APO checklist - is this right?

[AstroMum]

Thanks jfox, I may well be giving Ian King a bell tomorrow then!

I'll be sharing my EQ5 with it, so hopefully there won't be any balancing issues.

[AstroMum]

Ooooh cross posted there. Thanks for dropping by Earl and giving your feedback.

Are you finding the heavy duty focusser particularly useful, or would you have been equally happy with the regular one found on the Ikharos? Like peonic, I'm impatient and would like to know if I should hold out for the starwave.

[Earl]

Id like to add, Altair-Astro have a great little scope here, if that can.

a) provide a little documentation with the scope just a sheet of A4 with details on the flattener.

maintain the stock

c) add the m48 adapter into the deal probably add a tenner to the price of the reducer which is no biggy as its a very well priced option anyhow.

d) communicate better

They could very easily be on to a great winner with this scope.

[Earl]

The focuser is probably the most important thing this wins hands down over a smaller one. It would be well worth the wait to be honest, during which, the issues of correct spacing will be sorted and the adapters should be easier to find.

[AstroMum]

Thanks Earl, I had heard they can be a tad slow at responding to queries. The stock issue can't be helped I suppose, perhaps they underestimated the popularity or the supplier just can't ship them fast enough.

I would definitely pay a little extra for that adaptor issue to be sorted as standard. Manuals are always skimped on it seems, but I take it you don't get anything at all with the Starwave?

How are you finding the image quality now? I read your post with the pictures looking a bit iffy on one side. Is this a problem?

[AstroMum]

I was hoping you weren't going to tell me it's worth the wait lol.

[Earl]

The iffy image is due to the CCD not been square, I have not yet looked into this further as I have been wanting to get some planetary done before Jupiter slips behind the house. probably a touch of luna tonight if it stays clear, we have high cloud here atm so we will see.

Ill do some tests to sort it but im pretty sure its down the the ccd not the scope.

It will be interesting to see if IanKing upgrades to the 3" focuser version.

[Catweazel]

Yeah, the extra £30 for the adapter is a bit painful; will the Ikharus take a DSLR straight from a T-ring? Could be the deciding factor

[AstroMum]

Earl, that would be very reassuring if the scope was not to blame for the imaging issue. To be honest, as soon as I saw your pics I was quite put off the idea of buying one.

Where can I buy the adaptor I'll need to connect to my DSLR correctly? Has Altair Astro indicated they'll be making some changes when the stock comes back in?

Other than the adaptor, is there anything else I'd need to buy, or would it just be the scope and reducer?

If/when I speak to Ian King, I'll ask about the focusser. The larger Ikharos has apparently been replaced by the Starwave equivalent, so that may be the case with the 80mm when their current stock is depleted.

Catweazel - going by what peonic has stated, the flattener goes straight onto the t-ring. I'll wait for him to pop back and confirm that though.....

[peonic]

Yeah, flattener is threaded to slot right into a T-Ring.

[AstroMum]

Thanks for conforming peonic. Ian King's site says the flattener requires 56mm backfocus when using with a DSLR - I take it this hasn't been an issue?

[AstroMum]

After a bit of reading, I understand a major benefit of the 3" focusser is that is pretty much eliminates vignetting when using even large sensor cameras or CCDs because of the larger field of view.

With that in mind, I assume the benefit would be lost with the 2" flattener attached? One would need to buy a 3" flattener to make it useful?

I believe the 3" focusser also handles a heavier camera more comfortably. But I wouldn't have thought a Canon 1100D would be particularly weighty anyway.

So what I essentially seem to be saying here is, although the 3" focusser on the Starwave may be be pleasant to use, is it really going to enhance the imaging experience, especially when tied with the 2" flattener?

EDIT / I've assumed that the flattener is only 2" - could Earl confirm this for me? The one sold with the Ikharos is only 2" (but then so is the focusser, so that's to be expected).

[Earl]

The Flattener has a larger apature than a standard t sized one, vignetting with my meade and 2 inch focuser was very noticeable, however with this its minimal. im much happier with it, it performs more like my old 100mm Revelation which also had a large focuser.

A thing to consider is, the stronger the focuser, the easier it is to maintain focus and hang toys off the end of it, you wont need to upgrade this focuser thats for sure, however the other 80mm scopes I have had all needed to be upgraded, that was the main reason I got this scope, its cheaper than a moonlite focuser itself.

