Nice. Orions are basic but good. I'm in the process of restoring a 6 inch Criterion RV6 Dynascope built in 1974. It has a RA Drive so it can track objects, assuming I can get it working. Really looking forward to using it on the planets. Hope I can get it completed this year.

One thing you do want to get if the scope doesn't already have them is a decent set of eyepieces. Orion sells a kit containing five eyepieces of varying focal lengths along with a 2x Barlow lens and some color filters, which effectively gives you the equivalent of ten eyepieces for about 170 bucks. Something to consider if the scope doesn't already have a bunch of eyepieces.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

I sold my 10" dobsonian several years ago in a pinch for cash. Luckily one of my best friends bought the same model not long after. He and I have seriously been talking about building a 17" lately.

One of the most humbling experiences in my life was the first time I saw Jupiter and Saturn through a high powered scope. To clearly see the rings as well as many of their moons informs you how insignificant you really are.

__________________

90 300TE 4-M
Turbo 103, T3/T04E 50 trim
T04B cover .60 AR
Stage 3 turbine .63 AR
A2W I/C, 40 LB/HR
MS2E, 60-2 Direct Coil Control
3" Exh, AEM W/B O2
Underdrive Alt. and P/S Pulleys,
Vented Rear Discs, .034 Booster.
3.07 diffs 1st Gear Start

90 300CE 104.980
Milled & ported head, 10.3:1 compression
197° intake cam w/20° advancer
Tuned CIS ECU
4° ignition advance
PCS TCM2000, built 722.6
600W networked suction fan
Sportline sway bars
V8 rear subframe, Quaife ATB 3.06 diff

yep

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

Awesome pic. But factually inaccurate I believe since that is M31. The Andromeda galaxy, not our own Milky way. The concept remains pretty cool though.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Better?

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

To get a proper photo of our sin in our galaxy you need a big mirror parked somewhere around Andromeda.

Let's not get moralistic here.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Sometimes a mistake takes on new life. Good catch.

Mars is bright red again tonight.

I got the telescope! Turns out it’s a 6” but that’s ok. Niece kept it mint. Not a scratch outside and perfectly clean mirrors and baffles. Collimation was a snap. We’ve been in a 10 week drought and recent two weeks not even a cloud.

Last night was the longest lunar eclipse of the century. Mars is bright. We have cloud cover and rain.

I learned that telescopes cause rain. I didn’t know that.

Oh Peter, thanks for the suggestion about eyepieces. The scope came with a Barlow so I’ll begin looking for others and filters. I’m gonna wait until I’m comfortable with what I have and then buy stuff that address limitations on what I want to see. Been reading a lot on cloudynights.com. Good website for me, a stumbling newbie.

A six will do great on the planets. For planets the longer the focal length the better as you don't need a huge light gathering mirror because planets are small bright objects where optical clarity is more important than mirror size, all other things being equal.

If you are on cloudy nights check out my thread on the Criterion RV6 I'm restoring under the "classical telescopes" forum. I have a long way to go before it's done but I have high hopes for it.

The correlation between a new scope arriving and cloud cover is well understood amongst amateur astronomers. I did get to look at Mars last week with the 4.5 inch. Only using a low power eyepiece, 25mm I think. It was one of the best views I've ever had of the planet. A very clearly discernable disc with what appeared to be some surface detail toying with the limits of my vision. Probably Syris Major.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Just came back inside and had to tell you, Peter, Mrs B and I were totally enraptured by viewing Saturn. Two rings discernible without doubler. Four moons on Jupiter. I’m thinking about a 10” Cassegrain with a GOTO Mount.

I can remember this happening once before. It was called The Great Conjunction or something like that.

There were all sorts of predictions. Nothing out of the ordinary took place.

It became popular to say something was as rare as all the planets lining up.

And who will ever forget the time all the planets lined up in 1524?