William Optics Megrez 72 APO on Nexstar SLT goto mount

[Brinders]

I bought my William Optics Megrez 72 APO last month as the basis of both a travel scope and an easily set up grab and go scope to supplement my TAL150P and Celestron C9.25 SCT on the EQ6 Pro mount. I promised at the time to do a first light review. A little late, but here goes…

The Megrez was ordered by ‘phone from the Widescreen-centre in London on Friday July 4, after much searching of various dealers for stock as I wanted to take the scope with me on my holiday to Cyprus (the Widescreen-centre was the only dealer I called who could supply immediately from stock at that time). Simon Bennett at the Widescreen-centre asked if I wouldn’t mind allowing him to send the scope to me the following Monday with guaranteed delivery on Tuesday to avoid having the instrument rattling around in transit over the ensuing week-end. The scope arrived well packaged, as usual from Simon, on the Tuesday as promised.

It arrived in a large stout cardboard box with bushels of polystyrene chips to help protect it on its journey. Within was a further plain brown cardboard box bearing a red Swan William Optics logo. Within that, an expanded polystyrene box containing the scope itself lined with a layer of bubble wrap and the scope within a polythene bag. The attention to packaging was impressive but nothing compared to the product itself.

Immediately, I noticed upon lifting the little Megrez out its box, was the weight it was for its modest size (quoted by W.O as 2.2 Kg with a focal length of 432mm). The black anodised draw tube and white powder coated tube together with the weight gave an immediate sense of quality – we are not talking rubbish here, William Optics pride themselves on the quality of their products and the Megrez 72 APO doublet supports that claim in spades! The 10:1 Crayford focuser is a joy to use being silky smooth in operation and the doublet appears to have an excellent antireflection coat.

The whole scope just exudes quality more than any other I own and helps to make it a joy to use. At Simon’s suggestion I retained the polystyrene box to store the scope in and found an airline size hold all at Wilkinsons that took the box and scope easily and so allowed me to take it on the plane as hand luggage. WO clearly intend you to use the polystyrene packaging like this as there are pre cut outs for eyepieces and other accessories where the foam can be removed to hold them.

First light was in Cyprus on July 12. I took with me a lightweight Slik tripod I have had for years as experiments at home convinced me that the plastic head on my larger Miranda tripod couldn’t cope with the weight of the Megrez but the all metal head of the Slik could, even though the legs were less secure (more on that later).

Jupiter was far higher in the sky in Cyprus than the UK and the views the Megrez gave me from my holiday apartment balcony at least as good, if not better, than the much larger TAL (I haven’t had the opportunity to look at Jupiter through my C9.25 yet due to its low declination in the UK. The northern and southern equatorial bands were clearly made out in what was a relatively small scale image (as would be expected, but a least the similar in size to those I have observed in the past through the TAL).

The northern and southern equatorial bands were clearly made out in what was a relatively small scale image (as would be expected, but a least the similar in size to those I have observed in the past through the TAL).

For a relatively fast scope (f6) the contrast is excellent. I could make out five of Jupiter’s satellites as bright dots in a line either side of the parent body. This was with my TAL 7.5 eyepiece and 2x TAL Barlow. I had my Hyperion 8mm with me but the photo tripod couldn’t cope with the combined weight of the Barlow and 2” William Optics dielectric diagonal, so that idea had to be abandoned: I stuck to my Celestron 1 ¼” diagonal and TAL and Celestron eyepieces after the tripod collapsed one night causing the gold slow motion focus knob to scrape against the apartment wall taking some of it beautiful anodised finish with it! An E-mail to WO produced a replacement. I have to say the there is some colour aberration visible, but only when using the Celestron 25mm e-lux and then only noticeable as a slight blue (rather than purple) fringe around the moon (see the photo below taken afocal with my wife’s digital camera. WO don’t claim the Megrez will not show any chromatic aberration, just that it is well controlled and having looked through many other cheap refractors in the past I have to agree with them – it is!

While I looked at the stars that make up Sagittarius, light pollution from nearby Larnaca and the almost full moon meant most deep sky objects ere washed out and seeing was no better then here in the UK, other than at least most every night it was possible to observe as there was no rain or cloud cover.

However, I enjoyed my views of Jupiter and Lunar and believe I observed Jupiter’s GRS for the first time in the little Megrez.

A planned observation trip up in the Troodos mountains had to be cancelled due to (you guessed it) rain! The one day we had up there and we met a thunder storm. Neither my wife nor I fancied driving down unknown precipitous, rain soaked mountain roads in the dark. So, no observations under clear unpolluted skies: more the pity.

Back home, I have purchased a new Celestron Nexstar 60 SLT – not for the scope (which I thought may be of relatively poor quality) but for the mount to turn the Megrez into a highly portable goto grab and go scope.

The idea came to me having read a review of the Nexstar mount by Ade Ashford who said it was a shame Celestron didn’t sell the mount separately as the syntax/vixen compatible mount would be useful to mount other manufacturer’s scopes and give tem goto ability in the same way many of use Skywatcher HEQ5 and EQ Pro mounts to support our Celestron and Meade OTAs etc. At just over £80 from Lotinabox on Ebay, I thought even if the scope itself gets thrown away, it will be worth it for the mount alone. As it is I have retained the SLT 60 after fitting Badder solar film to the opening in the lens cap making a admiral white light solar scope.

