DRT

Hear, hear! This immaculate Moonlite specimen arrived very recently from exactly the same source...

I've emailed Skywatcher to ask the question.

I've had a look and there are no signs of separator tabs. It is possible that there is a ring in there but I cannot see it. Perhaps ask FLO?

Sorry, Peter, I don't know. Are there any tell-tale signs I could look for without dismantling the cell?

Nicos & Roy - just to clarify, this scope does work for visual observing provided you find a short prism. The cheap standard Meade Prism (which looks identical to the Celestron version that comes with their SCTs) works just fine. I have't tested it yet but I am now also convinced that the Baader T2 prism will work when screwed directly onto the T2 thread on the back of the focuser. Please step away from those hacksaws folks

If I manage to test the Baader Prism works fine I’ll be selling the Meade Prism so I’ll put you down for first refusal of you are interested?

Worth checking Rother Valley Optics, Peter. I got mine there same day when all others were declaring out of stock ?

In the last picture I posted you can see the Baader 1.25” Focusing Eyepiece Holder that I have fitted to the Prism. The top ring of that holder is the focusing ring which can be removed to reveal another T2 male thread. Removing it provides another 2mm of inward travel ??

Ok, here is some more info that you guys might find useful... The tube has an outer diameter of 56mm and an internal diameter of 52mm. There is approximately 21mm of travel in the focuser. The tube has a female thread that accepts the body of the focuser. It would be possible to shorten the tube if you had the means to re-cut the thread inside the tube or find a shorter focuser with the same thread or a very sort adapter. Sorry, I have no means of accurately measuring the pitch of the thread but it looks like some sort of standard metric fitting to me. The lens cell and green retaining ring unscrew to reveal a 16mm male thread on the OTA. The green ring eats up a minimum of 3.5mm of that thread. The lens cell has a 10mm deep female thread. This means that you could remove 2.5mm from the front of the tube and both would still fit provided you did not destroy there thread on the OTA. Alternatively, you could dispose of the green ring and remove 6mm from the front of the tube and re-attach the lens cell without the retaining ring. I was seriously considering that final option when something struck me! ?⚡?⚡ I have been fitting the Baader T2 prism using the 1.25" nosepiece. The Baader "T2" Prism has...wait for it...a T2 fitting on both sides!! I unscrewed the nosepiece and screwed the prism directly onto the T2 thread on the back of the focuser and my prism is now 4mm closer to the objective so I should now be able t reach focus on infinity. Bingo! Here are some pictures that might help you visualise some of the above... Back of OTA with the focuser removed to reveal a female thread. Internal diameter appears to be 52mm to thread diameter perhaps M53? Focuser male thread and OTA female thread are approximately the same length so modification to shorten the OTA here would require the OTA thread to be extended/re-tapped. Green retaining ring fully retracted leaves 2.5mm spare thread when objective cell fully engaged. Objective end male thread on OTA is 16mm deep, 12mm when green ring retained in place. Green ring therefore eats 4mm of the OTA length. The lens cell has a 10mm deep female (M56?) thread. Shortening the OTA by 6mm ad not using the green retaining ring would give 6mm of additional inward travel. The Baader T2 Prism lightbulb moment! ? It will hopefully be clear tonight so I will give this a go and report back ?

I decided the Celestron Luminos were not for me and have ordered the 9mm, 13mm & 20mm Lunt/APM HDC- XWA 100° Eyepieces plus an APM UW 80° 30 mm for low power. I've read a few positive reviews of this range here and on CN about them being comparable to their TV rivals but at 25% of the cost so I am interested to see if that it true. I've not gone for the high power EPs at this stage as I found I almost never used my Ethos 4.7mm and 3.7mm so will see how I get on with what I've ordered. If I want something between 5mm and 9mm I suspect it will be a DeLite as the cost is not much more than the Lunt HDC- XWAs.

I'm sorry to say I haven't yet had an opportunity to really look through this little scope but here are a few more notes on things I have found: 1. The cheap Meade Prism reaches focus without the need for any modification and without the extension tube. There is enough travel to reach focus on terrestrial objects and infinity. I therefore have a working scope, but don't like the idea of a plastic diagonal with a screw fitting being my final solution. 2. The Baader T2 Prism reaches focus on near terrestrial objects but only when racked all the way in. There is no travel left to reach infinity. 3. The focuser section does unscrew from the OTA. I have not measured any of the diameters or threads but it does open up the possibility of modification by adding an alternative focuser. 4. The objective cell and separate green retaining ring both unscrew from the OTA leaving a familiar male thread on the OTA. There seems to be 3-4mm of space available at that end to potentially shorten the OTA and create the equivalent amount of extra inward focus at the other end. Hmmm? Tempting, but a potential for disaster.

My ED120 is now fully blinged-up with its new red Moonlite, Baader Zeiss Prism and SW EvoGuide finder. Now I just need some new eyepieces and a clear night sky

That's great to know - I am currently on a Tele Vue holiday and have decided that when I get back in I am going for a set of DeLites ?

It's not quite that simple: https://www.baader-planetarium.com/en/accessories/optical-accessories/prism-and-mirror-star-diagonals.html

Thanks. I am curious too, which is the main reason I bought it. Unfortunately, in addition to the ubiquitous bag of jelly sweets there was a week's worth of clouds in the box so I'm not sure when I will be pointing it at the sky ☁️?️?️☁️

This arrived about an hour ago from Teleskop Service via DPD...

I think the only thing you can be accused of is leaving so much space for more EP's ?

Thanks for the kind offer, Jules, but I have a Meade Prism on the way that I bought from another member yesterday.

I modified a cheap mirror diagonal to reduce the light path by about 10mm. It's not ideal but it does the job for now and I have a Meade Prism on the way that I bought from an SGL member yesterday.

The butchered mirror diagonal and 32mm TV Plossl reach focus on the night sky but there are a few issues that are probably down to the very poor quality and nature of the diagonal so I will leave any judgement until I get a better piece of kit in its place.

Here is my latest travel kit...

I think we should stop before it gets out of hand ?

If the Meade diagonal that I have bought works I will spend money on a Baader equivalent because I’m a sucker for style over substance. If you are more sensible than me and you want a cheap prism for yours wait a week and I’ll sell you the Meade for what I paid ?

My experiments with this scope continue in this thread...

I have now managed to focus on the Moon with the butchered diagonal and a TV 32mm Plossl. I still have a few mm of Travel to play with so hopefully infinity won’t be a problem.