Show us your Frac

[Stu]

Just now, DRT said:

Are you doubting my legendary willpower, Stu?

I believe you received your training at the same school as me, so yes I think I know the result ??

[Stub Mandrel]

16 minutes ago, DRT said:

Are you doubting my legendary willpower, Stu?

LOL! I think it's your telescope buying power that is the stuff of legend

[t0nedude]

As usual Mike gets there, minutes before me  

FC Fluorite element at rear

FS Fluorite element at front..

Oh and guys it's not Flourite, we're not baking cakes here! 

And saying it again, lovely scopes guys, and John we're still waiting for first light...

Tony.

[DRT]

3 minutes ago, t0nedude said:

Oh and guys it's not Flourite, we're not baking cakes here! 

[mikeDnight]

38 minutes ago, DRT said:

I blame modern technology for correcting my often incorrect spelling incorrectly!

I wonder what Nicks excuse was? Probably the printers! Excusable  Though, as Tak have been making dough from Flourite (Fluorite) for decades. Sorry! 

Mike

[DRT]

"Nicks?" 

Sorry, couldn't resist

[Stub Mandrel]

Long ago the editor of Practical Electronics apologise for the spelling 'flourescent' in an article. He said something like "we've downgraded our typist, because graded brains make finer fluor."

[DRT]

On 28 May 2015 at 20:18, Chris Lock said:

Just testing my Skylight 60mm f16 and C100ED on my new Skytee II, and I thought I'd try and boost moral with the frac clan after reading the "show me your dob" thread 

I have just realised that the refractor that started this thread is the lovely Skylight F16 that I bought from @Chris Lock 

The rather ingenious lens cap in the picture has since been replaced and is what my dog now uses when he is allowed a small slurp of Stella on the patio

Edited May 28, 2016 by DRT

[John]

8 hours ago, DRT said:

I have been drooling over this beast all week and have been reading about Flourite scopes. One thing I'm confused about is the statement in the blurb about this one that the Flourite element is "at the back of the tube". Does that mean there is a glass element near the focuser? If so, does that mean these can't be used for solar viewing where the filtration happens behind the diagonal?

Sorry I'm a bit late on this Derek but I think the other posters have got it covered between them !

I have used the scope with my Lunt Hershel Wedge for a short session and it didn't explode or melt

Not being a solar boffin I'm unsure if there are any major benefits in using an apochromat or ED doublet for solar viewing though - unless it's because they are generally well figured objective lenses

I've not had enough use from the scope to attempt any sort of report on it but one thing that is noticeable right away with it is that it shows no false colour whatsoever, on any target, at any magnification and even inside and outside of focus (where most ED doublets do show a little colour). Vega was just a perfect white airey disk with 2 very fine and faint diffraction rings around it. It looked like an exemplar star test from an optical text book. Rather impressive

 

Edited May 28, 2016 by John

[Stu]

1 minute ago, John said:

Sorry I'm a bit late on this Derek but I think the other posters have got it covered between them !

I have used the scope with my Lunt Hershel Wedge for a short session and it didn't explode or melt

Not being a solar boffin I'm unsure if there are any major benefits in using an apochromat or ED doublet for solar viewing though - unless it's because they are generally well figured objective lenses

 

Your last paragraph sums it up nicely John. Not totally straightforward, but if you are using a narrowband filter like a continuum then a well figured achro will do a great job (one of the 102mm f11 clones for instance). Without that, you will get CA still if it's a fast achro, and as I found with the 150mm f5, SA which robs the image of detail and makes it seem soft.

I've tended to opt for good EDs because the figure is more certain to be good and the tube length is more manageable.

[DRT]

58 minutes ago, Stu said:

Your last paragraph sums it up nicely John. Not totally straightforward, but if you are using a narrowband filter like a continuum then a well figured achro will do a great job (one of the 102mm f11 clones for instance). Without that, you will get CA still if it's a fast achro, and as I found with the 150mm f5, SA which robs the image of detail and makes it seem soft.

I've tended to opt for good EDs because the figure is more certain to be good and the tube length is more manageable.

I haven't done any sort of comparative test but all I can say is that the 120ED consistently gives me more from the Baader Herschel wedge than the Altair Starwave 102 or 152. The crispness of the detail in the 120ED is outstanding compared to both of the other scopes. In the Quark the 152 wins over the 120ED, but that os probably more to do with aperture and the fact that the 152 is closer to the Quark's focal length sweet spot.

All I need to find now is an 8" F6 Fluorite and I'll have the ideal all-rounder

 

[A McEwan]

Speaking of ED120's and Quarks... mine out this morning:

 

[Chris]

21 hours ago, DRT said:

I have just realised that the refractor that started this thread is the lovely Skylight F16 that I bought from @Chris Lock 

The rather ingenious lens cap in the picture has since been replaced and is what my dog now uses when he is allowed a small slurp of Stella on the patio

haha! I'm glad the makeshift lens cap is still in employment

I notice this thread celebrated it's first birthday yesterday! Definately the best thread I've ever managed to start!

[Chris]

On 5/24/2016 at 18:34, John said:

Usually I introduce scopes that have come into my possession as "new to me". In this case though, this one is literally brand new and fresh from Japan. Takahashi FC-100-DL

 

Oh my word it's a long focus Fluorite Tak, I feel like I've just seen a Unicorn!

Big congrats John  I really want to hear what you think of this scope!

[View2]

On 5/27/2016 at 00:28, Physopto said:

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[F15Rules]

On 25/05/2016 at 19:13, John said:

Thanks Mark - hope you have a nice boat trip

I expect I'll keep the Vixen. It does widefield better than any of my scopes and it's just a lovely and rare scope.

 

Thank goodness for that! I think you and the Vixen should be joined at the hip! Be great to hear how they compare, even though they are very different:-)

Dave

[t0nedude]

Yes, you've seen my FL102s (OTA) before and a GP mount, but how about them together at last, finally ready to do the business - the Clearoutside site reports the next couple of nights are clear, so fingers crossed she might finally get the first night time photons in over 10 years:

My wife thought I was spying on the neighbours...  

Minus dew shield to admire the..

OG:

 

[DRT]

Here is my latest purchase - brand new Evostar 150 F8 for a song from Astroboot and pictured here with my ED120...

Tried it out on Jupiter, M13 and the Ring Nebula last night and was very pleased with the results

[mikeDnight]

What is it about a lens, particularly a fluorite lens, that makes me go weak at the knees? No other telescope makes me feel this way!

Thanks for this one Tony! I was recovering nicely until I saw this!

Mike

[John]

Lovely scopes folks !

Interesting that Tony's scope is designated the FL102S. I wonder if Vixen were contemplating a longer FL version but never quite got there ?

 

[A McEwan]

Nearly forgot...

 

[A McEwan]

Here's a blast from the past too. Does anyone know where this is now?

Last seen sporting a Moonlite dual speed in red...

Edited June 5, 2016 by A McEwan

[Pig]

My Latest addition to the family

 

[DRT]

Which one is new?

[Pig]

19 minutes ago, DRT said:

Which one is new?

The bigger one & the mount :-)