A Refractor for my 65th?

[Alfian]

14 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

Ian, your only 65 once so get a nice frac, what is your preference of celestial objects to view, lets see if another achro is going to tick the box`s

Like yourself I never tire of looking at the moon (which is why I bought the 102Mak) always something new to see. I love open star clusters, not had too much luck with globulars but live in hope, So I reason that an f8+ 'frac will easily give a 2.5 degrees but also be good for pretty good lunar views. I'm not expecting perfection but just a useful satisfying workmanlike scope!

[DRT]

2 hours ago, Alfian said:

Looks can be deceptive. You know you sometimes see a 2nd hand car for sale on the side of the road, 20 years old, low mileage for its age, great paint work, looks well. Turns out its suspension, ball joints, brakes etc are all shot and as to under the bonnet - just don't look! Ive had more visits to the "garage" this past 2 years than most of my life put together!

I know that feeling all too well!!!

Having previously owned a gold tube SW 100ED (before ungrading to the 120ED) I can endorse the recommendations from others above. Worth stretching the budget a little - it could be the only scope you ever need

 

[StarryEyed]

Alfian.

I had a similar situation/decision to you though I will be fifty in a couple of weeks.

I decided to sell everything and reinvest plus some additional funds into a good refractor. One key point being it should do everything well. As things get sold and some are still yet to be, the choice has turned out to be a good one.

Though letting some things that I have become attached to go is at times a little sad, it makes perfect sence.

[Alfian]

2 hours ago, StarryEyed said:

Alfian.

I had a similar situation/decision to you though I will be fifty in a couple of weeks.

I decided to sell everything and reinvest plus some additional funds into a good refractor. One key point being it should do everything well. As things get sold and some are still yet to be, the choice has turned out to be a good one.

Though letting some things that I have become attached to go is at times a little sad, it makes perfect sence.

Out of curiosity, what did you get?

[StarryEyed]

A 100mm f7.4 APO refractor. It is a lot smaller, lighter, brighter and sharper than I imagined and I belive a great decision in the long run.

There is good reason why a 100ED is a popular suggestion.

Kevin.

[Knighty2112]

On 10/01/2017 at 17:00, Alfian said:

Yes, thats a big one!  A lot of scope for the money.  How would an OTA that long behave on an AZ4?

 

I have an Altair Astro Starwave 102mm f11 'frac. Also, a recently acquired AZ4 mount I bought of Jules on here. Not actually used the mount yet due to a bad cold and work, but hoping to over the next few days, so I will let you know how it fares on the mount if you want. Wish that scope had come up when I was buying my Starwave, otherwise I would most likely have snapped it up. From the photos I've seen of it it looks in excellent condition.

[Alfian]

10 minutes ago, StarryEyed said:

A 100mm f7.4 APO refractor. It is a lot smaller, lighter, brighter and sharper than I imagined and I belive a great decision in the long run.

There is good reason why a 100ED is a popular suggestion.

Kevin.

Thanks for that Kevin. Window shopping I'd looked at the  Starwave 107ED F7 which looks a good relatively compact scope, but  again a bit prohibitive price wise.

9 minutes ago, Knighty2112 said:

I have an Altair Astro Starwave 102mm f11 'frac. Also, a recently acquired AZ4 mount I bought of Jules on here. Not actually used the mount yet due to a bad cold and work, but hoping to over the next few days, so I will let you know how it fares on the mount if you want. Wish that scope had come up when I was buying my Starwave, otherwise I would most likely have snapped it up. From the photos I've seen of it it looks in excellent condition.

Hi Gus, yes I'd appreciate that. I suspect its going to be a bit of a "sail" on the AZ4 but would like to be proved wrong. Chasing up references to the Antares 93/F11 it seems possible that similar to comments That John has made, that the Antares objectives may be made to Vixen specification so if so it should be a good scope, but thats still very much in the land of "what if  and maybe" at the moment!

[nightfisher]

Any more thoughts on this new frac ian?

[Alfian]

1 hour ago, nightfisher said:

Any more thoughts on this new frac ian?

Still mulling it over and feeling as if  I'm slightly hanging in limbo, metaphorically speaking. If something pops up here or on ABS that fits I will be having a look.  I've mentally wriggled around various options but still come back to my original thoughts. I've been in touch with RVO and the Antares 93/F11 does according to Adam have the  Vixen spec optics and they have one in stock. Its  43 inches long and  weighs 4Kg but how well it would behave on the AZ4 with extension is the nagging doubt.  I'm slightly curious about the 93mm size as Vixen apparently did do a 90mm  F11. Its given as a 1000mm scope so at  93mm it should be F10.75, a 90 mm would be as near as matters F11, so which is correct? I can feel myself talking myself into it which is not always clever and a 102 makes more sense but I'm tempted to go have a look but maybe leave my wallet at home! Who knows, a 100ED or something similar may come up that I can muster to , a bit of a waiting game.

[Alfian]

On 13/01/2017 at 12:22, Alfian said:

Who knows, a 100ED or something similar may come up that I can muster to , a bit of a waiting game.

