| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| Ellipse | 11/17/2009 |
Q: What is the maximum and minimum distances from the earth to the sun during its elliptical orbit?
A: This is pretty easy to find on the internet. The maximum is about 94.5 million miles, and the ...
|
| Alt/Azimuth mount | 11/16/2009 |
Q: I have a reflector on an Alt/Azimuth mount with no coordinate markings on the mount at all. How am I ...
A: You can't use celestial coordinates with an alt-azimuth mount--it just doesn't work. The turning ...
|
| Telescope problem | 11/15/2009 |
Q: My Son just bought a 6" Newtonian reflector from Germany via eBay. I had a refractor many years ago ...
A: My guess is that you are looking at things that are too close, during the daytime. The focal plane ...
|
| TRUE Age of our Universe? | 11/11/2009 |
Q: Wagner, I have devoted quite some time attempting to locate a knowledgeable astrophysicist to ...
A: This is a great question--and even though I am not an astrophysicist, I do more or less know where ...
|
| Meade 290-C focuser | 11/3/2009 |
Q: I was given a Meade 290-C telescope but it is missing the focuser. Meade no longer stocks the part ...
A: You might find this article interesting---it's about this type of scope, and what serious amateurs ...
|
| built-in barlow | 10/29/2009 |
Q: Wagner: I recently purchased a celestron powerseeker 127 Eq. The label on the scope says 1000mm but ...
A: the short answer here is that if the scope was designed to incorporate this Barlow into its focal ...
|
| Meade 290-C focuser | 10/28/2009 |
Q: I was given a Meade 290-C telescope but it is missing the focuser. Meade no longer stocks the part ...
A: I am not surprised that you didn't get much help from customer service! But I want to ask a ...
|
| Astronomy and "global warming" | 10/23/2009 |
Q: Is "global warming" affecting the recreational astronomer? Do you have any images from the past to ...
A: It's hard to say how climate change would affect the recreational astronomer. Maybe there would be ...
|
| 4.5 or 5 inch newtonian reflector | 10/18/2009 |
Q: Wagner; I am on a limited budget and am considering either a 4.5 or 5 inch newtonian reflector by ...
A: There is little difference between these scopes---except that the 5 inch wll gather a bit more ...
|
| East is east and west is west | 10/7/2009 |
Q: If east is east and west is west, why does where the sun rises and sets vary by such a huge amount ...
A: I am sorry to have to tell you that the magnetic field of the Earth is yet ANOTHER variable in the ...
|
| East is east and west is west | 10/6/2009 |
Q: If east is east and west is west, why does where the sun rises and sets vary by such a huge amount ...
A: East is East, and West is West...but those are directions on Earth, and they don't really apply to ...
|
| Space | 9/22/2009 |
Q: 1. Can you provide me the best pictures of space? 2. Can you get me pictures of everything and ...
A: The best website for space photos is from the Hubble Telescope: http://hubblesite.org/ Be prepared ...
|
| telescope | 9/14/2009 |
Q: I have a tasco scope ,now i have the following lenses barlow 2.3x, 1.5 erecting lense, sr4mm , ...
A: I would start with the 12.5 eyepiece. That should give you about 50X or so...and that will easily ...
|
| Norther Lights | 9/9/2009 |
Q: Is there a way to tell when the Northern Lights might be able to be seen from Massachusetts?
A: The answer to your question is yes...and no. There are three factors that influence the appearance ...
|
| Telescope | 8/18/2009 |
Q: I am Steffi Michael. I love watching the night sky too but I have done it only through naked eyes. I ...
A: I can certainly give you some advice about making telescopes. The first questions you will have to ...
|
| Stellar Parallax | 8/10/2009 |
Q: I am looking for a simple explanation of calculating the distance of a star using stellar parallax. ...
A: The challenge is that using parallax also involves using Trigonometry. The system is simple, but ...
|
| telescopes - bang for the buck | 8/7/2009 |
Q: My ventures into dobs & cats have proved unsatisfactory, due almost entirely to back surgery & ...
A: Refractors, really good refractors, do probably give an image that might be 5% better than similar ...
|
| expensive little telescopes | 8/6/2009 |
Q: Yes, I ask you a question before, but this one is different, although related. I see lots of pricey ...
A: I agree with you on this one. I think those scopes are for people who have very expensive cars, and ...
|
| telescopes - bang for the buck | 8/6/2009 |
Q: My ventures into dobs & cats have proved unsatisfactory, due almost entirely to back surgery & ...
A: I think you have already beaten this question around a bit. As you know, all telescopes are ...
|
| upside down | 7/29/2009 |
Q: i didn't check it until i got it home my fault! problem is this everything is upside down can you ...
A: Not to worry. This is the natural and simplest way for a telescope to work---the reflections and ...
|
| viewing andromeda galaxy | 3/22/2009 |
Q: What are the minimum requirements in terms of mirror diameter and magnification the view the ...
A: This is a great question--because under really dark skies, you can see this galaxy with your naked ...
|
| Re: telescope magnifications | 3/16/2009 |
Q: I have just purchased a celestron astromaster 130 telescope. I set it up as per instructions. ...
A: I have some good news and some bad news. Let's start with the bad news: stars are so far away that ...
|
| Planets orbits | 3/16/2009 |
Q: Where can I find a 'space' map about the current position of the planets? Thank you
A: The best one is at Sky and Telescope's website. They are a great publication, and the have a ...
|
| older Telescope | 3/13/2009 |
Q: Paul, I inheredited a "Jason rotary powered 540" telescope. What can you tell me about this item ...
