Skylight 60mm a few thoughts

[Kevin Ellis]

I have had the Skylight 60mm F15 (actually F16.7) for a few months so I thought I would post a few thoughts.

The pictures tell you that this is a beautiful looking telescope. The build quality is excellent and it has a reassuringly solid feel to it.

It is only recently that I have become a fan of long focus refractors. I have previously owned a Williams Optics 66mm SD and 90mm Megrez. Both of these are short focus refractors. Although I was pleased with both scopes, I often found the magnification was limited to about x 100 for the 66mm and x 125 for the 90mm. No so with this 60mm Skylight. Despite the smaller aperture I can push the magnification to x 167 and beyond. However at x 167 you are starting to run out of light, unless you are looking at the Moon or Sun.

On the Moon the terminator is inky black and razor sharp up to x 125 (8mm Radian). Still sharp at x 167 (6mm of 3-6mm Nagler zoom) but no more detail seen.

On the Sun with a 1.25 Lunt Herschel wedge and Baader continuum filter the detail on sun spots is just amazing at x 125. But the most amazing view is with a 28mm RKE x 36. With this eyepiece the Sun is a three dimensional floating ball with razor sharp detail and granulation.

On Mars I will let my drawings tell you the story. No filters used.

I would also add that due to the focal ratio of 16.7, my newly acquired simple 8mm, 12mm 21.5mm and 28mm Edmund RKE eyepieces work very well with this telescope.

With periods of bad weather and other commitments I haven’t used the Skylight as much as I would have liked, but I have seen enough to know I love this telescope.

[NGC 1502]

Nice one Kevin (Kevin & I are members of the same club) the build quality looks great, sounds like the views are too.

The Mars detail in the drawings are better than through my 10" Dob, and yes, it was cooled & collimated, with steady seeing.

Regards, Ed.

[David Smith]

Looks fantastic. Assume you use some sort of diagonal when observing, just doesn't appear in the photo's. Would you be able to let me know what hardware you used to mount the scope. I have an old Tasco 60mm that i want to mount on an eq mount that i have but I am struggling to find some suitable and inexpensive mounting rings etc.

[Kevin Ellis]

Hi Ed

As you know I was surprised by the performance of the 60mm Skylight, which is why I now also own the 100mm f15 Skylight. I can only put it down to the more stable image given by the long focus ratio together with the high contrast and sharpness from being unobstructed.

I have viewed Mars simultaneously with the 60mm Skylight and your old 6” f6 Dob. Whilst both you and I have had good views of Mars through your old 6” , I found that the 6” f6, like my 8” f4.5, are greatly affected by the seeing when viewing planets. So although the 6” Dob was giving a brighter image it was only in brief moments that I could see the same amount of detail. I found that I was constantly trying to find best focus with the 6” where as the Skylight presented a fainter but stable sharp image. The polar cap was clearly visible in the 60mm Skylight at low powers even though the disc of Mars very small. My eyepieces just work better with the longer focus ratio. On another night the story could be different.

[Odd Thomas]

You're making my mouth water Kevin. I've got an f13, 100mm on order.....can't wait!

Hence my tag below...

[Kevin Ellis]

Hi David

I am using a Takahashi 1.25 prism diagonal.

I know from other postings that it is difficult to find tube rings for a 60mm refractor unless you have them made. My brass rings came from Skylight, so you could give Richard Day a call.

If you are looking for a mount I would recommend an old Vixen Polaris mount (like mine) or a Tal 1 mount.

Kevin

[swamp thing]

Hi Kevin

Interesting report and a very pretty little scope. Looks like it gives some really ace views judging by your drawings.

Thanks for sharing.

[David Smith]

Hi David

I am using a Takahashi 1.25 prism diagonal.

I know from other postings that it is difficult to find tube rings for a 60mm refractor unless you have them made. My brass rings came from Skylight, so you could give Richard Day a call.

If you are looking for a mount I would recommend an old Vixen Polaris mount (like mine) or a Tal 1 mount.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin

[AndyH]

Hi David

I am using a Takahashi 1.25 prism diagonal.

