Astro Proffesional ED130 un-boxing

[Looking Up]

I purchased the AP 130 mainly for imaging, it was just within budget (£2000).After posting a question on SGL as to what to get, I finally decided I wanted a frac, something that doesn’t need collimating every time you use it, because I don’t feel confident enough to get the most from a scope like that – it’s one less thing to worry about!

I chose the AP for its use of Ohara glass in all three elements and some good reviews it’s had and I haven’t been disappointed so far (at the un-boxing stage). For some reason, not founded on any fact, I trust the Japanese glass over the Chinese. I also believe APM performs the QC on these scopes, another plus point for me.

It comes in a large travel case, foam lined, with space for eyepieces & accessories. The scope itself is very well made, with a solid feel and it’s big, very big!! Not having owned a frac before it’s funny how I envisaged a much smaller package, but don’t get me wrong I like the size, it looks serious! The finish is also top notch, the white paintwork looks flawless and the black anodised fittings are also finished very well. My only complaint would be the rings, they don’t have a quick release knob for balancing the scope in the mount, it’s not a big thing, I may just buy some longer dovetail bars and balance that way.

It comes with a 3 inch focuser that is smooth and rock steady, it can use the 3inch flattener screwed directly to the focus tube. It also came with a red dot finder, something I didn’t realize, a nice bonus!

The front of the scope reveals the business end, with a nice bluish sheen from the optics, which are mounted in a solid machined collimatable housing.

I got the scope from Karl at Innocomp, Telescope Specialists - Manually adjusted and optimized Optics and Accessories , they are a German company that supply telescopes at competitive prices including a full calibration and collimation included in the price. I think it’s nice to know that what you have bought is performing to its best and any bad results are down to the operator (now I have nowhere to hide!)

Now I need to raid the bank account again to buy a guidescope! Ho hum I'm hooked!!

Brief First Light

Setup last night for an hour before some high cloud rolled in, managed to observe the Moon, Saturn & several stars, here are my first impressions compared to my C11 which I sold to fund this. I do intend to use the scope mainly for imaging as I don't think my night vision is very good (I've never liked driving in the dark), so with that in mind here are my impressions:

Moon - The best I've seen it, sharp, contrasty, very detailed, no mush, using a 17mm Nagler the whole of the moon was visible and it was nice to look from one feature to another and follow the ejection trails of impacts. I could see the slightest wafer thin CA, but so thin as to be of no importance, you have to look foe it to see it.

Saturn - Soooooo sharp! Small compared with my C11 but much more precise, with a 9mm Ortho cloud detail was visible, Cassini division, but it's the punchy nature of the image that stands out - it leaps out at you from the blackness of space, with no fuzzy edge and no CA visible.

Stars - I know it sounds strange but I've never seen a pinpoint star image, I've always had a slight 'fizz' around them - until last night and sharp across the entire field of the Nagler, nice!

I'm not an experienced observer and I didn't have long to look around but it is a very promising start!

[Rob]

Looks the business.. should give you super results.

Rob

[Adamski]

WOW, thats a serious bit of kit.

[kris h]

Looks amazing

[ollypenrice]

I love the view through a large refractor and know what you are describng from experience of several that have come this way, along with my own. Sometimes our 10 inch SCT gives breathtaking views of the planets but sometimes it is soft. I presume that this is down to its larger incident beam being more susceptible to seeing, and perhaps to tube currents.

The tiny pinpoint stars of a good apo make my heart sing, that's all I can really say!

I'm sure you will love this scope. It will be interesting to see how flat the field is when you start imaging. My TEC is not perfect without flattener but just aboput covers a 15mm square chip if you 'Photoshop' a few corner stars!

Olly

[Ad Astra]

Hello Looking UP!

Welcome to the Big 'Frac Club!

Your scope certainly looks like a winner, and I love your focuser! Much better than the one on my 1996 Apomax! I've looked into replacing it, but can't afford that at the present time.

Everything you say about 'pin-point stars' and your views of Saturn fully agree with my experience at the eyepiece. I also use a C-11 (at school) and the views of lunar and planetary targets just don't compare.

I also know exactly what you mean about being surprised by the shear size of the scope. We are used to seeing big, fat, short dobs and little fiddly 60mm department store refractors. Once you see a really nice size refractor though - it really leaves an impression on you! I suppose it is a cultural thing, but when people see my scope, they are often attracted to it over much larger aperture instruments. I love taking mine out and seeing people goggle at it. ;)

You've got a truly proper scope, mate! Congrats!!!

Dan