I want one! Starwave ASCENT 102ED F11

[heliumstar]

This just came up on Facebook and I went to check it out. Oh my. Proper 'telescope' look Should be completely CA free. Would do good for double stars!

https://www.altairastro.com/Starwave-ASCENT-102ED-F11-Refractor-Telescope-Geared-Focuser.html

....off to measure my balcony to see if it'll fit....

[AdeKing]

Hmmm, very nice indeed. I have the classic f/11 and it's a corker. 

I will watch for reviews with interest. Thanks for posting. 

Ade

[vlaiv]

At first - I thought it was misprint with ED letters somehow stuck where they don't belong

Not long ago I was wondering - why not make long focal length ED doublet - like F/10 or more - and now here it is

[Stu]

Looks like a nice, and nicely thought out bit of kit. Should perform very well if the objective is to a decent standard.

[Moonshane]

There already is one https://www.firstlightoptics.com/pro-series/skywatcher-evostar-100ed-ds-pro-outfit.html

That said. I think the f11 is better equipped and finished.

[TheMan]

I want one too!

[Rob]

That's super nice indeed.

[Fozzie]

Uh oh, That is just too darn nice..

[Fozzie]

In all seriousness this scope has really spiked my interest now... 

I have an excellent Achro Classic F11 starwave, that is absolutely no slouch given the right conditions.  I have owned a 72mm AA ED F6 scope which was very crisp, with I believe to be a fpl51 or fcd1 equivalent spec. 

I see that this is just down as ED, which for AA usually means AN around the low 80's..  With out user reports, do we think the step up at F11 would be a significant jump in quality of view? I'd love a side by side with the classic achro!?

Also noticed the red classic achro is up to £550 from £399... that's a big jump, wonder if this will be phased out, you can get a vixen achro 100mm for less than that now..

HHhhhhhhmmmmmmm

Ta

Fozzie

[DirkSteele]

That is a rather exciting telescope. Would love to get my hands on that.

[Roy Challen]

Me too!

[Rob]

This is also on my radar!.. 80 ED F7!.. Nice all rounder

https://www.altairastro.com/Starwave-ASCENT-80ED-Refractor.html

 

[KP82]

A planet/double killer and it's lightweight too. Sweet.

[mikeDnight]

If this performs anything like the Vixen ED's of the 80's and 90's, you'd all better grab yours quick before the price shoots up. This sounds like a really worthy scope to own! Survival of the quickest!

[Alan White]

Now that does look nice indeed and what a price!
Are we about to see a deluge of classic f11 achros come up for sale I wonder?
 

[Moonshane]

Good for binoviewers and possible PST mod too.

https://www.altairastro.com/Starwave-ASCENT-102ED-F11-Refractor-Telescope-Geared-Focuser.html?fbclid=IwAR1e-CwpYWNdm89ar_7UX2KgsSKh0LOpIFqN6cwggdXHIKRa4W8L_VNggt8

[Fozzie]

4 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Now that does look nice indeed and what a price!
Are we about to see a deluge of classic f11 achros come up for sale I wonder?
 

i swore I wouldn't sell mine....

Not even sure how'd I break it to my poor achro... 

"look it's not you, it's me, we just don't seem to be working, we never go out that often any more, your always huddled up at home avoiding clouds..... Oh don't look at me like that, I know what your thinking...., sure it's younger, with better bino viewer capabilities and yes I had noticed the that glass specification up top, hard not to if im honest...... but it's not about those physical attributes, im not a shallow person....  I just hope in time you understand that sometimes you just have to go with your heart over your head, im not sure I can live with the what if in this instance.....  i'll always remember that night in February last year, we laughed and stayed out in the cold just gazing at the moon with nothing left on the table, just you my 2x extender and a 5mm EP, it was and will always be glorious... 

I'm seriously contemplating offering up my starwave, a 10mm delos, sky tee with home made tripod, including ADM saddle and berlebach spreader, 50mm RA Finder, Kidney and anything else I can get my hands on...  Do you think you can use a company car as an uber?

 

 

[Alan White]

So shallow, get shown a bit of ED glass and your any scopes! ?

[paulastro]

6 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

If this performs anything like the Vixen ED's of the 80's and 90's, you'd all better grab yours quick before the price shoots up. This sounds like a really worthy scope to own! Survival of the quickest!

Mmm, I wonder if it will perform better than your short focus 100ED f7.4 Mike?  If I actually thought so, I'd commit financial suicide and buy one on my credit card.  It would be more than worthwhile to see the look on your face when we do a side-by-side comparison ?

Edited January 8, 2019 by paulastro
typo

[mikeDnight]

When i was in my teens and starting out in astronomy, I was fortunate enough to meet a local astronomer who had the crazy idea that a four inch refractor was a virtually unbeatable instrument. He claimed that "You can't Whack a four inch refractor"! (Meaning you can't beat a 4" refractor!)  Now as silly as that statement may seem, there is actually some sense in it. Back then good refractors were hard to come by, and a four inch was a very serious telescope costing a lot of money. Just check out the price of a four inch Unitron and you'll appreciate today's refractor prices!  Despite the very high prices people bought them and for a very good reason. A good refractor will deliver higher quality images than pretty much any other telescope design, and a four inch is large enough to offer a lifetime of serious study and enjoyment. A four inch is also small enough to be able to cut through mediocre seeing that impedes larger scopes. Many users of larger scopes find it hard to believe a four inch frac often reveals finer detail than their larger siblings. 

The attached image is from a book I bought in 1980, showing a picture that I stared at for so long that its a wonder I didn't ware it away. I longed for a four inch refractor back then, and although I've since owned many telescopes since, today my scope of choice is a four inch refractor. I'd love to try out one of these new 4" ED F11 apo's. I have little doubt that these new ED's would give the classic Unitron a pounding.

NOW THATS A REAL TELESCOPE!!

 

The Star Wave 102ED is a steal at its current asking price! 

[Peter Drew]

Sounds like a well thought out scope. At the price it shouldn't be long before a review appears. Wonder if there's any discount for two.     

[mikeDnight]

46 minutes ago, paulastro said:

Mmm, I wonder if it will perform better than your short focus 100ED f7.4 Mike?  If I actually thought so, I'd commit financial suicide and buy one on my credit card.  It would be more than worthwhile to see the look on your face when we do a side-by-side comparison ?

YOU'RE TWISTED!

I'm fairly confident it won't beat the Tak, but it may very well match it in performance. Time will tell oh twisted one! 

[mikeDnight]

7 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

Sounds like a well thought out scope. At the price it shouldn't be long before a review appears. Wonder if there's any discount for two.     

At that price it shouldn't be long before a 102mm ED binocular appears! 

[Alan White]

12 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

When i was in my teens and starting out in astronomy, I was fortunate enough to meet a local astronomer who had the crazy idea that a four inch refractor was a virtually unbeatable instrument. He claimed that "You can't Whack a four inch refractor"! (Meaning you can't beat a 4" refractor!) 

The Star Wave 102ED is a steal at its current asking price! 

I agree about a 4" being a good size and indeed copes well with the seeing we so often get around the UK.
It has taken me a number of up and down sizes and changes to fully conclude this of course.

Why have us dapper astronomers stopped wearing a jacket and tie when observing I wonder?

 

[Peter Drew]

We solar observers always do.   ?