My Big Bend and McDonald Observatory Trip !BIG PICTURES!

Dharini and I went to Big Bend and the McDonald Observatory. Here are a few pics from the trip.

Big Bend
Big: http://dannyweaver.us/images/589.JPG


Big Bend
Big: http://dannyweaver.us/images/598.JPG


McDonald Observatory
Big: http://dannyweaver.us/images/617.JPG

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How was the big scope? These pics are great but not what I was looking forward to seeing.

While there, I got to see the 2.7m Harlan J. Smith Telescope and the 9.2m Hobby-Eberly Telescope. My telescope is a 20 1/3 cm Newtonian reflector on a dobsonian mount. I had trouble with my CCD getting a consistent connection to my computer due to a manufacturing defect with the solder connection on the RCA connector on the CCD. I'm uploading the pics of the HET (being upgraded to HETDEX) and the HJS telescope. I'll post them a little later.

I do have loads more pics I'd be glad to show at the next LAN. I'd post them here but having pictures of myself online causes me anxiety.
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I definitely want to check those out when you are able to share. I'm in the market now for a nice small 8-12" SCT and planning to build a simple astrophotography setup. I'd also really love to look through your dob sometime.

Pretty cool. Post the pics!!!!!!
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Technology Unlimited * www.techunl.net * (405) 773-6037 * [email protected]

What I love about SCTs is that the eyepiece is always at the bottom, what I hate about SCTs is looking at stars directly above you. Though, I admittedly have only done that a few times for planets. I'm looking at adding a EQ mounted SCT or Refractor to my budding collection. Though I really want to build a binocular dual 12 or 14 incher on an autotracking dobsonian mount. But that is a little ways down the road.
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I want to focus on photography so I need something that will EQ mount and track well. I might end up staring with a nice quality APO triplet between 66-80mm wide field but I'm concerned I won't get enough use out of something that small. I'm focusing my search for an 8-12" Meade LX90 or LX200 that is being sold by someone who doesn't know what they have. I've seen a few go through for cheap but haven't caught one yet at the right time.

It seems we are both looking for something like that. I saw an LX90 on craigslist a few months ago, I emailed the guy and he had already sold it for $200. You can turn a dob into an eq-like mount by angling the base. I have a design I'm building today, and clear skies permitting, I'll be testing it tonight.
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