Spoiling the ED80 moment

[MartinB]

I bought the ED80 to piggy back on the NS8 GPS but also as a grab and go scope. With the help of a couple of little wooden blocks it fits very nicely on the Tal1 mount. Got back from a meeting at 10.00pm last night and ... a break in the cloud!?!? The moon was peeping through but I didn't know how long it would last. Took 5 minutes to get the ED80 out and set up.

The scope is the older version with the blue paint job. The Crayford focuser is a real revelation, so accurate, I had no idea what the fuss was all about but now I understand. It was pretty windy but the scope is very stable on the Tal mount. My Telrad finder sits on the scope very nicely with the help of some electrical tape.

Using a 40mm eyepiece the moon only took up about a third of the FOV but it was already clear that the image was way way superior to what I have previously seen through the Bresser/Lidl scope (no great surprise there I guess). A 25mm EP framed the moon nicely. Craters looking very crisp and good contrast at the terminator. Went up to 6mm EP - x100 and everything still very sharp but significant dimming of the image and the image was starting to shimmer - probably because the moon was directly over the neighbours house. All this was rushed through in 10 mins excited gazing.

The sky was clearing a little so I should have just sat there and had a relaxing 30mins but had to spoil everything by deciding to do some imaging. Laptops webcams table fiddly settings, cranky software all rush rush before the cloud came back. Well I got some images but not worth it. The moon is the one astro image which looks better through a scope than on film IMHO.

Anyway, inbetween pratting about waiting for my crashed computer to reboot, Saturn appeared from behind the cloud. Superb sight through the 40mmEP with the Beehive. Cassini showed up using a 4mm EP along with some suggestion of detail on the disc. The overall appearance was sharp and pleasing but not able to match the Tal which is also F7.5 but 110mm apperture. The 6mm and x2 barlow didn't really add any extra detail. A bigger but dimmer view.

So this could have been a great short and unexpected viewing session if I hadn't bothered trying to rush it and cram in too much. I don't have a lot to compare the scope with but I'm thrilled with the views I have had on the moon, saturn exceeded expectations, and the wider field with saturn and the Beehive was stunning.

Martin

[GazOC]

Nice report Martin. I'm going to have to get one of those things to see what everyone raves about!!

[Ambermile]

Well that's a relief... there's always the thought that things get bounced or damaged in transit. Looks like this one has stayed pretty near perfect!

Arthur

PS - no, it's not the old one, it's the Skywatcher one! there was the Pro version, just painted white to match the mounts I reckon. As with the mounts, that was the only difference...

[MartinB]

It's lovely thank-you Arthur . I prefer blue to that fancy new champagne colour

BTW the scope was so well packed I think it would have survived a small nuclear strike

Martin

[FLO]

Great report Martin; I really enjoyed it

... had to spoil everything by deciding to do some imaging. Laptops webcams table fiddly settings, cranky software all rush rush

Its a common mistake

The overall appearance was sharp and pleasing but not able to match the Tal which is also F7.5 but 110mm apperture.

(Your a brave man Martin ).

[GazOC]

"Aperture isn't everthing in astronomy but sure beats what evers in second place"

[Ambermile]

BTW the scope was so well packed I think it would have survived a small nuclear strike

Martin

Well, better safe than sorry

[tom.yates]

Nice report mate

[OXO]

Excellent report Martin and the Scope complaments your C8 perfectly.

James