A: What you have here is a simple refractor telescope that was made for the masses. I don't have the ...
|
| comets | 3/2/2009 |
Q: I have got two questions concerning comets. I would like to know 1. how fast in general do comets ...
A: This is a tough one---I'll try to answer as best I can, but some of this is pretty complicated. 1. ...
|
| Telescope for Beginners | 2/18/2009 |
Q: Can you recommend a good telescope for beginners that is not too exspensive.
A: this is a much more complicated question than you might think. There are three options--and I would ...
|
| Iluminated field | 2/17/2009 |
Q: I think this is the last question. i'm going to use the telescope to watch deep sky objects and ...
A: Good to hear from you again. The moon is about 1/2 a degree in size, so for me, that is the minimum ...
|
| Lense Placement | 2/5/2009 |
Q: I have a jason model no.313, and I took the large lense out to clean it. when I went to place the ...
A: This is not as big a problem as you might think. I don't have the answer right off the top of my ...
|
| Eyepiece diameter | 1/24/2009 |
Q: What is the convenience, if any, of switching from a 1.25" to a 2" eyepiece in my telescope??
A: If your telescope is set up with a somewhat larger diagonal mirror, you lose a hair of light ...
|
| user manuel | 1/15/2009 |
Q: i have a jason model 307 explorer 400 telescope. is there a company that sells user manuels and ...
A: I don't know where you can get a manual for these--they change models and names a lot. I did find ...
|
| Meade ETX 80 Barlow flip problem | 12/29/2008 |
Q: I have just been given a Meade ETX80AT-TC refractor telescope. As I was finding my way around it, I ...
A: I haven't used one of these, so I can't really give you a complete answer...and I don't have one on ...
|
| Nibiru | 12/28/2008 |
Q: I would really like your insight into the "Planet X" or "Nibiru" claims going around at the moment, ...
A: This is all bogus. There is nothing in the sky that would be visible from the North Pole and not ...
|
| Meteorite | 12/27/2008 |
Q: In the mid to late 60's I witnessed a fireball in upstate NY, it was during the day and mid summer ...
A: You could try by starting with the International Meteor Organization. Here's a list of fireballs ...
|
| astronomy | 12/12/2008 |
Q: how do waves move when they move into more dense material?
A: This sounds suspiciously like a homework question, so I will just give you a very basic ...
|
| Astronomy | 12/9/2008 |
Q: This if for a project, BUT it is required of me to interview an expert(you) on 10 questions of my ...
A: These are great questions---congratulations to your teacher! 1. The b eauty. Beyond that, the ...
|
| What type of telescope should I get? | 12/5/2008 |
Q: I have no experience with telescopes or observing the night sky. I have always wanted to get a ...
A: Aperture is the diameter of the primary mirror or lens. That's the part of your optics that ...
|
| What type of telescope should I get? | 12/4/2008 |
Q: I have no experience with telescopes or observing the night sky. I have always wanted to get a ...
A: The Skyhawk is only 80 mm, or 3 inches in diameter, so it's a good general scope, but won't capture ...
|
| What type of telescope should I get? | 12/3/2008 |
Q: I have no experience with telescopes or observing the night sky. I have always wanted to get a ...
A: There are a lot of variables here. Where do you live? If you live in a brightly lit city, then you ...
|
| focusers | 12/3/2008 |
Q: I have a commercial refractor telescope and i don't know which is the focuser i want to use the ...
A: nice to hear from you again! The focuser is that part of the telescope the holds the eyepiece--it ...
|
| astronomy | 11/24/2008 |
Q: I have always been told that there are no dumb questions but I may prove that statement wrong - I ...
A: This is absolutely not a dumb question. You have hit upon one of the real issues of small ...
|
| Lots of questions | 11/14/2008 |
Q: I've been waiting eagerly for your return.Hope you had fun in your vacation.I know you got bored ...
A: I was actually working---traveling through the US and Europe onn business. But now I am back and ...
|
| U.F.O. Sighting 06.09.08. | 9/7/2008 |
Q: Good evening, at 11.15 PM, 06.09.08, 5 witness's including myself encountered a shock of disbelief ...
A: My first two guesses would be a fireball that broke up on entry into the Earth's atmosphere, sending ...
|
| where | 9/4/2008 |
Q: can i ask where to get a good telescope lens
A: You can make telescopes out of both lenses and mirrors. Most amateurs make them from mirrors--and ...
|
| Telescope filters and tube | 8/30/2008 |
Q: What do the telescope filters do?Does the blue filter attract the blue color or does it block it or ...
A: Good to hear from you again. A blue filter let's only blue light through---but it makes some ...
|
| Jason astronomy scope-Explorer 400- Model 307 | 8/9/2008 |
Q: Just puchased the above scope: Jason Explorer 400, Model 307 for $15. It needs a Finder scope ...
A: I don't know where you can buy the fittings for those scopes anymore--I think Meade and Celestron ...
|
| Mount | 7/20/2008 |
Q: Hey, I am building a dobsonian telescope and i like everything except the mount so can i build a ...
A: There a lots of plans for these platforms on the internet; Here are three sites that should hlep ...
|
| telescope tracking | 7/3/2008 |
Q: Paul, I have a Celestron 8 Advanced Series GT. I have no trouble aligning the scope and the go-to ...
A: Ah! This is the ultimate challenge: astrophotography. Most experts use an offset eyepiece at very ...
|
| Mount | 6/30/2008 |
Q: Hey, I am building a dobsonian telescope and i like everything except the mount so can i build a ...
