"Bill Greer" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 19 Jul 2003 21:11:09 -0400, "Stephen Paul"
wrote:

I am still missing how we actually determine the "cardinal" (thank you)
ratio of the size of the image in the eyepiece to the size of the image
against the naked eye sky.

(Focal length of objective)/(focal length of eyepiece) *is* that
ratio. Performing the implied division results in the dimensionless
number we call "magnification". That first ratio is equal to this
second ratio: (apparent angular size as seen in the telescope's
eyepiece)/(apparent naked eye angular size).

Thanks Bill.

(Sorry about the silliness that came later on. Although a reasonable mental
exercise for me, I'm not sure what benefit others might have gained.)

FWIW, I did get out and do some observing from 11PM Saturday to 1:30AM
Sunday on deep sky, and then from 1:30AM to 4AM (same session) on Mars,
until clouds cut my session short.

It was the best 5 hours of sky time I've had in over a month.

-Stephen