Show us your Frac

[Saganite]

I recently sold my Skytee, finding the whole assembly, with tripod etc too heavy and cumbersome, and gone back to an AZ4, and it handles the 4" Celestron easily, even with the Bino's.

So this Grab n Go set up can be carried easily from the conservatory and be in use in under a minute. The Celestron ED102, now has the Moonlite focuser and a Baader T2 prism diagonal, and is a joy to use 

[Stu]

25 minutes ago, Saganite said:

I recently sold my Skytee, finding the whole assembly, with tripod etc too heavy and cumbersome, and gone back to an AZ4, and it handles the 4" Celestron easily, even with the Bino's.

So this Grab n Go set up can be carried easily from the conservatory and be in use in under a minute. The Celestron ED102, now has the Moonlite focuser and a Baader T2 prism diagonal, and is a joy to use 

Lovely looking scope Steve  

[Chris]

There is a lot to like with your setup, Steve, it's portable and quality. Looking at your kit, I'm betting this scope gets used the most? 

[Saganite]

Thank you Stu. The  OO finder was not needed on the Dob, but  gives sterling service on this scope. 

[Saganite]

Hi Chris,

It certainly has during the last few months, because short sessions were often available at short notice. If I am sure of a few hours and the sky is good, then I set up the 5" on the pier. ..

[kerrylewis]

2 hours ago, Lockie said:

I'd forgotten how huge the Vixen is! A beast of a setup you have there Kerry  

You're right Chris! It's surprising how much effect that extra 50mm has. The Vixen is really a big heavy scope in relation to the Tak 

[John]

Great to see the big Vixen again - used to be my dream scope following the Astronomy Now review way, way back

Good to see the ED102 F/9 riding nicely on an AZ-4 as well. I'm still pondering on an AZ-4 as a lighter option to the Skytee II for the Tak FC-100DL 

[nightfisher]

I would post a pic of my one and only frac, but it has not been out since buying it about 4 months ago, the Opticstar AR90

[John]

9 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

I would post a pic of my one and only frac, but it has not been out since buying it about 4 months ago, the Opticstar AR90

You could still post a pic - it might inspire you to look though it if the sky is clear !

[Chris]

20 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

I would post a pic of my one and only frac, but it has not been out since buying it about 4 months ago, the Opticstar AR90

I wondered how you were getting on with it. go on, get a pic up, like John says it might kick start things. I've been looking at the Opticstar site myself and have to say the scopes and mounts look excellent value for money assuming the optics are reasonable good? I'm pretty much sure it's all Bresser/Meade clones but only even cheaper (that's saying something considering how good value Bresser's are).

 

[nightfisher]

43 minutes ago, Lockie said:

I wondered how you were getting on with it. go on, get a pic up, like John says it might kick start things. I've been looking at the Opticstar site myself and have to say the scopes and mounts look excellent value for money assuming the optics are reasonable good? I'm pretty much sure it's all Bresser/Meade clones but only even cheaper (that's saying something considering how good value Bresser's are).

 

Dont need a kickstart need clear skies that dont fall on a work night, Sunday eve i waited for the Moon to clear the roof top, but i had to be in bed for 9pm due to getting up at 04.45, so it did not happen, unfortunately i have to give priority to getting a good nights sleep as a day on the road driving a 26 ton truck when your dog tired is not nice and not safe

[Chris]

4 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

Dont need a kickstart need clear skies that dont fall on a work night, Sunday eve i waited for the Moon to clear the roof top, but i had to be in bed for 9pm due to getting up at 04.45, so it did not happen, unfortunately i have to give priority to getting a good nights sleep as a day on the road driving a 26 ton truck when your dog tired is not nice and not safe

Speaking as a health professional who works in A&E, I appreciate you being well rested behind the wheel, Jules

It seems that every time I have a night shift the sky is crystal clear, otherwise it's usually cloudy...what's with that!?