A: The equatorial platform will come with a tracking motor, so that won't be a problem. The GOTO ...
|
| Fully illuminated field | 6/30/2008 |
Q: Hey, Hope you had fun in your vacation. First, I don't understand the fully illuminated field and ...
A: H Hady You have calculate d2 from your telescope plans...how long is your focuser, and how far ...
|
| Mount | 6/30/2008 |
Q: Hey, I am building a dobsonian telescope and i like everything except the mount so can i build a ...
A: It's hard to put a dobsonian scope on an equatorial mount, because these scopes are designed to ...
|
| Fully illuminated field | 6/30/2008 |
Q: Hey, Hope you had fun in your vacation. First, I don't understand the fully illuminated field and ...
A: Yep--vacation was a lot of fun... Here's the deal on secondary mirrors. They have to capture the ...
|
| dob platform | 5/10/2008 |
Q: I just bought a single-axis equatorial platform for my 14.5" Antares dob through Astro-Mart. I ...
A: I don't have one of these, but the theory is pretty simple. You need to point it due North ( not ...
|
| telescope | 5/1/2008 |
Q: Can you please tell me a website because there are no books here i dont understand how the dobsonian ...
A: Unfortunately you need too much information to put in an email, but your questions and much more ...
|
| telescope | 5/1/2008 |
Q: Can you please tell me a website because there are no books here i dont understand how the dobsonian ...
A: You should check out these websites for a quick lesson on dobsonian telescopes: ...
|
| building a telescope | 4/30/2008 |
Q: I want to build a telescope and the primary mirrors that are available here in egypt are not alot ...
A: You will need to design your telescope to determine how far away from the focal point the secondary ...
|
| jason telescope | 4/30/2008 |
Q: Our basement was recently flooded and a Jason telescope that my husband bought for the kids at a ...
A: Jason scopes were entry level telescopes, and most had a few problems that made them a little hard ...
|
| building a telescope | 4/27/2008 |
Q: I want to build a telescope and the primary mirrors that are available here in egypt are not alot ...
A: I can give you lots of advice, but the first advice I will give you is that you need to find a ...
|
| telescope tracking | 4/24/2008 |
Q: The tracking system on my telescope does not appear to be working properly; I would like to know how ...
A: Testing the tracking is easy: point it an an object (ideally along the equator, where the motion is ...
|
| 13.5 | 4/14/2008 |
Q: Where can I find pictures of an equ mount to get good construction ideas. I have a 14" 3/4" wall ...
A: You are asking a great question--I once spent about two years looking on-line for one of these, and ...
|
| 13.5" 103" fl construction | 4/11/2008 |
Q: Where can I find pictures of an equ mount to get good construction ideas. I have a 14" 3/4" wall ...
A: This is a big scope. I have a 13.5 inch scope, but the fl is only about 65 inches! I am a little ...
|
| red and green blinking lights | 4/5/2008 |
Q: From Yuma, AZ, looking west at what I believe is Orion (the three stars in a row as the belt), and ...
A: I am in Napa Valley, so this one is a bit tought for me...but if you can see blinking lights in ...
|
| dob eq trackers | 3/18/2008 |
Q: I have a 14.5" Antares dob that I'd like to get onto a tracking platform. I have a chance to get an ...
A: I don't want to dodge these questions, but I would suggest that you drop Tom Osypowksi a note--he ...
|
| RA tracking drive motor problem | 3/3/2008 |
Q: I have a F8 Catadioptric Newtonian on a Equatorial mount. The clock drive motor is an EQ3 single ...
A: It all depends on your magnification. At 35X, it won't be too bad, but at 150X or so you really ...
|
| RA tracking drive motor problem | 3/1/2008 |
Q: I have a F8 Catadioptric Newtonian on a Equatorial mount. The clock drive motor is an EQ3 single ...
A: this is a confusing one, I'll admit. If your base is, indeed, perfectly level (that's my first ...
|
| jason discoverer model 313 telescope | 2/27/2008 |
Q: is there an instructional manual available?
A: Here is one site with the whole manual (for a 313) as a series of jpegs: ...
|
| How stars are formed | 2/17/2008 |
Q: How do stars form in clusters or binary when the solar winds from the stars that were formed first ...
A: Well, the universe is mostly hydrogen. Over 90%of the matter in the universe. The reason that the ...
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| How stars are formed | 2/17/2008 |
Q: How do stars form in clusters or binary when the solar winds from the stars that were formed first ...
A: Let's start with clearing up something. The moon does not have any atmosphere because the molecular ...
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| telescope optics | 2/10/2008 |
Q: When setting up my telescope using hills a mile or so away, they were inverted. Does this mean that ...
A: This is normal for astronomical scopes. To get the image turned right side up, you need a couple of ...
|
| Help picking out a telescope. | 2/7/2008 |
Q: I brought a telescope twice and had to return both of them because my 14 year old and I don't know ...
A: This may be an odd thing to say, but I recommend that you don't get a telescope right now. Instead, ...
|
| The Universe and the Neurons | 1/12/2008 |
Q: I am a researcher looking into science and religion and during my studies I have found out that ...
A: Sorry to disappoint you, but any similarities in appearance are purely coincidental. IT's really ...
|
| telescope Alignment | 1/12/2008 |
Q: I have a EQ6 mount with 10 inch tube and I want align the mount in daylight time . please help me . ...
A: I am sure that if you need three stars, you won't be able to do this in the daytime. If you are ...
