. Since it is a general purpose kit, some
modifications may be required to make it work depending on what scope you have.
Dobsonian type scopes are by far the easiest to fit encoders because there is
generally plenty of room to work with. For other type scopes, the Sky Commander
will work with most commercially available encoder setups. A standard encoder
cable connector (modular RJ45 also used for computer network cables) is used.
Angular
resolution of the system is determined by the encoders themselves. The Sky
Commander can handle a wide range of resolutions. Typical encoders are 4000
step per revolution, but other resolutions are also used, (2160, 4096, 8192,
etc). The important thing is that you enter the encoder information into the
Sky Commander so it knows how many counts per degree of scope rotation. This
information only needs to be entered one time, but can be changed whenever
needed.
Be aware
that the encoders themselves have an inherent error which may exceed the step
size, especially for the higher resolution units.
An RS232 is
a standard for serial communications between computers. In the Sky Commander it
is used to tell a PC the position of the telescope so it can be displayed on
the screen. In this way the user can tap into the huge resources provided by
many Astronomy programs. On the XP4 RS232 is used as a
The Sky
Commander is powered from an internal 9 volt battery which will last a very
long time (about 40 hours) under normal use. There is also an optional 2.1mm
(5.5mm OD) power jack for connection to 12 volt DC.
Contact us
for current pricing to suit your setup. For more information visit the
Sky Commander website:
Merry
Christmas and Clear Skies to all!
8-)
Regards,
Matthew
Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
O'HALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 61+ 8 8381 3188
FAX: 61+ 8 8381 3588
Skype: telescopes.and.astronomy
telescopes@adam.com.au
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
https://twitter.com/telescopes1
TELESCOPES
AND ASTRONOMY
SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER 2009
NO.49
Phone:
(08) 8381 3188
FAX:
(08) 8381 3588
VOIP:
087 129 6316
SKYPE:
telescopes.and.astronomy
https://twitter.com/telescopes1
OUR WEB
SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/
EMAIL:
Please let
us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if you
receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let me know
if you want the June 2009's Newsletter, which was the previous
one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
IN
THIS ISSUE:
- BEWARE BUYING FROM OPT (
-
PHILIPS SPC600NC GAMING WEBCAM SPECIAL
- UPDATED PRICE LISTS
-
90° 8x50mm FINDERSCOPES $60AUD
-
DELUXE 4 TARGET RED DOT FINDERSCOPES $75AUD
- LOSMANDY WEIGHT FIX
- NEW SUPPLIERS
- STARLIGHT INSTRUMENTS
- ASTRODON FILTERS
- iOPTRON
-
CONVERT YOUR MOUNT TO LOSMANDY TYPE "D" DOVETAILS
-
THE WORLD AT NIGHT UPDATE
-
ALUMINIUM CASES
-
"I DIDN'T KNOW YOU SOLD MAPS!"
-
HEMA NAVIGATOR 5" GPS - ON & OFF ROAD NAVIGATION
- REPLICA GALILEO TELESCOPES
-
16" MIRRORS COMPLETED MIRRORS
-
UNIVERSAL 1.3x OCA (OPTICAL CORRECTOR ADAPTOR) FOR BINOVIEWERS
-
ZOOMABLE 360° PANORAMA OF THE NIGHT SKY
-
REVAMPED HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE BETTER THAN EVER
- BAHTONIV
MASKS
- ASTRONOMY 2010 CALENDARS $12AUD
-
ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY LIGHT BOXES
-
UPDATED DVDs $16AUD
- THE NEW
UNIVERSE
- THE NEW SOLAR SYSTEM
-
TELESCOPE SPECIALS
- 6" DOBSONIAN $360AUD
- 8" DOBSONIAN $490AUD
- 10" DOBSONIAN $740AUD
- 12" DOBSONIAN $1230AUD
- COLLAPSIBLE 8" DOBSONIAN $545AUD
- COLLAPSIBLE 10" DOBSONIAN
$880AUD
- COLLAPSIBLE
12" DOBSONIAN $1490AUD
-
EXTRA TALL, STURDY BINOCULAR TRIPODS
BEWARE BUYING
FROM OPT (
In June
2005 we purchased a Celestron 11" Nexstar XLT GPS (#CE-11053-XLT-S)
from OPT (Oceanside Photo & Telescope) who reside at:
It was supposed to have GPS
(Global Positioning System) built into the telescope. We later discovered
OPT had sent an old telescope from 2001/2002 which did not have the features we
paid for. Features missing included GPS. Obviously, the telescope
sent, was either old floor stock, or a demonstration model. The telescope
did not have any wrapping around the tube or instruction manual. The
telescope did not even look new!
The age of the telescope was verified by the manufacturer, Celestron, using the
dates of the firmware and software it carried. The last one of its type
was shipped in late 2001/early 2002. Two other newer versions had been
released before our purchase in 2005.
The telescope was bought on behalf of our local university. OPT at first
insisted that it was the user and not the telescope that was at
fault. Our local university tried establishing the GPS for over 2
years before realising the telescope did not even have GPS! During this
time, we corresponded with OPT who insisted there was nothing wrong with the
telescope. The telescope was sent back to OPT in 2007.
We had always been happy to have a replacement, to the current model, although
this never happened.
We had
contacted the BBB (Better Business Bureau) in the
The saga had gone on for 4 years and has caused much distress to me, the
university, and the participants who wanted to use the telescope for
educational purposes.
We finally had closure when we took OPT to court in the
PHILIPS
SPC600NC GAMING WEBCAM SPECIAL
These
cameras are not designed for astrophotography. They were delivered by
mistake by Philips. We have 2 left, brand new, and will make
excellent Christmas presents for the teenage gamer. Here is a review:
http://www.v3.co.uk/computeractive/hardware/2142711/philips-spc-600nc
$40AUD
UPDATED
PRICE LISTS
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/imaging_source_the_camera_ccd_astro_pricelist.htm
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/baader-planetarium-astro-accessories-pricelist.htm
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/celestron-pricelist.htm
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/skywatcher-pricelist.htm
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/bushnell-pricelist.htm
90°
8x50mm FINDERSCOPES $60AUD
Have
your Finderscope at the same angle as your Focuser for comfortable
viewing. No more back breaking!
DELUXE
4 TARGET RED DOT FINDERSCOPES $75AUD
4-reticle
red dot finder. Features brightness level and positioning adjustments. Anodised black aluminium. Complete with Metal Block
Base.
LOSMANDY
WEIGHT FIX
Losmandy
owners may be aware of the Plastic Knobs for tightening the Weights often
break, when tightened. We now supply Heavy Duty Metal Screws for the
weights. These new screws are metric, so the weight must be re-taped to
suit the new metric thread. The Heavy Duty Metal Screw has a brass
insert, so it doesn't damage the Weight Shaft.
NEW
SUPPLIERS
- StarLight Instruments - makers of the FeatherTouch® Focusers. Next to
having great optics, eyepieces and excellent collimation, focusing is equally
as important. In general, focusing needs to be precise and allow positioning of
the eyepiece or imaging equipment within .002 inches. Not only should the
focuser provide precision positioning and be easy to use, it should also permit
effortless focusing without shaking the telescope. The 10:1 reduction
ratio and the precision of the design make this possible. Since there is
virtually “ZERO BACKLASH”, focusing at even very high power, is done with ease.
