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(meteorobs) A word on Lap-Tops/Notebooks
Dear Comrades,
In keeping with our latest discussions on making outdoor observing easier
(ie mosquito stuff, talking watches, etc), I'd like to put in a good word for
lap-top PCs. These puppies are REALLY coming down in price right now. And,
when the new line of Pentium II notebooks comes out, the non-Pentium II's
will drop in price even more.
We've been having some great wx the last few days and nights in South
Texas - high pressure, low humidity. I just purchased a lap-top PC and found
ANOTHER use for it last night. I took it outside with my bino's and folding
chair, slapped the "Red-Shift II" CD Rom in and waited. It really is good
for orientation and helps to give accurate positioning data when a meteor is
observed. Example: For every streak I saw, I could look at the background
stars and, as soon as the streak faded, glance down at the lap-top screen and
get the names of the background stars as they appeared to me, at my lat/long.
Later, I could go back and adjust the time and lat/long to a standard point
that could be used as a "bulls-eye" to report how the stars were positioned in
relation to the standardized bulls-eye.
Most astronomical software will come with a red-light mode so you don't
destroy your night vision when looking at a PC screen.
Dave G