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| telescope Alignment | 1/12/2008 |
Q: I have a EQ6 mount with 10 inch tube and I want align the mount in daylight time . please help me . ...
A: Yes, I undertand--but it will be impossible to line your telescope up in daylight for GOTO ...
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| telescope Alignment | 1/12/2008 |
Q: I have a EQ6 mount with 10 inch tube and I want align the mount in daylight time . please help me . ...
A: You can do this...but it is much easier at night. To do it during the daytime, you will need to ...
|
| Planet X | 12/30/2007 |
Q: I read where NASA discovered Planet X in Dec. 1983 with the IRAS telescope. The story was published ...
A: The problem is calling anything "planet X." What Nasa found was a smaller "planet" that orbits ...
|
| Another Question | 12/26/2007 |
Q: Hey Paul. I have asked you a question before about buying my first telescope and you helped me out ...
A: Moce to hear from you again! Sounds like the scope is working out great. I am assuming that you ...
|
| Stars | 12/17/2007 |
Q: I have a rather odd question that is bugging me. Can you tell me if science has got star evolution ...
A: I understand your questions--a lot of us have questions about this whole thing. But I don't think ...
|
| Radio Telescopes | 11/6/2007 |
Q: What space exploration problems have radio telescopes helped with?
A: This sounds suspiciously like a homework question. But once you understand that radio waves are ...
|
| radio telescopes | 11/6/2007 |
Q: What is a radio telescope and what does it look like?
A: A radio telescope is a telescope that observes the skies with radio waves instead of visible light. ...
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| finder scopes | 11/5/2007 |
Q: I apologize if I've asked this question before - I know I have asked you a question in the recent ...
A: Here is the answer I sent you ... Hi Tom There are as many opinions as there are astronomers about ...
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| amateur | 11/2/2007 |
Q: I've had a Carson 50mm AIM refracting telescope for a few years now (that I got for free) and I've ...
A: Lots of questions! You need to get far enough out of town to see magnitude 5 stars. If you can't ...
|
| amateur | 11/1/2007 |
Q: I've had a Carson 50mm AIM refracting telescope for a few years now (that I got for free) and I've ...
A: There aren't very many 50mm scopes that are much good. The moon is just about the best an easiest ...
|
| telescope | 10/29/2007 |
Q: How far can the worlds biggest telescope see out to in outer pace
A: As far as light can travel. With a long exposure camera, they can see billions of light years into ...
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| Stars | 10/26/2007 |
Q: I wrote you recently and your prompt answer impressed me so that I thought I would write you ...
A: Nice to hear from you again! Two things: 1. Yes, unless you are looking through a telescope, Mars ...
|
| Just curious | 10/24/2007 |
Q: I have a question about a star and anomalie I saw outside last night. I will try to describe it the ...
A: This is a classic description of the effect of the atmostphere on a star that is low on the horizon. ...
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| optics | 10/19/2007 |
Q: You'll know how stupid about optics I am after this question. I know we don't use the term 'power' ...
A: Boy, are you close. You have all the pieces, you just haven't put it all together. Those numbers on ...
|
| finder scope | 10/16/2007 |
Q: I have a "new" (to me) 14.5" truss dob, ostensibly custom made by Antares. While collimating it I ...
A: There are as many opinions as there are astronomers about finder scopes. I started out using an ...
|
| astro-fest | 9/27/2007 |
Q: sir, this is in response to your answer. i had not received your earlier reply because i had wrongly ...
A: If you want to get people interested, you have to do more than just tell them things--you have to ...
|
| astro-fest | 9/26/2007 |
Q: sir, we are students of IT-BHU, India and our college is going to conduct an astronomy fest ...
A: I would start with a couple of specific questions: 1. What is your goal for this event? 2. ...
|
| 2 moons on August 27, 2007 | 8/17/2007 |
Q: ...Is this real or a hoax? Thanks, Patty
A: I am sorry, but this is almost a pure hoax. It is true that in August of 2003, Mars was as close to ...
|
| satillites | 8/16/2007 |
Q: Paul, I just asked you about the stars and you suggested they may be satillites. My daughter wanted ...
A: Nice to hear from you again! Yes, they are man-made satellites, orbiting Earth. They do ...
|
| outer space | 8/16/2007 |
Q: Last week while viewing the meteor showers, I noticed way up in the sky, objects the size and color ...
A: I am pretty sure that what you saw were satellites--your description is very accurate. These are ...
|
| Help me please. | 7/5/2007 |
Q: To whom it may concern, I am starting to look into astronomy and recently bought a cheap telescope ...
A: I am a huge believer in not just looking at the sky, but learning your way around the constellations ...
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| infa red telescopes over optical telescopes | 7/3/2007 |
Q: Im a grade nine student in need of help. I have serveral questions about telescopes. 1. do infrared ...
A: These sound a bit like homework questions...but I will give you a little help anyway. 1. They ...
|
| accessible astronomy | 7/3/2007 |
Q: I'm wondering if you can name some great books on astronomy (or cosmology) for non-astronomists. ...
A: Carl Sagan's book Cosmos is a great choice for either description...and should be available at most ...
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| Help me please. | 7/2/2007 |
Q: To whom it may concern, I am starting to look into astronomy and recently bought a cheap telescope ...
A: There are four main elements to the cost and performance of a telescope, and magnification is only ...
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| Dob telescope purchase | 4/25/2007 |
Q: Paul..I am considering a 12" Dob to buy. Generally the skies where I live in Florida are dark but ...
