heliumstar

You would be surprised. I still can't comprehend how this scope is only like 262 new. And it looks good too. As for the mount. Well, AZ GTI is perfect for it. Even with the stock tripod when focusing it hardly moves because the focuser is smooth. If you want manual then that little thing from Altair and TS (az6 something) would be perfect. Or pretty much any of the usual suspects like Porta II, AZ5 from SW, etc...

1 hour ago, mikeyj1 said:

I have the WO61 and i am surprised at the comments that suggest you should possibly choose something else.  Build quality is excellent, and it is a flat field, even with the SW flattener  rather than the WO one- i never tried it without as for imaging you need a spacer, or a FF to get focus, so i always have it in the imaging train with a DSLR.

My only issue is the light gathering capability, but then i am comparing it to sessions with my 10" reflector, so it's not really fair.  

It fits the SW Star Adventurer well, and is easy to carry in a backpack if travelling

for me it rates 9/10

hth

Mike 

The OP speaks of 90% visual. Light gathering capability of 72mm vs 61(60)mm is immediately visible. Don't get me wrong, the building quality of 60ed clones is very, very good. What I tried to say is that cheap SW is not far behind

Another thing. When I speak of field curvature I am talking about visual. And it bothers me a lot. When I compare the two side by side and for visual for me personally there is no comparison. SW 72ed all the way...

I couldn't live with field curvature on Altair 60ed which is the same scope. Also build quality is not that much better than SW 72ed. If you like observing the Moon though the little 60ed is much, much better. Absolutely no CA while on SW 72ed I can see tiny yellowish ring. It's not always visible and with mirror diagonal somehow goes away but I can still see it and it disturbs me.

12 hours ago, Geoff Barnes said:

This is a topic that greatly interests me as I'm wanting a high power eyepiece for planetary and lunar viewing with my 12 inch dob.

I've bought a 4mm Skywatcher Planetary EP but alas have not had a chance to use it yet. I'm thinking a 5mm will probably be the best to use on a regular basis.

What I really want to know is - do the premium eyepieces produce better images in the centre of the FOV than cheaper versions or is the only advantage with them in their better correction at the edges.

If the cheaper ones are just as sharp on axis I may as well just go for one of them, as I observe almost exclusively with my GoTo dob tracking whatever I'm viewing in the centre of the FOV, so outer edges are not so imp[ortant to me.

I will look forward to a review by you soon John!

I am still not experienced enough to catch all abberations but I directly compared StarGuider 12mm and Tak Abbe Ortho 12.5mm. Once you compare it through the same telescope on the spot it is immediately clear where the money went. What I saw was reflections in StarGuider and absolutely none in Tak Abbe. StarGuider reflections didn't actually bother me until I looked through Tak Abbe

I went through a dozen telescopes in last year.  But I sold them all and bough back a few as well

In retrospective I had the most fun and was the most satisfied with 102 Mak and 80mm f11.4 ( Vixen A80M ). So last year was kind of a testing ground. The most comfortable eyepiece was Baader zoom and BCO 18mm ( amazing, just amazing ). 102 Mak with .5x reducer was fine for EAA as well.

My main interest is double stars (primary concern), moon and planets. Looks like I need to take a look at Sun observing as well considering the weather at night. The scope needs to work with ASI224 as well for some deep space when I feel like it.

Considering all of the above please read below and help me out.

Now, why resistance is futile? Because all this time I tried, really tried but never could get Tak out of my mind. But there is Vixen as well. So what would be a good combination aka child of 102 Mak and Vixen A80M? I narrowed it down to three choices :

1. Takahashi FS60Q

2. Takahashi FC76DCU

3. Vixen SD81S

Anything else in this quality/price range that is readily available?

I want this scope to be highly portable as well so maybe Vixen is out of the question? Too long? Or get Vixen and then some off-the shelf 60ed again? I am really intrigued by FS60Q but worry about light gathering capabilities. Oh, and would prefer 'flatter' field. I really don't appreciate 60ed f6 field curvature. My mind tells me 102 Mak but I don't think I am strong enough to resist the Tak!

