Positive Skywatcher ED150 Report from the UK

[John]

This was posted on the CN forum a few days back - nice to hear that Skywatcher have sorted the ED150 now. This UK owner is certainly getting some superb lunar shots with his

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/693379-first-light-with-a-skywatcher-ed150/#entry9965092

[JeremyS]

2 hours ago, John said:

This was posted on the CN forum a few days back - nice to hear that Skywatcher have sorted the ED150 now. This UK owner is certainly getting some superb lunar shots with his

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/693379-first-light-with-a-skywatcher-ed150/#entry9965092

Thanks John. After all the launch excitement, followed by the various issues including those you experienced, this instrument had fallen off my radar. Thus, good to hear about a satisfied user.

I wonder how many have been sold in the UK so far.

[Nakedgun]

Have a link to the issues encountered here?

[GazOC]

Has anyone got this scope mounted on a HEQ5 for visual? Asking for a friend...😉

[Alan White]

40 minutes ago, GazOC said:

Has anyone got this scope mounted on a HEQ5 for visual? Asking for a friend...😉

He says just before clicking on the buy now button 😂😂😂

[Alan White]

Thank you for sharing that link John.

Lots of positive feedback on these scopes from our American cousins, so good too see uk based users posting this feedback too, clearly a good telescope as we always expected.

Are we to get a @John re-run with this scope now @FLO to close the feedback loop?

[Geoff Barnes]

2 hours ago, Nakedgun said:

Have a link to the issues encountered here?

I hope this is what you're looking for @Nakedgun, it's a long thread to sift through but has all the details of the initial problems @John encountered...

 

Edited February 8, 2020 by Geoff Barnes

[CraigT82]

8 hours ago, John said:

This was posted on the CN forum a few days

Just an FYI you dont have to visit that other site... Trevor also posted his excellent lunar images in the lunar imaging section here!

[Alan White]

6 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

Just an FYI you dont have to visit that other site... Trevor also posted his excellent lunar images in the lunar imaging section here!

Indeed he has:
 

 

[John]

Skywatcher responded to the issues that I encountered in 2 ways:

1. They improved the packaging of the scope to better protect it in transit.

2. I understand that the lens retaining ring design was strengthened by making it deeper so it should retain the objective elements during transit and use somewhat better.

The last point has not, as far as I am aware, been mentioned by the UK Skywatcher importer but the US Skywatcher vendor has been clear on this point on the CN forum so I'm assuming that ED150's destined for Europe will have the same improvement.

The objective lens retaining ring was certainly flimsy affair on the early units that I had so improving that was very sensible.

If these scopes are consistently like the one that Trevor has (and I think Owmuchmoney has a good one as well) then I'm getting tempted by them again now that I have that very nice T-Rex mount for it to ride on

Might have to offload a few things first though ......

 

[Nakedgun]

17 hours ago, Geoff Barnes said:

I hope this is what you're looking for @Nakedgun, it's a long thread to sift through but has all the details of the initial problems @John encountered...

 

 

Thank you, an informative read.

[Telescope40]

17 hours ago, John said:

Skywatcher responded to the issues that I encountered in 2 ways:

1. They improved the packaging of the scope to better protect it in transit.

2. I understand that the lens retaining ring design was strengthened by making it deeper so it should retain the objective elements during transit and use somewhat better.

The last point has not, as far as I am aware, been mentioned by the UK Skywatcher importer but the US Skywatcher vendor has been clear on this point on the CN forum so I'm assuming that ED150's destined for Europe will have the same improvement.

The objective lens retaining ring was certainly flimsy affair on the early units that I had so improving that was very sensible.

If these scopes are consistently like the one that Trevor has (and I think Owmuchmoney has a good one as well) then I'm getting tempted by them again now that I have that very nice T-Rex mount for it to ride on

Might have to offload a few things first though ......

