johninderby

Hazy tonight but at least the moon wasn’t obscured. Venus was just a dancing blob unlike the other night. Could barely make out Orion. Anything not high up was a waste of time., Oh well at least the moon was good. Can’t believe how razor sharp and contrasty with loads of detail the views were. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Few low res pics of the moon using a smartphone. Need to sort out a suitable eyepiece to use with it to get better results.

Came across the mention of Lanthanum glass having a slight yellowish tint in a discussion on CN.on mating elements used in doublets.

General build quality is better than either the SCT or Mak. Slightly heavier than the C6 but lighter than the 150 Mak. As I mentioned in my earlier post the focuser suppilied with the 6” on offer could do with upgrading to the one they supply with the 8”. But given the discount on the 6” you could afford to either fit the better focuser or even go with a Baader Steeltrack refractor focuser. When I sold my old Skymax 180 and relaced it with the CC 8” the buyer who also owned a Tak Mewlon was impressed by the build quality of the CC when I showed it to him which says a lot.🙂

Lanthanum glass is supposed to reduce CA as it’s slightly yellowish tint helps cancel out any residual blue fringing. I belove Vixen uses Lanthanum as the mating element in their ED doublets. Longer focal lengths even in achros reduces CA and the longer focal length gives better depth of field. Comprimise is it does reduce fov a bit. Probably better suited to visual than AP though. So far even with the limited observing time with mine have found this is one impressive scope. The optics are definately a step up from the old SW ED doublets. Just how much better will take more observing time to decide.

And not to forget one of the newer scopes.The TS Optics 6” Classical Cassegrain. On offer right now as I think they are about to upgrade the focuser so clearing off the current version. Like this as there is no corrector to dew up and cools down faster. Any Crayford or R&P refractor focuser with a 90mm thread on the front will screw on upin place of the original. Primary mirror is fixed as it has a proper focuser. https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p10748_TS-Optics-6--f-12-Cassegrain-Teleskop-154-1848-mm-OTA.html

Impressive indeed. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Will be interested in how the 104 compares to the Esprit 100 and others.

I used some Tamiya clear red paint normally used for tinting clear lenses on models but if I didn’t have some acetate sheet would have done.

It’s not expensive and I like the side mounted on/off brightness knob. Much easier to use than the more common rdf finders. Needs a bit of thin red paint putting on the led window to dim it down a bit. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tactical-Scope-1x22x33-Multi-Reticle-Compact-Red-Green-Dot-Sight-Free-Shipping/271848947787?hash=item3f4b75c04b:g:mawAAOSwYmZXKx8D

Just ordered a quick release adapter for the red dot finder that you can see mounted on the handle. Will make it handy just to be able to fit the finder in a second or two when I want to use it.

Think this will be a very popular scope. Already get the feeling optical quality is a step up from the old Skywatcher ED doublet scopes. In the brief lunar session last night the view was impressively sharp and contrasty and not a trace of CA. Can’t afford it now but think the Televue 3-6 zoom would be a great lunar eyepiece in this scope. It’s this one, but might find it cheaper on eBay. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Guiding-Telescope-Diameter-Finders-astrophotography/dp/B07RQT5CHV/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=svbony+finder+bracket&qid=1580914717&sr=8-1

This form could be of use. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/374162/ce1154.pdf

Finders 🤔 Have been looking at a few finder alternatives for the scope. The 9x50 RA works well but the 6x30 RA is not bad either plus if I use it don’t have to buy another 9x50 finder to replace the one that was borrowed from another scope. The Rigel Quikfinder would be a great finder but not as the only finder. Have another red dot finder that will fasten onto the handle and has been made nore suitable for astro use by simply using red paint to dim the led. Perhaps the 6x30 and the red dot finder would make the best combination? 🤔🤔🤔

Some usefull info here. https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/finance/staff-information/help/procurement/how/import_export/repair https://www.gov.uk/guidance/outward-processing-relief-opr

Based on the brief look before the clouds tonight it performs better than it looks. 😁

The Bresser uses tube rings as well. Does make balancing the OTA easy. The OTA can be moved with a fingertip but stays in place.

It has been unusually mild in this part of the UK this winter. Daytime highs of between 7 and 13 degrees and no snow. Last year we had a cm of snow one morning but then the sun came out and it was gone in a few hours. Used to live in Montreal. they get serious amounts of snow. Don’t miss having to get up,early to shovel out the driveway a few times a week. 🙂

That’s what I like about the Bresser. Just pick up the tube using the alt bearings as handles.

Can’t emphasize too much the importance of a dob that moves easily but not too easily and has no “Stiction”.

Let it cool down but when I went back outside wall to wall cloud. 🤬 Oh well at least had a bit of a first light and just so impressed. One of those scopes that makes you go WOW when you look through it. 😁

Just set it up on the photo mount outside and just so imoressed with the lunar views with a 4.5mm Morpheous.. Performs way better than it looks. 🙂🙂🙂

Something unnatural is going on. New scope arrived this afternoon and clear skies. 🙀🙀🙀🙀🙀 Popped it outside on the photo mount and looked at the moon and absolute razor sharp image with zero CA. And that was with no cooldown time. Tried the Morpheus 4.5mm and image was still bright. Will let it cool down for 30 minutes and go back out. Seriously impressed. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 No vibrations on the photo mount as well. 🙂

The new Rowan AZ100 Alt-Az mount. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/alt-azimuth/rowan-az100-alt-az-mount.html

Have started a StellaMira owners thread in the Scopes / Whole Setups section.

Received my StellaMira 80 f/10 ED refractor today. 🙂🙂🙂 First impressions are what a solid bit of kit and quite hefty at 4.6kg without finder and diagonal. Beautifully finished in glossy black with red accents. Comes with a proper CNC vixen type dovetail bar about 15” long. Found the centre of balance of the scope and set the rear tube ring a couple of inches behind that so that when the handle was fitted it would balance properly. Front ring is close to the dewshield when it is retracted. With such a long dovetail bar easy to balance the scope on the mount. The handle fastens on with a single screw and has notches in the base that fit over the tube ring and stop it from rotating. Nice and smooth with finger grips on the underside and is very comfortable to hold. The focuser has over 90mm of travel and has twist locks with compression rings on both the 2” and 1.25” adapter. The red twist lock grips are aluminium. Very easy to use and lock the diagonal solidly in place. I’m using a Baader T2 prism which should suit this f/10 scope. 2” nosepiece but a 1.25” eyepiece holder for now. Will get a 2” eyepiece to T2 adapter so I can use the 1.25” twist lock adapter as well. Tried a 6x30 RA finder on it but just looked wrong so “borrowed” a 9x50 from another scope. Now I’ll have to buy another 9x50 I suppose. Test fitted a red dot finder to the top of the handle and it fits fine although not planning to use one but have the option. FLO is looking for another finder shoe as the suppied one doesn’t match the focuser’s finish. I tried an Orion shoe which seems to fit OK and does look better. Looks nice on the Rowan AZ100 mount but will probably be used more often on the Manfrotto 475 tripod with 405 geared head as it makes a nice grab’n’go setup that can bebcarried outside one handed. OTA without finder or diagonal weighs 4.6kg (10.14lbs) and is 800mm (31.5”) long with the dewshield extended and 670mm (27.5”) with it retracted. That’s without diagonal fitted. John