Show us your Frac

[John]

3 minutes ago, Whistlin Bob said:

As a lover of Dobsonians I've not had much cause to get involved with this thread. However, I've often enjoyed views through other people's refractors at my local club and after discovering the joys of looking at multiple stars over the summer, all I needed was an extra bit of temptation. It duly arrived yesterday in the form of an ad from @johninderby. 24 hours later and I've even had a cheeky first light with some nice lunar views and a good bit of detail on a receding Mars.

Not sure I'm tempted to lick it though...

Very nice - proper "big frac" experience and a not too big price tag

[johninderby]

There is something seriously amiss here. New scope and clear skies? Just not natural. 😁

Glad ypu got a chsnce to use it so soon though. 👍🏻

Edited December 19, 2020 by johninderby

[F15Rules]

On 29/11/2020 at 11:44, philj said:

My 1960s Towa as it is now.

 

Scope updated with Craford and extension, (the scope and how I did the mod featured in Astronomy Now in 2010)

Sitting atop my Berlebach and recently acquired Vixen GP with drives mount (thanks John)

 

This is my grab and go ish set up, e.g. when I havent got time or cant be doing with setting up the HEQ5 and / or Meade 127edt  and goto. Just set up, point at polaris , switch on the drives and away I go 😀 cloud permitting

Hi Phil,

That is a thing of beauty! Cracking scope and a "proper refractor"..

And, no, Jeremy, it doesn't need a handle..

Dave

[JeremyS]

23 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

Hi Phil,

That is a thing of beauty! Cracking scope and a "proper refractor"..

And, no, Jeremy, it doesn't need a handle..

Dave

What? No handle????

[cloudsweeper]

Bob @Whistlin Bob - congrats on getting a big frac (a proper 'scope, as some would say 😀).  I've only used mine on the Skytee II, so I was interested to see you'd put yours on an AZ4.  I'll have to try that next time, but for the moment I've been enjoying my very small ED80 Apo on the AZ4 after much fiddling and minor modification to get it to sit in place without vibration.

Doug.

 

[Whistlin Bob]

3 hours ago, johninderby said:

There is something seriously amiss here. New scope and clear skies? Just not natural. 😁

Glad ypu got a chsnce to use it so soon though. 👍🏻

I think the weather gods were caught out by the speed of the transaction. They managed a heavy shower within an hour of me setting up, but I'd already had a good look by then. It felt like a a big win!!! You were right about the diagonal btw, but it was great once I'd swapped it out. Very nice to meet you 😁👍

1 hour ago, cloudsweeper said:

a proper 'scope, as some would say

My wife did say it looks like a proper telescope! I had to nip into the garage and let my Dobs know I still love them. I did wonder if the AZ4 would manage, but it seemed pretty good- vibrations stopped quite quickly after moving, and the length of the OTA helped it overcome the lack of slow motion cables

[Marki]

So, finally got to spend some time with the SW150 ED. Here it is looming out of the dark! Big, but much more wieldy (if thats a word) at f8 than the Istar 150 f10 I used to own. Seeing pretty "soft" tonight, and regretfully no view to the south west (so no supere conjunction). But a lovely view of M42, lots of structure in the nebula at 100x and 120x. Managed a nice convincing split on Sigma Orionis at x120, but then it started clouding over. Really need more time, but the more I use it, the better I'm liking it.

 

[dweller25]

On 29/11/2020 at 11:44, philj said:

My 1960s Towa as it is now.

 

Scope updated with Craford and extension, (the scope and how I did the mod featured in Astronomy Now in 2010)

Sitting atop my Berlebach and recently acquired Vixen GP with drives mount (thanks John)

 

This is my grab and go ish set up, e.g. when I havent got time or cant be doing with setting up the HEQ5 and / or Meade 127edt  and goto. Just set up, point at polaris , switch on the drives and away I go 😀 cloud permitting

Great set up @philj - which Model Berlebach tripod is that ?

[cloudsweeper]

Great 'scope Mark @Marki - and at f/8 it's about the same length as my 127L f/9.45, so good and wieldy (there must be such a word).  Know what you mean about liking it more with use, in my case since I moved it to the shed for easy access.  Glad I withdrew it from sale recently!!

Doug.

[wibblefish]

Newbie here but I have joined the frac club, I assume the first rule is we don't talk about frac club?  Got it about a month ago maybe and had 5 nights out with it so that must be a record of some sort for a new scope?

I am a little in awe of the setups on this thread but hey got to start somewhere, SW 90/660 so its only a nipper but provided me with some fun sights so far and it fits snug in the small space I found in the garage that isn't clutter  

Edited December 21, 2020 by wibblefish

[F15Rules]

1 hour ago, wibblefish said:

I am a little in awe of the setups on this thread but hey got to start somewhere, SW 90/660 so its only a nipper but provided me with some fun sights so far and it fits snug in the small space I found in the garage that isn't clutter 

Don't be in awe of anything (except the night skies!)😊. 