Even though FeatherTouch® Focusers are slightly more expensive keep
in mind that we have designed and built this unit to last a lifetime. You have
probably invested much more in your eyepieces and use each of these eyepieces
with the focuser, so why not buy a FeatherTouch® Focuser that will permit the
full performance of your telescope.
There should be no backlash in the focuser and the focuser should be very free
to move. Since FeatherTocuh® Focusers uses a precision 10:1 planetary
reduction assembly, this makes focusing extremely easy. Positioning of the draw
tube and eyepiece within .0005 inches can easily be achieved. Not only is the
positioning of the eyepiece extremely precise but because our focusers are so
smooth, the slightest touch on our 10:1 reduction fine focus knob will allow
focusing without shaking of the telescope tube.
StarLight
Instruments Home Page:
http://www.starlightinstruments.com/index.php
- AstroDon Tru-Balance Filters - are the first Filters designed to match the sensitivity
of the modern CCD cameras (patent pending) that simplifies all aspects of
tri-colour imaging of deep-space objects for vibrant "true-colour".
Astrodon
Tru-Balance filters simplify RGB imaging by equalizing the flux for
general classes of CCD detectors, that allows you to combine your RGB color
data with nearly equal weights. This allows you to take your color images
and their corresponding dark frames with the same exposure time, while
achieving a G2V white point balance for correct star colors and balanced OIII
teal color in emission objects (patent pending).
Astrodon
narrowband filters for H-a, OIII and SII provide the highest performance
available for bringing out structure in emission objects, and allow you to
image when the moon is up and image from light polluted environments.
Astrodon
research grade Sloan (u',g',r',i',z') and Johnson/Bessell (UVBRIc)
all-dielectric-coated filters provide the highest performance and durability
available for photometric research.
Astrodon
off-axis guiders allow you to guide your telescope in the same optical
path as your imaging camera, thereby eliminating the cost for a separate guide
scope and the potential for differential flexure.
Astrodon
remotely-controlled camera rotators allow you to frame your object exactly the
way you want and help to find guide stars.
Designed
for astrophotographers by astrophophotographers.
AstroDon
Home Page:
AstroDon
Australian Price List:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/astrodon-filters-ccd-tru-balance-camera-pricelist.htm
- iOptron -
iOptron have a number of products which are becoming popular amongst amateur
astronomers:
The
iOptron Cube -
"GOTO" Alt-Azimuth Mount is a highly portable Cube mount weighs just
8.2 pounds (3.7 kg), including tripod and hand unit, and can carry small
telescopes equipped with Vixen-style dovetail shoes. The melding of
motorized GoTo pointing and tracking with a standalone alt-azimuth mount is
unique in today’s market. But the real eye opener is that the Cube costs less
than many non-motorized altazimuth mounts, and its price includes the
tripod! The Cube was announced just as I was looking for portable tracking
mount to use with my William Optics 66mm refractor. It seemed like the ideal
match, so I ordered one as soon as they became available last September.
25 lbs. of Payload
Born out of the popular iOptron CubeTM, MiniTowerTM is
the ultimate observing solution for people who are searching for a capable and
portable GoTo telescope mount to counter light pollution in their backyards and
for travel convenience. With a standard payload of 25 lbs, a rock solid
1.5”alloy/stainless steel tripod, metal worm and gear and two dovetail
adaptors-- The MiniTowerTM is capable of handling most OTAs.
Extremely
Portable With all the standard components (excluding the tripod)
packaged in an alloy metal case, MiniTowerTM can easily be carried
around in a car trunk or as an airline luggage. The whole system takes
only 10 minutes to assemble. This unlimited portability, combined with the
internal GPS, gives amateur astronomers extreme flexibility in selecting an
observing location.
Accurate
GoTo and Tracking Equipped with the most advanced SmartStarÒ
GoTo technology, MiniTowerTM is one of the most powerful and
accurate GoTo mounts. The standard 8401 hand controller offers the superb
navigation experience with an 8 line LCD back-lit display, a 130,000 object
database and a USB port for easy connection with ASCOM compliant PC planetarium
programs. With a typical GoTo accuracy of 1 arc minute and the SmartStarÒ
precision auto-tracking, MiniTowerTM will consistently bring the
celestial object of your choice to the center of the eye-piece and keep
tracking for hours.
Additional
Unique Features Powered with other features such as automatic
over-current protection, automatic clutch protection for both axes, easy
3-point level adjustment, dual scope setup with two dovetails and much more,
MiniTower is one of the most user-friendly GoTo mounts available today.
iOptron Web
Site:
http://www.ioptron.com/index.htm
iOptron
PriceList:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/ioptron-astro-mini-tower-cubepro-smart-star-pricelist.htm
CONVERT
YOUR MOUNT TO LOSMANDY TYPE "D" DOVETAILS
Convert your SkyWatcher, Celestron, Vixen etc. Mount to Losmandy style "D" Dovetail Plates. This conversion improves the rigidity of the Dovetails used from the narrow "V" Tails to the extra sturdy "D" Tails. Particularly good for Astrophotography. The conversion uses a new Replacement Head for the Mount, and the new Female "D" Dovetail. The Female Dovetail can accomodate Losmandy, CGE and William Optics Dovetail Plates.
Replacement
Heads $55
Female "D" Dovetail $95
THE
WORLD AT NIGHT UPDATE
The World
at Night, in collaboration with Dark Skies Awareness project, organize the
International Year of Astronomy 2009 Earth and Sky Photo Contest on the
importance of dark skies. It is open to anyone of any age, anywhere in the
world. For more information visit:
http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/404/
The latest
images can be seen here:
http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/galleries_latest.asp?Sort=All&page=1
ALUMINIUM
CASES
Aluminum
Cases are particularly expensive to purchase. A Telescope Case can cost
up to $800 for an 8" Telescope Optical Tube.
We are
preparing another shipment of Aluminum Cases. The cases come complete
with Block Foam which breaks away in small cubes to form the shape of the item
used in the case. The cases are particularly cheap and are brought in by
sea. Let us know the size of the case you'd like, and we can quote a
price.
"I
DIDN'T KNOW YOU SOLD MAPS!"
We have
been selling all types of Maps for a number of years now. Here are the
most popular Wall Maps:
As seen in
Flight Center Offices around
The next
size down is more expensive ($340AUD plus postage), although it is the most
comprehensive large world map available. It comes in 3 sheets. It
is not wallpaper, rather, fairly thick paper. It is produced by National
Geographic and measures 2.75m x 1.90m.
After this
is our biggest seller - The World SuperMap Laminated for $68AUD plus
postage. It is 1.9m x 1.1m.
Finally we also
have The Australia SuperMap Laminated for $68AUD plus postage. It is
137cm x 120cm
Let me know
if you want an image of the maps.
HEMA
NAVIGATOR 5" GPS - ON & OFF ROAD NAVIGATION
This is the
latest model offered by Hema. It surpasses the older 4.3" Screen
Model. Let us know if you want an information flyer.
