[Lvas] Bought some new hardware for CCD imaging

[Douglas Phillipson]

Well I tried my new Hartman Mask tonight.  It worked flawlessly!  With 
the CCD camera installed, I pointed the scope (10inch LX200GPS) at 
Altair.  Set the mask over the front of the scope and saw three dots on 
the television screen.  I adjusted the focus until the three dots 
converged to one dot, then removed the mask, slewed to an object (M57) 
and it was in beautiful focus!.  Focusing is now a science.  Its tough 
to focus without the mask.

Then I also bought a Meade "Flip Mirror System".  It allows me to put 
both the CCD camera and a Eyepiece in and flip between them by rotating 
a knob.  Now it's EASY to locate an object in the EP, flip the knob 
which puts the CCD in the light path and the object is in focus and in 
the center of the CCD field.  It used to take me 5 minutes to locate an 
object on the CCD, now it takes about 15 seconds.  Here is a link to the 
Flip Mirror system:

http://www.telescopes.com/products/meade-647-flip-mirror-system-1-25-2-inch-wuhtc-18599.html

CCD imaging is getting easier and easier...

Clear Skies

Doug P