A: You sound as if you have a good idea about all this stuff already. With that kind of light ...
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| Light travel & Telescopes | 4/12/2007 |
Q: A simple debate arose. here is the topic of the debate, if a star burnt out and stopped sending a ...
A: They would see it at the same time. The telescope collects light the same way your eye does...it ...
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| telescope problems | 3/11/2007 |
Q: I guess i am a dummy, I have a galileo FS-102Nt and I have attempted to line it up with the red dot, ...
A: This is a tough question. I will try to talk you through it--but the best solution is to find a ...
|
| night sky | 2/27/2007 |
Q: Which nebula and galaxy will I be able to see in Corpus Christi,Tx with a small telescope in March.
A: This is a great question, but there are a lot of variables. The two most important ones are: How ...
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| Binocular Strength | 2/1/2007 |
Q: . I'm very much an amateur astronomer and I'm looking to buy a budget pair of binoculars to observe ...
A: For astronomy, the magnification isn't as important as the light-gathering power. Binoculars are ...
|
| telescope 'remodeling' | 1/20/2007 |
Q: I'm hungry for aperture, and once had a good telescope (Celestron NextStar 11" SCT). But I had to ...
A: Absolutely! The concept will work--although I think any time you move a reflector, you will have to ...
|
| Telescope problems | 12/24/2006 |
Q: ok i have been having some really really bad problems with the new telescope that i have just ...
A: Let's start with the easy one---every astronomer should know how to find North. And if you don't ...
|
| What Should I Do | 12/16/2006 |
Q: I am 30 years old. i did my B.Com and then MBA in 1999. Now I am doing my own business. I know i ...
A: Start at a local community college taking the basic prep courses for astronomy. You will need lots ...
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| telescope | 12/9/2006 |
Q: I am intreasted in purchasing a telescope for night sky observation, however i dont know where to ...
A: Most amateurs focus on a couple of things to look at in the sky: the moon and planets, and the ...
|
| Telescopes | 12/7/2006 |
Q: I am an expert in Yosemite National Park, but have a question about telescopes. When I was young, ...
A: Given where you are, you should have a GREAT telescope. I worked their as a guide 35 years ...
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| telescopes | 10/9/2006 |
Q: i had been considering a refractor because i heard that the reflectors are harder to maintain ? Do ...
A: Don't worry about the maintenance. If you keep it clean, a reflector needs very little maintenance. ...
|
| telescopes | 10/8/2006 |
Q: I have a very basic and amateur question. I am just beginning to learn the bare essentials of ...
A: Why a refractor? they are generally more expensive per inch of aperture, and for most amateur ...
|
| light year info | 8/31/2006 |
Q: I saw that ABC special last night, End of Time, or whatever it was. They talked about the ...
A: This is Paul, not Philip, but I can help you with answers. There were a number of experiments to ...
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| telascope power | 8/22/2006 |
Q: what is the most power you can get out of a 10" reflector telascope? and fare should the ...
A: There is practical answer to these questions, and a theoretical answer. The practical answer is ...
|
| help me out | 8/13/2006 |
Q: Would you happen to know anything about Telescopes because I recently got one 2 months ago its the ...
A: This is a great question---and you already have much of the answer. WHile this scope is not huge, ...
|
| Which telescope? | 7/25/2006 |
Q: It's me again. Thank you for answering so quickly and being so explanatory. I just have one more ...
A: Yes, faster focal ratios can have more errors, but it shouldn't be an issue at f/4.9. The center of ...
|
| Which telescope? | 7/25/2006 |
Q: I am ready to move to a bigger telescope but because of the price I am between two telescopes. I ...
A: Take the larger scope--it will reduce exposure times ( and tracking errors ) by half at least. But ...
|
| How Can I build a small useful Periscope? | 6/22/2006 |
Q: I need incormation or someone who can answer questions such as " given two tubes one of 2" and one ...
A: Let me offer you a few ideas, just to get you started: 1. First of all, for a periscope, you ...
|
| Meteorite Sighting in '69 | 6/10/2006 |
Q: In the summer of '69, I was one of many people at a motel in Palm Springs, CA that saw a large ...
A: The really big meteorite of April 1969 was in the UK, not in the US. It sounds as if you saw a ...
|
| space | 4/3/2006 |
Q: do you know where I could download small sized video files about space's origins, space exploration ...
A: THe Jep Propulsion Lab at Cal Tech has some of these...but here is a link to all sorts of ...
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| telescope types | 4/3/2006 |
Q: I know the optics of the different types of scope but I hope you can answer a question that's been ...
A: You are asking the wrong guy. I have four scopes--reflectors from 4.25 to 17.5 inches in diameter, ...
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| Tracking | 3/2/2006 |
Q: Is it possible to take some good deep sky pictures tracking manually? If possible, how could that be ...
A: The piggy back method will give you some good results--I know, because I have done it! Both of ...
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| Tracking | 3/2/2006 |
Q: Is it possible to take some good deep sky pictures tracking manually? If possible, how could that be ...
A: The answer is yes...but not through your scope. Attach a nice SLR camera to it, don't use a ...
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| Re: Astronomy binoculars | 2/20/2006 |
Q: Once again, thanks for the insight. I was wondering if it mattered that the binoculars are not ...
A: No, waterproofing is only for binoculars that are going to be used on a boat, or in the rain...not ...
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| Re: Astronomy binoculars | 2/17/2006 |
Q: I'm sorry, but I have so many questions. I found some Orion binoculars at amazon.com for what ...
