I have enjoyed amateur astronomy as an interesting and educational hobby
for over 50 years. I have owned many telescopes over the years, beginning with
a low-end Sears 3" Refractor in about 1960. I built a 6" Newtownian, including
mirror grinding/polishing, while in high school. Soon after college I built
telescopes using 12 1/2" and 17 1/2" inch mirrors from Coulter Optical, and owned
a Criterion Dynamax 8.
A little over 25 years ago I bought a 30" Dobsonian made by Tectron Telescopes,
and at about the same time bought a Meade 178ED 7" refractor. These were the
first telescopes I used at my Northwestern Arizona location, where I built a
home in 1992.
A few years later I was able to place an order for a 32" Ritchey-Chretien
telescope, and it was delivered in February of 2001. The time
requirements of my employment kept me from getting this instrument ready
for astrophotography until March of 2003, at which time I began taking astrophotos
using a 35mm camera and slide film. In May of 2004, I purchased an SBIG STL-11000m
ccd camera, and used it with the 32" scope until 2006.
I no longer have the 32" RC scope or the 7" refractor, and haven't done any imaging since 2006.
I currently have a Meade ETX125 scope and a Coronado 90 solar scope, which I take
out on occasion in my back yard in eastern Pennsylvania.
- Jim Misti