- 5"
Screen
-
SiRFatlasIV 64-Channel GPS
- 2GB
memory plus Micro SD Card
- Bluetooth
& FM Transmitter
- Rear view
camera ready
STREET NAV
- ROUTE 66
The
intelligent voice guidance software uses the latest NAVTEQ streets and back
roads making it easy to navigate to a street address, your accommodation or
another point of interest.
4WD NAV -
OziExplorer
Switch to
4WD NAV to use all the latest HEMA 4WD maps, plus complete topo coverage at 1:250,000
scale. Record your journey and add your own waypoints, routes and maps.
TOPO NAV -
Memory Map
Going bush?
Use Memory Map to access
$799AUD RRP is $990AUD
REPLICA
GALILEO TELESCOPES
Some people
were after the International Year of Astronomy's Galileo Telescope
Replica. The Scope has educational information for schools as well.
We have some in stock for $65AUD:
https://www.galileoscope.org/gs/
http://astronomy2009.us/optics/galileoscope/
16"
MIRRORS COMPLETED MIRRORS
We are
gathering numbers for those who wish to purchase Completed 16" BK7 F/4.5
Mirrors. Why no build a 16" Binocular Telescope!
8-) The Mirrors are $1700AUD plus any postage. This price may go
down dependant on numbers. These mirrors test up quite accurate, and are
used in many popular telescopes of their size.
Please
email for more information.
UNIVERSAL
1.3x OCA (OPTICAL CORRECTOR ADAPTOR) FOR BINOVIEWERS
The
1.3x OCA is an advanced corrector in its composition. Less
magnification and slightly better correction than any other correctors on the
market today made for the PST. They are also less expensive. $170AUD.
It uses a Barlow like adapter to re-space the binoviewer and is parfocal with
any single eyepiece. You can use it with any Binoviewer - Televue,
AP Badder, BW-Optics, Denkmeier, Siebert Black Night Series and
any lower priced category Binoviewers such as Burgess, William
Optics, Stellarvue etc......
Cloudy
Nights Review:
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1229
ZOOMABLE
360° PANORAMA OF THE NIGHT SKY
ESO unveils an amazing, interactive, 360-degree panoramic view of the entire night sky.
The first
of three images of ESO's GigaGalaxy Zoom project — a new magnificent
800-million-pixel panorama of the entire sky as seen from ESO’s observing sites
in
This
360-degree panoramic image, covering the entire celestial sphere, reveals the
cosmic landscape that surrounds our tiny blue planet. This gorgeous starscape
serves as the first of three extremely high-resolution images featured in the GigaGalaxy Zoom Project,
launched by ESO within the framework of the International Year of Astronomy
2009 (IYA2009). GigaGalaxy Zoom features a web tool that allows users to take a
breathtaking dive into our Milky Way. With this tool users can learn more about
many different and exciting objects in the image, such as multicoloured nebulae
and exploding stars, just by clicking on them. In this way, the project seeks
to link the sky we can all see with the deep, “hidden” cosmos that astronomers
study on a daily basis. The wonderful quality of the images is a testament to
the splendour of the night sky at ESO’s sites in
http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2009/pr-32-09.html
Interactive
360° Panoramic View:
http://www.gigagalaxyzoom.org/
REVAMPED
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE BETTER THAN EVER
Have a look
at some of the first stunning shots from the newly overhauled Hubble Space
Telescope. It includes the recaptured M100, which was the first image
ever taken by Hubble, the stunning Butterfly Planetary Nebula (NGC 6302), and
the Gravitational Lensing Effect, first predicted by Einstein, which allows us
to see further into the universe due to the distortion of space by massive
galaxies.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/glance/860292/pimped-hubble-snaps-interstellar-magic
BAHTONIV MASKS
These have
been very popular.
A Bahtinov
Mask is a focusing aid for astronomy in general, and astrophotography in
particular. It consists of a disk fitted over the telescope with slots cut out
in a specific pattern, devised by amateur astrophotographer Pavel Bahtinov.
The Disks
are $40AUD for all sizes up to 300mm (12").
More
information can be seen on the Masks here:
ASTRONOMY
2010 CALENDARS
The 2010
Astronomy Calendars are now available for $12AUD. They are slightly
larger than last year.
ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY
LIGHT BOXES
During
Astrophotography, "Flat Frames" will counteract problems in the
camera like dust particles, field vignetting and moisture smudges. Flat
Frames are added to the stacking of your images, and are produced by using a
Light Box. A Light Box fits over the end of the telescope and produces a
uniformly lit, neutral surface.
Let us know
your telescope's dimensions for a Light Box quote. For more information
on Light Boxes and their construction see:
http://scp3.org/forum/index.php?topic=13783.0
UPDATED
DVDs $16AUD
THE
NEW UNIVERSE
The
Universe DVD has been updated with the latest discoveries about the
Cosmos. It includes 6 narrated programs and also 3 bonus programs with
background music showing the best animations and images by Hubble and others.
THE
NEW SOLAR SYSTEM
The New
Solar System DVD includes the latest discoveries from the NASA and ESA
probes. The DVD has 13 programs including the Huygens Lander on
Titan.
TELESCOPE
SPECIALS
- 6" DOBSONIAN $360AUD
- 8" DOBSONIAN $490AUD
- 10" DOBSONIAN $740AUD
- 12" DOBSONIAN $1230AUD
- COLLAPSIBLE 8" DOBSONIAN $545AUD
- COLLAPSIBLE 10" DOBSONIAN $880AUD
- COLLAPSIBLE 12" DOBSONIAN $1490AUD
EXTRA
TALL, STURDY BINOCULAR TRIPODS
These tripods handle 20x80mm binoculars very easily. Their height
can be raised to 190cm (6' 3"). Although 25x100mm (6kg) can be used
on the tripod, we still recommend using a Manfrotto Tripod for Giant Binoculars
over 5kg.
Tall, Sturdy Tripod $180AUD
Manfrotto Tripod $396AUD
Tripod to Binocular Adaptors $15AUD (if needed)
Regards,
Matthew Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
OHALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 08 8381 3188
FAX: 08 8381 3588
Skype: telescopes.and.astronomy
telescopes@adam.com.au
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
https://twitter.com/telescopes1
TELESCOPES AND ASTRONOMY
JUNE NEWSLETTER 2009 NO.48
Phone: (08) 8381 3188
FAX: (08) 8381 3588
VOIP: 087 129 6316
SKYPE: telescopes.and.astronomy
https://twitter.com/telescopes1
OUR WEB SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
EMAIL:
telescopes@adam.com.au
Please let us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if you receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let me know
if you want the February 2009's Newsletter, which was the previous
one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/telescope_astronomy_newsletters_advice_products_information.htm
IN THIS ISSUE:
- EQUATORIAL PLATFORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOBSONIANS
- ToUcam
- WORLDS RUNNING OUT OF TOUCAMS!
- INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS) IMAGES
- SKYSHED POD - 2ND SHIPMENT
- AUSSIE WINS PRIZE FOR MEASURING UNIVERSE
- MEADE LIGHTBRIDGE UPGRADE
- CHOOSE THE SATELLITE & VIEW THE EARTH
-
WILLIAM OPTICS SPECIAL - A-M88-W MEGREZ 88MM F/5.8 ED DOUBLET
- NEW ACCESSOIRES FOR THE HEAVY DUTY DOVETAIL & SIDE BY SIDE SET UP
- HERSCHEL SPACE TELESCOPE LAUNCHED
- PAST ISSUES OF THE ANNUAL ASTRONOMY BOOK $5
- TWITTER FOR TELESCOPES & ASTRONOMY
- PORTABLE TELESCOPE PIERS
- ASTRODON FILTERS
- APOLLO 11 WORKSHOP MANUAL
-
HIOPTICS 127MM TRIPLET
- ASTRO TENT
- PORTAL TO THE UNIVERSE
- UNIVERSAL MOBILE PHONE CAMERA LENS & ADAPTOR
- 16" F/4.5 MIRRORS
- NEW DEW HEATER AVAILABLE
- LOSMANDY PRICE DROP!
- THE CONTINOUS HUNT FOR EARTH SIZE PLANETS
-
WE ARE NOW A SWAROVSKI DEALER
- I
WANT A METEORITE!
-
VIXEN OPTICS
- SPECIALS
EQUATORIAL PLATFORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOBSONIANS
We are now taking orders for Equatorial Platforms.
- prices range from $550 to $750 depending on the size of your Dobsonian
- can be used for Alt/Az Mounts, Binoculars or anything which needs to track the sky
- around 55 minutes guide time
- variable speed control
- smooth accurate tracking
- instant return, which means the motor does not have to be driven back to the start
- works for any Latitudes between Melbourne and Brisbane (can be modified for other latitudes)
We need to know the distance between the feet of your Dobsonian, not the Base dimensions.
ToUcam
WORLDS RUNNING OUT OF TOUCAMS!
There
aren't many new ToUcam left in the world. We have a few still at only
$145 plus $55 for the 1.25" Telescope Adaptor. ToUcams Modified for
Long Exposure are $275, and the "Amp Off" Modification is also
available for an extra $45. An LPT-1 Printer Port (21 pin) is needed for
the Long Exposure Modification, or an Adaptor is used instead ($25).
Basically,
there is one setup for the planets and Moon, and another setup for deep
sky objects. If the ToUcam has the Long Exposure Modification,
then both can be done. A physical switch allows the change between Video
and Long Exposure.
The Long
Exposure Modification can also be used for guiding with faint stars for
astrophotography.
Firstly,
it is best to use Focal Projection (no lenses used between the ToUcam CCD
and the telescope) for the planets and Moon. For this the 1.25"
Adaptor with Filter Thread, Annodised is used. A Barlow is used for
extra magnification.
Secondly, a
low, wide field magnification is best suited for deep sky objects. The
Long Exposure Modification is best used for deep sky objects since they are
fainter. This is where the 40mm Plossl with T Thread Adaptor
($130) is used. With this setup, the 40mm Plossl eyepiece is
used between the ToUcam CCD chip and the telescope, and is called Eyepiece
Projection.
There are
other ways to achieve different Magnification and Field of View, although the information
above pretty covers it. The other ways include:
- Eyepiece
Projection Adaptor ($45) which allows different Focal Length eyepieces to be
used. This is done by placing the desired eyepiece inside the Eyepiece
Projection Adaptor. A ToUcam T Ring Adaptor ($45) is needed for
this. This adaptor screws into the ToUcam. It has a T Thread
on the other end which screws into the EPA.
Using the
ToUcam T Thread Adaptor (12mm thread to 43mm thread), you can attach to common
eyepieces which have a removable rubber eyecup. For this, an Eyepiece to
T Thread Ring Adaptor ($45) is used. The Eyepiece to T Thread Ring
Adaptor has a 43mm thread on the outside so it screws into the ToUcam T Thread
Adaptor. This then clamps onto the eyepiece's eyecup groove using 3 allen
screws. Standard eyepieces (Plossls etc.) can be used with removable
rubber eyecups with a diameter of around 33mm.
- Focal
Reducers ($95) are available for both camera/camcorder setups. The
whole idea of deep sky photography is to get a wide field of view, brighter
objects through lower magnification. This reduces exposure time making
tracking easier and more accurate. Focal Reducers turn an F/10 into
an
F/6. There is also an Extender ($30) which extends the F Ratio further to
F/4.
Baader
IR/UV Filters ($80) produce a clearer image when used on bright objects
like the planets and Moon. CCD chips received too much IR (infra red),
and so these filters cut it down. If your telescope is a short focal
ratio achromatic refractor, then the filter can also be used to cut
down the coloured blooming (UV - Ultra Violet) which is inherent with
short focal ratio achromats, when used on planets and other bright objects.
Philips
900NC ToUcam $145
Philips 900NC
ToUcam Modified for Long Exposure $275
1.25"
Adaptor with Filter Thread, Annodised, Baffled $55
ToUcam to T
(Mount) Thread Adaptor $45
Universal
1.25" (840K & 900NC) Adaptor with Filter Thread, Baffled, Annodised
$55
40mm Plossl
with T (Mount) Thread $130
T Thread to
Eyepiece Eyecup Groove Adaptor (for eyepieces around 34mm diameter)
Here's our
ToUcam page:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/toucam_philips.htm
Call us for
more information.
Some of the
best deepsky pictures can be seen here:
http://www.geocities.com/hwy37/deepsky.html
Some of the
best planetary and Moon Pictures can be seen here:
http://fiveprime.org/hivemind/Tags/toucam
INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION (ISS) IMAGES
Here's some incredible images showing the International Space Station using a 10", Hand Guided Newtonian Reflector:
http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk08/o081129z.htm
SKYSHED
POD - 2ND SHIPMENT
We are
now ready to accept orders for the 2nd SkyShed Pod shipment.
PRICE LIST
A new price list is available. Let us know your email address.
YOUR DETAILS
Please forward us the details of the SkyShed Pod you want:
- model
- dome colour
- wall colour
- glow
- number of shelves
http://www.skyshedpod.com/
Please supply your
contact details and delivery address.
We will quote a price including delivery.
DELIVERY
We'll drop the Pods off ourselves, if possible. Mainly to the eastern
states only (
PAYMENT
Payment will need to be upfront for this particular product. An
interested initial deposit of 10% is needed.
A pre-order
50% deposit will be needed (includes the initial 10%), so SkyShed can
manufacturer your Pod. The remanding 50% to be paid once the shipment is
ready to set sail from the
A shipping container needs to be filled first. Container numbers are
dependant on Pod types.
I would like to see the 2nd Container arrive and delivered before the end of
the year.
AUSSIE
WINS PRIZE FOR MEASURING UNIVERSE
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/821628/aussie-wins-prize-for-measuring-universe
MEADE
LIGHTBRIDGE UPGRADE
The
12" and 16" Primary Mirror Collimation Upgrade Kit, from Farpoint
Astronomical Research, replaces the stock knobs and springs with ours. High
quality aircraft aluminum is turned on a state of the art CNC lathe. The
finished knurled knob is anodized in an attractive blue that matches the
official Meade color scheme.
Our replacement
springs are stiffer than the stock springs. With our springs, the use of the
stock "lock bolts " for the mirror becomes a thing of the past.
