Watec 120N+

[Stu]

Hi,

Have just acquired one of these from the forum, yet to be used but hopefully tonight if the weather plays nicely :-)

I will probably use it most in my 4" refractor, but am also interested in seeing the results in the mak. I bought a 0.5x reducer a while back but never cracked getting focus with it!

Anyone using a watec? Any useful tips?

Cheers

Stu

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[Macavity]

The Watec is indeed a wonderful thing - And should give few problems, in either a refractor or catadiopteric scope. It is however interesting to extend the FIELD capabilities with "Reducers" (or Barlows). If you are using a typical Atik-type 0.5x reducer, a couple of (long and short) "C-thread" adaptors can be useful. Idem a few extension tubes.

http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Astronomy/Astro-Accessories-Imagers.asp?p=0_10_5_0_3

Also e.g "Modern Astronomy", "Rother Valley Optics" etc.

It isn't always easy to find the NEW focus, but the predictive power of: Focal Reducer Calculator

- Can help. Worth saving the "website complete". This useful utility tends to disappear from time to time!

[Stu]

Many thanks Macavity, I will give those a go.

I have a frame grabber which I will try, but first off I think I will just connect to a small lcd tv screen to find the focus point.

I'm interested to see what happens with the mak. I guess on brighter objects it should be fine, but at f20, will need the reducer to show the fainter objects?

Stu

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[mike.brightmore]

I got my Watec from Opticstar about 3 years ago and love it. In light polluted skies it enables me to see DSOs (and Comets) that just aren't visible visually. Here is a link to a few pictures - mainly photos of the TV screen. The actual view of the TV screen is a lot better than the photo. Most were taken with a f3.3 focal reducer. Now getting better results with an IR filter https://picasaweb.google.com/mike.brightmore/RemoteAstronomyOn29April2009#