6 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

The Mak and SCTs for that matter use spherical mirrors so it makes little difference to where they are pointing, any collimation has to be done at the front end...

Alan

Ahem...not quite true. My 127 mak has collimation screws at the back...

10 minutes ago, laudropb said:

I found the dot to be very good, small and round. I fact I enjoyed using it very much, easily the best red dot finder I have used. Perhaps yours has some kind of fault. All the reviews on the FLO site give it 5 stars and I am of the same opinion.

That's what I thought. Mine seems to be the faulty one because there's one huge spike and a few tiny ones. Lenses are clean and look good.

Thanks for confirming my doubts.

1 hour ago, laudropb said:

A Baader Sky Surfer V. I have set it up and aligned it with my ED 72 waiting for darkness to fall.

 

I would love to hear how pinpoint yout Surfer V is. I love it overall, build, everything and solar finder....but the dot on mine just isn't pinpoint.

If you check the comments on Flickr someone says that first two digits of the serial number are year of manufacture. It makes sense looking at serials of your binos, the ones on Flickr and ones mentioned in comments being 7001991.

Some info here :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/binoculars/3270221832

https://binocular.ch/komz-bpc-6x24/

This came in today.

To complete Ortho set.

Looks like worthwhile upgrade. Ordering one

Thumbs up for this! Downloaded CSV.

11 hours ago, Steve Clay said:

How would the bracket at the link work? 

Check the third photo. You just attach the bracket to the mount like you would normally attach a telescope with Vixen dovetail and then attach your scope at the top. That way the finder shoe is at the top. I am seriously thinking of buying this since it looks like it would work great with AZ GTi. It gives you a little height so you can shorten the legs on that woobly tripod of ours

Imo if you use your Mak only with AZ Gti you don't need optical finder. RDF will do since you only actually need 1 star to align and off you go. The issue you have is not optical issue but ergonomics so the solution is either that bracket or just attach Rigel where needed

9 minutes ago, Steve Clay said:

Its mainly where its situated on the ota. Constantly on my knees and cricking my neck to look through it.

Ah yes! I have the same issue. That's when Rigel comes in. But! The other day I found this : https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p10777_TS-Optics-Adapter-Plate-for-alt-azimuth-Mounts-with-perfect-Weight-Compensation.html

and it looks it would solve our issue with the finder on the wrong side

Steve, what's the frustration?

Otherwise, Rigel

Insurance inspector for a scope that is worth 500? Is that really a thing? I mean that guy's day will probably cost as much?

I am really sorry to hear this happening to you and I agree...they should immediately authorise the return ( or are we spoilt by Amazon??? )

Good point John. Didn't really thought of that angle.

If all is well with the scope otherwise why not just arrange for them to send you a new focuser?

Not sure if representative and if it means anything but there's a photo of the Moon shot with AA version of this scope on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/groups/altairastro/permalink/1812865562151790/?__tn__=-UC-R

Tha AA 102 for 599 is seriously inviting

It seems they have this new Ascent range. They don't mention the glass type though and it looks like 80 ED-re is out of stock. Would be interesting to see the difference in build quality. Something gotta give for the same price?

I saw that 102 on ABS earlier as well. I am struggling to comprehend how at 600 it is a good value - even with FT focuser. IMO seeing AA focusers and if the one on AA 102 is anything like the one on Starwave 80 ED-r my brain can't go over the fact that you get exactly the same telescope but 10 years old for more??? money?? And we saw SW 100ED sold for 400 with accessories and on Ebay there is one for 380 starting price that seems can't be sold for months - with accessories as well. Strange pricing in Astro world. Or are we preying on 'newbies'? I know I overpaid a few things he he.

The same with 72 Megrez that popped up on ABS. 320 is the price while I bet very similar in performance SW 72 ( from reviews ) is 265 new???

To-Do List

No, this is not normal. It's nothing like I see through my Rigel.

Small Mantona case from Amazon is perfect for Baader Classic set.