The following page will provide some answers to some FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and some general comments and ranting.
Welcome to my web site. As stated on the Welcome page this site is dedicated to Astronomy and Telescopes and is here for the purpose of providing information and links to amateur astronomers and to give me something to do on those nights of clouds and poor seeing (frequent here in Central Florida). I appreciate all the comments that I have received over the past 6 months and decided to put this page up to combine some of the common questions and provide a response to them. In most cases I have personally answered each comment prior to adding them to this forum. If you have comments please feel free to email me. This is the answer to the question.]
One of the first items I would like to address is that I am not an optical engineer, nor am I an "expert" in evaluating optics. This is a hobby and I enjoy spending time observing and also tinkering with telescopes and astro equipment. Any comment I may make is based simply on my experience and is nothing more than an opinion. Over the past 37 years or so, I have had the opportunity to use and "try" a lot of techniques and equipment. Hopefully I can pass on a few items that may be of benefit to you. The bottom line is that this is a fun hobby and I really want to keep it that way here. Thanks for visiting and I am looking forward to hearing from you.
["Nice site. I see you prefer refractors to reflectors. Any reason for that?
Robert from California
Robert,
Thanks for the comment on the site. Regarding your question....I want to make it perfectly clear that I am not going to get into the "Refractor vs. Reflector" war : ). Here in central Florida the seeing is not very good and I prefer the contrast of the refractor on "most" nights. When the need for aperture comes up I pull out the Dob and enjoy it very much. In my opinion, the best telescope is one that you use. That being said, I use my small refractors more than the big guns. They are quick and easy to set up and provide very nice views. Aesthetically the views through the refractors are more satisfying to me. That is a point of personal taste and preference.
John
"Do you feel there is any real advantage to owning a high end APO scope. Isn't a Dob as good as the APO and a lot cheaper? Wow lots of eyepieces."
Doug from Texas
Hi Doug,
See the comments above regarding refractors. Again...this is one of those Dob vs. APO type of questions. Is an APO scope worth the money? That would depend on the person using it. Obviously, I feel that it is worth it or I would not have two APO scopes. One thing to keep in mind is that I did not just run out and drop this kind of money on telescopes. It has taken many years of buying and selling and upgrading along the way to get here. I know many amateur astronomers that are perfectly happy with a nice achromatic refractor or mid sized Dob and they can do everything they want to do with them. Again it will come down to personal choice in the end. Get a scope you will use and spend the money that is comfortable for you to spend. This is still a hobby and the amount of investment should be based on a lot more than "Somebody said that this was the best telescope" What is best for them, may not be the best for you. Go to star parties and get with other amateur astronomers and find out what you like to view. Then pick the scope that is right for you based on your viewing preferences and budget.
John
This is the answer to the question.]
Hi John,
I really like your site and your telescopes. I notice you do not have any astro-photos on you pages. Do you do that?
Mike from NJ
Mike,
Thanks for dropping by the site. Many years ago I did some astrophotography and really enjoyed it. Now it just seems like every time I try to get set up to get back into it, something comes up to distract me. The bottom line is that I just have not taken the time to get back into it. The few clear nights we have is spent just looking and trying out equipment. In the future I might get back into it.
John
[This is the answer to the question.]
[Where can I buy used astronomy stuff? Is eBay a good place? Like your telescopes.
Brian (this is a common question asked by several visitors)
Brian (and all asking),
There are several good places to buy and sell astro gear. AstroMart is the most popular and has a pretty well established presence in the astro community. The site caters to the Amateur astronomer and is run by Herb York of Anacortes Telescope and Wild Bird. Registration is required to use the system and it is free to non commercial users. Herb runs a pretty tight ship there so mind your "Ps and Qs" : ) If you decide to register, make sure you use your real name and contact information. Herb keeps a pretty close track on those items. Do not worry about providing real information. In all the time I have used AstroMart (which has been a long time) I have never been spammed or had any problem with privacy.
In regards to eBay...It is a large non-specialized auction house and is a different venue all together. Personally I have used eBay for a good number of years and have not had any problems. Before you bid on anything though...check the sellers feedback very closely and also check some reliable sources in regards to the retail or market price of the item you are interested in. In many cases, bidding fever takes priority over sound judgment and you can easily end up paying more for a used item than you would for a new item of the same or better quality.
Regardless of how you decide to pursue used astronomy equipment.......Do your homework first.....Don't expect something for nothing....and..."Buyer Beware".
John. This is the answer to the question.]