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Last weekend I drove to Arcadia, Kansas to pick up my new Starmaster 14.5 inch telescope. This is a hand crafted instrument built to order. It took almost eleven months from the time I ordered it until it was ready. Has a Carl Zambuto mirror and a computerized go-to and track system. It is down right incredible to watch this monster move around on it's own. The go-to system is really simple to align and operate, the motor drive is very quiet and it tracks like a champ. While the telescope can be used in the fully automated mode, you can also "de-clutch" the drive system and use the telescope manually without loosing the computer alignment. Then, if you want to, you just re-engage the drive clutches and go right back to automatic mode.
In spite of the size, it is pretty easy to move. Rick Singmaster, the owner of Starmaster Telescopes, had done an excellent job of making the disassembly and re-assembly as easy and fool proof as possible. The heaviest component is 37 pounds. It is obvious from the design that he has spent a lot of time using these telescopes.
So far I have only had it out one night and that was with a full moon. Even so, I got really good views of lots of stuff including M13, M17, the Blue Snowball Nebula, the Blinking Planetary Nebula, Uranus, Neptune and the Moon. Looking at the Moon with this puppy really hurts (Duh!!). Tried some galaxies, but they are just out of reach in the Fort Worth light pollution.
If you go to the Starmaster Owners web page http://starmastertelescopes.com/html/photos.htm and scroll down the Ken Schmidt there is a link (click here) that will bring up a photo of Jupiter that he took with his Starmaster 14.5 and an Olympus digital camera very similar to the one I have. Perhaps I'll try that some time. Can't wait to get a look a Jupiter and Saturn.
Gene
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