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It's been said, "the best scope is the one that gets used the most." For me, that means highly portable rich field refractors. I currently enjoy using a Celestron 80mm Short Tube mounted on an Orion Paragon tripod. If I'm running out the door for a quick grab-n-go session or traveling to darker skies, this scope only takes a couple of minutes to setup. Other equipment in my astronomy tool bag includes an Orion 1.25" mirror diagonal, an Orion red dot finder mounted on a dovetail pedestal mount made by Ken Dauzat (http://users.kricket.net/ken/ rings.htm), a Celestron Ultima 1.25" barlow, and several Celestron Plossl eyepieces (32mm, 26mm, and10mm).
Tonight I wanted to try a new Celestron 17mm Plossl eyepiece I bought from Tut Campbell off Astromart (www.astromart.com), as well as a new red dot finder from Stellarvue (www.stellarvue.com). The target for my short tube and new equipment was the Moon. I know...nothing exciting, but, for an amateur astronomer in a very light polluted urban environment, the Moon makes a wonderful subject and is lots of fun to explore.
When observing a bright object like the Moon, my short tube, like all f/5 short tubes, displays a little false color. I normally compensate for this false color on the Moon by one of two methods: 1) stop down the scope using the supplied lens cap and plug or 2) use a filter, such as a Moon filter or a yellow or blue color filter.
So...with my short tube stopped down, I popped in my new 17mm Plossl and took a look. The view was very nice with lots of detail visible along the terminator (the Moon is two days past first quarter). The focus remained sharp out to the edges and the false color was almost non-existent. Next, I added the Ultima barlow to the mix and was again very pleased with the views. With the barlow and the 17mm Plossl the Moon covered about 80% of the field and provided a nice amount of magnification. I have a feeling this 17mm Plossl will become my most used eyepiece, especially for the Moon and planets.
Now for the red dot finder from Stellarvue...I've had an Orion red dot finder for as long as I've owned my Celestron short tube. I never liked the supplied Celestron 6x30 finder. Although the Orion red dot finder performs well with my short tube, I've always felt it was a little difficult to align in the field and sight through. So, when I came across the Stellarvue red dot finder, I thought I'd give it a try. The Stellarvue red dot finder has a much larger lens than the Orion, making it easier (i.e. more comfortable) to sight through. It also has three large knobs, not screws, to activate, adjust, and align the finder. This makes tweaking the finder in the field much easier. The battery is also easier to replace, as it resides in a small battery caddy that sides into the central part of the finder's body. The Stellarvue red dot finder comes with a plastic dovetail mount with extra mounts available for purchase. For the price (currently $29.95), I think this red dot finder is a real bargain and a step up from the Orion red dot finder.
Well, that’s all for now. Until next time...wishing you clear skies and dark nights!!
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