Well folks, something did come up and the waiting game is over and I have a nice refractor  as a retirement pressy to myself.  Yesterday I picked up a nice Skywatcher  Evostar 100ED DS-Pro kit complete, courtesy of Steve (bomberbaz) and I have to say its an impressive bit of kit, certainly as it sits on my AZ4 at the moment and with the admittedly limited terrestrial view I've had.  Steve had the focuser professionally re-engineered and is very smooth and with the heaviest EP I have has not moved anywhere when tilted up at the zenith which for my needs is good enough. The standard finder has been replaced with an Ascension 8x50 LED  which is a very nice item. Steve even threw in a dedicated solar filter so although it hasn't been out under the stars yet, and thats unlikely to change for a few days yet, I reckon I've got a good deal, thanks Steve. Chances are I'll be buying a pier extension for the AZ4, or get one made up if I can find anyone to oblige. Thanks to all for the comments and the input and I'll let you know how it all shakes down.

[DRT]

Congratulations, Ian - that is a cracking scope

 

[Stu]

Looks very nice indeed!

[cloudsweeper]

Can't add much to this except Happy Birthday (when it comes), and a good frac would be an ideal pressie.

(My ST120 achro on a AZ4 is great - not long - FL 600mm - and the widefield views are fantastic.  But as has been said, some better optics might be worth going for.  Indeed, that's my next goal - but it'll have to have a short FL!)

Doug.

[Knighty2112]

1 hour ago, Alfian said:

Well folks, something did come up and the waiting game is over and I have a nice refractor  as a retirement pressy to myself.  Yesterday I picked up a nice Skywatcher  Evostar 100ED DS-Pro kit complete, courtesy of Steve (bomberbaz) and I have to say its an impressive bit of kit, certainly as it sits on my AZ4 at the moment and with the admittedly limited terrestrial view I've had.  Steve had the focuser professionally re-engineered and is very smooth and with the heaviest EP I have has not moved anywhere when tilted up at the zenith which for my needs is good enough. The standard finder has been replaced with an Ascension 8x50 LED  which is a very nice item. Steve even threw in a dedicated solar filter so although it hasn't been out under the stars yet, and thats unlikely to change for a few days yet, I reckon I've got a good deal, thanks Steve. Chances are I'll be buying a pier extension for the AZ4, or get one made up if I can find anyone to oblige. Thanks to all for the comments and the input and I'll let you know how it all shakes down.

Well done! Should get some cracking views with the new scope. I have its little brother the ED 80mm DS-pro and get excellent views with that, although I would love at some stage to own the 100 or the 120 version. Enjoy you nice new scope!  

[Alfian]

4 hours ago, cloudsweeper said:

Can't add much to this except Happy Birthday (when it comes), and a good frac would be an ideal pressie.

(My ST120 achro on a AZ4 is great - not long - FL 600mm - and the widefield views are fantastic.  But as has been said, some better optics might be worth going for.  Indeed, that's my next goal - but it'll have to have a short FL!)

Doug.

Thanks Doug, a little modesty (not much) precludes me from trumpeting the day specifically but lets say I'm on a short countdown in numbers of sleeps! On a personal note I find it interesting and slightly poignant that my working career has mainly been one in social care, and mainly working with "older people". I now find using that  generally accepted official yardstick of 65 (not an especially useful one but there we are) that I will shortly become  an older person! I have yet to decide whether its a case of gamekeeper become poacher or vice versa!

In terms of short focal length, I was slightly apprehensive about the 100ED on the AZ4 but proceeded on the strength of positive comments from SG members, and 'though I've not had it out under the stars yet (and thats the real acid test) I've been very pleasantly surprised how solidly it sits on the AZ4. In terms of wide field views, I have just bought a 35mm/68 degree EP (more of which a little later maybe) which gives 26x / 2.6 degrees and a 3.9 exit pupil. With the 0.85 focal reducer this potentially increases to 3 degrees. I was tempted to go for 40mm which gives 22.5x/3 degrees and 19x/3.6 degrees  which still gives a  just about acceptable exit pupil for me anyway. Tossing these figures around is a little academic in some respects, but I think it made me think what a versatile 'scope I am hoping this will be.

[cloudsweeper]

@Alfian - The ST120 is just 600mm.  A 42/65 gives me a wonderful 4.6*, but the Exit Pupil is large.  Although this means some light loss, the widefield view is still there, and that is something I really go for.  With brighter objects, the light loss isn't so significant.  Starfields, clusters - lovely.

There are so many possibilities - ED, Apo, focal lengths, focal reducers - and looking round and doing the calculations is part of the fun!  I've spotted a S/W Esprit 100ED Pro Triplet Apo with 550mm FL which I fancy a lot, but I couldn't justify the cost to my wife!  To be honest, the ST120 is a lovely instrument, some CA notwithstanding, so maybe I'll just invest in a better focuser for it!

I'm sure you'll enjoy your new "career" as a gamekeeper (poaching would be too demanding).  (There're plenty of us in that category.....)

Doug.

