From: Alec Black
Smyrna, Georgia
Hi guys,
I just received and setup my "Sky Window" and took it outside for first light. Wow! I almost immediately stumbled across a deep sky object I never would have found using my old binocular setup, Pro-Optic 11x70s on a medium grade tripod. A quick check of my charts seems to indicate M34. While typically an easy find, it would have been very difficult at Zenith without the "Sky Window".
The unit is extremely well made and except for some excessive tightness with the threads on one of the mirror lock-down knobs, it went together in a flash. I will certainly recommend your product to everyone. Again, WOW!
I will be placing an order for the laser bracket and will be ordering the SkyPointer from Howie.
Thanks,
--alec black
p.s. I was not expecting the mirror cover. Very nice touch.
From: Joe Ewing
formerly of Conroe, TX now living in Las Cruces, NM
For me the high light of the Texas Star Party last year was seeing the huge globular cluster Omega Centari in my Sky window. I used the Cannon 10 x 30 IS binoculars. You might remember I sent the binoculars to you so you could make the first adapter for them.
Keep up the great work with Sky Window. Your workmanship and integrity are first rate.
From: Cal Stanley
Windham, ME
Hi,
After trying various methods of steadying my binoculars (monopod, tripod, reclining chair with a brace), I finally broke down and purchased a Sky Window.
I've used this with several binoculars - Bushnell 10x50WA, Oberwerk 15x70, and Oberwerk 20x80 - and it is by far the best viewing device out there. I'm seriously thinking about buying a second one just so that I don't have to share mine.
From: Al De Long
Knoxville, TN
Dear Sirs:
I received my Sky Window today and have spent most of the night trying it out.
I have two good sets of binoculars, and have been using them with a tripod for the past year or so. Needless to say, it got to be a pain (in the neck, and the back). And even though I like my binocs as much as my 5" scope I have noticed I have been spending less time with them.
I searched around on the net and thought the "boomerang parallelograms" might be nice, but everyone I saw using them were still craning their necks even though sitting down.
Sky and Telescope, of course, gave you a great review, but I thought the price was too much for a "mirror." Was I wrong!
The product is superior quality and very effective, and easy to use, and will be very portable. It works great with my existing tripod.
I just spent four hours with my binoculars and feel as fresh as when I went outside. But more importantly, being relaxed with a totally stable system permitted me to see things that before I had not noticed. I actually spent much longer inspecting each area of the sky, and learned more in one night than in the previous year.
This is a great product I will recommend to anyone with binoculars and I will tell them it is every bit worth the price.
Al De Long
From: Sandy Chian
Seattle, Washington
Hi Jim,
Thank you for your excellent service and especially for making the holder for my Zeiss bino to work with the Sky Window.
My hesitation and concern about your Sky Window had completely disappeared after I had use it for several hours tonight. The Sky WIndow is indeed an excellent product. The product is easy to use and did not suffer any of the glare problem I had experienced with your competitor's product (which I eventually returned). The feel of the system is excellent and this has really makes my other bino holder obsolete. I have never seen so many sattelites in one single night in my many years of sky viewing....its amazing how easy it is to spot these flying objects with your Sky Window. I love your product and would be telling my friends when I return to Singapore.
Feel free to quote my comments on your excellent product...I can immediately know the difference...no more neck aches!!!!.
Thank you for a creative product and excellent service.
Best wishes,
Sandy Chian
From: Paul L. Wilson
Cambridge, Massachussetts
Hi everyone,
I arrived home last night to find that UPS had delivered my Sky Window, and amazingly enough the weather and the night sky were both perfect for astronomy. We don't often get great transparency in the east during winter, but the last ten days have been an extremely unusual exception. Unpacking and assembly were a snap and by 9 pm I was ready to hit the bricks and get to some observing.
I live in an urban location (Cambridge, Massachusetts) and the light pollution from the Boston skyline is very intrusive from near my home, but since this was a rather impromptu session I decided to stay local anyway. A stone's throw away from my front door is one of the city's finest parks, the Danhey. The great irony about astronomy from this spot (to me anyway ;-) is that the offices of Sky and Telescope are visible from where I usually setup. As close as they are, I've
never met anyone from S&T up on the hill, probably because you feel like you're on stage at Symphony Hall due to all the glare of the surrounding neighborhood lighting (S&T's office building being the exception. ;-) Not perfect, but probably the best local spot other than the roof of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics which is right up the street. Maybe someday these influential folks (from S&T and the CfA) will exert some presence in their own back yards and get some of this abusive lighting toned down... ahh, but I digress :-)
I chose to get the 9x60 Oberwerk binoculars with the SW, and they proved to be a fine selection right from the get go . M42 was well placed to the south, and it took about 10 seconds to locate it and then marvel at the impressive sight framed in the 5° field of view. I don't think I've ever gone from packing crate to 'wow' in that short amount of time with any piece of astronomical equipment! Individual stars in the trapezium were just visible, which is a first for me through binoculars (admittedly, up until this point, I haven't done much astronomy with binoculars since I was a kid). Since I was in the neighborhood, I stopped in for visits at the Hyades and the Pleiades (M45). All of the Hyades just fit into the field, with Saturn visible as an added bonus. Simply beautiful. M45 high in the sky as it was for me at that hour was a fantastic sight as well. It didn't take me long to become a believer in the SW.
From that point I decided to wander a little and try some unorthodox targets. Boston's Prudential tower looked very sharp, albeit on its head :-) and panning around the sky at various altitudes (looking and nothing in particular) was amusing as well. What had started out as a quick look session was growing longer as I fiddled about. Finally I decided to call it quits. When I had carried the SW out of my warm house and into the park, it had not occurred to me to bring any kind of gloves or mittens. At 28 F aluminum is darned cold to the touch! So about half way down the hill, I stopped and took a peek at the rising moon near the eastern horizon. Like everything else I looked at with the SW, it was marvelous.
After only one night I'm ready to add my voice to the chorus of those praising the SW. I'm really looking forward to binocular astronomy that's easy and fun. Here's hoping for another clear night this evening.
Paul
