The big reveal

[Dave1]

Well folks here it is, here is the telescope I did a deal for the other day. Went all the way to Cambridge for this!

Thanks to all who have commented on this thread  

Its a Skylight 60mm F16.7, with Carton lenses. I'm not going to use the EQ mount, I will get an Alt/Az mount somewhen. It will probably go on a Berlebach tripod as well. I've currently put my Parks Japanese prism diagonal on it. Going to use it with my Baader zoom with it for now, until I have built up a collection of some Otho's. 

What do you all think?

Dave

[DRT]

Very nice, Dave!

I owned one of these a while back and they are fantastic scopes for lunar and planetary observing. The focuser is a fantastic piece of kit and the styling is rather swish to say the least.

Congrats on the new purchase  

[John]

Lovely !

It will look even better on a nice wooden tripod

It will be interesting to see how it compares with your 80mm F/15 Towa.

[rl]

mutts and nuts spring to mind..

[Alfian]

Oooah Pretty! Lovely looking scope, and it looks much bigger than a 60mm.

[Ricochet]

CA ratio > 7 can't be bad. Given that it's going to be best at lunar/planetary and a bit of a showcase scope I think I'd be inclined to leave it on the current eq mount that matches quite well and just change the tripod to something more fitting. I think these scopes deserve matching dust caps though, it's a shame they're not provided with them. Astroboot might sell the AE "posh dust caps" in a gold/brass colour that would do for the focuser/diagonal end. 

Congrats on the new scope. 

[Dave1]

Thanks for the replies everyone, Ricochet, I've had a good look and can't find any at the moment. Will keep an eye out.

Dave

[nightfisher]

Dave, it is a superb looking scope, very easy on the eye my friend has the big brother the 100mm F13 skylight and it is a superb telescope, shame he does not use it any more, i suspect the Towa will be slightly better due to larger aperture but wont be a lot in it, years ago i bought a cheap 60mm think it was F11 or F13 with Circle T optics branded "Astro" and i have to say it was a very good Luna and double star scope, it came with an ALT AZ wobbly mount and wooden tripod.........Look forward to hearing how it performs

[Dave1]

Just now, nightfisher said:

Dave, it is a superb looking scope, very easy on the eye my friend has the big brother the 100mm F13 skylight and it is a superb telescope, shame he does not use it any more, i suspect the Towa will be slightly better due to larger aperture but wont be a lot in it, years ago i bought a cheap 60mm think it was F11 or F13 with Circle T optics branded "Astro" and i have to say it was a very good Luna and double star scope, it came with an ALT AZ wobbly mount and wooden tripod.........Look forward to hearing how it performs

Nightfisher, Circle T optics are Towa. That probably had decent optics in it!

[DRT]

@Dave1 - you can see what mine looked like on a Berlebach tripod in this post...

By strange coincidence, @Lockie advertised and sold the 16" pillar extension shown in that picture earlier today  

[nightfisher]

13 minutes ago, Dave1 said:

Nightfisher, Circle T optics are Towa. That probably had decent optics in it!

Yes Dave, i know, bearing in mind i have owned most of the old scopes including several Circle K 76mm F16`s a Towa 80, a swift and the huge Antares 105 F15, i actually had this stopped down to 85mm F19 for a while but as you can guess while still a fan of long focal length i prefer Maksutovs now

[Chris]

Congrats, Dave, Richard Day's scopes really are beautiful and as you know I had a very similar scope of his. I sold it to @DRT infact 

 

[Dave1]

Thanks DRT, just waiting for my Berlebach tripod to turn up.

[Ricochet]

17 hours ago, Dave1 said:

Thanks for the replies everyone, Ricochet, I've had a good look and can't find any at the moment. Will keep an eye out.

Dave

Perhaps the move to Sweden (?) has interrupted their (Astroboot's) supply of AE stuff. This is the listing on the AE site. I've no idea what it's like ordering from them (Astro Engineering), or even if the site is actively maintained (Or if Astro Engineering is still in operation). Also the gold looks a bit more yellow than I was thinking in those photos. 

[Dave1]

Thanks, it appears I was looking at the wrong website 

[Ricochet]

9 minutes ago, Dave1 said:

Thanks, it appears I was looking at the wrong website 

If you were looking at astroboot that's the one I meant ( and where I bought one from). The link in my last post is the manufacturer's website. 

[Dave1]

 

Ah yes that is where I was looking. 

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Ricochet said:

Perhaps the move to Sweden (?) has interrupted their supply of ae stuff. This is the listing on the AE site. I've no idea what it's like ordering from them, or even if the site is actively maintained. Also the gold looks a bit more yellow than I was thinking in those photos. 

I would take care before ordering off that site, not sure it is still fulfilling orders. I guess just contact them first to confirm.

[Paul73]

10 minutes ago, Stu said:

I would take care before ordering off that site, not sure it is still fulfilling orders. I guess just contact them first to confirm.

Astroboot not active?????

Are you sure that they aren't just on their summer hols?

And, Yes. That scope needs a wooden tripod! I was using my Berlebach today. Love em!

Paul

[Stu]

Just now, Paul73 said:

Astroboot not active?????

Are you sure that they aren't just on their summer hols?

And, Yes. That scope needs a wooden tripod! I was using my Berlebach today. Love em!

Paul

Nooooo, not Astroboot, the AstroEngineering site linked to in the quote  

[Paul73]

That's a relief. ?. I often random shop there random bits & pieces.  

I Also, thought that AE were defunked. Definitely worth a call before trusting your cash to the inter web.

Paul

 

[Dave1]

Well guys at the moment I am going through the process of giving my Skylight 60mm first light. So far so good. Checking out usual targets, I usually view. To see how it stacks up against my other telescopes. I am quite impressed the stars are pin point. I am mainly using the Plossl that came at part of the package with my Towa. My Towa has a 1.25" adapter. The Plossl are not good quality, they are simply ok. They are 10mm and 20mm. 

Whilst looking at Polaris, I could see the companion star just. I also looked to Albireo in swan constellation which was very easy to see. I've also looked at Vega. And a few other stars. 

All good so far. The EQ5 tripod, EQ 3-2 mount, is a good combination for this telescope. Can only get better with the Berlebach.

Dave

[John]

Good stuff Dave - pinpoint stars against a velvet black sky are what refractors are all about

 

[Ricochet]

12 hours ago, Stu said:

I would take care before ordering off that site, not sure it is still fulfilling orders. I guess just contact them first to confirm.

Thanks, Stu. That's what I should have said.

[Alfian]

15 hours ago, Ricochet said:

Perhaps the move to Sweden (?) has interrupted their supply of ae stuff. This is the listing on the AE site. I've no idea what it's like ordering from them, or even if the site is actively maintained. Also the gold looks a bit more yellow than I was thinking in those photos. 

I'm not sure if AB is on holiday, but I've bought stuff since the move to Sweden and apart from (big) increase in postage and maybe the extra day that goes with it, I've had good service.