We all started somewhere, and many of us began with much smaller scopes of 60mm or so..and that 90mm will show you a wealth of great targets for years if need be!.

If you haven't already got one, get yourself a decent star atlas, and a great book for beginners is "Turn Left at Orion" - just Google it for the best price, but it's a wonderful read👍.

Dave

[Tiny Clanger]

1 hour ago, wibblefish said:

Newbie here but I have joined the frac club, I assume the first rule is we don't talk about frac club?  Got it about a month ago maybe and had 5 nights out with it so that must be a record of some sort for a new scope?

I am a little in awe of the setups on this thread but hey got to start somewhere, SW 90/660 so its only a nipper but provided me with some fun sights so far and it fits snug in the small space I found in the garage that isn't clutter 

Do not fall into thinking that anyone has a more enthralling time with the night sky than you do, simply because they spent more on their kit !

Knowledge and understanding are free (what with the internet, public libraries and this forum ) and anyone willing to expend some time and effort on them will make the best of whatever tools they have , whether they cost £100 or twenty times that.

Heather

[wibblefish]

18 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

Don't be in awe of anything (except the night skies!)😊. 

We all started somewhere, and many of us began with much smaller scopes of 60mm or so..and that 90mm will show you a wealth of great targets for years if need be!.

If you haven't already got one, get yourself a decent star atlas, and a great book for beginners is "Turn Left at Orion" - just Google it for the best price, but it's a wonderful read👍.

Dave

Thanks, I already have that one and a couple more beginner books (NightWatch / Backyard Astronomers Handbook) and got my eye on a more comprehensive atlas as I find I am quite enjoying having actual real books again (convert to ebooks here)  

2 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Do not fall into thinking that anyone has a more enthralling time with the night sky than you do, simply because they spent more on their kit !

Knowledge and understanding are free (what with the internet, public libraries and this forum ) and anyone willing to expend some time and effort on them will make the best of whatever tools they have , whether they cost £100 or twenty times that.

Heather

Wise words indeed  

[John]

8 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Do not fall into thinking that anyone has a more enthralling time with the night sky than you do, simply because they spent more on their kit !

Knowledge and understanding are free (what with the internet, public libraries and this forum ) and anyone willing to expend some time and effort on them will make the best of whatever tools they have , whether they cost £100 or twenty times that.

Heather

Very good point !

All your "firsts" will come with this scope and, no matter how expensive equipment you might eventually own, you can never quite re-capture the magic of those early discoveries in the hobby - the first Saturn and Jupiter, early double star catches, your first Messier objects, etc, etc.

These views are etched into your memory forever and a 90mm refractor is a great way to get acquainted with the wonders of the Universe

[callisto]

11 minutes ago, John said:

Very good point !

All your "firsts" will come with this scope and, no matter how expensive equipment you might eventually own, you can never quite re-capture the magic of those early discoveries in the hobby - the first Saturn and Jupiter, early double star catches, your first Messier objects, etc, etc.

These views are etched into your memory forever and a 90mm refractor is a great way to get acquainted with the wonders of the Universe

Here here....I always have a big smile on my face when I think back to my Red 60mm Tasco Frac 😀

[AndyThilo]

TS Photoline 130 Triplet 😊

[philj]

12 hours ago, dweller25 said:

Great set up @philj - which Model Berlebach tripod is that ?

Its the Uni with tray, very stable even with an Heq5 and ed127 on top

[dweller25]

3 minutes ago, philj said:

Its the Uni with tray, very stable even with an Heq5 and ed127 on top

@philj thanks, but which one......
16, 18, 19, 24, 28 ?

[philj]

28, sorry 

Here,s my review whenI got it

 

[Sky-searcher]

Frac meet Mak! Crisp clear night to try out the new Mak 150 partnered with the TS 80mm photo line. Pin sharp views on the moon in both scopes, perfect partnership!

[Nigella Bryant]

Solar frac, Lunt 60mm DS.

[tooth_dr]

My first triplet refractor, replacing a very reliable doublet.

94mm F5.5 with optional 0.8x reducer giving F4.4 @ 413mm.

 

[Highburymark]

After sneaking half an hour’s solar viewing this morning with the TV85/Solarscope (I know, I know, it’s Christmas, but the Sun is pretty amazing right now), I read an article on the Sky and Telescope website this afternoon saying the new solar cycle might be one of the most active ever. Fingers crossed, and here’s to a great 2021 for refractor lovers everywhere, whether observing by day or night.

[Nigella Bryant]

My new to me frac. 

[Highburymark]

12 hours ago, Nigella Bryant said:

My new to me frac. 

Very nice. Looks a bit like a slightly slower SW Equinox 80 with the similar rotating focuser ring. Focuser looks similar too. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me about the Revelation’s pedigree will explain a connection?