KA7FVV - Amateur Astronomy

Updated: 08/15/2006

The Wrld of
Amateur Astronomy

lunar phases

The Sky Tonight from Orion Telescopes

Astronomy Picture of the day

Astronomy Picture of the day archives

Astronomy Magazine

Sky and Telescope Magazine

NASA Eclipse Information

Great Free Astronomy Software

Cartes du Ciel Virtual Moon Atlas

WinStars 2 Deep Sky Free

Celestia Celestia Motherlode

Moon

Lunar Public

Full Moon Atlas

Nasa Lunar Page

Mars

Mars Viewing Tips

Nightsky Observer
Mars Page

Nasa Mars Page

Mars Events

Jupiter

Great Red Spot Transit Times

Chasing the
Moons of Jupiter

Nasa Jupiter Page

Jupiter Events

Saturn

Saturn Observing Campaign

Find Saturn in
the Night Sky

Nasa Saturn Page

Saturn Events

My Start In Astronomy

My Webcam Astrophotography Page

I got started in astronomy as a teenager. Starting out with a 2.7" refractor purchased by my parents at the local Goodwill Store, and a smaller variable power Tasco refractor I purchased later at Kmart. I had many enjoyable hours observing with these scopes.

Several years ago during the summer of 1994 during it seemed like a good time to purchase a larger telescope. I purchased a Odyssey 8 by the former Coulter Optical. I have 4 eyepeices all Kelners, 27, 12, 9, 6 mm and a 2 x barlow. I use a Telrad finder. I have thought about adding a regular finder It is a 8" f 4.5. scope but as of yet I have not had much trouble finding deep sky objects since 90% of it is knowing where to point it. At the time the Coulter scope was about $100 less than comparable 8" scopes on the market. It was an inexpensive way of getting into a medium sized scope. Nothing beats a good pair of binoculars for astronomy either. I have a pair of Bushnell brand, 10x50 and also a pair of ProSpec brand, 7x35. It is amazing what you can spot with just binoculars. You can see the moons of Jupiter if you hold them still enough.

I am mostly interested in visual astronomy. I get the most fun out of spending a night out under the stars and observing as much as possible. If you have any questions about my equipment or my page please feel free to email me.

Scott Harvey

Mead, Washington

My Telescopes

My scope is a Odessy 8. An original Coulter Optical scope. The Murnaghan Instruments Corporation was making the Coulter line at one time but have since discontinued them.

Coulter Odessy 8" Reflector, F/4.5
Dobsonian Mount

I have built a base that the dobsonian base mounts on to make it an equatorial mount.

Kelners, 27, 12, 9, 6 mm and
a 2 x barlow and Telrad finder