Eric Ramos - Friend & Advanced Amateur in the Dominican Republic.

This amazing photo is of the Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2005 was sent to me by my good friend Eric Ramos of the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean. Eric has been in amateur astronomy since the 1960's and belongs to a local organization in his home town. Eric is such an interesting gentleman I have decided to dedicate this photo image site to him and all his friends and family to enjoy. Photo --- taken with an OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

"Al: Just wanted you to see how similar your planetarium projector is to our Goto's. Standing on the ladder, I'm calibrating the instrument and planetary positions with ephemeris information, to begin working with the public at the museum." "If your planetarium has anything like a program card then it is more fit for a public show than ours. We have to do everything manually and according to "pre-learned" steps and sequences. The intro of the recorded show has some cool electronic minutes or so of getting the mood until the sun appears. Then we simulate sunset, the red dawn effect, the apparition of the first stars, but we keep the skyglow lightly illuminated until we talk about dark skies where everything goes pitch black and the wows start to be heard when about maybe 700 stars appear to about mag 4. The whole thing lasts about 28 minutes and eventually ends up with Holst's The Planet's music for each planet described and proyected with the slide machine. A didactic teaching machine converted into a show where nobody complains of gets bored is to us a great accomplishment! - Eric Ramos"

An artistic picture of the evening skyglow in red.

Al, "As you said you liked photos check this one attached of the region of Sagittarius where a picture mosaic of M8 M20 & M21 captured all three in the same frame. Give it a boost pan it and crop it up intill the sky turns black. We have a nice southern sky. The credit again goes to my friend Maurice." ..."Our city is not an architectural beauty and very few tourists come. Only the cruise boats and for limited time. Electricity is a 'Big' problem. The whole city practically 'shuts off' at night. That's why the M42 shot came out like it did. It was taken five miles from the physical center of Santo Domingo, among the 'darkness' of a small city village." - Eric

Beautiful Cave 8 inch Cassegrain Telescope... restored by Eric Ramos. Cave 8 in Cassegrain back view Collimating plate view. Notice magnetic control box and protection stop on focuser

Declination motor and gear side view. Wiring and P-clips

Dec. motor front view. Notice plastic strip barrier with vel

Declination motor close-up

Solid Pier ---- Extremely sturdy pier and mount will make views 'rock steady'

Optical Tube front view. Added six inch optical baffle tube improves contrast and prevents focuser back travel.

"Al - Tell me if you receive this attached astroshot taken in Santo Domingo by my friend Maurice in his backyard as a test for delivering photos. Hear from you soon Eric Ramos" Note -- If you reference the image of M-8, M-20, etc. Eric mentions that the whole city becomes dark at night due to a lack of electrcity . This is the image he mantions that was taken just 5 miles from the heart of the city of Santo Domingo.