6mm Delos First Light

[Pig]

It is my first anniversary as a member of SGL today and I thought it would be nice to celebrate this passing with a quick review of my new 6mm Delos eyepiece.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you all for assisting me thus far and for making me feel welcome within this great community

Scope: CPC 9.25 GPS XLT

Magnification: 391.666666666667     (The dual focuser helps a great deal at this level of power)

Seeing: Very good, in between clouds

Reference material: Sky & Telescope Moon Map

Targets:-

Apollo 11 landing site

Eiffel tower (my name for it)

Ref # 69 Macrobius

Ref # 77 Proclus

Ref # 78 Picard

Ref # 99 Taruntius

Ref # 100 Apollonius

Ref # 101 Firmicus

Ref # 109 Delambre

Ref # 110 Maskelyne

Ref # 122 Torricelli

I finally got to use my new 6mm Delos tonight for the 1st time and what a treat it has turned out to be.

I viewed all of the above targets across the whole of the 72 degree field of view and I did not notice any distortion whatsoever. The view of each crater was breathtaking, I was able to see craters inside craters inside valleys.

I don't know if many of you have viewed the Moon at this power level, especially when it is split in two. If you haven't I sincerly recommend it, the level of detail and contrast across the light and dark boundary is absolutely awsome and the Delos ensures you see every single piece of it.

As testament to how good this eyepiece is I popped in the Nagler 3-6 zoom as a quick reality check. I used the " Eiffel Tower" as the target mainly because of the intricate detail surrounding it.

I would not say the Delos was better but it was at least equal. The extra field of view & eye relief swung it in the favour of the Delos but this was only down to the target. The differing shades of greys, black & white were evident extremely well separated by this eyepiece.

[Reeny]

Excellent.

I will get myself one of these one day.

I sometimes feel as if I am looking around the corner with the 82 degree Explore Scientific.

70-ish degrees is a comfortable field of view for me. 

[Pig]

Thank you Reeny,

I do prefer the 72 deg, it is a nice size to look through.

[alan potts]

Shaun,

Nice report, I have been looking at the Moon a fair bit of late and I have used those powers, it is about the only target that I feel takes them and gives back, I know you can sometimes split a double by turning up the wick but the image is rarely steady, even the Moon shimmers as I am sure you know.

I also have just picked up another 6mm Delos to add to my collection.

Alan

[lardy]

Many thanks for that report .... I have a new Delos 6mm that's been sat in its box waiting for first light for the last 10 days, and looking at the weather predictions in the southwest that's were its going to stay!

Mark

[Pig]

Shaun,

Nice report, I have been looking at the Moon a fair bit of late and I have used those powers, it is about the only target that I feel takes them and gives back, I know you can sometimes split a double by turning up the wick but the image is rarely steady, even the Moon shimmers as I am sure you know.

I also have just picked up another 6mm Delos to add to my collection.

Alan

Alan,

I agree totally about the power nothing but the Moon returns such a good image. I only find shimmering when the moon is full or nearly full, maybe the amount of light is a contributor.

Congrats on the new 6mm  be more careful with this one.

[Pig]

Many thanks for that report .... I have a new Delos 6mm that's been sat in its box waiting for first light for the last 10 days, and looking at the weather predictions in the southwest that's were its going to stay!

Mark

Mark,

I hope you get to use it soon, the weather can be a right pain in the neck at times. When I purchased  my T31 I had to wait almost 6 weeks to use it

Thank you for your comments on the report.

[alan potts]

Shaun,

I was very lucky to get this one secondhand  here so it will not cost me so much if I give it another bounce test, I take eyepiece testing very seriously you know.

Alan 

[Luke]

That's interesting about the moon and higher powers, I don't think I've tried such high power because on other targets, 300x seems to be about my max under excellent conditions, so I think I assumed the moon would be the same! Look forward to giving it a go.

I am a bit concerned that this may make a 6mm Delos tempting, though

[John]

Interesting report Shaun - thanks for posting it 

The Moon does appear to soak up really high powers and it can be fun zooming around the lunar surface at ultra high power.

When you look critically at fine details though, those that are towards the limit of what the scope and conditions will show, I've found that backing off the power delivers more contrast and sharpness which often makes the difference between seeing one of these "on the limit" features and not. 

An example for me is the rille that runs down the centre of the Alpine Valley is such a feature - Viewing the valley floor at 530x (Radian 3mm) or 454x (3.5mm Pentax XW) did not show the rille but backing off to 318x (5mm Pentax XW) enabled me to pick some sections of the narrow feature out during steadier moments of seeing. Technically this feature is below the resolution ability of even a 12" scope but certain lunar lighting conditions enable it to be discerned, just 

On observing conditions, I've rarely experienced nights where the seeing is of the quality where magnifications over 300x can be used without the view being subject to variations in clarity due to atmospheric cells passing over. Thats not to say that I don't use 300+ magnification but I have learned to accept that there will be moments when the view is great and many when it's not. That seems to be the norm but perhaps a couple of times a year comes a night when the seeing will take whatever you want to throw at it.

So my experience is more similar to Luke's than yours in this respect.

[Pig]

Thank you John / Luke,

Without a shadow of doubt the seeing conditions make a big difference on the Moon especially when it is full, I normally use the 8mm giving about 291 x mag and you do see excellent detail. On occasions where the seeing is scabby even the 10mm can be a tad wobbly.