The Meade
Lightbridge "Up-grade" uses a newer version, spring and knobs set. As
you may already know, Meade recently changed the Lighbridge knob size, using a
different thread pattern but not with a spring upgrade or an upgrade from
plastic knobs. Along with our previous upgrade, this newer version still uses a
larger spring set, newer sized machined knobs and with the upgraded weight set
these are a must have for any Meade 12" and 16" Lightbridge
Dobsonian:
LightBridge
Counter Weight Add On Weights $85AUD
12"
LightBridge Counter Weight 3lb Set $130AUD
12"
Primary Mirror Collimation Knob and Spring Kit $75AUD
16" LightBridge Counter Weight 3lb Set $130AUD
16" Primary Mirror Collimation Knob and Spring Kit $80AUD
https://www.farpointastro.com/store/index.php?categoryID=81
See Farpoint's other highly advanced products:
http://www.farpointastro.com/farsight.html
CHOOSE
THE SATELLITE & VIEW THE EARTH
To view the
Earth as currently seen from a satellite in Earth orbit, choose the satellite
from the list, and just press the "View Earth from Satellite" button.
The satellite database is updated regularly but may not reflect the current
position of satellites, such as the U.S. Space Shuttle, which maneuver
frequently after reaching orbit.
To view the
Earth from a satellite not included in the database list, paste its orbital
elements, in NASA/NORAD "two line element" format, into the box.
http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/satellite.html
WILLIAM
OPTICS SPECIAL - A-M88-W MEGREZ 88MM F/5.8 ED DOUBLET
http://www.williamoptics.com/telescopes/megrez88_features.php
NEW
ACCESSOIRES FOR THE HEAVY DUTY DOVETAIL & SIDE BY SIDE SET UP
Instead of
Piggy Backing a Guide Scope or Camera on your main telescope, consider the
advantages of placing the equipment side by side on a Heavy Duty DoveTail
Plate. Some of the main advantages of a Side By Side setup is more
stability, easier to balance and also easier to work around.
Produced
locally, the Side By Side setup is made up of a Heavy Duty DoveTail Plate
to suit Celestron, Vixen, Skywatcher, Losmandy and other popular Mounts,
and 2 separate detachable Side by Side Mounting Plates.
Detachable Side
by Side Mounting Plates have an extra pre-drilled hole for mounting a Camera
Bracket. The Plates can also be fitted 90°. This enables one scope
to be fitted along the length of the Dovetail Plate, so the Dovetail
Plate doesn't stick out to one side if only one telescope is being used.
All items
are made on a CNC Lathe. Dovetail components will not suffer from
Flexure.
Small Heavy
Duty Dovetails to suit the detachable Side by Side Mounts are also available.
Machined
345mm x 80mm x 15mm Heavy Duty Dovetail Plate - Holds 2 Scopes $135AUD
Machined
500mm x 80mm x 15mm Heavy Duty Dovetail Plate - Holds 3 Scopes $165AUD
Machined
Detachable Side by Side Mounts $90AUD each
Machined
Small Heavy Duty Dovetail Plates to suit Celestron, SkyWatcher etc. 150mm
x 15mm $75AUD each
Machined
Male to Male (standard to Losmandy) Dovetail Plate $120AUD
Extruded
Standard 30cm Dovetail suit Celestron, SkyWatcher etc. $40AUD
Extruded
Standard 20cm Dovetail suit Celestron, SkyWatcher etc. $32AUD
New
Accessories include:
Machined
600mm x 80mm x 24mm Heavy Duty Dovetail Plate - holds 3 scopes $180AUD
Standard Guide
Rings 90mm ($85AUD), 110mm ($95AUD) and 136mm ($110AUD) - Light weight
Refractor Tubes 40mm to 100mm in diameter eg. Celestron, SkyWatcher, Vixen,
Saxon etc.
Heavy Duty
Standard Guide Rings 90mm ($95AUD), 110mm ($105AUD) and 136mm ($125AUD) -
Heavier Refractor Tubes 40mm to 100mm in diameter eg. William Optics, TeleVue,
TAL etc.
Highest
Quality CNC Machined Guide Rings 108mm ($CALL), 140mm ($CALL).
Heavy Duty
EQ5 (HEQ5) and EQ6 Replacement Plate ($55AUD) - Replaces the Mount's top Plate
to allow our Side by Side Saddles Plates to be used to reduce flexure.
Heavy Duty
EQ5 (HEQ5) and EQ6 Losmandy Replacement Plate ($CALL) - Replaces the top of the
Mount to allow Losmandy style Dovetail Plates and accessories.
Complete
Packages available!
HERSCHEL
SPACE TELESCOPE LAUNCHED
The
Herschel Space Telescope was launched on May the 14th 2009. It's 5 year
mission, to boldly go where no man has... Hang on... Wrong
one! The Herschel Telescope will be used to explore the formation of
galaxies and stars. The telescope is a 3.5m Cassegrain, which is the
largest telescope ever launched. It will perform photometry and
spectroscopy in approximately the 55-672 µm range, bridging the gap between
earlier infrared space missions and ground based facilities.
To find out
more, see the web sites:
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herschel_Space_Observatory
Herschel
Science Centre
PAST
ISSUES OF THE ANNUAL ASTRONOMY BOOK $5AUD
Quasar
Publishing's annual Astronomy book is the most popular publication on astronomy
in
TWITTER
FOR TELESCOPES & ASTRONOMY
We now have
a Twitter page:
https://twitter.com/telescopes1
PORTABLE
TELESCOPE PIERS
Wayne Baker
is producing high quality, Portable Telescope Piers. All the information
and products are available through
http://www.telescopepiers.com.au/
ASTRODON
FILTERS
Astrodon
are renowned for making amongst the finest filters in the world for
astrophotography. A number of the best astrophotographers are using
them. We are now a dealer for Astrodon. All information about their
range can be seen on their web page:
APOLLO
11 WORKSHOP MANUAL
If you've
been hanging out to service or repair your Apollo 11 Space Craft, or if
you are just interested, then Haynes have published the
vehicle's workshop manual. It includes the 1969 (Including Saturn V,
CM-107, SM-107, LM-5). It will be great to see some more of these craft
up and running again! 8-P
http://www.haynes.co.uk:80/Press/Releases_HTML/090601_ApolloPR_haynes_press_release.htm
HIOPTICS
127MM TRIPLET
HiOptic's
127mm Triplet APO is sold under a number of brands including Meade for which it
was never released. It is an incredibly inexpensive fine quality Optical
Tube Assembly. Here is a review from a customer who bought it as a
demo Astro-Tech Telescope. The telescope now has an updated Focuser
replacing the old one, which lacked some:
http://ghonis2.ho8.com/astrotech127mm.html
127mm ED
Triplet Apochromatic Refractor Telescope Optical Tube Assembly
Focal Length 952mm
F/7.5
3 Element/Triplet Objective and Fully Multi Coated
8x50 Finder Scope with Illuminating Reticle
2" (50.8mm) Dual Speed Crayford Focuser
Diagonal
2x Plossl Eyepieces
Tube Rings/Dovetail
Aluminium case
$1950AUD
BAHTONIV MASKS
A Bahtinov
Mask is a focusing aid for astronomy in general, and astrophotography in
particular. It consists of a disk fitted over the telescope with slots cut out
in a specific pattern, devised by amateur astrophotographer Pavel Bahtinov.
