Show us your Frac

[MattJenko]

I would like to extend a very warm welcome to my newest addition to the collection. AltairAstro 115ED triplet, picked up from a very nice chap in Sussex. Sitting on my AzEQ6 I now have my short and long focal length imaging options in one neat package with my TS60ED on a quick release bar on top, with the ubiquitous finder guider attached.

 

[RobertI]

Very nice indeed Matt. That setup must weigh a fair amount given by the nunber of counterweights!  

[MattJenko]

HI Rob,

It does weigh a bit. I could have used 2 counterweights and the extension, but it seems more pleasing to keep it compact with 3 for some reason...

[mikeDnight]

9 hours ago, MattJenko said:

I would like to extend a very warm welcome to my newest addition to the collection. AltairAstro 115ED triplet, picked up from a very nice chap in Sussex. Sitting on my AzEQ6 I now have my short and long focal length imaging options in one neat package with my TS60ED on a quick release bar on top, with the ubiquitous finder guider attached.

 

Beautiful! Some exciting times ahead I'm sure! But all those scopes and you can't afford a nail to hang your picture on, or you may have saved up for the nail but can't afford the hammer? I suppose you could be prioritizing! 

Mike 

[John]

27 minutes ago, MattJenko said:

HI Rob,

It does weigh a bit. I could have used 2 counterweights and the extension, but it seems more pleasing to keep it compact with 3 for some reason...

It might reduce vibrations a bit as well. I've often thought that having less weight but further from the central axis of the mount (ie: towards the end of the C/W bar) creates a rig that is more prone to vibration than having more weight closer to the central axis.

Great looking setup !

[MattJenko]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

 But all those scopes and you can't afford a nail to hang your picture on, or you may have saved up for the nail but can't afford the hammer? I suppose you could be prioritizing! 

Mike 

I fully subscribe to the aesthetics of free standing and naturally placed interior design. My wife calls it lazy.

[Chris]

Lovely new gleaning white scope there Matt, she's a beaut

[StarryEyed]

12 hours ago, MattJenko said:

....

 

Hope that's the spare room.

[garryblueboy]

Nice scopes  these Altairs 

[Knighty2112]

New addition of a Celestron Omni 120mm XLT f8.3 to my small family of 'fracs. Still awaiting a proper first light with it due to the weather, but ready and waiting to go none the less. Photographed here with my Altair Astro 102mm f11.  

 

[John]

Nice !. I like the dark blue / white colour scheme

It will be interesting to compare the Omni 120 with your Startravel 120.

[Knighty2112]

2 hours ago, John said:

Nice !. I like the dark blue / white colour scheme

It will be interesting to compare the Omni 120 with your Startravel 120.

Thanks, they do go well together. Yes, that is what I really want to compare and see which gives a better view. In theory the Omni 120 should give better views with the XLT coating, and the longer focul length too, but await a chance to test them side by side on the Skytee 2 mount together to test this. 

[John]

I'm not sure that the XLT coatings will make much difference but the slower focal ratio will make quite a difference to the amount of CA showing:

 

[Uranium235]

Now updated with the legendary Samyang/Rokinon 135 f2..... its going to be quite a combination:

A total of 16 elements   class glass.

[Thalestris24]

11 minutes ago, Uranium235 said:

Now updated with the legendary Samyang/Rokinon 135 f2..... its going to be quite a combination:

A total of 16 elements   class glass.

Nice! No guide scope?

[Uranium235]

35 minutes ago, Thalestris24 said:

Nice! No guide scope?

lol... well spotted!

The main dovetail is long enough for me to mount the finderguider underneath at the front end. That will also help balance the whole rig... its quite a compact (and surpisingly heavy) lump now.

[Thalestris24]

2 minutes ago, Uranium235 said:

lol... well spotted!

The main dovetail is long enough for me to mount the finderguider underneath at the front end. That will also help balance the whole rig... its quite a compact (and surpisingly heavy) lump now.

Mind you don't drop it, en masse - so to speak! 

[Uranium235]

Not to worry, I'll be super careful. It should be easy compared to the 200pds, thats always been a bit of handfull to get down the garden fully loaded.

[Chris]

Picked up this slightly rare find, David Hind Optical are auctioning off Celestron stock on Fleaby. These haven't been in production for years, but this one is certainly brand spanking new so must have been sitting in a box for years in a warehouse perhaps? 

I've never seen one for sale second hand, it's a Celestron OMNI ED102 XLT f/8.8 refractor. I've never named a scope before but for some reason I've been compelled to name it 'Midnight'.

Also needed to pick up a mount for it, so this classic Black dual drive HEQ5 arrived today....can't wait to test both the scope and mount out but there was plenty of thick cloud in the box.

Edited December 21, 2016 by Chris Lock

[nightfisher]

Chris, looks very good mate

[Knighty2112]

39 minutes ago, Chris Lock said:

Picked up this slightly rare find, David Hind Optical are auctioning off Celestron stock on Fleaby. These haven't been in production for years, but this one is certainly brand spanking new so must have been sitting in a box for years in a warehouse perhaps? 

I've never seen one for sale second hand, it's a Celestron OMNI ED102 XLT f/8.8 refractor. I've never named a scope before but for some reason I've been compelled to name it 'Midnight'.

Also needed to pick up a mount for it, so this classic Black dual drive HEQ5 arrived today....can't wait to test both the scope and mount out but there was plenty of thick cloud in the box.

Nice scope Chris. Seriously tempted by one of these!  

[Skyline]

There's one on fleabay I wought have bought if I did not have the C100ED already.

[Skyline]

And there is still time to bid for it

[Chris]

If I had a 110-120mm IPD like E.T. I'd buy another for a kick bottom binoscope 

[Skyline]

It's very tempting. But something is telling me to let it go....