[nightfisher]

Just now, Lockie said:

Speaking as a health professional who works in A&E, I appreciate you being well rested behind the wheel, Jules

It seems that every time I have a night shift the sky is crystal clear, otherwise it's usually cloudy...what's with that!?

Thanks Chris, back on topic the AR90s is not a Bresser based scope, it is a revamped Starsky 90, and based on the old Starsky 90 i had many years ago the optics were VERY sharp for a massed produced humble achro, coupled with sliding dew shield and a rather nice single speed metal Crayford 2" focuser, this scope has a quality that comes as a nice surprise at the price, might get some pics of it in action on the star discovery at the weekend, if the local micro climate decides to agree with weather forcast

[iPeace]

3 hours ago, John said:

I'm still pondering on an AZ-4 as a lighter option to the Skytee II for the Tak FC-100DL 

Go on. You know you want an AZ8.

[Chris]

9 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

the AR90s is not a Bresser based scope, it is a revamped Starsky 90

Oh Yeah, looking on the Opticstar site; the ARC range seem to be Bresser clones, but the AR**s range are indeed something different, so Starsky like you say.

They no longer appear to stock the AR90s by the looks of things? I can only see an 80mm f/7.5, and a 90mm f/8.8 in that range. Opticstar's Apo range seem to be re-badged Meade 5000's badged Ascension. They look bonkers good value for a triplet Apo - £850 for a 102mm f/7 Triplet with Strehl >0.9 and optical report! 

[nightfisher]

6 minutes ago, Lockie said:

Oh Yeah, looking on the Opticstar site; the ARC range seem to be Bresser clones, but the AR**s range are indeed something different, so Starsky like you say.

They no longer appear to stock the AR90s by the looks of things? I can only see an 80mm f/7.5, and a 90mm f/8.8 in that range. Opticstar's Apo range seem to be re-badged Meade 5000's badged Ascension. They look bonkers good value for a triplet Apo - £850 for a 102mm f/7 Triplet with Strehl >0.9 and optical report! 

I think i got the last AR90s as i went on the site a week or so after buying mine and spotted it was missing, i have used it once with a very poor condition white light filter and it did well, but it was bought more for widefield which it should excel

[John]

Well here is my TMB/LZOS 130mm F/9.2 triplet out there right now. Wonderful lunar and binary star observing at 400x tonight !

 

[Chris]

9 minutes ago, John said:

Wonderful lunar and binary star observing at 400x tonight !

400x sounds almost like fiction, but of course it isn't with a LZOS APM 130 Apo and good seeing. I don't think I've managed to get a sharp image with any of my scopes above about 280x? Glad you've got a good night for it John, enjoy!  

[wookie1965]

Here`s my Tal 100rs on the EQ5 goto.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Lockie said:

400x sounds almost like fiction, but of course it isn't with a LZOS APM 130 Apo and good seeing. I don't think I've managed to get a sharp image with any of my scopes above about 280x? Glad you've got a good night for it John, enjoy!  

It does seem to be a little crazy tonight, just thrown similar mag at the moon using the Tak and it held up quite nicely. Not that my eyes did... floaters galore unfortunately. Now at x200 with the binoviewers, luvverly  

[alacant]

11 hours ago, nightfisher said:

AR90s

Hi. I have the ar80s. Great for wide field AP such as Andromeda. Certainly beats sw's miserably slow doublet offerings! Cheers and clear skies.

[Stub Mandrel]

18 minutes ago, alacant said:

Hi. I have the ar80s. Great for wide field AP such as Andromeda. Certainly beats sw's miserably slow doublet offerings! Cheers and clear skies.

Do you use a field flattener with it?

[alacant]

8 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Do you use a field flattener with it?

At APS-c size, it's a must. Maybe using only the centre of the field on a small ccd, I think you'd be fine. HTH.

[nightfisher]

On 01/11/2017 at 18:26, John said:

You could still post a pic - it might inspire you to look though it if the sky is clear !

A very quick set up to try and grab a couple of Luna frames

[John]

Thanks Jules - looks a great setup

Funny eyepiece you are using though !

(from a visual only person )