 

 

 

[nightfisher]

Ian, congrats on the new frac, it looks great and a happy one for the upcoming birthday, the 100ED comes highly regarded so should not let you down in any way, glad to see you got one 

[nightfisher]

Ian i really hope you got the 100ED out early yesterday evening for a look around before the cloud/mist returned

[Alfian]

4 hours ago, nightfisher said:

Ian i really hope you got the 100ED out early yesterday evening for a look around before the cloud/mist returned

You beat me to it Jules. Yes, here is a very brief first light.  it was a beautiful afternoon promising a nice evening, but how many times have I seen that only for it to cloud up, so as the sun set with light still in the sky I got the ED100 set up with a couple of EPs to hand.  With the moon as the only real target but as a bit of a moon man that was not at all a problem.  Firstly, although I had already established this from my initial play with scope, it  balances weight wise very nicely on the AZ4 and with the Ascension finder, which is quite impressive, and the 2" 35mm Rigel EP,  the 8 day(?) old moon was quickly in the eyepiece. The focuser was really smooth and the fine focus, which I had not experienced before, made me smile. I like this.  Wow! Given that it was no where near fully dark I had not expected anything too dramatic but - wow, so sharp, so contrasty, given the conditions. Quickly upping the power (Altair 12.5 LER)  to envelop the whole moon gave a feature rich view with long shadows which made the surface pop out in 3D. Time and again after running up and down the terminator I settled to look at the Apennines on the edge of Mare Imbrium, like jagged sharks teeth. At a mere 72x in less than fully dark skies I was astounded. A really clean almost HD view for want of a better expression. On the lunar limb there was some very faint but distinguishable pale yellow CA which I could not quite focus out but this in no way impaired the view. Big smiles. The AZ4 worked well with the ED100. There was a very minor very short lived jiggle of a vibration which disappeared after a couple of seconds at most, which I can live with (and a far far cry from early experiences with my 130EQ on the CG3) though I think I'll be sorting out a pier extension for the AZ4 sometime soon.  I was impressed with Rigel 35mm too, a bit of an impulsive buy based on the gamble that it is a SW Aero clone and 'though only a quick impression I think that is probably correct.  

The broad band of cloud that was threatening from the west was rolling slowly in and a call to tea could not be ignored further so it was kit away.  Given that this was just a toe in the water quick look/see it  was  very enjoyable 3/4 of an hour which thankfully cemented the view that I had made a good choice.  Looking forward  to more, much more!

[StarryEyed]

20 hours ago, Alfian said:

....Wow! .... - wow, so sharp, so contrasty, given the conditions. .....feature rich view with long shadows which made the surface pop out in 3D......in less than fully dark skies I was astounded. A really clean almost HD view for want of a better expression........ Big smiles. The AZ4 worked well with the ED100..  Given that this was just a toe in the water quick look/see it  was  very enjoyable 3/4 of an hour which thankfully cemented the view that I had made a good choice.  Looking forward  to more, much more!

The first time I said wow at a telescope I was eleven and looking through a 60mm at Saturn. I still find myself saying it, its a wonderful hobby and Its put a smile on my face that you used WOW here to describe the view in your refractor when looking at the moon. You took the words right out of my mouth so to speak its what I said when I first clapped eyes on the moon in my 100mm refractor. Probably everyone else's too.You sold it to me at the second wow.

Happy birthday by the way.

 

[Alfian]

2 hours ago, StarryEyed said:

The first time I said wow at a telescope I was eleven and looking through a 60mm at Saturn. I still find myself saying it, its a wonderful hobby and Its put a smile on my face that you used WOW here to describe the view in your refractor when looking at the moon. You took the words right out of my mouth so to speak its what I said when I first clapped eyes on the moon in my 100mm refractor. Probably everyone else's too.You sold it to me at the second wow.

Happy birthday by the way.

 

Thankyou, thats very kind. I've had quite a few wow moments from when I first got a telescope and sparkly views through binos, and there is aways that view that is somehow better than you expect. Not long ago on one of those unusually clear nights the naked eye view of the milky way was so magical that I rushed into the house and shouted to family (sat warm and comfortable watching TV!) to come and look! Wow! With the 100ED I was pretty sure it would be a step up but I was genuinely quite surprised at how good it was given the less than perfect viewing conditions. Really looking forward to a proper session. Perhaps when we stop being amazed at what we can see is the time to hang the EPs up.

[nightfisher]

Ian, your in for a proper "WOW" double "WOW" if you take the 100ED to Usha gap

[John]

It's nice to read these reports of the ED100

I can recall my 1st views through mine - it was one of the very early blue tube ED100's. I'd enjoyed the views through the Tal 100 R that had preceeded it but the ED100 had that bit of extra "bite" to the image that was very enjoyable

[Alfian]

32 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

Ian, your in for a proper "WOW" double "WOW" if you take the 100ED to Usha gap

Jules, if we get good clear skies at Usha Gap and I've left the scope at home I'm going to be pretty brassed off so I think that decision's  been made.

 

[nightfisher]

I still think if my 120ED had not come up and a good 100ED had been offered i would have been happy with the 100........that extra 20mm aperture sure puts some weight on the old girl