Franklin

Ha ha....... I think it's an add on from the previous owner as these were supplied with the vinyl strap handle. I've posted my first light report here

First light for my new to me Vixen ED102Swt, impressive.

Mercari, it's a bit like a Japanese Gumtree.

Returned home late last night to a clear sky so I set up my new to me ED102S for a brief first light. Despite the low altitude Saturn was looking very good with the CD visible at the sides of the rings and a white belt on the planet. Jupiter was superb showing multiple belts with hints of festoons when the seeing permitted, eyepieces used were the SSW5mm and 3.5mm for mags of around 175x and x260 and I was pleased to see no CA or image breakdown even at these overly high powers for this scope. Other targets were, Perseus double-cluster which was stunning as always, M15 Globular in Pegasus could be resolved into individual stars with averted vision using the SSW5mm. Gamma Andromeda, lovely yellow/blue contrasting coloured showpiece double and M31 showing well with M110 a fuzzy blob to the side. A star-test on Deneb showed very similar mini-bullseyes either side of focus so I am well pleased with the scope so far. Only a quickie as I spent most of the evening driving but I'm impressed with this 20 year old scope and it's so light at only 4.5kg kitted out with a Baader 2" clicklock diagonal and 6x30 RACI.

And F/4 with the dedicated 0.7x focal reducer that came with it but I don't think it will be of use to me as I'm visual only.

WT is what Vixen added to the description of their products around early 2000 when they gave everything a new look. They changed the older hammered Green for white with blue trims, probably to coincide with the launch of their Sphinx mounts in 2003. WT simply stands for "white", for example the old GP motor, the MT-1 when released in white to match the then new GP2 was renamed MT-1wt. All the same old products just a different colour.

Two new members of my Vixen collection together.

And this ED70SS is quite scarce due to it being in production for only two years (2015-2017). Should make a nice grab and go set up.

I've been after an F/9 ED102S for some time now and have just found one, the "wt" model. It's from the last production line in early 2000 before Vixen changed to the ED103S F/7.7

I said I was missing the SD103!

Yeah, I've been looking for an F/9 Vixen ED/FL for a while and this one is near mint with great collimation, should make a cracking planetary scope.

I'm seriously thinking of blocking Buyee from my laptop!😁 My new grab'n'go, the Vixen ED70SS came out in 2015 but Vixen ceased production just 2 years later in 2017, presumably because of the release of the FL55SS. I haven't seen many of these around and their short production run is probably the reason for that. I've read that this scope was Vixen's reply to the release of the Tak FS-60, I'm not sure about that but the optics are very nice with no visible CA at 120x in a daytime test on power lines against the sky. It came with it's own dedicated 0.7x focal reducer which I suppose I could use as a paperweight!😁

So there I was selling some scopes, trying to thin out my Vixen collection and then this beauty hit the market in Japan and I just couldn't resist. This is from the early 2000's and is from the final production run of the Vixen ED102S F/9 before they changed to the more photo/visual F/7.7 of the ED103S and the current SD103S.

And in amazing condition, so many of those old Fullerscopes end up as old rust buckets!

Jupiter, Venus and the waning crescent Moon all looking etched in the pre-dawn sky. The HR3.4 giving about X180 in the SD81 was outstanding, plenty of Jovian belt detail, hints of clouds along the Venusian terminator and the shadows in Schroter's valley revealed a wealth of detail. Had a quick look at Saturn in the evening but the sky was very hazy from the heat of the day, so glad I got up before the Sun, the seeing this morning is top-notch. Have some breakfast and get the Quark set up for a little later.

Due to a sudden, close family bereavement I will be unable to attend the Autumn Astrocamp in Cwmdu next week so am offering my pitch to anyone in SGL-land who could make use of it. It is pitch 33 without electric hook-up and I've paid for two adults to attend for the duration of the Starparty. I am not seeking any kind of refund or payment, just offering the place for free to anyone who would like to attend or indeed anyone who is already attending and would like to have more room for either taking someone else along or setting up more equipment. PM me if of interest and I'll forward the booking details.

The Borg is a smaller, lighter duty version but still a very good quality product, much like all the Japanese stuff.

Borg do the same one as well, excellent little travel mount.

Should do, same scope and a better 3rd party focuser!

High cloud catching some moonlight?

The seeing was very good here last night as well, maybe it's this high pressure? Saturn and the CD were very crisp at around 180x even in the 3". The good seeing has continued into the day as well as granulation was very visible with the Lunt wedge earlier.

Clear for once! Had the SD81S out today with the Quark and Lunt wedge for a bit of solar and then left out to cool. Clear but some high, hazy cloud and the Moon rising in the east so no chance on the Veil but M57, M27, M56, M39, M29, double-double, Albireo. Saturn and the Moon very sharp and crisp in the SSW5 and SSW3.5. Jupiter still a bit low so will try later if still clear.

I find observing to be very calming and quite therapeutic, as long as it's not too cold! Contemplating the vastness of the cosmos at the same time is another matter, as it tends to send me a bit loopy😁.

What's that then? If it's more impressive than the Moon I want to have a look!

Lunar boredom??? How can you be bored of the Moon??? It's out of this world, in fact it is another world and right on our doorstep. It's the most breathtakingly, amazing object to observe in the whole night-sky! (I can understand why the imaging fraternity hate it though!) Most folk observe in the evening (no late nights, job etc.) and the Moon is in the evening sky around the same time every month showing a waxing crescent, first quarter and gibbous phase. The full Moon is due south at midnight and most 9to5 workers need their sleep so the post midnight waning phases of the Moon are probably the least observed. If you are really bored of the Moon set your alarm for an early morning session and be prepared to observe the Moon in a completely different light. A waning gibbous, last quarter and crescent phase, illuminated from the other side shows the lunar landscape in a totally different way.