A: These are all very good questions, so don't apologize! OK--remember that the second number in any ...
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| Re: Astronomy binoculars | 2/16/2006 |
Q: I already sent a similar e-mail last week, but got no response. I was wondering what kinds of ...
A: Here is how I answered your question last week: Dear Terez: Nikon makes good optics. But while ...
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| newtonian to schmidt cassegrain telescope | 2/12/2006 |
Q: i have a 10" newtonian scope, but it is really big- about 5 feet long. it is a hassle to set up and ...
A: There are a million different ways to adapt telescopes...but they all start with the optics ...
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| I don't particularly know... | 2/10/2006 |
Q: I don't particularly know much of anything about astronomy. However, my husband expressed an ...
A: Daer Terez: Nikon makes good optics. But while astronomy binoculars work well in the rest of the ...
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| Telescope Questions???? | 2/6/2006 |
Q: can't find answers to some of the questions. Please do not feel like you have to detail everything ...
A: I normally don't get involved in school work. These are quite important questions, and it is really ...
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| Meade 290c Telescope | 1/28/2006 |
Q: I got a Present, a "Meade 290c" but no instructions.Can You please help me? It says on it 3x and d ...
A: I can explain some of this...and some you may have to give me a bit more information. d60mm means ...
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| Telescope | 1/19/2006 |
Q: My husband bought a Jason Model 313 Discoverer Astronomical Telescope at a yard sale. It has the ...
A: Sounds like you have a fun project! OK--On the telescope, please make sure you have an eyepiece. ...
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| How far can we see into space... | 1/3/2006 |
Q: How far can we see into space using most powerful telescopes?
A: We can see back to very near to when the Universe began....well over 13 billion years ago. SO what ...
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| Telescope Covers | 12/24/2005 |
Q: Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, Could you help me with a problem please? I have recently ...
A: Merry Christmas to you! Yes, you have now achieved amateur astronomy nirvana: you finally can ...
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| Teleskop | 12/20/2005 |
Q: I greet. I on what parameters have to pay back attention buying telescope? About what to ask in ...
A: Yes, buying from an experienced person is important. The most important factors in buying a ...
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| Beginner telescope | 12/11/2005 |
Q: I'm interested in buying my boyfriend a telescope for Christmas. He's not a serious astronomer, but ...
A: Good questions! 1. Yeah, the light pollution in NYC is terrible. That's why you should get him a ...
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| optics | 12/10/2005 |
Q: Stars, streetlamps and other foci of light seem to have rays which proceed outward from the light's ...
A: I have some bad news for you. Stars do not have rays--in fact, they are almost perfect point ...
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| magnification to see galixies | 12/3/2005 |
Q: My Question is how much magnificaeion is needed to see/photograph most galixies. Is 40x enough, or ...
A: it's not just a question of magnification...light gathering power is more important for these dim ...
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| telescope mounting | 11/7/2005 |
Q: We're a small architecture practice in South London, UK, and we've recently been short-listed to ...
A: This is a great question. I am sorry to say that I don't know of any other professional ...
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| Herschel and Uranus | 11/3/2005 |
Q: Could you please give me a little information about Sir William Herschel and the Telescope he used ...
A: The Telescopes used by Herschel were huge--one was more than four feet in diameter. That's a lot ...
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| Collimation | 11/1/2005 |
Q: I wrote a few days ago about a reflector 4.5" f/4.4. I was trying to look at Venus, but the planet ...
A: Venus is just about the worst thing to use for collimation---it is fuzzy anyway, and often is low on ...
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| Focusing with a reflector | 10/29/2005 |
Q: I just bought my second telescope, it is a reflector 114mm, f/4.4. The problem that I have ...
A: Direct image projection on these scopes is tough, because the focal length is so short, and the ...
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| Electromagnetic spectrum | 9/20/2005 |
Q: Since only two or three of the waves (radio,visible light)in the electromagnetic spectrum ever reach ...
A: It's true that our atmosphere protects us from astronomical x-rays, and that's a good thing! But ...
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| astronomy | 9/18/2005 |
Q: --can you also givem e some more information please like what i could add towards this essay? etc. ...
A: I thought I did that in my last reply...but let me be more specific. I think you should mention the ...
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| astronomy | 9/18/2005 |
Q: would it be possible if you go over this for me and make changes to it or add to it please??? You ...
A: I won't finish this for you...but I think it is pretty good. One thing that you should make very ...
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| astronomy | 9/16/2005 |
Q: I'm doing a beginners course on astronomy and I was wondering if you know some information about ...
A: There is NO hard scientific evidence of life on other planets. But there certainly is all sorts of ...
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| brand new observing sites gone bad | 9/16/2005 |
Q: I was reading a book called "Astrophysical Techniques" when I came across this: "It is well-known ...
A: Sorry I didn't answer sooner--I was in Italy. But yes, there are any number of observing sites that ...
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| planets | 9/12/2005 |
Q: i would like to know how much each planet moves a year? i am doing a project ay school and need to ...
A: This is not an easy question to answer. The real question is, motion in relation to what? Each ...
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| looking for a project subject | 9/10/2005 |
Q: I want to work on an astronomical project and I'm looking for a subject, and is better if the ...
A: For amateurs, the field is pretty limited in a lot of ways. You might try observing minor planets ...
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| Northern and Southern Hemisphere Star | 8/19/2005 |
Q: So, if I am travelling to New York City then the Caribbean for a few weeks and I wanted to tell a ...
A: What a sweet idea--and yes, Scorpio would be a good constellation to mention. It has a very bright ...
