Gabby76

20 hours ago, newbie alert said:

I thought Altair test the optics onsite and reject the ones that don't quite reach their criteria,  so added to the fact that the focuser is different as well as the lens cell..

With regards to stellarvue, there was a video shared on here the other day showing the production of the lens cells in house at stellavue..seems strange to the accept a scope from another source and sold as a stellarvue scope with its own unique lens document? Or is that done to mislead us? 

The Stellarvue Access line are imported but must meet SV QC spec and then they go through the telescope from focuser to lens cell to bring it to their standard. All I have talked to have found them to be excellent telescopes.

The X series of refractors are made in house with a guaranteed Strehl ratio of 98-99, a friend just received his SVX 102mm which is at 99.6!  

The telescope seems to be slightly cheaper if purchased from TS: https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p10133_TS-Optics-PhotoLine-125mm-f-7-8-FPL53-Lanthanum-Apo---2-5--Focuser.html

They most likely are made by the same manufacturer, the Photoline series are normally good telescopes. 

Manufacturers will build and re-badge telescopes for many different retailers, the difference comes down to what level of QC the customer has paid for/ maintained. 

I tend to go with the retailer with the better reputation for high QC for purchases like this. 

Hello and welcome to the forums

Hello and welcome :)

I use the aluminium/ pluck foam for most accessories and eyepieces as well as a few HPRC cases for more expensive eyepieces. 

This is my HPRC2700 travel case, it holds the SV80mm refractor, BV/ OCAs, various eyepieces and filters as well as my Herschel wedge, Zeiss/ Baader prism and mirror diagonal. 

Under the blue foam section are 3-2" eyepieces.

I sent an email to Celestron and the response I received in reply was that I could replace my Nexstar (Version 4) handset and CN-16 module with a new Nexstar+ (Version 5) handset and module....

Using the old one when require still works other than having to change the date when aligning so 10 seconds of my time is not worth spending the extra money. 

Is the Cat allowed to be on a refractor thread?

How else are you going to get a good scan of the optics train? ?

This is my travel telescope, a Stellarvue/LZOS 80mm which I use on a Manfrotto 055b/ RC128 combination

I had just finished doing some solar observing.

I also just finished refurbishing a new C6R and CG-5, I missed my big refractor while working away from home. 

Lots of time spent tweaking the cannon but it works well now. 

I have a Celestron CN-16 module that now reverts to 1999.

It still inputs the proper time and location into the mount though, just the date is wrong. 

The other night I powered on the mount and waited for the GPS to link. Once done I went into menu and shut the GPS off and proceeded to alignment.

At that time it asked if the date was correct which I changed and all the other information I left alone.

Some apo lens cells have "shipping screws" that are supposed to be backed off before delivery and can produce image artifacts such as this. 

I would contact WO and ask them about it. 

I emailed a friend last night who has a viewing partner that is an Antares dealer in Canada to ask about these. 

The dealer knew nothing about them either, hopefully some kind of answer will emerge in the future.  

I just came across these today so hopefully someone will review them soon!

My Series 1,  5-8mm is still one of my favorite eyepieces.  

Some of my eclectic collection

The first is my first Celestron C6R with a few modifications, the yellow one is my second C6R which I did a complete refurbishment on in 2016 and the last is my Stellarvue 80mm NHNG