skywatcher ed80 first light

[4lefts]

i was really lucky to get this scope from flo's clearance (thanks guys!), and it arrived a couple of days ago. not only that, but it was clear too!

i set the scope up on the skywatcher supatrak mount out the back of my flat, which is going to be devon's entry for this year's most light polluted spot award. it's a shame, since going somewhere darker means driving, and when it doesn't get dark till 10 o'clock, that isn't really feasible if you have work in the morning.

anyway, i'm really pleased with scope. my current eps don't really tax it; the shortest focal length i have is a 6mm ortho, which gives 100x. saturn looked nice, and a couple of moons were visible. it was very windy though, so i didn't stop to study it for long. the mount handled the scope ok, but focusing was a bit of a wobble fest. i think something heavier duty needs to be my next purchase. it's surprising how much bigger and heavier it is that my old st80.

next, seeing as the scope was pretty much cooled, i swung over to arcturus, to have a look at the collimation. you've got to love those nice airy discs and pinpoint sparkly stars - this is what refractors are all about. next, over to izar. at 100x, it wasn't really split. i could see the secondary as a blue bulge in the orange diffraction rings of the primary, which was still a nice view.

finally, as i had to take 60 kids to the park in the morning, i had a quick look at m13. in the 18mm bst (33x), it was a glowing ball of cotton wool in the orange murk, and using the 9mm x-cel was still nice, but didn't show any more detail. promising for when i get the scope somewhere dark, though.

cheers. by the way - can any other ed80 owners chime in with what the most mag they've had out of their scopes is? i need a shorter ep than the 6mm. 5mm should be fine (120x), what about 4mm? that would give 150x. i was thinking about looking round for a used 4mm william optics uwan/skywatcher nirvana?

[nightfisher]

Interesting post, good to have first light so soon, regarding the ep`s im interested in how far you push an APO, having just bought a zenithstar 70mm, im toying with a 5mm bst?

[4lefts]

Be interesting to know how you get on. I might have mentioned in your other thread, I was never too keen on the 5mm bst, it was ok. I'd go for the 5mm X-cell, but i know youre not a fan. Shame they don't make a 4mm one of those. Maybe I'll try a tmb clone.

[Brian Nordstrom]

Hi , I have a Saxon ED80 here in OZ and its an awsome little scope . The views are colour free and using my 3mm William Optics planetary at exactly 200x the views of saturn at the moment have to seen to be beileved , simply beautiful.

Sorry to hear of your light pollution woes , I am lucky living here in Darwin Australia , its fairly light polluted but a 1/2 hour drive and I have some of the darkest skies in the world , easily 6.5 magnitude .

Great little scopes these ED80's are .

ps. Saxon is just an Australian supplier of these " Synta " made scopes , but Saxon test every one before sale , a bit like Orion and Skywatcher do .

Enjoy , and you will be impressed once you get out of that horrible light pollution and into some dark skies .

Brian.

[jayjt29]

Good review, think this will be my next scope

[Mikejh]

Mine arrived yesterday from the guys at Teleskop Services. Would be interested also on how far they will be pushed.

[Marki]

Intersting topic. I've not really pushed my Equinox 80 yet. I'll follow your thoughts on eps with interest. Anyone use barlows with theirs? I was wondering about about 8mm (bst or clone) with x2 or x3 barlow.

[John]

The ED80's that I've owned (couple of Skywatchers and an Orion (USA)) seemed quite comfortable at around the 50x per inch limit. On the moon and binary stars I found 180x feasible when the seeing conditions were good.

[4lefts]

forgot all about this topic! anyway, we've had wall to wall cloud for 3 weeks, pretty much. plus is doesn't get dark till 11 or so then i have to get up for work. i got a 4mm tmb clone from skies the limit, but i've not used it yet. seems nice, though it rattled when it arrived - but it was just one of the rings that was loose. there'll probably be no saturn left by the time i get to try it. maybe uranus? neptune? we'll see.