tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post5634911539627315816..comments2024-03-27T08:40:31.785-06:00Comments on Clayton Cramer.: Looking for a Telescope as a Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa Gift?Clayton Cramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03258083387204776812noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-35246431135040042462020-11-19T00:21:07.798-07:002020-11-19T00:21:07.798-07:00tkc: I expect to do astro testing tomorrow night. ...tkc: I expect to do astro testing tomorrow night. Based on aperture and apparent optical quality: Moon will knock your socks off. Mars will be an orange dot. Jupiter will show the four big satellites and possibly cloud bands. Saturn I expect rings will be visible although not large. Andromeda should show an expanded fuzzy except under VERY clear, calm skies. The 100mm version will do all those and better.Clayton Cramerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03258083387204776812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-48023711784542946392020-11-18T10:47:40.889-07:002020-11-18T10:47:40.889-07:00What would one expect to be able to see with the M...What would one expect to be able to see with the Meade 80mm. <br />Assume the following:<br />A clear night.<br />No moon.<br />Little local light pollution.<br /><br />What should I expect looking at the following:<br />The Moon<br />Mars<br />Jupiter<br />Saturn<br />Andromedatkchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537122818841045663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-78406684371380856312020-11-18T09:56:21.418-07:002020-11-18T09:56:21.418-07:00Clayton, these 80mm f/5 telescopes have been very ...Clayton, these 80mm f/5 telescopes have been very popular for a few decades, sometimes known as "Short Tube 80s". In the heyday of Yahoo Groups, the Short Tube 80 group had nearly a thousand active members with loads of messages on their use, modifications, accessories, etc. My wife sold a collectible Beanie Baby Buddy to buy me one in 1999 and it has had a lot of use since. Being a perfect grab-and-go telescope, it has had much more use than my 10 inch f/6.5 Dobsonian despite the latter's far higher performance.<br /><br />I highly recommend a 45 degree erect image diagonal for day time spotting scope use. A 32mm wide field eyepiece gives terrific views with lots of eye relief for eyeglass wearers and use with the 2x Barlow gives a good range of magnifications without diffraction limit problems.<br /><br />Best to you and your grandkids!Jim Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00532755731811413741noreply@blogger.com