Ha Hoover?

[Earl]

Been looking at the new Opticstar scopes and this looks intresting

http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Astronomy/Astro-Telescopes-Opticstar.asp?p=0_10_1_1_245

Ignoring Colour imaging but as a Ha scope, this looks quiet interesting.

[Phillyo]

Very cheap too. Interesting but worrying, often get what you pay for? :/

Phil

[Earl]

This is true, however cheapness in optics is normally related to colour correction, ignoring that this looks interesting im almost tempted to try one.

I wonder what the imaging circle is.

[Mark at Beaufort]

Earl I looked at this new range of scopes when I visited their showroom in Sale a few weeks back. They look ok for the money but its the view through the scope that matters. Being a Quad I am not sure where all the lenses are situated. If some of the lenses are at the rear of the scope would this be a problem for Ha or Herschel Wedge solar work??

[Zakalwe]

I'd be cautious of some of the claims in the advert relating to solar viewing, especially this piece  "Being an air-spaced refractor with metal knife edge baffles the ARC-152 QUAD is also ideal for imaging and viewing the Sun when used with a specialist (H—alpha) Solar filter at the eyepiece end." Doesn't this cope have the second set of lenses mounted in the focuser? If so, then Quark state " For telescopes under approximately 120mm of aperture, a screw in UV/IR cut filter can be employed in front of the telescope diagonal. The UV/IR cut filter reflects UV and IR light back out the front of the telescope, reducing temperatures inside. Do not use a UV/IR cut filter with oil spaced objective telescopes, or any telescope with an integrated rear field flattener or Petzval lens"

http://www.daystarfilters.com/downloads/QuarkManual.pdf

[Peter Drew]

+1 for Zakalwe's caution.

[Zakalwe]

To qualify my earlier post, I'm not saying that the scope wouldn't work with something like a Quark. You would need to use a front mounted or sub-aperture Energy Rejection Filter with it though.

[Earl]

Sorry I should be clearer, Ha DSO imaging, id not consider Solar with this at all.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

This scope looks very much like a clone of the Bresser Messier 152/760

http://www.astroshop.eu/bresser-telescope-ac-152-760-messier-ota/p,14195

This is a Petzval design scope so Zakalwe's warning is an important one. I gather the scope might even have difficulties with a quark with a front-mounted ERF, because the telecentric lens system in the Quark does not work well with a Petzval lens just in front. These scopes do have a nice flat field, and from what I hear have better chromatic correction than the ST150 and clones.

[pete_l]

The description says:  four lenses in two groups of two, Low-Dispersion (LD) Crown/Flint glass is used ...   with two additional near full aperture optical elements situated further down the optical path and later:   reduced false colour

Not what you'd expect to read about a true Quad, but it's only 1/10th the price of a comparable instrument too.

[Earl]

This scope looks very much like a clone of the Bresser Messier 152/760

http://www.astroshop.eu/bresser-telescope-ac-152-760-messier-ota/p,14195

This is a Petzval design scope so Zakalwe's warning is an important one. I gather the scope might even have difficulties with a quark with a front-mounted ERF, because the telecentric lens system in the Quark does not work well with a Petzval lens just in front. These scopes do have a nice flat field, and from what I hear have better chromatic correction than the ST150 and clones.

That Bressier is even cheaper ! wow.

[Peter Drew]

Not sure if the Bresser model is a "quad", the specifications don't mention it. If not, it would be suitable for solar observation. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Not sure if the Bresser model is a "quad", the specifications don't mention it. If not, it would be suitable for solar observation. 

It is mentioned that it is a Petzval in several places (perhaps not the link I sent). That is only suitable for solar with a front-mounted filter.

[Peter Drew]

Thanks Michael. Good value then. 

[Earl]

im waiting on hearing what the imaging circle is on these