Coronado PST

Paul Lawler wrote:

... I was assuming that the fact that the sun
is difficult for non-observers to "position" in the eyepiece without it
blacking out was a result of the small aperture.

That's not really a "fact" - personally I find it quite easy to point
any telescope at the Sun. I just wish finding stuff in the night sky
was even 1/10th as easy!

The shadow of a telescope on the ground usually gets the Sun in the
eyepiece without reference to any kind of finder - but the sol finder
on the PST is nice too.

As the PST filter is well inside the PST tube, what actually happens
to the heat that has passed through the objective?

--
Martin Frey
http://www.hadastro.org.uk
N 51 02 E 0 47

"Martin Frey" wrote in message


As the PST filter is well inside the PST tube, what actually happens
to the heat that has passed through the objective?

A majority of the energy is reflected at the objective, not sure of the
percentages.

Ed T

"David Knisely" wrote in message

Paul Lawler wrote:

Add 18mm CEMAX eyepiece = $99

I would not bother with that eyepiece with the PST unless you are using it
with a good 2x Barlow.


I just picked one up. Its a nice addition but certainly not a "must have".
I'm curious what users think is the ideal high magnification ocular for this
scope...7.5mm? 9mm?

Ed T.

Paul Hyndman wrote in message:
...Ummm, B & H seems to have tapped a steady supply of PSTs, and currently
show them as "In Stock" (though they run through them quickly):

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=324412&is=REG

Hi Paul,

Well...here's hoping! Immediately upon seeing your post, I visited the B&H
site and, like you, saw they showed 'In Stock' on the PST's. I placed the
order. This morning, I checked their site and saw 'Out of Stock'. I'll let
you know what transpires. Of course, depending on your location, you may
just hear my screams of joy from NE Ohio if this arrives in 5 days!

Clear Skies,
Dave Jessie

Ed T. posted:

I just picked one up. Its a nice addition but certainly not a "must have".
I'm curious what users think is the ideal high magnification ocular for this
scope...7.5mm? 9mm?

I think that a 7.5mm (with enough eye relief of course) might be good. I use
my 6.4mm Meade "SuperPlossl", and at 62.5x, its nearly as much as the scope
can handle (I have pushed things up to around 80x just for fun). I spend most
of my observing time between 40x and 63x on the PST and have had loads of fun
doing it. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 11th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 18-23, 2004, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************

Martin Frey wrote:
Paul Lawler wrote:


... I was assuming that the fact that the sun
is difficult for non-observers to "position" in the eyepiece without it
blacking out was a result of the small aperture.


That's not really a "fact" - personally I find it quite easy to point
any telescope at the Sun. I just wish finding stuff in the night sky
was even 1/10th as easy!


I took Paul's comment to refer to the rapidity with which the Sun leaves
the effective FOV, not initial acquistition. I attribute this to the
small aperture of the blocking filter (5 mm?) in the EP mount.

Phil

Dave Jessie wrote:

Paul Hyndman wrote in message:

...Ummm, B & H seems to have tapped a steady supply of PSTs, and currently
show them as "In Stock" (though they run through them quickly):


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=324412&is=REG

Hi Paul,

Well...here's hoping! Immediately upon seeing your post, I visited the B&H
site and, like you, saw they showed 'In Stock' on the PST's. I placed the
order. This morning, I checked their site and saw 'Out of Stock'. I'll let
you know what transpires. Of course, depending on your location, you may
just hear my screams of joy from NE Ohio if this arrives in 5 days!


With B&H I mostly order by phone so I get a person acknowledging they do
have stock.

Phil

Martin Frey wrote in
:

Paul Lawler wrote:

... I was assuming that the fact that the sun
is difficult for non-observers to "position" in the eyepiece without it
blacking out was a result of the small aperture.

That's not really a "fact" - personally I find it quite easy to point
any telescope at the Sun. I just wish finding stuff in the night sky
was even 1/10th as easy!

The shadow of a telescope on the ground usually gets the Sun in the
eyepiece without reference to any kind of finder - but the sol finder
on the PST is nice too.

Yes, I agree that it's easy to position the tube of the PST, that is not
what I meant. In my experience, many non-observers have trouble finding
the sun in the eyepiece. If you don't position yourself at the precisely
correct distance (i.e., your eye is too close to, or too far from the
eyepiece) the solar image is not readily visible. Children especially seem
to have problems.

Maybe I am just spoiled by 2" wide field eyepieces where you can't miss.

As the PST filter is well inside the PST tube, what actually happens
to the heat that has passed through the objective?

Not much heat makes it through. That objective is highly reflective.

If you don't position yourself at the precisely
correct distance (i.e., your eye is too close to, or too far from the
eyepiece) the solar image is not readily visible. Children especially seem
to have problems.

This is very true. Many of my students have reported seeing nothing at all in
the scope, and I encourage them to try again. Most of them only see a "red
thing", but a few look deeper and see the details. The thing with the PST is
that the focus is pretty easy to use. Does the focus control seem
spring-loaded to anyone else?

Mark
The Catman
^..^

www.geocities.com/mark_rosengarten
Owner/Coordinator of the Neko Ultraportable Solar Observatory
Fun WITH The Sun for Everyone!

elete (Mark Rosengarten) wrote:

This is very true. Many of my students have reported seeing nothing at all in
the scope, and I encourage them to try again. Most of them only see a "red
thing", but a few look deeper and see the details. The thing with the PST is
that the focus is pretty easy to use. Does the focus control seem
spring-loaded to anyone else?

Mark

"Tell me if you think the Sun could do with a shave" seems to
concentrate the mind and produce an expressive "Oooh - its all
whiskery"

My focus control has a reasonable amount of drag - but doesn't feel
spring loaded.

--
Martin Frey
http://www.hadastro.org.uk
N 51 02 E 0 47