Equipment

24 Ritchey Chretien F-6

This is the 5 th 24 inch Ritchey I built. It as Star Instrumunts optics at F 6,I prefer the faster focal length in the RC.I always find things I can change to improve my design. I am real happy with the performance of this scope and mount. I increased the shaft size to 10 inch. and went to a internal "Wedged" design on the interior of the forks making them very ridged and with very low vibration .I also went to carbon fiber trusses making my focusing through the night easier..It is a real workhoarse

I am using a Astromerics Drive System( love it) with Lenza drives. Ed Byers as supplied me with all my gears and is absolutely top notch. I am using Apogee cameras http://www.ccd.com/ and am also a big fan. Wayne and Tim have really took service to new levels in the past 16 years of use. I can't say enough good things about Apogee cameras.

The scope is also caring a 7 inch Astrophisics Starfire and a Takshashi FSQ it will also carry my ASA 10 inch F-3.6 Astrograph.I will use all of the different scopes to image off the platform.

36 Inch F-5 Newtonion

My 7 ton 36 inch F 4.3 Newtonian. The optics were made in Saint Petersburg Russia from TEC and are full thickness .I am using a 36 inch Byers Ra Drive .I built the clutch for Ed's gear(What a job that was !)It is also using Chris Houghton's Astrometrics drive with Lenza motors and drivers. This is the largest scope I have ever built ,a two year project that if I only would have known the massive undertaking I was embarking upon I would have seriously thought twice about my decision . The handling of the large parts was very difficult I am very pleased with the scope and have not ever found better optics in this size range in all my years truly unbelievable have imaged with this scope but generally observe with it while I am imaging.

Cheifland Observatory

My 12 th Observatory I hope will be my last. I love the dark skies of The Cheifland Astronomy Village http://www.chieflandstarpartygroup.com/ .It is so nice to share the hobby with all my good friends every month and new people I meet that are visiting the CSPG observing field on new moon weekends. The domes I built In my front yard they are all aluminum and used in my old observatory that moved to this facility 3 years ago. I have dark skies and usually rather good "seeing"

I have an amazing 32" Dobsonian telescope for sale. Click on the button above to see
pictures and major stats about the scope.