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| Northern and Southern Hemisphere Star | 8/19/2005 |
Q: Is there a star that can be seen from both the southern and northern hemispheres?
A: Sure--plenty of stars. Remember that you can see some stars of the southern hemisphere from the ...
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| Basic telescope advice for a gift | 8/11/2005 |
Q: I am looking for a gift idea for my father. I was thinking maybe a telescope, somewhere in the $500 ...
A: Check out this site to see what is involved: http://sfsidewalkastronomers.org/telescopes/building/ ...
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| Basic telescope advice for a gift | 8/10/2005 |
Q: I am looking for a gift idea for my father. I was thinking maybe a telescope, somewhere in the $500 ...
A: This is a good question--and the answer depends on the kind of guy your father is. If he is someone ...
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| optics | 7/24/2005 |
Q: I may have asked you a question before, but not sure. My question involves the Celestron C 9.25" ...
A: There SHOULDN'T be a difference in the optics. I suspect it is a little simpler than that. Since ...
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| historical accounts | 7/23/2005 |
Q: I'm a recent college grad. I was talking a lifer friend of mine (he's been in college for 6 years) ...
A: Your friend may have taken a lot of science classes, but I'l bet he got these questions wrong on the ...
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| telescope design | 7/14/2005 |
Q: I have several questions, but will pester you with only a couple here. It seems that the refractors, ...
A: The first part is easy. Usable magnification on a scope is primarily a function of the quality of ...
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| moons of Jupiter | 7/9/2005 |
Q: Is it possible to see the moons of Jupiter without a telescope?
A: This is a great question. The four brightest moons of Jupiter are just barely bright enough, at ...
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| Collimating a Vixen 90mm Flourite APO | 5/6/2005 |
Q: I recently purchased a used Vixen 90mm Flourite APO Refractor, and I noticed that there are ...
A: First of all--most refractors don't ever require collimation...that's one of their big advantages. ...
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| Best Eyepieces | 5/2/2005 |
Q: Paul, My wonderful wife got me an 8" Celestron SCT a couple of days ago, and I am having a great ...
A: First of all, let me congratulate you on choosing a truly remarkable wife! The 12mm is a great ...
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| moon | 4/26/2005 |
Q: What would happen if the moon stopped revolving around the earth?
A: This sounds suspiciously like a homework question....! First of all, I am assuming that you mean ...
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| Earth | 4/20/2005 |
Q: Could we artificially speed up the earth's rotation if it stoped or was slowing? -Sarah
A: Sarah: The only way we could do this would be a question of action and reaction--we would have to ...
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| Earth's rotation | 4/19/2005 |
Q: What would happen if the Earth stopped rotating over a period of time and stopped altogether but eas ...
A: I think this must be a homework questions....because you are the second person to ask me this today! ...
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| Earth's Rotation | 4/19/2005 |
Q: What would happen if the Earth stopped rotating gradually?
A: This is already happening. Due to the influence of the gravity of the moon ( and of the sun ) the ...
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| hi
I Have just got... | 3/24/2005 |
Q: I Have just got a newtonian telescope which is 76mm diameter and 900mm focal length.I have got 2 ...
A: You have a nice telescope there, and you should have a lot of fun with it. I don't know what ...
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| stars | 3/8/2005 |
Q: Why does the sky seem more populated with stars one night, and the next there seem to be far fewer? ...
A: The answer is pretty simple--it's light pollution. Our civilization creates so much light that the ...
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| (hard to explain) | 2/20/2005 |
Q: I guess my main question would be if a telescope has been aimed in one direction for more than just ...
A: The real issue here is how quickly things change. Except for a few very rare situations, the stars ...
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| (hard to explain) | 2/18/2005 |
Q: Paul, I hope you are able to understand my question. As I learned in astronomy you sometimes see ...
A: Telescopes have been aimed at one section of the sky for a few hours, to capture all the light from ...
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| starting amateur club | 2/3/2005 |
Q: we 4 friends r going 2 start a new astronomy club in our college . wht equipments v require 2 start ...
A: I don't think you need much equipment. Don't forget that even some professional astronomers focus ...
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| Color | 1/31/2005 |
Q: What color would a red cloth be if it were illuminated by a white light, a green light, and a blue ...
A: This sounds suspiciously like a homework question.... For white light, the answer is pretty ...
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| astronomy | 12/18/2004 |
Q: MR.PAUL WAGNER We are geology group from “world-links group" JORDAN we want to ask you some ...
A: these sound suspiciously like homework questions...but here goes: Sunspots don't have an effect on ...
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| What exactly is a "Saros cycle"... | 12/13/2004 |
Q: What exactly is a "Saros cycle" in layman's terms please, Thank you! Lola
A: The Saros Cycle is just a fancy name for the roughly 18 year-long cycle of eclipses. The Earth and ...
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| Looking Back? | 11/29/2004 |
Q: I heard that when you look at certain stars in the sky, it takes so long for the light to travel to ...
A: I think you have a pretty good handle on this already. Light travels at 186,000 miles per ...
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| go-to dob | 11/27/2004 |
Q: Is there such a thing as a GOTO dobsonian, with drives that can track and maintain alignment for ...
A: You are a man after my own heart! You want a go-to, clock drive dobsonian, and you want to build it ...
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| hi
In egypt, telescopes are... | 11/27/2004 |
Q: In egypt, telescopes are illegal and can't be found. But I am a real fan of astronmy and I want to ...
