meade instruments - Astronomy Technology Today

INDUSTRYNEWS
MEADE INSTRUMENTS
ASTRONOMYRATINGS.COM
Coronado Line in Full Production
Meade Instruments has announced that
its line of Coronado solar telescopes and
accessories is in full production at the Meade
headquarters in Irvine, California, following
last year’s consolidation of its facility in
Tucson, Arizona.
Offers New Approach to Equipment Reviews
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Before you rush off to buy the next big
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In order to elevate capacity, increase
efficiencies, and reduce costs, Meade had
closed its Coronado facility in Arizona
in September 2006. At that point,
production of the Coronado line of products
was shifted to Meade’s main manufacturing
facility in Irvine. Meade has been building
and shipping the full line of Coronado
products including H-alpha solar telescopes,
H-alpha solar filters and CaK solar
telescopes in its Irvine facility since early
October 2006.
“Meade is committed to the Coronado
product line and we understand the
important role we play in providing the best
products available to study the sun,” said
Steve Muellner, president and CEO
of Meade Instruments. “We appreciate
the concern among the astronomical
community and would like to formally say
that we have never had any intentions of
discontinuing the Coronado brand. We
consolidated our manufacturing last year to
increase efficiencies while continuing to
provide the best products and service to our
customers.”
Meade's full line of Coronado products
can be seen at www.coronadofilters.com.
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INDUSTRYNEWS
ASTROSHORTS
Online Astronomy Video Community
AstroShorts offers a unique new addition to the growing on-line
resources available for amateur astronomers. This new service is
provided by Starlight Learning, which
focuses on the development and marketing
of educational tools for Astronomy.
“AstroShorts serves the astronomical
community by providing a means for amateur astronomers to upload, watch and
share astronomy-related video,” said company president, Steve Bevan. “AstroShorts
grew out of an idea to gather astronomyrelated video from multiple sources and
make it available to the public all in one
place. We are a forum for the participation
of amateur astronomers who are creating
video of their experiences and would like
to share them with the community at large.
AstroShorts is a resource where we can all
share our passion for astronomy, learn
from each other and attract new people to
the hobby and to the science.”
The Web site is truly a global resource with video submissions
from every continent. In addition to contributions from the
astronomy community. Starlight Learning also produces News
In Space, its own series of videos, hosted
by Casey Dee (shown with Scott Roberts
of Meade during an interview at NEAF),
covering a wide range of astronomy topics. AstroShorts and News In Space provided extensive video coverage of NEAF
2007, offering in-depth interviews with
many of the exhibitors.
“In May we partnered with the
Sidewalk Astronomers to produce a
slideshow of the International Sidewalk
Astronomy Night which took place on
May 19th. Astronomers from all over
the world took part and sent us their pictures. We’ve assembled them on the
slideshow and have a link on our site.”
For those who have not had a chance
to see the coverage of NEAF or the
International Sidewalk Astronomy Night there is still time. Go to
www.astroshorts.com.
GREAT RED SPOT ASTRONOMY PRODUCTS
Adds Vixen and Zhumell lines
Jeff Hineline,
owner of Great
Red
Spot
Astronomy
Products,
has
announced the
company is now
an authorized full
line dealer for
Vixen Optics and
Zhumell Optics.
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
“We are solely dedicated to the amateur astronomer and specialize in products that are innovative and well suited to
the serious amateur astronomer,” said Jeff.
He has an extensive background in
astronomy and has been an avid amateur
for over 35 years. While he was a student
at the University of Toledo, he became
interested in the astronomy program and
took every undergraduate course available. Granted full use of the University’s
6-inch Clark telescope and observatory,
Jeff spent many hours and long nights
observing. Eventually this grew into a lifelong passion.
Today, in addition to marketing
products for astronomers, Jeff is a university instructor for several colleges and universities, including the University of
Phoenix, Baker College, and Wayne
County Community College, teaching
classes in the humanities as well as computer sciences, and of course astronomy.
“Great Red Spot Astronomy Products
grew from humble beginnings, with only
one product, the now famous, Great Red
Spot and Red Spot Junior Shake
Flashlights,” said Jeff. “We’re excited to
have grown to a full line dealer of Vixen
and Zhumell telescopes and accessories,
including the now famous Vixen Skypod
and the equally famous Zhumell
Dobsonian Telescopes. We also specialize
in Vixen LVW eyepieces.”
