Dan13

Hi Adam , thank you and yes! the GT 71 ii is another i looked at and as you said only £100, but would need a guide scope as well as i would want to use my current one with that scope, also the flatner is 0.8x and would lower the FL to that below the 61 i think and the 61 is a hell of a lot cheaper? yes i think RVO have bloated the price a bit and £179 for the guide scope to me seems excessive. you seem a lot more savvy then i do with there testing so ill take that on board. I actually really like the starwave and what it offers but with only a magazine review ive got nothing else to go on. Astro stace uses the altair 72edf and swears by it, so im really wandering on taking a punt or not on that one. i think if i was to go lower on FL id grab the red cat, ideally i dont want to drop below 400mm

Appreciate it, yea that's very true! I'll probably keep the 130 anyway even if I get a frac. Or may sell the 130 and get a dob

This is music to my Ears @Astrosharkey! i no there not the exact same scopes but thats great, i think the starwave 80ed-R looks like a great scope but cant find any info regarding it by users. your happy with the change up from a big newt to a smal frac then?

Cant agree with this im afraid, the 600d is more then capable of achieving great images,

ive tried this but with no luck, it seems im a small fish in a big APO wanted pond atm.,..

Agreed Craig, in my mind if i could start again i would get a refractor and then move onto a cmos from my dslr, ive done it backwards and now paying the price

A really good way to look at it, something ive thought of over and over and i myself have got some great images from the scope, i dont think in my case its about if a refractor will get me better images then what i already use i think its more portability, lack of maintenance and looks for me....and a wider fov but yes, treating the 130 to a new cam could also be the answer. Dam im so torn.

Thats my gripe as well! but is it just a minor gripe for a good return?! i think i like the portability of a refractor, and the size factor. I just feel when ever i get the 130 out for an imaging session there is always something i need to do, maybe its just me

Hi Peter I looked at this and the 80ed, ive read a fair few things regarding the 72's glass used and isn't the same quality as the 80 or the scopes above quoted. I wanted the 80ed for a while but im not to keen on the build quality compared the above either but i also know its in high regard by many for imaging. How do you find the 80ed? and what would you do in my situation?

Hi everyone, I've been imaging with my 130pds for some time now,coupled with my 600 (modded) camera its given me a great entry level experience to AP and ive been on the whole happy with the scope. That being said ive been saving up the last few months and now have a budget of roughly 1k to spend. I really do like the 130pds its great but theirs something about a newt (that i cant pin point) that i find a chore...its never been pick up and go for me so for that reason ive been extensively looking at refractors. Im aware that i will lose F/L and in some cases an F stop possibly,but that hasn't seemed to slow me down in my search. Ive been looking very closely at WO ZS73 within the FLat73a (which are like rocking horse SH!# atm Starwave 80ed-R 80mm with 1x flatner (love the look of this but cant see a single video review anywhere, which i find alarming) https://www.altairastro.com/starwave-80ed-r-ed-doublet-refractor-telescope-466-p.asp RVO Horizon package (rother valley optics brand new refractor 72ed- UK retailer) https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/rvo-horizon-72-ed-doublet-refractor-full-imaging-package.html Ive racked my brains for weeks on end - do i really want to change for something that will get me similar results but with wider views at a high cost -is a refractor what im really after -no more collimation -crisp image with sharp lens -no more diffraction spikes and then today i thought oh sod it, why not keep the 130pds and invest in a cooled cmos cam!! AHHHH!! please, please any advice would be welcomed, im really struggling here and dont want to drop 1k on something i may later regret. one thing i do know is i absolutely love this hobby. thanks

Thank you Adam, Similar thoughts to myself, I have read two very glowing reviews for the SW80ed-R but not seen a single video which is troubling but also a little annoying because it writes very well on paper imo and would have liked to have seen more. Your advice about retailer is spot on and that's exactly what I spent most of yesterday looking at and its brought me to a marmite conclusion.... I'm considering getting the RVO horizon package (I no the colour is love it or hate it) but RVO seem to have nailed it with the quality aspect and also comes with zygo test sheet with a min of 0.95 strehl ratio. Optics look great, 1x flatner is good, I'm going to have a chat with them tomorrow I think.

Anyone had both? Had one of them? Pros and cons of each... Which would you choose between the two for imaging with a dslr (600d) Many thanks

Thanks Bryan thats a good shout!, ill have a google how to DIY roll over roofs a bit later. Appreciate the advice. And thanks, took me a while

Hi , ive been clearing out my shed last couple days and acquired a fair bit of room! I recently made a makeshift obsy from pvc pipe and some tarp which tbh has worked great!. The few issues with this were 1. i made it too big and didnt really use all the space up, 2. storage was a real issue! 3. it was loud to take down at 3am ! Thats got me thinking about setting up shop in my shed. Now i can only use 3/4's of the shed, roughly 6ft (H) 4ft (W) 4ft (L) under consultation from the wife so i dont want to (if i can help it) open the whole roof space up. Its currentl felt and tbh in 3 years its not leaked or had mould or mildew anywhere so its pretty solid and weather proof. I have a few tress behind it but i can grab NCP pretty ok still, but im struggling to think of ideas how to sort the roof? Im thinking maybe cut an access panel in but then not sure how to have this hinged and stil obtain weatherproof? Im just really after ideas tbh, Im still keen on building something portable as i had before but smaller but cant seem to find the right sides to have (dont want tarp again) Any feedback would be great, clear skies all Dan

What a fantastic image of a fantastic target, brilliant @carastro

Fully agreed. My pocket learned the hard way 🤣

If I'm being honest, the belt mod mount @Adam J is selling is a very sound investment for the long term. I'm went budget route with a mount before getting my HEQ5 and that is still my biggest regret yet. Just imo of course

Awesome, im going to give it a go in the next day or so. looks great.

I have an ankle weight on the back end on the opposite side to the cam. Does wonders

I'm quite possibly selling mine with the CC and extras as soon as I can get hold of my next scope. Will bare you in mind mate . It's less the 5 months old

Hi, im guessing your using the x0.9 one? the one i linked about actually wants you to back focus a little more so a lot better

if you get the non reducing CC for the 130pds theres no cutting needed. this one here https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skywatcher-2-coma-corrector.html

Fixed my issue, the tension needed tightening up thank you all I have a project for a HARGB ( first time trying) this is my first 2 hours from 8 planned.( 4 HA 4 RGB) of the elephant nebula . Nothing but stacked just to see what it was like so far . Canon DSLR with the 130pds

That seems to be what mine was like but I was overthinking! I havent processed my image yet from last night but everything looked great on screen. I think the focusser needed the tensioners tightened up. Dan

Ok thank you. I'm out imaging now and all looks ok so I'll see what one looks like tomorrow. Its imaging in HA tonight and it's hard to tell the stars