New toys arrived :)

[ChrisLX200]

After a seemingly very long wait (actually only about 3 weeks, it just seemed longer!) my new imaging OTA has arrived. Two boxes in total, one a lot heavier than the other one...

Two boxes:

In the first box was the 5" scope rings - which won't fit directly on my Losmandy G11 but no problem, I have all the tools needed to machine a suitable dovetail adapter:

The big box was a bit of a bear to get the contents out of, an inner and outer box each insulated from each other with bubble-wrap. I can't complain about the care taken with the packing.

Eventually the scope case emerges, it feels even heavier now without the extra packing around it.

And there she is - one new TeleVue NP127is refractor. Complete with Al Nagler's old hat which he must have forgotten and left in there...

A quick scamble to lift the tube out and get the plastic wrapping off, and it looks fantastic. I was a bit worried I was going to see a dull/matt black finish because I've seen that on some images of these scopes, but this one is the lovely shiney black anodised finish similar to my TV Genesis.

So just a few more photos of the scope:

So I just need make the mounting adapter then wait for some clear skies! Oh, and make some sort of mounting bracket for a stepper motor I have for the auto-focus - no rush for that, I'll want to think about the design a bit now I have the scope in front of me to measure up.

ChrisH

[StarryEyed]

Oh boy oh boy!

Looks a million dollars...... bet the views are going to melt your heart. That's if you don't have heart attack the first time you mount it.

[Stu]

Gorgeous! Nothing else to say :-)

Stu

[RikM]

[starnut]

Nice I hope you have many clear skys

[brantuk]

Droool..... 

[ChrisLX200]

I quickly knocked up a Losmandy dovetail mounting plate on the mill, not anodised yet. Next I need to machine an adapter for my AZ guidescope (a Pronto), this will need to go on top to keep the weight on-axis because it's a weighty beast and balance would be tricky with the dual saddle I normally use for the Genesis SDF.

ChrisH

[ollypenrice]

This should be a splendid imaging scope. Very fast and very high quality. I expect it will be touchy on temp-related focus drift like most Petzvals but if you have robotic focus then not to worry.

What camera will you put in this?

Olly

[ChrisLX200]

This should be a splendid imaging scope. Very fast and very high quality. I expect it will be touchy on temp-related focus drift like most Petzvals but if you have robotic focus then not to worry.

What camera will you put in this?

Olly

Currently I have an Atik 490EX, should work OK with this short f/l scope I think. I have the option of binning if needed but I hope I can make some use of the full res.

ChrisH

[catman161]

Oh man that is gorgeous!

[PaulB]

It looks even more gorgeous in the flesh.

And- You should see the wonderful hires raindrop images he's taken 

[faulksy]

lovely mate, very pretty