I do find though that the 6mm gives a very good view indeed and is not at all blurred, just closer. Without the fine focuser this could not be achieved, do you have one ? If so my eyes must simply be better than yours    

When my Antares 1.6 Barlow arrives I will give it a shot at 6.7mm and see if there are any major differences.

However, I find using the Nagler set at 5mm the story changes completely and I cannot achieve focus.

[Pig]

Shaun,

I was very lucky to get this one secondhand  here so it will not cost me so much if I give it another bounce test, I take eyepiece testing very seriously you know.

Alan 

If you wish to play tennis with it Alan please make your first serve in this direction, you can keep the 15 points and I will keep the eyepiece     I am sure you will look after it.

Accidents do happen when you least expect them as I discovered not to long back, I dropped my 31T the other night fortunately my son was sitting on the doorstep and he caught it  My heart missed several beats and I genuinely went dizzy.

[Pig]

Interesting report Shaun - thanks for posting it 

The Moon does appear to soak up really high powers and it can be fun zooming around the lunar surface at ultra high power.

When you look critically at fine details though, those that are towards the limit of what the scope and conditions will show, I've found that backing off the power delivers more contrast and sharpness which often makes the difference between seeing one of these "on the limit" features and not. 

An example for me is the rille that runs down the centre of the Alpine Valley is such a feature - Viewing the valley floor at 530x (Radian 3mm) or 454x (3.5mm Pentax XW) did not show the rille but backing off to 318x (5mm Pentax XW) enabled me to pick some sections of the narrow feature out during steadier moments of seeing. Technically this feature is below the resolution ability of even a 12" scope but certain lunar lighting conditions enable it to be discerned, just 

On observing conditions, I've rarely experienced nights where the seeing is of the quality where magnifications over 300x can be used without the view being subject to variations in clarity due to atmospheric cells passing over. Thats not to say that I don't use 300+ magnification but I have learned to accept that there will be moments when the view is great and many when it's not. That seems to be the norm but perhaps a couple of times a year comes a night when the seeing will take whatever you want to throw at it.

So my experience is more similar to Luke's than yours in this respect.

You may be in for a pleasant surprise then Luke. Try it when the Moon is not full

[John]

You may be in for a pleasant surprise then Luke. Try it when the Moon is not full

I'm John and twas me that posted this 

I rarely observe the Moon when it's full - much more of interest when there is a terminator showing 

I don't have a fine focuser on my dob as it happens, just a single speed crayford. Does the job though 

[Pig]

That's interesting about the moon and higher powers, I don't think I've tried such high power because on other targets, 300x seems to be about my max under excellent conditions, so I think I assumed the moon would be the same! Look forward to giving it a go.

I am a bit concerned that this may make a 6mm Delos tempting, though

You may be in for a pleasant surprise then Luke. Try it when the Moon is not full

[Moonshane]

The Delos certainly seem excellent from all reports. at this focal length I use my Nagler zoom as it provides more flexibility and the field is more than adequate for me even with manual dobs at the range it covers (223-633x across my scopes). I have (genuinely) used the zoom with my 16" f4 (masked to 170mm) at in excess of 450x to split e.g. Zeta Herculis and the image at the zenith was pretty stable considering. such high powers are usually as you say reserved for doubles/moon but I find more often when high in the sky.

[Pig]

I'm John and twas me that posted this 

I rarely observe the Moon when it's full - much more of interest when there is a terminator showing 

I don't have a fine focuser on my dob as it happens, just a single speed crayford. Does the job though 

Sorry John, I am having one of those days

Terminator, that's the term I was looking for as apposed to boundary

[Pig]

The Delos certainly seem excellent from all reports. at this focal length I use my Nagler zoom as it provides more flexibility and the field is more than adequate for me even with manual dobs at the range it covers (223-633x across my scopes). I have (genuinely) used the zoom with my 16" f4 (masked to 170mm) at in excess of 450x to split e.g. Zeta Herculis and the image at the zenith was pretty stable considering. such high powers are usually as you say reserved for doubles/moon but I find more often when high in the sky.

Pheww, at least it isn't just me then Shane, I agree the higher in the sky the better.

The 3-6 does have greater flexibility having at least four settings, it truly is a great eyepiece

[alan potts]

I am more prone to the odd accident than most, this is due to the large amount of concrete that I have put down. I had a large area 15 meters by 5 meters where the used old boy that had the place keep pigs (real ones). this was at an angle for smelly reasons and all sloped away to the land area, this was concrete. Not wanting to break it up  due to the size of it, I packed it out with balast and leveled it up with more, much more concrete.

Then I had a walk to where I store wood which was across mud, so I concreted that as well, that I have now turned into a drive into the barn, 30 meters long and 4 meters wide and I mixed it all myself. I have more concrete than most people have garden space, so it is very easy to set up on, I now keep everything on the ground though so it is difficult to drop or knock over, I could tread on it though.

I have tried setting up on the field and I can't see any differences in view with heat rising at this time of year so concrete it is for winter. In summer the heat causes problems though so I go on the field.

Alan 

[Pig]

lol@ real ones, I am a real Pig Alan, my  middle name is Porky   or Piggy as Mike calls me.