The Disks
are $40AUD for all sizes up to 300mm (12").
More
information can be seen on the Masks here:
ASTRO
TENT
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1592156/Main/1584479
$330AUD
PORTAL
TO THE UNIVERSE
Keeping
up-to-date with cutting-edge astronomy and space science breakthroughs has just
become that much easier, thanks to the Portal To The Universe, the latest
Cornerstone project of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009). As a
high-tech website embracing Web 2.0 technologies, the Portal To The Universe
aims to become a one-stop-shop for astronomy news.
Released
during the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science (JENAM 2009), taking
place this week at the University of Hertfordshire, UK, the Portal To The
Universe website has been eagerly anticipated by journalists, science
communicators, scientists, educators and members of the general public alike.
The Portal To The Universe provides a global portal for online astronomy
content, serving as an index and aggregator.
The site
itself features news, blogs, video podcasts, audio podcasts, images, videos and
more. Web 2.0 collaborative tools, such as the ranking of different services
according to popularity, help the user to sift constructively through the
wealth of information available and will promote interactions within the
astronomy multimedia community. A range of "widgets" (small
applications) have also been developed to tap into all sorts of existing
"live data", such as near-live pictures of the Sun, live
positions of spacecraft or live observations from telescopes.
http://www.portaltotheuniverse.org/
UNIVERSAL
MOBILE PHONE CAMERA LENS & ADAPTOR
Allows zoom
images from your Mobile Phone or Digital Camera:
Magnification:
8x
Objective
Lens: 18mm
Angle of
View: 16 degree
Exit Pupil
Diameter: 2.3mm
Eye Relief:
10mm
Universal
Bracket
Size:
34x70mm
$38AUD
16"
F/4.5 MIRRORS
A new
shipment of 16" Mirrors will arrive soon. The mirror's accuracy
is very good, considering their size. Let me know you want more details.
$1600AUD
NEW
DEW HEATER AVAILABLE
AWR have
just brought out a new Dew Heater Controller. It has robust battery
measurement / fault indication for easy diagnosis of common problems with input
and output, and it does not let a lead acid battery die!
The Heater
Bands are from OptoOffice in
- Constant
Power at 10 settings
- Fully
protected up to 60 Watts
- Easy
fault diagnosis
- Two LED's
OFF/RED/GREEN/FLASHING
- Input LED
- Out of limits or Reversed
- Output
LED - Setting, Controlled, Uncontrolled, Open Circuit
$149AUD
More
information can be seen on AWR's web site:
http://www.awrtech.co.uk/dew.htm
LOSMANDY
PRICE DROP!
Over the last
few years we have been building up our Losmandy supplies and increasing our
customers. We now manufacturer a number of extra Losmandy
components which compliment the range of Mounts. I also use a
Losmandy which is housed snuggly in my SkyShed Pod Observatory.
Due to the
increasing sales, we have been able to increase the size of our shipments and
therefore reduce the costs associated with transporting the items from the
Contact us
for a price quote for any of the Losmandy range.
THE
CONTINOUS HUNT FOR EARTH SIZE PLANETS
In the
search for Earth-like planets, astronomers zeroed in on two places that look
awfully familiar to home. One is close to the right size. The other is in the right
place:
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/804480/scientists-discover-earth-sized-planet
WE
ARE NOW A SWAROVSKI DEALER
Swarovski
Optics are amongst the finest optics in the world. Their astronomy
related products include binoculars and spotting scopes. Contact us for a
price quote:
I WANT A METEORITE!
A number of people have asked me where they can get their own meteorite from. Here you go!:
http://www.meteorite.com/dealer_list.htm
VIXEN OPTICS
Vixen continues to produce high end quality with their range of products. A number of new products have been released and updated.
The Vixen VC200L is an exceptional Optical Tube Assembly for visual, and especially for Astrophotography. It has many, many owner praising reviews on forums. The quality control is the same high Japanese standard as it has always been:
SPECIALS
6"
Dobsonian $350AUD
8"
Dobsonian $490AUD
10"
Dobsonian $750AUD
8"
Collapsible Truss Dobsonian $565AUD
10"
Collapsible Truss Dobsonian $865AUD
12"
Collapsible Truss Dobsonian $1520AUD
20x100mm
Binoculars - 20x magnification, 100mm aperture, metal body, porro prisms,
tripod adapter and soft carry case included.
$525AUD
2"
Filter Sets - Red, Blue Yellow and Moon $175AUD
2"
Moon Filters $35AUD
Flip
Mirrors - allows a camera and also an eyepiece to be used together. The
mirror is flipped to use either the camera or eyepiece.
$75AUD
Binocular
Cases - suit 60mm and larger Binoculars up to 80mm
$10AUD
2"
Eyepiece Projection Adaptors - screws into the camera's standard T Mount.
$65AUD
Regards,
Matthew
Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
OHALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 08 8381 3188
FAX: 08 8381 3588
Skype: telescopes.and.astronomy
telescopes@adam.com.au
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
https://twitter.com/telescopes1
TELESCOPES AND ASTRONOMY
FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER 2009 NO.47
Phone: (08) 8381 3188
FAX: (08) 8381 3588
Mobile: 0416 123 096
VOIP: 087 129 6316
SKYPE: telescopes.and.astronomy
OUR WEB SITE:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
EMAIL:
telescopes@adam.com.au
Please let us know if you do not wish to be on our Newsletter mailing list, or if you receive this Newsletter by mistake.
Let me know
if you want the December 2008's Newsletter, which was the previous
one. Past Newsletters can be seen here:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/telescope_astronomy_newsletters_advice_products_information.htm
IN THIS ISSUE:
- 16" (400MM) COMPLETED MIRRORS
- INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY
- INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY COIN ISSUE
- PHILIPS TOUCAM SPC900NC STILL AVAILABLE
- STELLACAM III COOLED CCD CAMERAS
- VIXEN VC200L OTA
- 2" MOON FILTER SET
- PYREX DIAGONALS/SECONDARY MIRRORS
- WILLIAM OPTICS SPECIALS
- SATELLITE VIEW OF WORLD AIR TRAFFIC IN 24HRS
- HIOPTIC HAS BROUGHT OUT A 152MM REFRACTOR
- MILKY WAY GALAXY BIGGER & FASTER THAN EXPECTED!
- SKYWATCHER SPECIALS
- WHAT HASN'T GONE UP IN PRICE DUE TO THE AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR?
