New Scope Report

[TiTanecd]

So my new package arrived on Friday last week, while still at work my mother sends a picture of the boxes and I couldn't wait to get home and start the build. Friday and Saturday were the best nights for this 3 week period, so it was great it arrived when it did.

I bought an Orion XT8G, Orion Dlx2 Collimator, Orion Stratus 8mm, usb adapter and a 50mW green laser for pointing when people ask where is this.

First off the collimator is very good quality, its machined and not plastic like the first Orion one. Collimating was very easy and quick.

Secondly the eyepieces are very good and much better than the stock Celestron ones and even my SkyWatcher 32mm. 

The build took 25 minutes. Got the scope outside for around 2 hours of cooling and with a 80mm pc fan.

Around 7pm it got dark enough to see some stars and once the alignment stars appeared, I aligned them and did one PAE. Found my first target M6, the Butterfly Cluster. I felt it fitting to look at this first, in memory of my feline friend, Simba, my oldest friend of 19 years that passed on the 11th Aug. I chose M6 because in America, when we got him I was 3, and he always used to chase the butterflies. The 11th was also the first time viewing M6, and it just felt right to me to have my special moment now, still with him.

After looking at M6, because of it being a new scope, I wanted to view a wide range of stuff to get an understanding of what it can do and compare it to my 130EQ.

I viewed M6, Acrux Double, Saturn, Mars, M13, 47 Tur (which is such an amazing cluster stayed up to 4 to see this at its highest peak) and Omega Cent all on Friday. Saturday came and the scope was out again, here I showed my family Saturn, but it was too windy to look at anything more, I wanted to try some test shots with it, but didn't get much. I went to bed around 12 and woke up at 3 for the Northern Hem's objects. I missed M31 by 20mins... a little bum'd with that. I looked at M45 first, as it was my first Messier earlier this year with a 70mm frac. Then the object I was really looking forward to M42, and that looked amazing. The white clouds and the dark regions all sharp. 

The 8" is very clear and has great light gathering abilities compared to a 5.1".

This Friday the moon will be up around 8ish and can get my first Lunar view through it, maybe increase magnification to around 350x if weatehr is good.

All in all, I'm very happy with this purchase and looking forward to amazing nights ahead.