From: Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@me.com>

Date: November 2, 2009 6:21:08 AM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] Re: First light PGR Scorpion ccd and Skywatcher Dob

Hi Jim, 

I found your new Mars image in Files/ Planetary & had another look at your new Moon one with the Scorpion. Even with the ROI your SW dob is too far big it seems for lunar shots! I realise you`re testing both scope & camera. The other shots so far with the Scorpion`s it seems are one by Tim of Jupiter & Alan`s excellent one of the Blue Fire Sun. Mine`s yet to arrive from LA where my niece has sent it on...but with a 0.3 FR it seems (with my C9.25) I can fit all the Moon in (or the Sun if I had a solar filter)-this is going by The Sky X. Lucky you`ve got that finder working OK! Milton just advised me to replace the rubber o-ring on mine with duct-tape to avoid having the o-ring perish-which I`ve done. Do you still have your C8?

Mark.

On 02/11/2009, at 11:07 PM, jimchung2338 wrote:

Thanks Milton,

Tracking is a little weird and requires manual corrections but most annoying is every once in a while the Az motor will spin up to 50% speed and move the image way off the ccd. Luckily the finder is accurate enough to recenter it.

Skies were clear around 4AM this morning and it took about an hour for the tube to equilibrate even with the fan on. Took an image of Mars at f15 and the optics look good. Clearly visible is the polar ice cap and surface markings. The image was so bright, I was using an exposure of under 2 mS with the Brightness turned way down.

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Astro_IIDC/files/Planetary/MarsNov2(2009).jpg

Jim

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Milton Aupperle <milton@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Jim;
>
> Nice looking scope.
>
> How good is the tracking dob, especially at high magnification?
>
> TTYL..
>
> Milton Aupperle
>