I know from other postings that it is difficult to find tube rings for a 60mm refractor unless you have them made. My brass rings came from Skylight, so you could give Richard Day a call.

If you are looking for a mount I would recommend an old Vixen Polaris mount (like mine) or a Tal 1 mount.

Kevin

Snap ! I use the same diagonal on my Carton 60/1000, which is the same lens as used in your marvelous Skylight.

Mine gets the majority of use on my Helix mfg alt/az, when I don't have it piggybacked on my Klevtsov.

I concur with your reports of the planetary views. It never ceases to amaze. It is imune to seeing and it happily takes around 167x on them. I have to stop myself sniggering when using this scope and telling myself, 'this is a bloomin 60mm achro, what the hell is going on'.

Super, super lens. No question.

Rings are a pig to source. I got very lucky and found a lovely cast aluminium set that just needed a bit of leather to bulk them out.

Cheers,

Andy.

[Kevin Ellis]

Hi Andy

I have only used the Takahashi prism diagonal in the Skylight. Have you used a quality mirror diagonal in your Carton ?

I'm just wondering if there is a visual difference.

Kevin

[AndyH]

Yeah, I have used a dielectric mirror diagonal and noted zero difference between it and the Tak prism, even at high powers. It really is a superb piece of kit. But sadly it aint cheap, especially these days. I DO adore the compression fittings that Tak use. Best on the market, in my honest opinion.

Cheers,

Andy.

[Kevin Ellis]

Hi Andy.

I had read that a dielectric mirror could be brighter than a prism. But as you have observed this is not the case with the Tak prism which I know is very good.

Thanks

Kevin

[philj]

Nice scope Kevin. Its amasing what can be seen with a quality 60mm scope, my old 1964 Swift 60mm blew me away when I 1st tried it out. The Skylights are superb optics I remember with fondness a few weeks in may the other year when I road tested the 4" F15 that was a belter on lunar and planetary but for doubles it was a real treat

philj

[Kevin Ellis]

Hi Phil

A few people have been surprised at the detail shown in my drawings through the 60mm Skylight. But I suspect that they have not had the opportunity to look through a long focus refractor.

I think I read a nice view you did for one of the magazines on a classic 4" F15 achromat.

I also have a Skylight 4" f15 which I will post on at a later date.

Kevin

[Merlin]

Regarding what you were saying David, about wanting some mounting rings for your old Tasco 60mm refractor. I'm not a motorist, but I used the rings and brackets for holding car exhausts. I bought them at a car accessories shop.

Just screw them onto a length of dovetail and Bob's your uncle. Mind you, wrap some tape round each ring so that they don't mark your 'scope. But you know this anyway!

[Mr Onions]

Good write up, Kevin.

I recently had my 60mm Skylight up to 333x on the moon.

This was more an experimental magnification,far too many floaters in the eye for this size exit pupil.

I must say though,there was no image breakdowh what so ever,even at this insane magnification.

I did find 200x on the moon very useable.

[Brian Nordstrom]

Beautiful telescope , on the diagonals I have a Tak prisim 1 1/4 on my Takahashi FS60C , a William Optiics 1 1/4 99% dieletric on my 63mm f/11.4 Zeiss telementor and an el/cheepo 1 1/4 mirror lying around .

I have experimented with all 3 diagonals in both 60mm scopes , one f/5,9 and the other f/11.4 and as Andy said , in both my 60mm's there is zero differance between them I can see , but the el/cheepo is way behind the Tak prisim and WO dielectric in every way , dimmer , more light scatter and out of columination ,,etc and only having 60mm worth of light to play with , we dont need that .

So thats my impression of the 2 ( 3 ) different diaginals ,, oh yes except the price , I can get 4 el/cheepos for the price of the WO , and 2 WO's for the price of the Takahasi prisim diagonal , you gotta weigh your priorities , as i said in our small 60mm scopes we need all the light we can get .

Brian.