-
TIMER REMOTE SWITCHES BACK ON THE MENU
- TRANSIT OF SATURN'S MOONS
- HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE NEXT TARGET - YOU DECIDE
- NEW DVD FOR 4-9 Y.O - ASTRO PUPPIES IN SPACE
-
IS IT GOING TO BE CLEAR FOR OBSERVING TODAY/TONIGHT? - Update
- SKIPPY SKY ASTRO-WEATHER FORECAST
- APANEL (ASTROWEATHER PANEL) BY 7TIMER
- CLEAR SKY CHART FOR USA BY ATTILLA DANKO
- CLOUD COVER MAP BY THE MRO NOAA SATELLITE WEATHER LOOP
- SYNOPTIC AND JET STREAM MAP
- MOON PHASE MAP AND PLANNER
- UP TO DATE SOLAR IMAGES FROM SOHO
- SKY QUALITY METERS
- UNPRECEDENTED 16-YEAR LONG STUDY TRACKS STARS ORBITING MILKY WAY BLACK HOLE
- NEW POSTERS & DVD'S AVAILABLE
- SPECIALS
- ASTRONOMY 2009 CALENDAR $5AUD
- TELRAD DEW SHIELD $30AUD
- 2" 80° 20mm EYEPIECE $165AUD
- CHESHIRE COLLIMATION TOOL $55AUD
- C MOUNT TO POPULAR BRANDS $95AUD
- ATIK 5 POSITION FILTER WHEEL $275AUD
- HARRY SIEBERT 2x and 2.5x 2" BARLOWS $245AUD
16" MIRRORS COMPLETED MIRRORS
We are gathering numbers for those who wish to purchase Completed 16" BK7 F/4.5 Mirrors. Why no build a 16" Binocular Telescope! 8-) The Mirrors are $1800AUD plus any postage. This price may go down dependant on numbers. These mirrors test up quite accurate, and are used in many popular telescopes of their size.
Please email for more information.
INTERNATIONAL
YEAR OF ASTRONOMY
The IYA has its own web site with all the details of events, projects and organisations. Visit the web site to subscribe to IYA Newsletters by e-mail, with the latest updates on IYA2009 projects and activities:
http://www.astronomy2009.org/
INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY COIN ISSUE
The Australian Mint has a number of Coin Packs issued for the International Year of Astronomy. They can be seen here with online shopping:
http://mintissue.ramint.gov.au/mintissue/eshop_browse.asp
PHILIPS TOUCAM SPC900NC STILL AVAILABLE
The Philips ToUcam SPC900NC is a great camera for use on the planets, DeepSky or as a Guide Camera. There are many examples of great images on the web. Best value for money available - thousands of hours of fun and images!
- Philips
900NC ToUcam $145AUD
-
Philips 900NC ToUcam Modified for Long Exposure $285AUD
-
1.25" Adaptor with Filter Thread, Baffled, Annodised $55AUD
- ToUcam to
T Thread Adaptor $45AUD
- Universal
1.25" (840K & 900NC) Adaptor with Filter Thread, Baffled, Annodised
$55AUD
- 40mm
Plossl with T Thread $130AUD
- Camera
Thread to Eyepiece Adaptor (for eyepieces around 34mm diameter) $55AUD - $60AUD
- 5m USB
Extension Lead $18AUD (camera comes with 2m lead)
http://www.geocities.com/hwy37/deepsky.html
http://www.technoplus.nl/astro/webcam/webcam.htm
http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/~fringwal/moon-gallery.html
http://uk.geocities.com/photoncollector@btinternet.com/jupiter.html
http://www.deep-sky.co.uk/imaging/webcam/toucam.htm
STELLACAM III COOLED CCD CAMERAS
Sky & Telescope's Test Report of the StellaCam III can be seen here:
http://media.skyandtelescope.com/documents/Stellcam3.pdf
The StellaCam range allows the camera to be used on a PC, as well as plugged straight into a television set or monitor!
Stellacam III - $1300AUD
Stellacam III Cooled - $2210AUD
http://www.astrovid.com/products.php?subcat=618
StellaCam EX - $810AUD
http://www.astrovid.com/prod_details.php?pid=140&querystr=stellacam%20ex
VIXEN VC200L OTA SPECIAL
The Vixen VC200L is an exceptional Optical Tube Assembly for visual, and especially for Astrophotography. It has many, many owner praising reviews on forums. The quality control is the same high Japanese standard as it has always been:
http://www.vixenamerica.com/Pdf/Scopes/VixenNorthAmerica_SX_VC200L.pdf
$2780AUD
2" MOON FILTER SET $70AUD
The 2" Moon Filter Set has 0.3, 0.6 & 0.9 Density filters.
PYREX DIAGONALS/SECONDARY MIRRORS
We have received a large shipment of Pyrex Secondary Mirrors for Newtonian Telescopes. The Mirrors are made from the last Pyrex available, since Dow Corning stopped making it. There is limited stock, although a large range. All diagonals are 1/10 wave and have Enhanced Coatings. 28, 31, 50, 63, 70 & 80mm BK7 with 1/6 wave are generally always available. Prices can be seen on our Construction site:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/telescope_build_construction_help_parts_accessories.htm
WILLIAM OPTICS SPECIALS
ZenithStar 70mm OTA $575AUD
SATELLITE VIEW OF WORLD AIR TRAFFIC IN 24HRS
This interesting video shows the air traffic around the world in 24 hrs.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XBwjQsOEeg
Let us know if you want a higher quality video via email.
HIOPTIC HAS BROUGHT OUT A 152MM ED APO REFRACTOR
The 152mm ED OTA is $7800:
- Triplet
Elements Objective Lens,
- 2 pieces
of ED glass
- 10:1 Dual
Speed Focuser
- Rings and
Dovetail
- Aluminium Case
- 99% Reflective Diagonal
-
Illuminating Reticle 8x50 Finder Scope
MILKY WAY GALAXY BIGGER & FASTER THAN EXPECTED!
Andromeda Galaxy is no longer the big brother in our group of galaxies:
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/707964/milky-way-galaxy-is-bigger-than-thought
SKYWATCHER SPECIALS
EQ5 Mount with Goto $1100AUD - includes 127mm x 1500mm Maksutov Black Diamond OTA for only $80AUD extra
150mm x 1800mm Maksutov Black Diamond OTA $1230AUD - includes HEQ5 Mount for $385AUD extra
Black Diamond ED100 Refractor (Doublet ED APO) OTA - includes 2" Dielectric Diagonal, 2 Speed Crayford Focuser, 9x50mm Finder & 28mm 2" Eyepiece $1150AUD
Pro Series ED80 Refractor (Doublet ED APO) OTA - includes Rings, Diagonal, Eyepiece, Finderscope & Case $1100AUD
Pro Series ED120 Refractor (Doublet ED APO) on HEQ5 Pro (Pro-5) Mount Goto - $2920AUD
WHAT HASN'T GONE UP IN PRICE DUE TO THE AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR?
Philips ToUcam SP900NC $145AUD
ToUcam Long Exposure Modification $140AUD - Made in Australia
1.25" Baffled Adaptor $55AUD - Made in Australia
Dobsonian Teflon Bearing Kit $36AUD - Made in Australia
Dobsonian Pivot Bearing Kit $36AUD - Made in Australia
Heavy Duty Dovetail to suit popular brands $135AUD - Made in Australia
Heavy Duty Dovetail Side by Side Setup to suit popular brands $315AUD - Made in Australia
0.6x 1.25" Focal Reducer $95AUD - Made in Australia
0.3x 1.25" Focal Reducer Extender $45AUD - Made in Australia
C Mount to Popular SLR Camera Adaptor $95AUD - Made in Australia
TIMER REMOTE SWITCHES BACK ON THE MENU
Timer
Remote Switches to suit most popular brands of SLR including Nikon, Canon and
Pentax. The Timer Switch, with a built in interval timer, is
a premium electronic remote timer for exact control
over exposure time. Moreover, compared with the original products, it is
affordable and is good quality. The Timer Switch allows the user to
choose different functions like length, interval, delay and total number of
exposures. It also has a speaker to notify the various functions.
