Thoughts Please!

[Damo636]

13mm Ethos + 2x Powermate Vs 6mm Radian?

I see a 2x Powermate for sale on ABS at the minute and it has got me thinking, again

The powermate, at the expense of the 6mm Radian would give me

an additional 4mm fl when combined with the 8mm Ethos. (Already use the Antares 1.6x with the 8mm Ethos to create 5mm fl)

Any thoughts folks?

[paul mc c]

Your sig would look good all GREEN!......

[John]

I've tested the 8mm Ethos / 1.6x Antares barlow combo against some very stiff competition and it still excelled and I reckon the Powermate is probably a touch better even than the Antares optically so it's going to be a winner. The only downside I can see might be the weight on the focusser - the Powermate 2" 2x weighs twice as much as the Antares 1.6x 2" barlow.

[Damo636]

Hmmm, i hadn't considered the weight John.

[swamp thing]

Hmmm, i hadn't considered the weight John.

You not gonna let a little thing like weight get in the way of the very finest views are ya Damo?

You just need to work out some counterweights if needed.

Regards Steve

[Damo636]

You not gonna let a little thing like weight get in the way of the very finest views are ya Damo?

You just need to work out some counterweights if needed.

Regards Steve

Sod it, just fired off an email to the seller

Its can't be much heavier than the 28mm Uwan and i coped with it

[swamp thing]

Sod it, just fired off an email to the seller

Its can't be much heavier than the 28mm Uwan and i coped with it

Now your cooking with gas buddy.

That's the spirit.

Regards Steve

[brantuk]

It's a no brainer - get the Powermate and forget the Radian exists - goes perfect with your other pieces and will outperform the Radian any day.

[Charon]

13mm Ethos + 2x Powermate Vs 6mm Radian?

I see a 2x Powermate for sale on ABS at the minute and it has got me thinking, again

The powermate, at the expense of the 6mm Radian would give me

an additional 4mm fl when combined with the 8mm Ethos. (Already use the Antares 1.6x with the 8mm Ethos to create 5mm fl)

Any thoughts folks?

You could sell your Antares Damo to offset the Powermate cost (Brantuks great advice to me). That is what I intend doing.

[John]

I'd hang on to your Antares 1.6x barlow until you are happy that you are fully comfortable with the Powermate / Ethos combos from all aspects. The Antares won't fetch a huge amount (one on UK AB&S struggled to sell for £35 delivered a few days ago) so unless you are desperate for the £'s I'd just hold back a bit.

I'm probably overcautious though

[Adz]

One of the things I am least happy about with the Antares Barlow is the marks it leaves on my Ethos

[Damo636]

I agree Adam, its the one little negative of an otherwise excellent piece if kit.

[John]

One of the things I am least happy about with the Antares Barlow is the marks it leaves on my Ethos

Fit plastic set screws.

[Damo636]

I'd hang on to your Antares 1.6x barlow until you are happy that you are fully comfortable with the Powermate / Ethos combos from all aspects. The Antares won't fetch a huge amount (one on UK AB&S struggled to sell for £35 delivered a few days ago) so unless you are desperate for the £'s I'd just hold back a bit.

I'm probably overcautious though

No harm in being cautious John. The person who bought the Antares for £35 got a real bargain there, almost as good as the guy who bought my 28 mm UWAN

[Damo636]

Fit plastic set screws.

Great idea, where can they be bought John?

[John]

I've not yet fitted any Damo as my alt-az mounts don't throw my eyepieces at all sorts of angles so I don't need to really tighten the set screws too much. The set screws are M3 size so I guess you could pick up some nylon M3 thumbscrews easily enough.

Don't get me wrong on the Powermate 2" 2x though - it's a superb device I'm sure. If the weight poses no issues then definitely worth going for. I used to use a 2.5x 1.25" PM with my Nagler Type 6's and it really was an optic that "just got out of the way" in use

[Damo636]

Cheers John. I have heard back from the seller and it is still available so i will probably go for it. The 6mm Radian is a very nice eyepiece but the lure of another 100 degree fov for very little extra money is very tempting

[John]

.... but the lure of another 100 degree fov for very little extra money is very tempting

Now, I wonder why

ES are supposed to have a 120 degree EP in the pipeline

Naglers will be relegated to "just a wide field" status soon

[Adz]

Yes I suppose I should of thought of that.

[Damo636]

ES are supposed to have a 120 degree EP in the pipeline

You will definately need a double jointed eye socket to take all that in

Anyway, i just bagged myself a 2" 2X Powermate so its off to Uk Astro Buy and Sell for the 6mm Radian.

[m.tweedy]

You will never regret getting it-i have not

[Adz]

An experience with how the powermate performs with your current kit Damo?

[Damo636]

I still haven't had the chance to try the PM out Adam, the weather has been diabolical here for weeks now. With the addition of the new scope i am probably guaranteed another couple of weeks of misery

[Adz]

It totally sucks doesn't it! I can also pretty much guarantee when a clear night finally decides to come my way, I will be working!

3 weeks feels like 3 years in Astronomy. How much is a ticket to the Atacama desert...