And what a mount, no good for deep sky imaging, being an altaz mount, but ideal for a grab and go observations and for imaging the moon and (maybe) the brighter planets.

The mount suits the little Megrez well. The L bracket being secure on the Nexstar mount. I had to do a little modification to the mount, in that it is necessary to remove a plastic shroud held by two screws from the altitude arm, but that was no problem.

With the weather we have had this month the little Megrez and Nexstar mount have enabled me to observe and split doubles, see nebula and galaxies and image the moon without having to go through the laborious tasks of setting up the big Celestron and EQ6 Pro mount. Someone once said that the ideal scope is the one you use the most. The little Megrez on the Celestron Nexstar SLT mount is for me that scope.

[Brinders]

Here is the photo of the Moon I took afocal in Orikilini, Cyprus, using my wife's Vivitar digital camera through the Celestron 26mm eyepeice and 2x TAL barlow;

(click to enlarge)

[Brinders]

Here too are a couple of photos of the little WO Megrez 72 APO mounted first on a lightweight camera tripod and second on the Celestron Nexstar mount:-

(click to enlarge)

[Brinders]

And on the Celestron Nexstar mount back here in the UK:-

(click to enlarge)

[Doc]

The 72 on the Celestron Nexstar mount really looks great. The like they were made together, just perfect and with the added benefit of Go-to.

Is the set up very stable, no dappening issues?

[Brinders]

Yes, with the proviso that of late if I have the legs fully extended for a more comfortable viewing position, I have taken to placing one of the weights form my TAL on the accessory tray, other than that I have found it very stable and any vibration damps out within a second or two.

[narrowbandpaul]

the 72mm is a fantastic scope. I star tested one last night and found it very well corrected, especially for a doublet. The blue fringe round the moon is from the celestron eyepiece i expect.

Best Wishes

Paul

[Brinders]

Yes I think you may be right Paul, not noticed it with any other eyepiece. I am attaching a photo of Lunar taken at about 5:30 am on Saturday morning in brightening skies. I think it gives an idea of the sort if resolution the little Megrez can achieve and I can see no chromatic aberation there.

Photo is with the Megrez 72 APO on the Celelstron SLT Nexstar mount through a 1/3" Sony CCD chipped security cam, about 1,000 frames stacked in Registax and some post porocessing in Paint Shop Pro.

(click to enlarge)

[stefski]

Great review Brinders.

Can't wait for my Meg88 to come back from the menders.

Stef

[gary1968]

Sounds like that is a great setup, excellent quality scope on a great performing mount, a good read thanks for posting.

Gary

[Rob]

I have my 90mm Sky scout Refractor on the SLT mount... perfect!. Well done, your WO does indeed look the business on the SLT

[Brinders]

Thanks guys I'm very happy with it

[Brinders]

Perhaps I should have added tha the lunar image taken with the security cam was also through a TAL X2 barlow. Otherwise almost the full disk (I estimate around 80%) of the moon can be imaged using the security cam.

[Guest]

Hello Brinders.I really do like the way that you have mounted The 72mm.I have just revamped my 12inch dobsonian ( F6 ).It has always been a great all - rounder.I also have a Meade lx90,a good scope,but I always find it too fiddly to use.Recently I bought a Williams Optics 66mm apo,a fantastic scope with my 30mm 2 inch and 4 mm ortho eyepieces.You have got me thinking that I could use the 66mm with the small goto mount along side the 12inch while selling the Meade.With my 66mm you do see faint fuzzy patched and can see M31,so I think that it may work well as a sort of finder/goto along side the larger scope.Here's hoping for crisp clear skies.

Thanks Martin

P.S. I wonder if the skywatcher small goto mount would take the Williams Optics dovetail mount shoe?

[Deneb]

Don't worry it will take it no problem Martin, your a close neighbour "Cheshunt".

[Guest]

Thanks for that Deneb.I live near Goffs school in Dark Lane.Are you in Cheshunt too?

[Deneb]

Blimey, talk about being a Stone Throw Away, I live in Enfield 5mins away from J25 M25

Cheers

Nadeem.

[helios102]

Hi Brinders,

Great post!

I am in the throes of a major change to my kit - I need something more portable and lighter than my NexStar 6SE. I have decided to go for a W/O Megrez 72 on a GoTo mount - my 'Googling' led me to your post, which is EXACTLY what I am aiming for!

I have just noticed recently (more surfing) that Celestron are in fact marketing the SLT GoTo Mount by itself - see Scope 'n' Skies website:

Celestron Celestron SLT computerised telescope mounting

- All for £157 incl P+P (UK)

As our sponsers are Celestron stockists too, maybe they could supply this item??

Keep looking up

Tony

[johninderby]

The SLT mount is ideal for use with the Megrez 72. I used to have a 72 mounted on an SLT mount. SkyWatcher does their very similar version of this mount the SkyWatcher SynScan Alt-Azimuth GoTo Mount

John

[Stardust]

what is the rated weight that this mount can take? It looks a very good visual platform.

[helios102]

Hi Stardust,

The Skywatcher Startravel 102 is a recommended fitment for this mount and the OTA weighs in at 10kg

Regards

Tony

[Stardust]

Thanks Tony

That's a fair weight it can carry, got me thinking....

[johninderby]

I think that should be 10 lbs (4.5Kg) as the max recommended weight for the SLT mount is about 10 pounds.

John