Rigel Systems - Astronomy Technology Today

NEWPRODUCTS
MEADE INSTRUMENTS
Announces Deep Sky Imager III
In the October issue of ATT, David
Snay explored astrophotography with
Meade’s remarkably user friendly LPI, DSI
and DSI II cameras. Meade continues the
DSI revolution with its introduction of the
new Deep Sky Imager III that combines
the groundbreaking ease-of-use of the
DSI line with the greater sensitivity,
higher resolution, wider field of view, and
lower thermal noise of a 1.4 megapixel
Sony Monochromic or Color EXview
HAD CCD sensor and 16-Bit A/D
converter.
Meade engineers have invented a
remarkable new way to reduce noise without a cooling fan, allowing the user to stack
exposures for hours at a time, while ther-
mal monitoring sensors
automatically match dark
frames to ambient temperature, insuring accurate picture calibration. The supporting software includes a zoom feature for easier
focusing and the square pixels of the
new chip make processing simpler and
resulting images more beautiful than
ever.
The newest member of the DSI family is available in two models: DSI III, a
one-shot color version, and DSI Pro III,
with monochrome chip and filter slide
option. Both DSI III models feature a USB
2.0 connection for fast image downloads
and a 2x2 binning mode for fast focusing,
NEW! QuikAdapt
PulsGuide + 12.5 mm Guiding Eyepiece
PulsGuide pulses reticle illumination
to let eye rest between pulses, for
increased contrast between reticle &
faint guide stars. The result? Easier
guiding. Eyepiece has excellent eye
relief & sharp double cross hairs.
$119.95
nFOCUS + focus motor
$79.95
Universal digital camera adapter for Astrophotography.
for both eyepiece projection & prime focus. Works with
digicams and DSLRs. One handed easy-on & easy-off,
easy camera alignment, rigid durable aluminum.
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
centering of images and advanced
imaging techniques.
NASA developed Drizzle
technology will work on any
AutoStar controlled telescope, increasing
resolution without interpolation, producing a final image that is nearly four times
larger, while also eliminating field rotation
with a simple two-star selection.
The DSI III requires no batteries; the
USB 2 connection provides for all power
needs of the compact and lightweight 4.0
inch by 3.75 inch by 1.25 inch, 11 ounce
device.
For more information on the Deep
Sky Imager III or to find a Meade dealer go
to www.meade.com.
Skylite & Starlite mini
Our original astro flashlight, much imitated
but never duplicated, is back! More
compact at only 3.5 inches long. Skylite
switchable between white and red,
Starlite is red only. Skylite mini $24.95 Starlite mini $20.95
NEW! RS-Spectroscope
Attaches to a eyepiece to spreadlight from
stars and nebulae into a rainbow of colors,
nFOCUS controller fits in the palm
colors that provide a whole new way to
of your hand and provides two
enjoy astronomy. Works with most
directions at low & high speeds with
digital cameras.
$299.95
only two buttons using advanced
logic & high torque 12V pulse.
QuikFinder $39.95
For GSO, Stellarvue, WO &Televue. Compact reflex sight. One tenth the size and
nFOCUS alone. $49.95 nFOCUS + DC Motor $129.95
weight of the other "reflex" sight, makes aiming
your telescope easy with its wide-open right-side-up
view. Projects 1/2 and 2 degree red circles, Pulsed
or continuous illumination of reticle.
www.rigelsys.com
Rigel Systems
NEWPRODUCTS
JMI
ASTRO SKY TELESCOPES
New Motofocus, Piggyback Mount and Carrying Case
Introduces New Lightweight Dob
ETX Motofocus fits all three scopes in
Meade’s ETX line, it’s transferable if you
decide to upgrade to a larger ETX.
The JMI MotofocusETX is priced at
only $140.
Motofocus for Meade ETX
We’ve all experienced the nagging
vibrations that can result from the slightest
touch of a focus knob. While this may take
only a few seconds to dampen, that can
feel like an eternity when trying to achieve
perfect focus at high magnifications. Were
it not for this phenomenon, there would
be no JMI today. That company was built
on its Motofocus, the inaugural product
that JMI first introduced in 1983.
Motofocus permits hands-off, ultrafine, vibration free focus control via a hand
control powered by a standard 9-volt battery. The system uses a proprietary circuit
design that is similar to pulse width modulated circuitry that offers automatic two
speed control that starts in fine focus mode
for approximately 4 seconds and then shifts
into high speed for quick large adjustments
required when changing eyepieces that
aren't parfocal. Releasing the focus button
and then reactivating it automatically shifts
the circuit back to fine control.
JMI now offers an ultracompact
Motofocus for Meade's ETX125,
ETX105, and ETX90. This was not an
easy application considering that the focus
knob of these scopes moves in and out
almost a full inch from one end of focus to
the other. This new Motofocus employs a
1/16-inch spring pin installed perpendicular to the focus shaft matched to a slotted
coupler that allows the motor drive to slide
in and out as it turns. The drive motor is
remarkably small, hardly larger than a
sugar cube, but still robust enough for a
lifetime of dependable service. Because the
Piggyback Mounts for Celestron
NexStar SE
JMI has announced a new piggyback
mount for Celestron’s SE series SCTs. The
mount quickly attaches to the side dovetail
that holds the scope to the fork for carrying cameras and other 1/4-20 standard
camera mount threaded accessories. Visit
www.jmitelescopes.com for your specific
model and price.