For more information go to
www.greatredspot.com.
INDUSTRYNEWS
CELESTRON
Launches MySkyScout.com
Celestron has introduced a new interactive
online meeting place for SkyScout and astronomy
enthusiasts, MySkyScout.com. In time for the
summer outdoor season, Celestron SkyScout’s new
Web community provides earth-bound space
explorers with an interactive online forum for sharing ideas, experiences, tips and tricks with fellow
stargazers and SkyScout enthusiasts.
“MySkyScout.com gives astronomy enthusiasts and backyard stargazers of all ages and experience levels a place to share their experiences and
learn about all that the night sky has to offer,” said
Joseph A. Lupica Jr., president and CEO of
Celestron. “SkyScout explorers all have a desire to
talk about and share their experiences with each
other as their thirst for knowledge is piqued
through SkyScout use. The interactive nature of
mySkyScout.com makes it a tremendous resource
for backyard astronomers’ growing knowledge of
the universe and maximizing the SkyScout experience.”
A fully integrated news and discussion forum
for SkyScout owners, astronomy buffs and backyard stargazers to learn, share and discuss their
interests and experiences with astronomy-minded
peers, mySkyScout.com features real time information on current celestial events and astronomical
happenings, updated news and images, links to
product support, software updates and product
development news, in addition to advice from fellow amateur astronomers.
Celestron continues to garner awards for the
SkyScout and its consumer-friendly “point and
shoot” GPS technology. It was a Best New Product
finalist in the 2007 American Business Awards on
June 11, 2007 at the 5th Annual Stevie Award held
in New York City. Hailed as “the business world’s
own Oscars” the American Business Awards are the
only national, all-encompassing awards program
honoring great performances in business.
For more information go to www.myskyscout.com
14
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
INDUSTRYNEWS
JACK’S ASTRO
ACCESSORIES
MallinCam U.S. Distributor
Jack Huerkamp has established Jack’s
Astro Accessories as the exclusive U.S. distributor for the MallinCam Video CCD
Observational System.
“The MallinCam Video CCD
Observational System is manufactured by
Rock Mallin of Pro-Com
Electronics & Telescope
Repair in Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada, and is designed
specifically for astronomical observing,” said Jack.
“The original video board
was custom designed by
Rock to eliminate the need
for the 8.5 second exposure
time found in other cameras currently on
the market. He reproduced the competition’s performance in only 2.1 seconds.
Now with the addition of HYPER circuitry, Rock has added exposure times of
7, 14, 28 and 56 seconds.”
He continued, “The detail revealed
in live monitor views is phenomenal. The
MallinCam HYPER and HYPER PLUS
also incorporate a thermoelectric Peltier
cooler that lowers the temperature of the
CCD sensor. This is critical when pushing the cameras to the longer exposure
times.”
MallinCam currently offers B&W
and the Color HYPER PLUS camera systems. Each camera has internal mild
Peltier cooling and exposure capabilities
from 1/12,000th second to 56 seconds.
Like so many astronomy owners,
Jack’s Astro Accessories grew from Jack’s
love of astronomy. He has been an amateur astronomer since 1968. Jack is past
President, current ALCOR, and Life
Member of the Pontchartrain Astronomy
Society of New Orleans, Louisiana.
For more information call 985-8632165 or go to www.WaningMoonii.com
and click on the MallinCam link.
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
15
INDUSTRYNEWS
OPT
STELLAFANE
Hosts Third Annual Southern
California Astronomy Exposition
Oceanside Photo & Telescope will
host the third annual Southern
California Astronomy Exposition during
two weekends in July.
Saturday, July 14, will start the festivities with the SCAE Seminar
Symposium and Star Party. The events of
that weekend will kick off at 10 a.m. at
OPT’s headquarters and feature five seminars covering astronomy, CCD imaging,
solar observing and more. Scheduled
speakers include renowned author, lecturer and sky photographer Dennis
Mammana, world famous astro-imager
Tony Hallas, solar imaging expert Gary
Palmer, planetary scientist Dr. Kevin
Grazier from NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, and JPL mission designer
and celestial mechanics expert John C.
Smith.
The July 14 star party is scheduled to
commence at 8 p.m. at the dark San
Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park in
nearby Escondido. Star party events
include a free BBQ dinner with hamburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, sides,
drinks and dessert, and the first annual
SCAE Astro Shootout Photo Contest.
