I sold one of my babies today and I'm pleased to report it went to a good home. My customer and his boy walked out with a Televue 85 with a Telepod mount and 3-6mm Nagler zoom eyepiece. Couldn't ask for nicer or more appreciative people. Customers like this make me like I have the best job in the world. Maybe I do. Okay, at least on some days.

It always amazes me how people tend to ignore spotting scopes when they think astronomy. Seems like people either think binocular when it comes to astronomy or they think telescope, but somehow spotting scopes get bypassed altogether.

Fact is, a high end spotting scope from Swarovski, Kowa, Leica, Zeiss, Pentax or Nikon will provide better image quality within its magnification range than any giant binocular and be more versatile to boot. You don't get a two-eyed view, but you do get superb image quality and the ability to change magnification - features a lot of giant astronomy binoculars lack. Sure, the usual 60x isn't enough for serious planetary work, but even at that magnification I have seen cloud belts on Jupiter and crisp, high contrast views of Saturn's rings. Star clusters in one of the special glass versions look like a handful of diamonds against an inky black background. A wide-angle eyepiece will blow you away in the Sagittarius star clouds. I promise.

You'll also discover that these spotting scopes are more compact than any giant binocular and behave nicer on a standard photo tripod than the behemoths of the binocular world. Be advised, though, that angled spotting scope versions are much more comfortable to use for this application than straight body versions.

What I really like about spotting scopes for astronomy, though, is that you can always pull your spotting scope back out of the case the next morning and go birding with it. Try that with a 10" Dob. Ha!

The last thing the world needs is another type of addiction, but I must report that there is such a thing as an optics addict. Yes, I am an optics addict. By my definition, an optics addict is someone who cannot settle for anything but the best in any type of instrument, be it binocular, telescope, spotting scope and so on, no matter what the consequence to the addict's budget or bank account. That's me. I have looked through and used the good stuff for so long now, that I can never be satisfied if I suspect there is something better to use. Truly, I am addicted to image quality.

My boss knows this. It's why he hired me, I suppose. In fact, the only way he could lure me away from my beloved West to Chicago was to offer me a signing bonus of a spotting scope. I was drawn like a moth to a flame.

By the way, any eligible bachelor applying for my attention need not offer me an optic if he is otherwise tall, dark (or blonde) and handsome. Of course, I would not pass up a Televue 102 if offered in lieu of an engagement ring.

Had a chance to look through the Nikon 18x70 Astroluxe recently. To date, no one has yet found an astronomy bino that is perfect all the way out to the edge, but this one is the closest I have seen yet. In fact, things looked so good at the center of the field that I almost forgot to check the edges and if I didn't notice, I promise it couldn't have been too bad. Only when I went searching for distortion did I find any hint at the extreme edge of what I could see. Basically, I'd call this one 95% perfect. Close enough for me.

My friend asked me this weekend if her Meade LX90 would be okay if left in the car with this extreme heat. I told her that for most astronomical scopes, it poses no problem unless the objectives/mirrors are exposed to the direct sunlight, in which case some of the cements in the lenses may gum up or loosen. As long as the scope was covered, should be no problem for a day or so.

On the other hand, I never recommend leaving a binocular or spotting scope in a vehicle for extended periods of time, though I know many customers that do. The problem in any sealed optical system (as opposed to an unsealed astronomical scope) is the extreme change in temperature as a vehicle heats up by day and cools back down at night. This is very hard on the seals - lots of expanding and contracting. Sooner or later, this causes the scope or bino to fog up or leak. I've even seen this in "waterproof" models.

Of course, leaving any valuable in a vehicle also invites a break in. I know this firsthand.

Thought I would report on the two fixed power, wide-angle eyepieces for the Nikon Fieldscope series. I tried both of them out in Gus, my Nikon 82mm ED. Rather than give my comments, I'll let Gus tell you what he thought.

"The first eyepiece was the Nikon 7465 and it was delicious. It made me feel like a million bucks. Of all the Nikon eyepieces Joanie has fed me so far, my favorite. It was absolutely tack sharp, edge to edge. Best thing I ever ate.

The second one, the Nikon 7463 30x wide angle, was ... ho hum. Hey, after the 75x, it was a bit of a letdown. I mean, it was still good, but just not as sharp at the edge. I managed to digest it and all, but now I'm spoiled. Hey Joanie, how about the Nikon 7464 50x wide angle or even the Nikon 7464 38x wide angle. Come on. Feed me. I'm hungry."

Thanks for sharing that with us, Gus. (I've created a monster!)

After much debate with a formidable opponent (myself), I decided not to carry my Nikon 82mm ED Fieldscope on our Audubon field trip to a local prairie, yesterday. As it turns out, it was a good decision.

By the time we reached the prairie trail, the temp was already in the mid 90's. We decided to tackle the four mile trail, anyway. Hey, just because we are birders, does not mean we are wimps!

Two hours later, we returned to the vehicles, burned to a crisp and badly wilted. After waiting for the stragglers (me), we all limped into the vehicles and made for the nearest air-conditioned tavern for lunch and beverages (use your imagination here).

Okay, so maybe we are wimps.

Thought I would share this bit of data we received from a rep today, recently released by the US F&WS.

"Of the 62.9 million residential wildlife watchers, 46 percent (28.8 million) were males, and 54 percent (34.1 million) were females. Two age groups—the 35- to 44-year-olds (14.1 million) and the 45- to 54-year-olds (13.9 million)—each comprised 22 percent of all residential wildlife watchers. Individuals 55 to 64 years old represented 16 percent of all residential participants (10.1 million). The 65 years old and older group accounted for 12.5 million people—20 percent of all residential participants. The 25- to 34-year-old participants totaled 8.1 million, comprised 13 percent of all residential participants. The 18 to 24-year-old group numbered 2.7 million and comprised 4 percent of all participants."

