by James Turley
| Date/Time | 5 Sep 2000 2030 PDT - 2200 PDT |
|---|---|
| Observers | James Turley Jamie Turley (9) |
| Location | Saratoga, CA 37.270072, -122.025586 |
| Telescopes | Orion Short Tube 80mm Meade 2000 9.5mm Plossl No Name 45% Erecting Prism Diagonal |
| Lunar Seeing | 8/10 transparency 8/10 steadiness |
| Limiting Mag | 5+ |
| Temp/Humid | 58o 62 |
| Atlas | Rukl, Atlas of the Moon, Sections 5, 12 and 13 |
Purchased a ST80 from the Orion Parking lot sale in Watsonville last month. Newly sealed factory boxed, with inverted finder 7x50, $158 OTA only.
Mainly as a Grab N Go for my son (9) who is showing a lot of interest, especially the "hardware" aspects of Astronomy. I mounted the ST80 on a new super light super sturdy Bogen Carbon One 440 tripod with 3130 Micro Fluid Video Head with Quick Release. Quick Release plate attached well to the 1/4-20 bracket on the OTA. The PolyCarbonate material is light and diamond hard. Can you make an OTA out of this stuff? It's amazing. Expensive though. I think about USD $280 for the tripod only.
This mount/head setup provides exceptional stability with minimum weight. Rigidity is superb. The fluid head provides butter smooth Alt/Az star hopping. OTA, head and tripod weigh less than 8 pounds, with EP's and Diagonal, and Finder. A true GrabNGo for my kid. The Pan Head is great for tracking and hopping.
Under clear and steady night skies. I grabbed the assembled rig from our living room. Knocked down the tripod legs and set up on my front sidewalk in a garden chair. Rukl at hand on a TV Dinner tray. The First Quarter Moon shining clear 3 degrees NW of red Antares.
First Impression was typical Achromat Green Chroma on edges. Very thin, no other color. Earlier, the Achro Venus test showed moderate flaring, with little or no green chroma.
Seeing was exceptionally clear and bright. Tonight I decided to introduce Jamie to Cassini and the Lunar Alps. He loves Rukl, after I promoted him to Navigator on our last trip to Yosemite together. He now want me to drive him to the moon, so he can navigate with Rukl.
The Terminator touched the Eastern side of Aristillus, its floor in complete shadow. Above, Vallis Alpes was in high relief, its floor completely in shadow, but upper walls shining. A gash through the mountains. Jamie asks how was it made. Hmm.....
Mons Blanc (3600m) casts a long shadow. Hey, that's as high as the top of Emmigrant Lift at Squaw Valley. The Western Escarpment of the Lunar Alps in clear relief.
Cassini was stunning. Central A crater completely illuminated. B in shadow. Theaetetus, a black dot.
Calippus, rimmed by the high peaks of the Lunar Caucasus was in full shadow, edges shining. Jamie was able to describe the tiny Rima Calippus. "Dad, what is the little curved line below the crater?"
I've been trying to teach him to slow down and spend more time in the EP. He usually looks for about 3 sec, and says "cool". Lately, I've been asking him to describe what he sees, to develop his observing vocabulary, and train him to absorb the image slowly. Next, I'll encourage him to write down his seeing of each feature (coupled with some reward, of course).
He loves his ST80. Shows all of his friends. Drags the scope out to see the moon in the day time as they scooter past the house. (Scooters are big around here).
Jamie identifies Eudoxus, but can't pronounce it. Calls it Exodus. ST80 can tease out the collapsed walls and even tiny Lamech.
The ST80 performance as a moon scope is impressive. Coupled with its short tube, light weight making for easy slewing, this scope makes an ideal kid's scope, and a great Adult Moon Scope. APO purists will be annoyed by Green Ring, of course. But..my kid thinks it's cool!