The SCAE Telescope Demonstration
& Raffle is scheduled for July 28, from
10 a.m. to 10 p.m. More than 20 of the
largest astronomy and optical equipment
manufacturers will attend to demonstrate
their products, including the newest telescopes, equatorial mounts, CCD cameras, eyepieces and accessories. Presenters
include ADM, Astrodon, Chronos,
Imaging Source, Meade, Takahashi, Tele
Vue, Vixen, Yankee Robotics, and more.
The Saturday raffle will include
more than 50 prizes collectively valued at
more than $20,000, and the event will
include a free pizza lunch. Those who
stay late will have an opportunity to
experience demonstrated equipment
under the stars.
Both Saturday events will also feature special “one-day-only” sale pricing
on the most popular astronomy equipment.
More details are available at
www.optcorp.com.
Auction of Historic Tele Vue Genesis & Nagler Eyepiece to Benefit Stellafane
16
Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
The Tele Vue Genesis refractor owned
by noted author Stephen James O’Meara
and Al Nagler’s prototype Nagler 13-mm
eyepiece, one of only three prototypes
which were manufactured in Peekskill, New
York, will be auctioned on eBay in late July
to benefit Stellafane’s Flanders Pavilion
Fund. Springfield Telescope Makers
President John Gallagher announced the
generous donation of these historic instruments at the opening session of the 2007
Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF).
While introducing John to the NEAF
audience, Sky & Telescope Editor in Chief,
Rick Feinberg, quipped that in the interest
of full disclosure, the auction winner might
look through Mr. O’Meara’s Genesis, but
was unlikely to see as much as the legendary
observer. Gallagher focused on the roles
played by Stellafane, Nagler, and O’Meara
in amateur astronomy. Stellafane was pivotal in the explosion of interest in astronomy that occurred during the 1920s. Sixty
years later, Al Nagler and Tele Vue Optics
changed observing with the release of the
Nagler 13-mm eyepiece. Mr. Nagler and
Tele Vue have also long served as industry
leaders in high quality, short focal length
refractors.
The Tele Vue Genesis refractor being
auctioned is the same instrument used by
Stephen James O’Meara to compile his
remarkable Deep-Sky Companions series of
observing guides. Based upon observations
made from high atop Kilauea, the guides
are a delightful mix of humor, poetry, and
the precise descriptions that only this most
expert observer could produce. The Genesis
is pictured in O’Meara’s newest volume of
the series, Hidden Treasures.
Stellafane continues to grow and
delight attendees. New facilities, including
observatories and the Flanders Pavilion,
provide a dry, comfortable facility to house
convention activities. The auction of these
legendary artifacts, through the generosity
of Mr. Nagler and Mr. O’Meara, will help
Stellafane meet its future needs.
More information about this auction is
available on the Stellafane Web Site,
www.stellafane.com.
APM refractors/Intes Micro Makustovs/Giro mounts
www.tetontelescope.com
INDUSTRYNEWS
SIERRA STARS OBSERVATORY
Offers Astronomers New Imaging Opportunity
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the clear, steady, dark skies of a remote high
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the thrill of using such equipment.
At least, that is, until the option of purchasing imaging time from just such a facility became reality. The Sierra Stars
Observatory is a fully automated, robotic
facility that now offers each of us the opportunity to try our hand at astrophotography
using some of the most sophisticated equipment available today. The observatory is
located in the Carson Valley area of Alpine
County, California, Latitude +38 48' 39"
North and Longitude 119 46' 30" West, at
an elevation of 5,070 feet, and enjoys 270
clear, low humidity nights per year.
Its 15-foot Technical Innovations ProDome houses an Optical Mechanics 24-
inch, f/10 Classical Cassegrain. Its primary
imaging instrument is a Finger Lakes
Instrumentation ProLine camera with
Kodak KAF-09000 3056 by 3056 pixel
CCD chip with 12-micron pixels and provides an image scale of 0.41arcseconds/pixel un-binned and 0.82-arcseconds/pixel binned 2 by 2.
The camera is equipped with a Finger
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own filters. All observatory systems are controlled by OMI’s Talon software. A key feature of that software is that it optimizes
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First time users pay only $100 per hour
of actual imaging time and acquired data is
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standard FITs files. Please visit www.sierrastars.com for more details.
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Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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