[SJAAboard] Loaner Program Discussion 5/27/08

[Nelsonastro at aol.com]

1. School Program support
 
I think long-term loaning a 'no cost' scope to a
schools volunteer is an Excellent Use of a donation
to the SJAA.  The school program is a major program
of the club.  A synergy between Loan - and Volunteer
is not that hard for most of us to concieve of.
 
Beginner, Intermediate, [Volunteers]
 
Supporting 'scopeless' star party volunteers is IMO a good
idea.  Even if the explanation is (as JVN has elaborated)
'the scope on long-term loan is more appropriate for
schools than the owners private telescope.'
 
2.
6" and 8" Newts on older GEMs.  Cut to one
I AGREE. 
   I have been using the 8" and it has a quite
good OTA.  The mount works fine - but it is rather old
design and does not have any provision for slow motion
and is very hard to use for planetary/lunar CCD imaging
because of that.  Update to modern GEM, and the GEM
platform could do Astoimaging for 8" OTA (Newt or SCT)
or a short focus refractor. [changable OTAs is a new Loaner
concept - could it work?]
 
Maybe this would be the Beginner GEM?  And there would
be one Intermediate GEM?
 
Steven ($.02)
 
 



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