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To: Prodigal Son
Well, I'll just have to go out and buy myself a modest telescope.

I have a Meade model 60AZ-D that I bought at Walmart for $70. This is pretty much the bottom of the line. It has a 60mm objective ( refractor ) with 700mm focal length, and 3 eyepieces - 25mm, 12,5mm, and 4 mm. The 4mm eyepiece gives 700/4 = 175X magnification. Since Mars is about 1/75 the apparent size of the moon right now, I'm seeing it at twice the naked eye size of the moon - but you'd never guess it! The moon seems much bigger, subjectively.

However, if I take a toilet paper tube and look at the moon through this "null telescope," I can see that Mars is bigger. I can superimpose the TP tube field of view on my telescopic view of Mars by putting it over my other eye. It's a little smaller than the telescope field of view.

BTW, I can see the ice cap, and some suggestion of darkish features, but the contrast is very low. Tonight is very hazy, and this helps as it cuts down the brightness.

The worst thing about the telescope is the mount, which is shaky and hard to adjust. Paradoxically, you have to develop an "expert touch" to use this "beginner's scope", but it is usable.

41 posted on 08/13/2003 10:16:19 PM PDT by dr_lew
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To: dr_lew
This is pretty much the bottom of the line. It has a 60mm objective ( refractor ) with 700mm focal length, and 3 eyepieces - 25mm, 12,5mm, and 4 mm.

Often a good pair of binoculars will serve you better. Especially the 60-80mm (or larger) ones with a tripod mount.

59 posted on 08/14/2003 4:55:31 AM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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