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Re: (meteorobs) spectacles and LM

I used to work as an Optical Technician before I became a Police Officer.  I had a friend who was a meteor observer like the rest of our group, and I made him up a set of glasses to observe with.  Contacts were no good as his eyes were very sensitive and he couldn't wear them. 
 
The glasses were 1/4 dioptre stronger than his script.  They were also large, wrap around, aspheric, and rimless - I custom made them to suit.  The size gave a good field of view for observing, helped by the wrap around fitting, the rimless aspect meant no edge of field obstruction, the aspheric quality meant there was less distortion in the edge of the larger lenses.  The lenses were multicoated to reduce surface reflection and light loss (a must).  My friend told me after a couple of nights using them that it doubled his rates of meteors over his old smaller, metal rimmed glasses.  There not the type of glasses that will win a fashion parade, but they worked.
 
I don't need glasses of contacts myself, but anyone who does wear them should consider a custom made pair of glasses if they cant wear contacts.  Contacts are the best option if your eyes can tolerate them on your eyes.
 
Adam R. Marsh (MARAD)

  armarsh@jeack.com.au

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  Asst Director  - ASV Meteor Section (ASVMS).

  Co-Oridnator - Eastern Australian Meteor Network (EAMN).

  Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

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----- Original Message -----
From: Kim Youmans
To: meteorobs@jovian.com
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 11:27 AM
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) spectacles and LM

Somehow I overlooked Joe's post way back in Oct and don't recall any other reply.
>>>Hi there,     Reference:     Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2000 22:54:24 -0400
>>>    From: Kim Youmans <ksyo@pinelanddot net>     <No one will ever convince me that that glasses are superior to contacts for observing. > Question:  If a telescope >>>extends visual limiting magnitude, wouldn't glasses (spectacles) do the same thing and actually be beneficial in helping >>>observe fainter meteors?  Regards,Joe. **
 

I can only speak for myself and my own experiences.  Last year during the 99 Persieds, I had both my contact and glasses prescriptions updated at the same time.  I performed the simple experiment of taking both contacts and glasses out to my observing site and counting the IMO fields with each.  The contacts proved superior, but of course there was always the possibility of the glasses  not being as well fitted to my eyes (prescription-wise) as the contacts.  The glare was worse with the glasses and naturally I had complete peripheral vision with the contacts, unacheivable with the glasses.
        I don't think one can compare glasses to telescopes anymore or any less than one could compare contacts and telescopes.  Glasses and contacts do exactly the same thing.  We do have posters here (at least one, anyway) who are experienced observers and state that they have glasses which are -if I recall correctly - a diopter stronger than necessary - yet their present *meteor* perception doesn't seem to be anything extraordinary.  Their LM perception, on the other hand, does appear quite a bit better than average.  Help me out here, Norm!
        I have to wonder, however, about the health aspects of using glasses that are too strong over extended periods.  It may be perfectly OK -- I'm no opthamalogist!
 

Joe Kaplonek wrote:

 Hi there,     Reference:     Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2000 22:54:24 -0400
    From: Kim Youmans <ksyo@pinelanddot net>     <No one will ever convince me that that glasses are superior to contacts for observing. > Question:  If a telescope extends visual limiting magnitude, wouldn't glasses (spectacles) do the same thing and actually be beneficial in helping observe fainter meteors?  Regards,Joe. ****************************************************
Joe Kaplonek
Schools and Colleges Liaison Officer
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Southampton
Southampton SO17 1BJTel: +44 (0)23 8059 4803
Fax:+44 (0)23 8059 5441
e-mail: jtk@soton.acdot uk
http://www.engineering.soton.acdot ukhttp://www.soton.acdot uk/~stargate

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