Another Borg?

[Nakedgun]

Last fall I bought a SW120ED, and said, fully believing, that it would be my last refractor.  I should have stayed off these boards!

I have bought several Borg scopes from Ted Ishikawa, the U.S. importer, over the years, and have been pleased with them. I didn't need one this aperture, but somehow the Fluorite bug got under my skin, and 18 years to-the-month after Ted sold me my first one, I landed this gem. I tell myself it fills an aperture-gap in my arsenal, and that helps.

I admit, to myself, and to you my viewers, I am not to be believed regarding telescope acquisition limits henceforth and forevermore, Amen.  

[Hughsie]

Ok, with so many Borg refractor purchases in the past, who will be first with the Star Trek / Borg comment.............? Awwwww alright then......

 

‘Resistance is futile’

Edited August 14, 2019 by Hughsie

[Craney]

In terms of the scope collective and size order........  would this be  "seven of nine"    ??

[GlenM]

10 hours ago, Nakedgun said:

Last fall I bought a SW120ED, and said, fully believing, that it would be my last refractor.  I should have stayed off these boards!

I have bought several Borg scopes from Ted Ishikawa, the U.S. importer, over the years, and have been pleased with them. I didn't need one this aperture, but somehow the Fluorite bug got under my skin, and 18 years to-the-month after Ted sold me my first one, I landed this gem. I tell myself it fills an aperture-gap in my arsenal, and that helps.

I admit, to myself, and to you my viewers, I am not to be believed regarding telescope acquisition limits henceforth and forevermore, Amen.  

Beautiful engineering. Very tempted by the new 72mm fluorite coming this year.

 

Glen.

 

 

[Scott42]

Can you tell us more about this scope - how do you like it compared to the other Borg's you've had?   Is that an FT focuser - did you choose it over the Borg R&P focuser?

[Nakedgun]

10 hours ago, Scott42 said:

Can you tell us more about this scope - how do you like it compared to the other Borg's you've had?   Is that an FT focuser - did you choose it over the Borg R&P focuser?

First let me say I've always been a strictly visual observer, so, cannot comment as to any scope's photo capabilities.

Previous Borg purchases include: 76ED f/6.6 (first Borg), 76ED f/10, 101ED f/6.4, 60ED f/5.8, 50ED f/10, Pocket Borg 25mm f/7. 

One thing that attracted me to them is their featherweight, go anywhere, easy mounting requirements, permitting you to keep one around just about anywhere, anytime.

The 76 f/10 and 101 were sold some years ago as they did not form an image as sharp as I was hoping from them, maybe it was sample variation, can't say for sure. At f/5.8, the 60 is no planetary scope either, but I keep it behind the truck seat for a daytime spotter or handy-scope if stopped somewhere at night for a brief look up. The 76 f/6.6 has been my favorite Borg performer (until now) and provides pleasing views of all objects. The 50 is always fun, too, limited only by aperture? The Pocket is a novelty, but will show Saturn's rings clearly at 58x.

Except for the Pocket (sliding objective tube), all came with Borg helical focusers which I find adequate. The 90 is offered with more than one focusing option and I took the r&p they have made available. This focuser is not equal to the OTA it is mounted on, but will do the job, workmanlike, if not impressive. I may get the Feathertouch, in due course.

I've had the 90 out twice, once doing some daytime spotting and again Saturday night with the planets. I used a prism diagonal, haven't compared with a mirror, yet. I was leery before buying, f/5.6 is fast for visual, even with fluorite, but I must say I have no regrets on this purchase, love the views. With diagonal, ep, finder, rings and dovetail it weighs all of 7 lbs. so mounting remains easy, though it is the heaviest Borg I own.

I envision it being a scope I will use mostly for sweeping up deep-sky objects, appropriate for the aperture, mounted alt-az.

 

[Nakedgun]

On 14/08/2019 at 00:39, Craney said:

In terms of the scope collective and size order........  would this be  "seven of nine"    ??

Of the strictly astronomical refractors, it would be currently #12 of 14. 

There, I've said it.

[Mr Spock]

Borg; sounds kinda Swedish...

[Craney]

1 hour ago, Nakedgun said:

..... currently #12 of 14. 

There, I've said it.

Good gracious me !!!!!...  

Are you a Mantis shrimp ??     " the eyes of a mantis shrimp have between 12 and 16 types of photoreceptors cells."