A: You can grind your own mirror for a reflecting telescope...look at willman-bell for kits to do that. ...
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| schmidt newtonian telescope | 11/14/2004 |
Q: I can not seem to get much info. on this type of newtonian. So I gather it has a corrective lens ...
A: The real advantage of a schmidt Cassegrain is that it provides high power in a small package. The ...
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| telescopes | 11/9/2004 |
Q: So does that mean that the sky would appear to be motionless?What would happen if the motor on your ...
A: Jamie: The motor on your telescope, if evrything is properly aligned, will keep the same object in ...
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| telescopes | 11/9/2004 |
Q: What would happen if the motor on your telescope broke in the middle of an observing session? What ...
A: yes, it would be noticeable, almost immediately, because the rotation of the Earth makes the whole ...
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| moon and seasons | 10/8/2004 |
Q: does any random point on the earth's surface move closer and further away from the moon depending on ...
A: Yep. As the earth rotates, first one side and then the other is closer to the moon. And the moon's ...
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| Toutatis Asteroid | 9/15/2004 |
Q: I live 20 miles N.E.of Detroit,on the standard star chart,where can I expect to observe Toutatis,and ...
A: Toutatis is a very small asteroid with an extremely unusual orbit. Note that because of this, it ...
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| apparent size of the moon | 9/3/2004 |
Q: How many moons would it take to entirely fill the sky? I heard that the number was 10,000 but round ...
A: This is really a math problem...but think of it this way: The diameter of the full moon is just ...
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| choosing telescope | 8/30/2004 |
Q: What telescope do you recommend? I have $400. Thanks. Mike.
A: A telescope is always a compromise. The perfect scope would have huge aperture, so that it collects ...
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| The Cassini Mission | 8/22/2004 |
Q: Has The Cassini Mission launched in 1997 reached Saturn and do you have any good interrnet sources ...
A: The newspapers have been full of this mission's activities recently, including four new moons ...
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| Early Universe | 8/21/2004 |
Q: Um...Does that make sense? Not sure if it does. I am thinking about this: The "back then" you tell ...
A: Sorry my first answer wasn't clear enough. I'll try to get more specific: The "back then" you ...
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| Early Universe | 8/21/2004 |
Q: When we see pictures of the early universe, like those taken by the Hubble telescope, can we locate ...
A: Those Hubble photos of the early universe are of objects 10 to 14 billion light years away. The ...
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| Planet of the Crossing | 8/17/2004 |
Q: I'm sure you may have been asked this in the recent past, but not by me. I am hearing increasing ...
A: I am surprised you are still hearing about this. Their crazy predictions were that this planet was ...
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| telescopes | 8/1/2004 |
Q: I have purchased a reflective telescope second hand but I only want to view distant landscapes ...
A: Sorry to say, you really have bought the wrong kind of telescope for use here on Earth. Astronomic ...
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| moon/earth | 6/15/2004 |
Q: How long does it take the moon to travel around the earth and how do they calculate this and when ...
A: The moon travels around the earth about once a month...you can see this from the phases of the moon. ...
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| Right ascension/declination | 6/12/2004 |
Q: I own a 4.5 inch reflector telescope and have been looking at the sky "manually" for a few months. ...
A: Yes--youa re getting into more interesting stuff, aren't you! So let's start with a couple of ...
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| Can angular velocity cover more distance than light!!!! | 6/3/2004 |
Q: I am anup & here is another question for you. 1)Consider,a huge circle made up of very light ...
A: What happens to the mass of any object when it approaches the speed of light? The flaws in your ...
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| Absolute space & relativity | 6/2/2004 |
Q: My name is anup & I want to ask you very baffling questions. 1)If a train on the earth moves with ...
A: I was not quite serious enough in my answer to #4--so have revised it. 1. The person on the sun ...
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| Triton | 4/17/2004 |
Q: I was reading a book that said that astronomers believe that Triton may have been captured by ...
A: Here's a nice description of the issue: Triton orbits Neptune in what is known as a retrograde ...
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| small telescope | 3/23/2004 |
Q: i have a cheap small telescope that works very well when looking at the moon and objects on the ...
A: You have the hardest combination right now--a small telescope, and the planet Venus. Even my large ...
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| re-starting | 3/23/2004 |
Q: Paul, Thanks very much for the VERY prompt and informative answer. If I may. I'd like to follow up, ...
A: It's not as simple as it sounds. On the one hand, to see dim objects, you need aperture and/or time ...
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| re-starting | 3/23/2004 |
Q: I'm looking to take up the astronomy hobby I had at age 13 - after a hiatus of 48 years. Retiring ...
A: Great question. First of all, go to a few star parties and see what other people are using. I have ...
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| telescope calculations and performace | 3/22/2004 |
Q: How does one determine the maximum useful magnification of a telescope? In compound scopes do you ...
A: The useful magnification does depend on seeing conditions, as well as the quality of the scope. ...
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| Telescope columnation | 3/10/2004 |
Q: I have a Helios Startravel 150mm refractor scope on an EQ5 mount. Part of the kit that came with the ...
A: I think I will need a picture to really help you with this one. A refractor should almost never ...
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| Detection | 2/19/2004 |
Q: Why can't we use normal light (observable light) to detect the birth of stars and protostars but ...
A: This sounds suspiciously like a homework question....but let's start with what we know: Stars are ...
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| stellar distances | 2/16/2004 |
Q: I have found that when I look up stellar distances in various books and websites I get a variety of ...
A: The reason there seem to be some discrepancies concerning stellar distances has to do with the ...
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