James Grigar, of Astro Sky
Telescopes, has announced a new
Lightweight version of its 16-inch Dob.
This remarkably lightweight Truss-Dob
weighs in at a mere 76 pounds, including
the weight of its f/4.5 primary and two 7amp/hour batteries! Most remarkable is
that this savings of 39 pounds from the
standard Astro Sky design is accomplished without sacrificing component
rigidity or performance.
The design not only saves weight, but
also saves height, leaving the eyepiece just
65 inches from ground when the scope is
aimed at Zenith. Those attending the
Deep-South Regional Star Gaze this
month will have a chance to see and use
James' newest creation.
For more information on this and
other Astro Sky products, please visit
w w w. a s t r o s k y. h o m e s t e a d . c o m /
Astrosky.html.
JMI Carr ying Case
for CPC 1100 GPS
JMI carrying cases are purpose
designed, with no sharp corners that
gouge furniture, doorways or auto
upholstery, and “fits like a glove” economy
of space that still leaves enough interior
room for ample protective foam. JMI’s
larger cases feature 10-inch all-terrain
wheels, as on its new CPC 1100 GPS case.
JMI’s CPC 1100 GPS case is priced at
only $504, with shipping paid in the lower
48 states.
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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NEWPRODUCTS
RIGEL SYSTEMS
Introduces a AA Battery Pack for QuickFinder
How do you improve Rigel Systems' QuickFinder?
After all, it's already amazingly compact and lightweight,
features pulsed or continuous illumination of its 1/2- and
2-degree red circle display and is accompanied with
two base plates for quick transfer from scope to
scope as well as a long-life lithium battery.
You now have the option of an easy to install
battery pack that gives up to a whopping 2,700
hours of operation from 2 AA alkaline batteries
(not included), almost 10
times longer than the lithium coin cell that comes
standard
with
the
QuikFinder. No soldering is
required and installation is as
quick, easy and intuitive as the
QuickFinder itself.
For more information, visit
www.rigelsys.com.
SURPLUS SHED
102-mm f/6 Mounted Achromat
We’re very proud to introduce Surplus
Shed among our new advertisers this month
and its full page ad features a number of unique
items that ATT readers are sure to find interesting. What you won’t see in that ad (because
it was added after this issue of ATT was going
to press) is a mounted 102-mm f/6 coated
achromat. For more information go to
www.surplusshed.com.
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
SANTA BARBARA
INSTRUMENT GROUP
Announces ST 4000XCM
Santa Barbara Instrument Group has
announced a “special limited addition” to
its “ST” line of self-guiding cameras. The
new camera features the 4.2 megapixel
KAI-4020CM color CCD with a 2048 x
2048 array of 7.4 micron square pixels
that was previously only available from
SBIG in its STL camera format.
This new SBIG single-shot color,
self-guiding CCD imager is only
$3,395.00. Visit www.sbig.com for far
more details.
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ASTRONOMY
TECHNOLOGY TODAY
NEWPRODUCTS
BAADER PLANETARIUM
SHROUDS BY HEATHER
The New Baader 24-mm Hyperion is
Now in Stock at Alpine Astronomical
Now Available for Any Truss-Dob
The Baader Planetarium Hyperion
68° Modular Eyepieces have been available
in focal lengths of 3.5 mm to 21 mm for
some time now, but a new 24-mm focal
length version was recently added and is
now available, in stock, from Alpine
Astronomical.
The new 24-mm Hyperion employs
an optical design that differs slightly from
the shorter focal length versions, allowing
the same remarkable 68° field of view in a
package that is the smallest and lightest of
the line. Users will enjoy the same blackout
free, comfortably long eye relief, sharp to
the edge experience that they’ve enjoyed in
previous Hyperions, with none of the other
annoying aberrations that plague lesser
wide-filed designs.
The new 24-mm Hyperion is particularly suitable for use in binoviewers. For
those who require a more narrow interocular separation, the rubber M54 protective
ring can be easily removed, further narrowing the already compact body of the eyepiece.
For more information on the new
Hyperion 24, visit www.alpineastro.com.
We’re fortunate that the astro-products industry is among the few remaining
refuges of hand crafted, custom quality
products: blends of old-world craftsmanship and modern materials and techniques. We’re especially fortunate when
these same creations are available to us
at mass production prices. That’s
Shrouds by Heather. Previously
available only on Teeter’s Telescopes
Planet-Killer and TT/4.5 scopes,
these unique shrouds are custom
designed and crafted to fit TrussDobs of any configuration.
Every Shroud by Heather
is laid out, measured, remeasured, cut, sewn and
inspected with an artisan’s
care, using only the finest
Nylon/Lycra
blends.
