Marek, you and I have observed together and we both know you're at
least as smart as I am, but here's 2 cents worth about scopes and
aperture.
In your cool OR from Thursday you keep saying how an 18 would be so
much more satisfying. Here's what I think -
a) After 5.5 years I'm still thoroughly satisfied with my 11", very
comparable to your 10" scope.
b) H400 galaxies that are dim little smudges in a 10 will perhaps not
too surprisingly look like dim little smudges in an 18. Of course you
can see a whole lot more of the little suckers in an 18. Razzle
dazzle non-famous galaxies like 4216 in Virgo and 5907 in Draco are
spectacular in my scope.
c) I see a whole lot more detail with the same object in my scope
than I did, say, even two years ago. A lot of the progress curve with
us isn't in aperture but rather in retinal connections to cortex.
d) No way I would want to lug an 18 around. Maybe someday a 15, but
I've watched buddies haul and set up and break down 18" Dobbses
plenty. Nuh-uh. I put my tube on the mount, slap my hands and say,
'There, all set up'. Maybe 45 seconds total.
e) Yes, I've had memorable views in other scopes. That monster in
Leo, 2903, was amazing one night at Coulter in Peter Natscher's 20".
And 5907 was spectacular one night at Lake San Antonio in Jeff
Crilly's 15. But both those nights had great transparency and rare
fine seeing. And I really enjoy the awesome views of both those
galaxies in Felix, time after time.
Final moral. Sincerely, more and more you can see relatively new
stargazers, smart talented people, hauling around very big scopes,
yes even with go-to, and being partly overwhelmed by the weight and
complexity of their gear.
Strictly individual if candid thoughts.
Have fun tonight!
Jamie
-- Jamie Dillon <mavericks@redshift.com> <*> http://www.winepress.com/jd1.htm >TAC, http://observers.org "Kepler broke the ancient spell of perfect circles and uniform motion that had mesmerized astronomers for centuries." Michael Zeilik, U of NM.Received on Sat May 15 12:29:57 2004