Sandia Crest in the foreground and at left; Albuquerque is under the haze. The Magdalena Mountains are prominent at top, other ranges at upper right inlcude a substantial fraction of a week's travels. (4-frame panorama out the window on approach to ABQ.)

November 5-12, Out West

I packed the 5-inch Astro-Physics refractor into a TravelPro bag selected because it just fits into an overhead bin and because my airline-modified A-P just fits inside it.

Inside the TravelPro case, the telescope's tailpiece travels in a big LowePro lens case. The star diagonal and 0.75x telecompressor ride in the focusser in the tailpiece, and the 35mm Panoptic shares space behind the diagonal in the LowePro lens case.

The A-P objective (in its tube in its rings on a Losmandy D-plate) fits beside the LowePro case. A tiny Pelican case fills out the TravelPro bag. It carries the Sky Quality Meter (SQM), a Lumicon O-III filter, two Nagler eyepieces (12mm and 16mm), and an A-P prime-focus camera adapter. An AstroZap dew shield lies flat below everything else (as of Nov 30, it wraps around the A-P's tube.)

Nothing gets transported in the top pocket of the TravelPro bag, but it can be used to whisk watches, glasses, headphones, iPod, etc through security at the airport. No TSA officer blinked at this outfit.

The kit is HEAVY and cumbersome, but everything got Out West with me. I travelled from Charlotte to Dallas and from Dallas to Albuquerque on flights selected to be sure that at least one overhead bin was 3 seats deep. The Giro mount and my sturdiest Gitzo tripod were checked in a Spalding atheletic bag. Thin plywood lent strength and provided attachment points for the Giro mount. Clothing padded everything.

After horsing the telescope around DFW, it's clear that the TravelPro carry-on needs a shoulder strap (or straps). I removed the roll-around hardware to let the telescope fit better.

The car rental shuttle at Albuquerque is quick and convenient. I picked up a Dodge Caravan and converted it into camper mode (I folded down the 3rd row of seats and one of the 2nd row) before driving off the lot. I got 25mpg overall but I never did figure out all the wierd alarms and flashing lights and crap associated with the side doors.

Three boxes awaited me at the Socorro Post Office.

After a good meal, a trip to Wal-Mart for a camp stove and groceries, a stop at the post office for the stuff I'd sent ahead, I found US 60 west out of Socorro and nosed the van out into the current.

 

Stargazing with a big refractor Out West.
"It Came from Outer Space"
1953. Richard Carlson & Barbara Rush

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Text & Photos by David Cortner
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