It uses an LCD background light for the display. The timer switch has
been tested by one of our astro society member and he recommends it!
- Thanks to Alan Brinkworth.
$95AUD
Also available are Non Electronic Remote Timer Switches for $15AUD
TRANSIT OF SATURN'S MOON TITAN (SATELLITES)
These are rare events. It can only been seen with amateur scopes when the Rings of Saturn are on their side, reducing the amount of light and obstruction, allowing us to see the whole planets disk. Most will find a good quality 6" Reflector, or 4" Refractor telescope will do the job. Good Sky Conditions will be a must - see SkippySky below. If you have seen the Satellite Transits of Jupiter before, then this will be harder, due to the Satellites being fainter. The following dates and times are when Titan will be Transiting. The Transit of Titan will appear high on the North Pole of Saturn, and move towards the Equator as the year goes on. This path takes Titan close and through the observable Rings. Also, as the year goes on, the Rings will become more edge on, making Titan and other Satellites easier to see - Take a picture! 8-)
Universal Time Calculator:
http://www.gkindia.com/bitsol_time/
Start of Titan's Shadow - Universal Time:
2009 February 24th 10:49
2009 March 12th 09:32
2009 March 28th 08:21
2009 April 13th 07:22
2009 April 29th 06:23
2009 May 15th 05:28
2009 May 31st 04:34
2009 June 16th 03:42
2009 July 2nd 02:52
2009 July 18th 02:03
2009 August 3rd 01:15
2009 August 19th 00:28
Don't forget to look for the other Moons of Saturn dancing around the planet - up to 8 can be seen.
More information including a month by month account can be found in Australia 2009 Book for $18AUD plus postage - please inquire.
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE'S NEXT TARGET - YOU DECIDE
A number of objects which Hubble will observe can be voted for. Go to this web site for all the details:
http://youdecide.hubblesite.org/
NEW DVD FOR 4-9 Y.O - ASTRO PUPPIES IN SPACE
Journey through the Solar System with the Astro Puppies. Designed to introduce this age group to astronomy using great NASA Videos, Hubble Space Telescope images and interactive songs:
http://astropuppiesinspace.com/
$32AUD
IS IT GOING TO BE CLEAR FOR OBSERVING TODAY/TONIGHT? - Update
Looking at the night sky on a clear night looks fabulous, but how transparent is it really? When a telescope is used to view the night sky, magnification shows all the problems affecting our viewing between us and the stars. These include dust, cloud, jet streams, humidity, heat, light pollution and wind. The sky may look clear, but try putting the magnification up high, and the telescope becomes impossible to focus. One way to tell, is to observe a planet in fine detail, and compare it to other nights. This could waste valuable time and effort to set up the scope, let it cool down sufficiently, only to find the night is not transparent.
There have been a number of ways astronomers could judge the night sky to determine how good the night is for viewing. One way I use is the UV rating for the day. This has its own problems in regards to time, heat, cloud etc. Another way is to use a Sky Quality Meter (see below), which also has its problems in regards to only showing how dark it is, and not allowing for many of the other factors.
Recently, a number of amateur astronomers have been using data from the Meteorology Departments, and other sources, to develop a chart for predicting sky conditions. One of the best charts has been developed by Attilla Danko of the USA. Currently in development is a chart for our local and Australian conditions developed by Andrew Cool:
SKIPPY
SKY ASTRO-WEATHER FORECAST
SkippySky has had many steps forward since its initialisation, including being able to open the information in Google Earth. The benefit of SkippySky over other forecasters is the ability to see what is coming from the general path for which weather travels. For example, the weather here in Adelaide, Australia, generally comes from between west and south. The Anglo-Australian Observatory is currently using Skippy Sky.
http://www.skippysky.com.au/
APANEL (ASTROWEATHER PANEL) BY 7TIMER
Apanel (AstroWeather Panel) is a nurmerical weather forecast which is especially designed if you want to know the astronomical weather in the next 72 hours. APanel updates 4 times a day. The graph is generated in real time, so you have to wait for a few seconds for it to appear, if it is not yet cached by former users.
APanel can be placed on your website by using the HTML found on the web site;
http://7timer.y234.cn/V3/product.php?language=en&product_id=1
CLEAR SKY CHART FOR USA BY ATTILLA DANKO
http://www.cleardarksky.com/csk/
CLOUD COVER MAP BY THE MRO NOAA SATELLITE WEATHER LOOP
http://www.darksky.net.au/mroweatherloop.html
SYNOPTIC AND JET STREAM MAP
http://www.weatherzone.com.au/httpdata_r/images/synoptic/wz_syn_aus_d0_640x480.jpg
MOON PHASE MAP AND PLANNER
http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
UP TO DATE SOLAR IMAGES FROM SOHO
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime-images.html
SKY
QUALITY METERS
Sky Quality meters are a tool for determining how dark the sky is by measuring brightness in magnitudes per square arc second. Our own society is currently undertaking a project involving members with sky Quality Meters. Here's more info:
http://unihedron.com/projects/darksky/
$215AUD
UNPRECEDENTED
16-YEAR LONG STUDY TRACKS STARS ORBITING MILKY WAY BLACK HOLE
In a
16-year long study, using several of ESO's flagship telescopes, a team of
German astronomers has produced the most detailed view ever of the surroundings
of the monster lurking at our Galaxy's heart — a super massive black hole. The
research has unravelled the hidden secrets of this tumultuous region by mapping
the orbits of almost 30 stars, a five-fold increase over previous studies. One
of the stars has now completed a full orbit around the black hole... More:
http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2008/pr-46-08.html
NEW
POSTERS & DVD'S AVAILABLE
New and
updated DVD's to 2009:
- Space
Flight $16AUD
- The New
Solar System $16AUD
- The
Universe $16AUD
- Hubble -
15 years of Discovery $16AUD
Posters and
DVD's can been seen here:
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/poster-chart-astronomy-star-night-sky.htm
SPECIALS
-
ASTRONOMY CALENDARS 2009 - $5
-
PHILIPS SPC600NC WEBCAMS (NOT FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY) - $40
-
TELRAD DEW SHIELD - $30AUD
- 2" 80° 20mm EYEPIECE - $165AUD
- CHESHIRE COLLIMATION TOOL - $55AUD
- C MOUNT TO POPULAR BRANDS - $95AUD
- ATIK 5 POSITION FILTER WHEEL - $275AUD
- HARRY SIEBERT 2x and 2.5x 2" BARLOWS - $245AUD
Regards,
Matthew
Lovell
Telescopes and Astronomy
PO BOX 292
OHALLORAN HILL SA 5158
PH: 08 8381 3188
FAX: 08 8381 3588
telescopes@adam.com.au
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
