Sky-Watcher, Skymax 150 OTA - a bit odd review

[ZollyG]

Sky-Watcher, Skymax150

The tale of finding a new scope.

 

I've had an idea, a costly idea,

To upgrade my optics, with some criteria.

 

I have two newts, a big and a small,

The big too cumbersome, the small, just too small.

 

I longed for something better, compact and nice,

Yet still powerful, for some higher demands.

 

So I set sail to the optics's seas,

To find a scope, that will suit my needs.

 

I have searched far and wide,

Took advice from left and right.

 

That being said, I was not without an idea;

Initially favouring the Skymax familia.

 

But a research is not done proper,

Until I examine any other offer.

 

So I searched, and searched, and learned,

In every nook and cranny, some hope emerged.

 

But nothing suited the way I liked,

As my options were limited, by budget and size.

 

Exhausted I was, hungry and cold,

I yearned to be, on stable shores.

 

So I took what I've learned, and made up my mind,

Turned my sails to homeward bound.

 

After an odyssey, it came to be,

I found myself anchoring, at the Skymax pier.

 

180 to heavy, 127 too light,

I went in the middle, at 150 I stopped.

 

My journey at the end, a new toy in the bag,

I could not wait, for first light's night.

 

First light came, the very next night,

So did the clouds, to spoil my time.

 

But I made up my mind, and set up my rig,

Waiting for the gaps, on top of Pex Hill.

 

The gaps came and ceased, few and far in between,

But I persevered, and tested my rig.

 

The field was a bit narrow,

But that's okay from a mako.

 

Collimation perfect, a textbook case,

No need to touch it, I wouldn't dare.

 

M 42 easy, and what a sight,

Almost like my big newt, it blew my mind.

 

Andromeda was also, a sight to behold,

But was faded by a near full Moon.

 

The Moon was blinding, but oh so amazing.

I just can't wait, for further star gazing.

 

First light was ended, by a thick layer of cloud,

But I still had, a blissful short time.

 

Since then I purchased, a focal reducer 0.5,

From Antares, to make my filed wide.

 

Second light came, worse that first,

Yet perseverance once again, gave me quick bursts.

 

Now I was gazing with an f6,

At Orion's sword at 69x

 

Fitting in snugly in the view of my eye,

Even Trapezium was visible quite nice.

 

This might not be the most professional review yet,

But pardon me, I am an amateur at best.

 

To close my writing, let me quote a classic;

“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

 

[mikeyj1]

excellent, and as I have the 127, and just bought the 0.5x Antares, i will be interested to hear how that goes in the next saga

[rockystar]

When i started to read your review, I thought you'd done it in rhyming couplets - when I realised you hadn't I had the urge to re-write it.

Hope you don't mind - nice review though, glad you're enjoying your new gear

I've had an idea, a costly idea,
To upgrade my optics, with some criteria.
 
I have two newts, a big and a small,
The small is too small, the big is a haul.
 
I longed for something better, compact and nice,
Yet still powerful, views approaching paradise.
 
So I set sail to the optics sea,
To find a scope, that will suit just me.
 
I have searched far and wide,
Took advice from all sides.
 
That being said, I thought ideally a;
Scope similar to the Skymax familia.
 
But a research is not done proper,
Until I examine any other offer.
 
So I searched, and searched, and learned,
In every nook and cranny, some hope earned.
 
But nothing suited, everything I despise,
As my options were limited, by budget and size.
 
Exhausted I was, hungry and cold,
I yearned to take a stranglehold.
 
So I took what I've learned, and made up my mind,
Turned my sails to homeward to my own kind.
 
After an odyssey, i came to a tear,
I found myself anchoring, at the Skymax pier.
 
180 to heavy, 127 too light,
I went in the middle, at 150 I delight.
 
My journey at the end, a new toy in the bag,
I could not wait, for first light's brag.
 
First light came, the very next night,
So did the clouds, to spoil my flight.
 
But I made up my mind, my rig was a thrill,
Waiting for the gaps, on top of Pex Hill.
 
The gaps came and ceased, few and far in between,
But I persevered, and tested my rig all keen.
 
The field was a bit narrow,
But that's okay from a mako.
 
Collimation perfect, a textbook case,
No need to touch it, I wouldn't re-base.
 
M 42 easy, and my what a sight,
Almost like my big newt, such a delight.
 
Andromeda was also, a sight to behold,
But was faded by a near full Moon all told.
 
The Moon was blinding, but oh so amazing.
I just can't wait, for further star gazing.
 
First light was ended, by a thick layer of cloud,
But with my new gear, I was ever so proud.
 
Since then I purchased, a focal reducer,
From Antares, to make my field much looser.
 
Second light came, worse than the first,
Yet perseverance once again, gave me quick bursts.
 
Now I was gazing with an f6,
At Orion's sword at 69 ticks
 
Fitting in snugly in the view of my eye,
Even Trapezium made me go sigh.
 
This might not be the most professional review yet,
But pardon me, I am an amateur still wet.
 
To close my writing, let me quote script;
“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

 

[John]

Nice review and a little different as well !

 

[ZollyG]

4 hours ago, rockystar said:

When i started to read your review, I thought you'd done it in rhyming couplets - when I realised you hadn't I had the urge to re-write it.

Hope you don't mind - nice review though, glad you're enjoying your new gear

 

Well, I guess I am not a poet after all. But speaking English as a second language, I don't think it is that bad either. ;-)
Thanks for the re-write though; it sounds more proper 

[ZollyG]

5 hours ago, mikeyj1 said:

excellent, and as I have the 127, and just bought the 0.5x Antares, i will be interested to hear how that goes in the next saga

I guess I have put the stakes quite high there. I really hope to get to a dark site soon with a clear sky, to put it really to the test. But initial trials were promising.