What can I say? We gals are doing our best to keep an eye on wildlife. That includes you guys, so behave yourselves.

Once upon a time (back in the old days before digital), there was a gal who owned several wonderfully eccentric Contax cameras with fabulous Zeiss lenses. She tried not to play favorites, but the 60mm macro was clsoest to her heart. With it, she spent hours photgraphing plants, rocks, and all the other wonders of earth Mother, both far and near.

Then, as sometimes happens in this, the richest country in the world, financial disater struck and there was no one she could turn to for help. Her dear Contax cameras ended up in a pawn shop along with the fabulous Zeiss lenses.

She often wonders if it was the pictures taken by the great optics or the excuse to get out and bask in Earth Mother's warmth that she liked most about photography.



in the world of Earth Mother

Got a summer cold over the weekend, so had to settle for using the Nikon on yard birds. No unusual sightings, but I have to admit that viewing a House Sparrow dusting himself at 75x from a distance of about 20 feet brings new meaning to "up close and personal". With the Nikon, I could count not just individual feathers, but individual feather parts on each feather. The males beak reminded me of pictures I have seen of the prehistoric giant bird, Gastornis. I could actually see bits of seeds still stuck in the bill. Wow.

Had a nice customer this morning call and ask to return a 100mm spotting scope he had recently purchased. When I asked why, he said it was no brighter or sharper than his old 70mm Bausch&Lomb. Of course, no problem, we agreed to take it back and help him choose a different product.

When he asked why the 100mm didn't out perform his old 70mm, it reminded me of a saying uttered by more than one astronomer to the effect that the eyepiece is half the telescope. In the case of many of today's cheap to mid-level spotting scopes, especially ones equipped with zoom eyepieces, this applies in spades.

If the customer's 100mm scope had other eyepieces available, it might have done a little better. Problem is, though, that most scopes at this level don't have other eyepieces available - you're stuck with whatever is attached to the back end of the scope.

Even on high end scopes, I have found that different eyepieces can have a huge effect on performance. Just because an eyepiece cost a lot, is no guarantee it will perform on a level with its price tag. Only way to ever know is to look and look with a critical eye.

It's a tough job looking through all our spotting scopes, but someone has to do it. Oh well.

The weekend is upon me and you know what that means. Yes, I work tomorrow as I do every Saturday. If it wasn't for the fact that I might be missing some of the shorebird migration, I might not mind.

Migration in July?

If you are a shorebird addict like me, you know the shorebird migration begins early. I have tallied an impressive number of shorebird species in July and it just keeps getting better through August. Apparently, the adults not directly raised in raising their young head south early to reduce the strain on the available food supply. This gives the young the best chance of growing strong enough for their first migration south and with the short summer season in the far north, they need all the chance they can get.

So grab the sun block and your lawn chair and join me at the marsh!

Just received two wide-angle eyepieces for Gus (my Nikon fieldscope 82ED, http://www.opticsplanet.net/nikon-spottingscope-fieldscope-82mm.html) With the zoom I already own, it should make a nice set. Will the two fixed power eyepieces do anything that the zoom won't? Not really. They may be a touch sharper than the zoom, but I could probably get by just fine with the zoom alone. So why did I buy them?

Because I'm addicted to optics, that's why. What could be better than razor sharp images in a Nikon Fieldscope III with a 25-75x zoom? Why, wide-angle, razor sharp images in a Nikon Fieldscope III, of course. Can't wait to put the wide-angle 30x on the star clouds of Sagittarius and the 75x wide angle on M13. Hope I don't faint!

My friends often ask what could be better than tall, dark and handsome? I usually respond, tall, dark and handsome who also owns a nice Televue refractor, http://www.opticsplanet.net/televue-telescopes.html. (My boss wants to see more product links, so I decided to go first class here.) A Vixen refractor, http://www.opticsplanet.net/vixen-telescopes.html would also be okay, especially if it came on the GP Deluxe mount, http://www.opticsplanet.net/vixen-great-polaris-equatorial-dx-mount-with-wood-tripod.html with wood tripod.

Of course, much will also depend on the guy. He should be strong enough and considerate enough to set the scope up for me and call me when it's ready. I mean, hey, if I going to dream, I might as well have it all.

Got halfway home from work yesterday (yes, I worked a few hours on the Fourth to stay caught up) when I ran headlong into a fierce thunderstorm. No big deal in a car, but on a bicycle I do worry about becoming a human lightning rod. By the time I took refuge under a leaky footbridge, I was soaked. After the wind calmed and uprooted trees came back to earth (well, branches anyway) I kept on riding into the torrential downpour. I was already soaked, so why not? After seeing me, a few people must have said, "What a nut!" From now on, my new tribal name will be "Dripping Buffalo" Kinda of pretty, is it not? (Not)

Speaking of pretty, I did get out to my favorite marsh over the weekend and saw a beautiful pair of Short-billed Dowitchers in full breeding plumage. Very nice. Also saw a few Semipalmated Sandpipers. Did I mention that shore birds are my favorite group? After this rain the nearly dried up marsh should be in better shape. Can't wait until my next day off.

Sad to say, Deep Impact will be too low in the sky to really see much here in Chicago and it rained on me as I rode my bike to work this morning, anyway. (Yes, I worked today - the 4th. Those questions just keep coming and Joanie has the answers.) Guess I'll catch the big event on TV - if I stay awake long enough.

I am tempted to sell my old car and just ride bicycle, even into the Chicago winter. Yeah, that's nuts, but what do you expect from Nature Girl? Ha!