Nakedgun

45° angle quickly becomes a real pain for astronomical use at higher declinations, although a tripod with elevating center column will help with this somewhat. I use one for quick looks on occasion when higher powers are unnecessary. If terrestrial observing is the primary use, astro secondary, a spotter can be a useful option.

2 hours ago, Pancho61 said:

So mean of the translation in red square:

Focus on optical measure:

Test old equipment on bench measurement is always exciting as it allowed to verify some qualify "word" who has been use in the past and compare to modern equipement. Measure has been done by Airylab company. It has been done three wavelenght blue, green and red. Result was very good especcially in the blue. The mains defaults who has been detect concern the spherical aberration and residual chromatism who has been of course present due to low F/D, non ED glass and/or special optic formula.

 

OK, thank you.

1 minute ago, Pancho61 said:

To complet the information about vixen halley ( orange scope), we have a magazine who done some measurements on it.

 

 

So, what's the upshot of the translation?

Assuming, Dave, you meant this examination of small scopes to be limited to astronomical, and not purpose-built prismatic terrestrial spotters, here I reveal my next models up the aperture chain: 

Borg 60ED f/5.8 on Vixen Mini-Porta

Takahashi FOA60 f/8.8 on LX70

8 hours ago, Philip R said:

I posted these earlier in the year, in another section of SGL, whilst I was on furlough...

  
 

...and "yes!" It does work. 😜

What is it?

20 hours ago, Pancho61 said:

mini scope collection some items was sold for new stuff.  Love this models.

From left to right:

Vixen Planet 80S frist model

Vixen Halley 70S

Meade

Vixen 60S

Pentax J60c

Nice little squad, there!

What's the Pentax case in back all about, did the scope come packaged in that??

13 hours ago, F15Rules said:

 

I tried one, tripod mounted, and found it simply too much trouble to operate, offering no real advantage for binocular viewing over a conventional ball-head (properly sized for the anticipated load) on monopod. Using the 222 on monopod would be a non-starter.

When my telescope collection is looked at in toto, it is clear I have an affection for small aperture instruments in spite of owning an 18" reflector, recently sold, which have been acquired over the last quarter-century (I entered this hobby comparatively late in life).

My current abode has seen a noticeable reduction in sky quality over the three decades I've been here (do populations ever decline?), so these little guys reveal fewer objects as time passes. Nevertheless, I still do enjoy their use from the backyard and always bring one along when observing from a dark-sky location with a larger scope.

50mm f/10.

3 hours ago, JeremyS said:

That's not a mini scope Dave @F15Rules. It's positively huge!

This is:

Mini Borg 25 mm (the clue is in the name 🙂 )

Hooray, for the world famous Pocket Borg!

I'm not an imager, but have always loved my C-nine-two-five.

Good choice. 

1 hour ago, garryblueboy said:

Recent addition just spent 3 hours watching the planets and awesome views 

Nice gear.

That streetlight would make me bristle, I'd have to erect some sort of temporary block for it!

Many of us have some type of impediment like this to deal with.

Not being an imager, this explanation certainly eluded me. 

Perhaps the focal length for this line is an approximation, perhaps they have different primaries, otherwise I don't know.

Congrats on a fine selection! (I have one, too).

I'm sure I'll have a look at Mars this weekend, but will concentrate on the gas giants, and I'm going to see if I can bag Pluto, as well. Haven't tried with this aperture, yet.

A dream machine!

55 minutes ago, Nakedgun said:

Viewed Mercury/Venus Sunday night with 10x50s and 82mm spotter, Mercury ~10° below Venus, Mercury becoming visible naked-eye near 2000hrs.

Monday night clouded out.

Tuesday night Mercury was ~5° below Venus.

Will go out a half-hour from now to look. 

Skies are clear now (Wednesday) and should be (Thursday) for the conjunction, as well.

With a 20x wide angle ep on the spotter, I was just able to fit both planets into the same field, this evening. 

Viewed Mercury/Venus Sunday night with 10x50s and 82mm spotter, Mercury ~10° below Venus, Mercury becoming visible naked-eye near 2000hrs.

Monday night clouded out.

Tuesday night Mercury was ~5° below Venus.

Will go out a half-hour from now to look. 

Skies are clear now (Wednesday) and should be (Thursday) for the conjunction, as well.

On 14/05/2020 at 11:32, vineyard said:

Hello,

Sorry if this is the wrong sub-channel, but I thought I'd share this photo.  An old Vixen Super-Polaris 102M on an original SP mount and original HAL-130 (?) tripod.  I got this from my elderly father (he's still going, but this gear is a bit bulky for him now - so I swapped him an old Vixen Porta on a Japanese surveyor's tripod (original versions both) and my little Primaluce 72ED as those are a bit easier to handle hopefully).

Looking fwd to taking it for a spin - strictly visual tonight

Stay safe all,

Vin

 

Nice upgrade, to be sure! The tripod is not the HAL-130, but its model number does not come to mind, just now.

On 16/05/2020 at 06:46, JeremyS said:

That's a shame as I see one area where sales have been soaring during the pandemic is bicycles.

Over here, I've heard bird-watching is on the ascendant, so binocular sales are up.

1 minute ago, John said:

That was the first colour scheme that the ED120 was available in. The ED80 and ED100 were supplied for a year or so before this in the Skywatcher blue colour scheme.

 

Don't remember seeing a blue one, before. I'm not crazy about the current black metal-flake, which I have.

16 hours ago, John said:

Mine is even smaller !

 

Hmm, I'll take your word for it.

On 14/05/2020 at 11:31, John said:

I have the ED120 setup this evening on the Ercole mount and Berlebach tripod so China meets Germany, so to speak

A touch of the USA in the focuser of course !

 

I'll have to post up my 120 soon. When was that color scheme available?

On 14/05/2020 at 01:11, Gorr_77 said:

Green Clockwork on Red

Meade 80/f6 ED with too many cables...

 

 

 

Looks like something in the jungle to be avoided!

On 14/05/2020 at 11:22, RayD said:

Yeah, who said men can't multi-task 🙂

Nice having that roll-off!