John

It is still looking lovely and a bit higher up than it was last night. Not sure if it's brighter or not - probably around the same.

Sounds about right. @cotterless45 gets some great views with his 150mm F/8 - look out for his reports in the observing section

This chart shows an assessment of the CA levels that achromats generate which might answer some of your queries: It's not just about the CA with achromats. Quite a few also have spherical aberration, being either over or under corrected to some degree. Generally ED doublets (at least the ones that I've owned and used) are better corrected for SA as well has having lower levels of CA. SA impacts the scopes performance at higher magnifications. Achromatic refractors can still be good scopes to own and use though The "is it worth it question" is a personal one in my opinion. Each of us will have their own answer to that

This is a simulation of the 20mm Pentax XW in the Orion Eon 115mm F/7 on the Pleiades:

No XW's in 6mm or 12mm I'm afraid. The full range is 3.5, 5, 7, 10, 14, 20, 30 and 40mm. Last two are 2 inch eyepieces. Delos are available in both 6mm and 12mm but they won't be par-focal with the XW's - they need around 8mm outwards focuser movement to reach focus. And they cost more than the XW's. I find having choices at the higher magnification end very useful to find the "sweet spot" for a given target and conditions so I've gone for 1mm or even .5mm increments below 6mm in focal length. To me, you seem to be missing a couple of longer focal length eyepieces ?

They are pretty good scopes. My first dob was the 8 inch (made by GSO which is who make Zhumell scopes) and I was rather surprised when it produced as good if not better views of the planets than the Celestron C8 that I had at the time could. The 6" would be F/8 I think ? - they can be really good planetary and lunar scopes.

Takahashi used to have Hi-Or eyepieces of 2.8mm and 4mm I think.

Jupiter and it's moons (plus the odd background star) were a lovely arrangement last night. The Great Red Spot was right in the centre of the disk when I observed it as well. Last night was a classic astronomy night - so many things to see, the hours just slipped by

As Stu say, yes ! One of my favourite sights during the Summer months is of the Veil with my 102mm Vixen refractor, the O-III filter and the widest 2 inch eyepieces I've got. The whole thing is visible in the field of view then.

I was being serious Fozzie - if it's not what you want then thats a great reason for not going for it. I feel similarly about some scope designs (SCT's for example). They are fine scopes but just don't do it for me For rich field and refracting design I think the 152mm F/5.9's are really good choices. 32mm of aperture over the 120mm is not to be sniffed at (or licked ).

Great report Rob ! I completely forgot about the Veil last night - it would have been a great night for that target but there was so much else going on ! You description of the impact of the UHC and the O-III on this target are spot on. Both worth having though John

I have read one negative report on these optics since they were released - two now counting yours. The first was also an Equinox 120 from 2008 as it happens: https://astromart.com/reviews-and-articles/reviews/telescopes/refractors/show/eon-120-reveiw The tests of the objectives on Herr Rohr's site have been excellent. As we know there are lemons in all brands including Tak, CFF and the top end ones. I don't think that an ED120 has any more chance of being a sub-standard unit than any other brand. But I totally accept that the ED120 might just not be the type of scope that the OP is looking for. Thats a much better reason not to go for one IMHO

Great shots I had the same view but from my garden at Portishead and over some rooftops. I was packing up when the NLC's appeared. Great end to a superb night of astronomy.

I'm packing in as well. Totally agree Neil - this is what it is all about. The sky rewarded me with this sight as I packed the scope away - simply breathtaking:

Just when I thought it was all over ..... this happened at the northern horizon. Noctilucent Cloud display AND a bright comet !!!!

It certainly is !!!!

Well I got Saturn with the Cassini Division, equatorial cloud belts and 4 moons showing rather well. But there was more. The Moon and Mars are now visible and tempting. A quick view of the Moon, for completeness sake, then onto Mars. Nice detail showing. Dark features plus a prominent south polar cap. Finally back to Comet Neowise. Best view of the night of that was with the ED120 refractor and the 40mm Aero ED eyepiece. A 3 degree true field which framed the comet and it's subtly curving tail magnificently. Almost felt that I could see the outgassing billowing away from the nucleus and streaming away. Probably won't get many nights like this so making the most of it

Skirting the rooftops now. Used a high ISO to get the roofs, hence the grain

What a night !!!!! Two scopes cooled and ready plus 11x70 binoculars. Fabulous naked eye comet complete with long tail. Galaxies, nebulae and clusters showing wonderfully overhead. Jupiter with the Great Red Spot bang in the centre of the disk with a lovely arrangement of it's moons and background stars to compliment it. Just waiting for Saturn to round off the sort of session that has not occurred for a long, long time. Simply glorious

Great stuff Steve "...... this will be done the old fashioned way, with eyes, atlas and a hop...." That's the way I like to do it as well

Only as a snap shooter ! 2020 F3 Neowise is definitely a naked eye comet tonight. The tail seems to extend for a couple of degrees at least. Quite clear and rather lovely when it's bisected by a low cloud as it is just now.

I have a Vixen ED102 and a lovely scope it is too. But I use the ED120 much, much more

Quick crop of DSLR shot at 300mm F/11, 1.6 sec ISO 1600:

Got the comet here as well ! Low down to the N currently. You can star hop from Capella - > Menkalinan (Beta Aurigae) - > Neowise in approx equal westward steps. Comet looks similar to my 1st sighting. Tail streaming away in a narrow fan at a 45 degree angle to the horizon. Very nice in 11x70 binoculars and 9x50 finder. Excellent in ED 120mm refractor at 50x

The Classic Q 2.25x: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/barlows/baader-classic-q-225x-barlow.html