[SJAAboard] March 22, 2008 - Draft SJAA Board Meeting Minutes

[Nelsonastro at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/12/2008 8:07:18 AM Pacific Daylight Time,  
craigus at rocketmail.com writes:

[[C11]]]   Lee is going to
take storage of this telescope  and find an updated
fork or GEM or ASGT mount for it.
The Dynamax should  be sold because it does not have
good quality optics.  -[[[  good!]]]
The remaining A/C powered SCTs will be kept. It was
brought up  that the A/C motors have much greater
reliability than the DC powered ones  so they should be
kept because they can be run by the  smallest
converters


I hope the Board can see to invest in one modern GEM
that might hold several different OTAs.  GEMs with
PEC, autoguider inputs and GOTOs are extremely
useful for any beginning astro-imager.  The auction was
as recently as ten years ago primarily a device to get
funds for equipment (see archives).  I think there has
been plenty of cash comming in over the last several
years to make an investment in one new GEM mount.
 
Steven Nelson, member
 
- The GEM loaner I have been using for the 8" Meade
is just dandy for visual use on the Moon and planets.
The periodic error is > 20 "arc in a 100 sec exposure.
With NO Dec slow motion it is almost impossible
to get a planet onto a planet CCD using projection
or a Barlow. 
(the reflector optics are very nice when you  do!)



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