Elastic banding is
installed in shroud ends
rather than the drawstrings that eventually
fail in other designs,
and there are no
hook-and-loop fasteners or snaps to come
loose. The result is a form-fitting,
curve-hugging, aesthetically pleasing
shroud that will not sag into the optical
path. Each shroud is
custom tailored to
your individual telescope and requires no
adjustment on your
end. Just leave it
bunched at the bottom
of your UTA and then
pull it down over the truss
poles when the scope is
assembled.
Another unique feature
of Shrouds by Heather is
that dew will not pool on
the shroud surface only to
drip on your primary.
Instead,
the
unique
Nylon/Lycra blend cloth
allows dew to soak into
the material and spread
out; drips simply do not
form and the material airdries quickly. Shrouds by
Heather are available in
four colors (including
black, of course) and prices
start at just $65. For
more information, visit
www.teeterstelescopes.com/
shrouds or e-mail shrouds@teeterstelescopes.com.
APM refractors/Intes Micro Makustovs/Giro mounts
www.tetontelescope.com
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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NEWPRODUCTS
PROCYON SYSTEMS
Announces Sky Sentinel Drive
Parabolic & Spherical optics
Elliptical Diagonal Flats
Complete interferometric data
27 years (full-time) experience
www.ostahowskioptics.com
fineoptics@dishmail.net
951-763-5959
Astro Sky
Telescopes & Piers
Precision Truss Dobsonian
Telescopes and Piers
Built by James Grigar
www.astrosky.homestead.com/Astrosky.html
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
Procyon Systems has announced its
new Sky Sentinel Drive, a telescope drive
system for equatorial
mounts. Sky Sentinel
Drive is a new approach
in telescope control,
using multiple microprocessors to control
stepper motors and read
precision encoders, while
providing a substantial
celestial database with
which to explore the
skies. This is a complete
telescope control system
based on high resolution
stepper motors and
encoders. The system
interfaces with planetarium programs using the LX-200 Protocol,
and is available for $1999.
Procyon Systems is now offering a 25
percent discount for a small group of initial customers who are willing to help with
beta testing. Candidates
for this testing will need to
be somewhat technical to
work with the company's
engineers to iron out any
issues that are found. You
can get more info on the
beta test program by sending an email to support@procyon-sys.com,
or visiting the website at
www.telescopedrive.com.
Procyon Systems is
based in Orlando Florida,
and has been designing
telescope encoder systems
and Mac software for
nearly 15 years. It is also a distributor of
sensitive video CCD cameras. Learn more
at www.procyon-systems.com.
NEWPRODUCTS
TETON TELESCOPE
VIXEN OPTICS
Offers Astrograph Options
Reintroduces the NeoAchro140
Mark Rieck and his Idaho based
Teton Telescopes are quickly earning the
reputation as the go-to source for finely
crafted Russian optics. While to most of
us Russian optics have meant superior
Mak-Cassegrain and Mak-Newtonian
scopes, set up to produce optimum
image contrast for visual work by
employing small central obstructions
and superior RMS wavefront values, few
of us think first of this same source when
considering astrograph options.
Indeed, Teton offers a number of
remarkable instruments that are specifically optimized for imaging applications.
Consider the Intes Micro MN74D, a 7inch aperture, f/4 Mak-Newt that illuminates a 46-mm image circle while
maintaining a central obstruction of
only 33 percent. Its 20-pound OTA
includes a robust Crayford focuser,
heavy duty rings with top and bottom
mounting plates, a 10x50 illuminated
finder, 12v cooling fan and 1/7 wavefront or better optics – all for just
$2,400.
Or step up to the Intes Micro
M103, a 10-inch aperture, very fast f/3,
Mak-Newt. It's all astrograph in an
amazingly compact 30-inch by 12-inch,
55 pound package and illuminates a 43mm image circle with an on axis spot
size of an impressive 4 microns! This
magnificent photographic instrument is
priced at a very competitive $8,200.
To see more of the Teton astrographs, visit www.tetontelescope.com.
In an astroproducts market
that has seen phenomenal growth in
refractor options,
small and large,
there is still a niche within the 5 inch to 6
inch range with relatively few challengers.
We are therefore pleased to note Vixen
Optics' reintroduction of a new and
improved 140-mm f/5.7 NeoAchro.
The new version weighs just 14.3
pounds, despite its rugged construction
and advanced 4-element in 2 groups
design. Its 5.5-inch aperture is enough for
serious Deep Sky performance and its fast
f/5.7 Petzval like optics system yields
pleasingly wide fields of pinpoint stars for
visual observers while minimizing chromatic aberrations. The rear correcting lens
set also produces a flat field that's ideal for
astrophotography.
Best yet, it does all of this for a mere
$1,999, including a 7x50 finder, 1.25-inch
flip-mirror star diagonal, tube rings and
dovetail, and one of the best 2-inch
capacity rack and pinion focuser in the
business.
For a list of Vixen Optics dealers visit
www.vixenoptics.com/dealers.htm.
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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