Helios Evostar 120mm F8.3 First Light / Quick Review

[Polar Bear]

Another excellent report Paul.

If I may make a suggestion? If you are able to it would probably be most beneficial to go the route of a pier and would not cost no more than an upgraded tripod, is permanently setup at north saving you time and going back and forth carrying stuff, is far sturdier than any tripod and there are no legs to get in the way. The most expensive part of a pier is the mount adapter which commercially available ones are available but you could either try a local fabricators or do as I did and bolt a plate on the bottom of the tripod base and then bolt that to your pier. PA can be fiddly to achieve doing it this way but once done it's done.

Here is a pic of my old EVO120 on an EQ4. Total cost was £20 for the PVC drain pipe £25 on ballast, £8 on cement, £4 on bolts and I picked up the steel plate for nothing. There are plenty of threads on SGL that go over installing piers and you really need no more than a garden space and some elbow grease to do them. O and a few bruskies

That looks a great set up and the pier is probably the way I will go. All steel is not a problem, I'll have to dust off the MIG and get busy.

Polar alignment is a pain and this would make it much easier.

Seeing as you have had virtually the same set up did you upgrade the focuser (looks like it in the photo) and move up to 2" EP's ? and if so what would you suggest for mainly planetary / Moon visual, and what sort of improvement was made with the upgrades.

Paul

[spaceboy]

Here was my review of the EVO120 http://stargazerslounge.com/member-equipment-reviews/133286-first-light-first-refractor.html and one for the upgraded SW DS crayford http://stargazerslounge.com/members-equipment-gallery/150847-my-sw-ds-under-stars-first-light-report.html

[Polar Bear]

Here was my review of the EVO120 http://stargazerslounge.com/member-equipment-reviews/133286-first-light-first-refractor.html and one for the upgraded SW DS crayford http://stargazerslounge.com/members-equipment-gallery/150847-my-sw-ds-under-stars-first-light-report.html

Thanks for that Spaceboy, an interesting read and probably the path I will take when funds permit.

Paul

[spaceboy]

It may also be worth pointing out that I finally circum to a C100ED in the end http://stargazerslounge.com/members-equipment-gallery/157023-finally.html

[Polar Bear]

I got a chance to try this out on Tuesday night. First object was the New Moon. I waited until just after sunset and was very impressed with its performance. Still using the basic 10mm plossl and the supplied 2x barlow giving 200x the views were very sharp with no hint of CA to the edge of the Moon. I studied Mare Crisium and had no problem finding Swift and Cleomedes F and H craters within the Mare. Dorsa Harker looked particularly good with excellent contrast between it and the Mare floor.

Saturn was next and looked better at 100x than 200x probably due to the atmospheric boiling with my view over the rooftops but nonetheless still impressive.

Although very pleased with the Evostar's performance it is not going to be a keeper. As I mentioned earlier it was an impulse buy at an auction and I have been putting my pennies away for another scope and cannot afford the luxury of keeping this.

Problem now is does it go to UKABS or ebay ?

Paul

[spaceboy]

You should drop it on ebay as you may well see yourself a nice return for your investment Skywatcher Evostar 120 telescope | eBay

[E621Keith]

You should drop it on ebay as you may well see yourself a nice return for your investment Skywatcher Evostar 120 telescope | eBay

Indeed Ebay will be a better place to sell atm. I listed mine on ABS and I only managed to sell the OTA after 2 weeks.

[Polar Bear]

You should drop it on ebay as you may well see yourself a nice return for your investment Skywatcher Evostar 120 telescope | eBay

Ebay it was and with splitting it all up I realised a very good return

Indeed Ebay will be a better place to sell atm. I listed mine on ABS and I only managed to sell the OTA after 2 weeks.

I have found that high end / collectable / weird and wonderful, does well on UKABS but not general stuff.

Last year I sold an Astro Systems (Peter Drew) 150mm reflector and EQ mount in 10 minutes on UKABS.

Paul

[E621Keith]

I have found that high end / collectable / weird and wonderful, does well on UKABS but not general stuff.

Last year I sold an Astro Systems (Peter Drew) 150mm reflector and EQ mount in 10 minutes on UKABS.

Paul

Indeed, it seems like ABS is a good place to sell really specialised stuff, while ebay is a better place to sell general beginner equipments.