 

Hello John. 
would you be looking to run one thru it’s paces again if FLO supplied one to you. Third time lucky ?? 
regards. John 

[Timebandit]

17 minutes ago, Telescope40 said:

Hello John. 
would you be looking to run one thru it’s paces again if FLO supplied one to you. Third time lucky ?? 
regards. John 

 

I am sure John would love to do this, especially as he has a new mount😉

 

But if John did not want to try another SW 150 ED, then I am sure there would be  numerous SGL members who would love to be a tester for this new sensible priced big  refractor

 

 

[Telescope40]

27 minutes ago, Timebandit said:

 

I am sure John would love to do this, especially as he has a new mount😉

 

But if John did not want to try another SW 150 ED, then I am sure there would be  numerous SGL members who would love to be a tester for this new sensible priced big  refractor

 

 

I’m looking at a probable purchase and getting John’s seal of approval so to speak would be superb. 
covers off any doubts regarding shipping / packing initially plus I have read about the lens cell retaining ring upgrade ?? notwithstanding a couple of SGLers on here have the scope and are very happy with theirs. 
I get the impression that not many of these OTA’s have sold so far in the UK. 
John 
 

[JeremyS]

19 hours ago, John said:

Might have to offload a few things first though ......

🍿

[Telescope40]

Offloading already in progress.  Whoops !! 

[Timebandit]

50 minutes ago, Telescope40 said:

I’m looking at a probable purchase and getting John’s seal of approval so to speak would be superb. 
covers off any doubts regarding shipping / packing initially plus I have read about the lens cell retaining ring upgrade ?? notwithstanding a couple of SGLers on here have the scope and are very happy with theirs. 
I get the impression that not many of these OTA’s have sold so far in the UK. 
John 
 

 

If SW can sort out the niggles, and produce a 150mm frac to the same build standard and optical standards as the ED 100 and ED 120 then I am sure they will be on to a winner with opening up the market to the masses with a quality 150mm refractor that the normal astronomer can hope to afford. 150mm refractor market has been just so expensive in the past ,that it is out of many peoples price range. But a well sorted build and optical standard 150mm refractor that SW have shown from other scope apertures they are capable of ,may change this.

 

 

 

[Telescope40]

Trigger pulled. 💣💣💣

[JeremyS]

25 minutes ago, Telescope40 said:

Trigger pulled. 💣💣💣

Well done! Looking forward to hearing your impressions of it.

Any idea when it will be delivered?

[Trevor N]

Look forward to your  opinions. I've been well impressed. Seeing wasn't that brilliant for these and I was so keen to get a shot I didn't allow for cooling but pleased with the detail. I'm hopeful for better on a good night ! Trevor

[MarkAR]

I particularly like the 3rd image, lovely crisp craters.

[Trevor N]

I agree. The third shots the best. A couple more here for the record. Trevor

[Telescope40]

4 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Well done! Looking forward to hearing your impressions of it.

Any idea when it will be delivered?

Hello. Should be with me on Wednesday so I'm told by FLO.  Sure it will be.  I have a Moonlite focuser that I know is itching to be mated to it. Enquiries being made at this time as to whether there is already a flange that  is in production that will allow this.  May have to wait - ho hum. 

Maybe the standard Evostar achro 150 uses the same size tube.   That would be way too easy, right ??   

I would also be interested in knowing how many units have been sold in the UK. 

 

Regards   John 

Edited February 10, 2020 by Telescope40

[John]

The ED150 flange is different from the Evostar achros and the other ED Pros. I think the white body of the focuser screws into the 1st black flange. Hopefully Moonlite will release an ED150 compatible flange soon. Maybe they have already ?

[AdeKing]

This post on CN suggests that a 2.5" Moonlite Focuser is required and that if you contact Ron at Moonlite that he can tell you which of the 2.5" flanges will fit.

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/676749-skywatcher-150mm-ed/?p=9761913

The post also suggests that an extension might be required to reach focus because the Moonlite focuser is shorter than the stock focuser.

In my experience, Ron at Moonlite has always been very helpful and extremely quick in responding, even responding to me on a Sunday.

However, I'd recommend that you get details of the correct flange from Moonlite then place a custom order with FLO.  It takes quite while for Moonlite items to arrive, but you avoid all the complications of the import charges and the Royal Mail ransom admin charge.