[AstroMum]

Interesting, the Starwave is looking more appealing by the hour! I only hope they don't decide to hike the price when it's back in stock, it seems like such a fantastic bargain!

Thanks so much for your informative feedback Earl, it's been extremely helpful.

[Earl]

Over the last 18 months I have had:

Revelation F6 80mm Semi APO single speed Crayford:

This was ok, the focuser was ok and didnt move much when locked.

Revelation F6 100mm APO 3 inch rotatable Focuser Dual Speed upgraded to electronic:

This was a great scope allround and worked very well with the Skywatcher Flattener.

Stellavue F7 80mm Dual Speed Crayford:

Nice scope but didnt like my flattener untill I bought a Televue one.

Meade F6 80mm Single Speed Focuser:

Nice optics, the Focuser was horrible when locked there was very noticeable image shift from the unlock position.

[AstroMum]

Just had an email from Altair Astro even though I only wrote to them a couple of hours ago! Apparently they will have stock of the Starwave's at the end of next week and even offered to hold one for me. Crikey!

Looks like I've got some decision-making to do....

[AstroMum]

Thanks Earl, you've certainly had plenty of experience with APOs!

Really am quite excited about the Starwave now, especially with it coming back into stock soon. I worked out the cost of everything I'll need and compared to the Equinox setup, I'll have saved over £300! That more than covers the cost of the DSLR!

[peonic]

With that saving - the Jaffa cakes are on you! (or could go towards having the filter mod done on the camera?)

Picture of the scope as requested - my Vixen should be pretty much identical size-wise to your EQ5...

[Catweazel]

I know that this is probably a dumb question, but when you say the Starwave has a 3" focuser, what exactly does that mean? Do you mean the focuser tube is 3" in diameter? but that it still has a 2" and 1.25" EP adapter? This makes little sense to me to be honest. Why would they do that? I though all focusers were either 1.25 or 2"

I think that they make these scopes just down the road from me, it's a shame that they don't have somewhere that I could go and look at one.

bewildering??

[AstroMum]

Thanks peonic, that setup looks very nice indeed! Did you have a nice observing session this evening? I do hope you didn't set it all up just for me!

I need to convince the other half that I need all this gear now, that's going to be the hardest part of all! Unfortunately, I won't be spending any more money for probably the next decade!

[AstroMum]

I know that this is probably a dumb question, but when you say the Starwave has a 3" focuser, what exactly does that mean? Do you mean the focuser tube is 3" in diameter? but that it still has a 2" and 1.25" EP adapter? This makes little sense to me to be honest. Why would they do that? I though all focusers were either 1.25 or 2"

I think that they make these scopes just down the road from me, it's a shame that they don't have somewhere that I could go and look at one.

bewildering??

When I was looking at Altair Astro's site earlier, I noticed that they are based in north Norfolk. No idea how close they are to you (Aylsham), but perhaps a visit would be possible?

I'm interested to know how the 3" focusser works too. Poor Earl, bet he wishes he never came in here now.

[Earl]

It works fine, nice and solid and has the benefit of two points of rotation.

[peonic]

Thanks peonic, that setup looks very nice indeed! Did you have a nice observing session this evening? I do hope you didn't set it all up just for me!

I had about 45 minutes before the clouds rolled in - and that was pretty hazy, but I needed to try some stuff out. Even managed a few subs on the Orion nebula through the haze.

Needless to say, they came out terribly - but that's to be expected when you can't even see the stars in the sword!

[Catweazel]

When I was looking at Altair Astro's site earlier, I noticed that they are based in north Norfolk. No idea how close they are to you (Aylsham), but perhaps a visit would be possible?

I'm interested to know how the 3" focusser works too. Poor Earl, bet he wishes he never came in here now.

Aylsham is about 15 minute drive from me

I would be interested in one of the Starwaves, but I don't want the hassle of buying it, and then having ever escalating costs to adapt it to do what I bought it for in the first place. If I buy the scope, field reducer and the £30 flattener, will I need anything else to connect it to my 1000D and T-ring so that I can start taking pics?

Also, last question for today (honest) will it be OK on a motorised EQ5

for AP?

Thanks

[Earl]

You will need a M48 Female to Male T adapter.