Skywatcher 150ED

[Peter Drew]

 First proper planetary session with this telescope last night, first sessions were squandered on viewing Neowise  🙂, subsequent session ruined by wind turbine turbulence.

Off to a poor start last night, despite Jupiter glaring down by 10.30, by the time I got to the observatory a thick haze had formed and Jupiter could barely be seen naked eye.  Having made the effort I decided to give it another half hour but it deteriorated to the point where it took the 16" SCT to glimpse the moons.  Just at the point where I was about to give up for the night Jupiter started to appear again dimly, no sign of Saturn at this time.  As luck would have it conditions continued to improve and by midnight Jupiter was putting on a fine show.  150x-200x gave the best views, atmospheric dispersion was evident but not obtrusive, it will be interesting to see what difference my incoming ADC filter might make.  There was too much detail for my ageing eyes to take in accurately but the views of belt detail, shadow transit, moon egress and the GRS were well seen.  Saturn was now also visible and at last the Cassini Division could be seen from here!, I don't do well on Saturn and fail to see the subtle details that others do but the overall appearance was excellent and even stood 400x.

Mars was still covered by cloud which was disappointing, after shutting everything down and driving home Mars suddenly appeared, I almost turned back but it was 1.30am by then and Mars will be around for some time.

The session not only confirmed that the telescope is superb but that good planetary images can be achieved despite their low altitude.  During the session I also compared a good C8 and the 16" SCT, they also gave good images but the refractor was the crisper.  (Cue lots of "told you so") from the Fraccers!      🙂

[RobertI]

Nice report Peter - looks like the 150ED is a winner for planets. 

39 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

, subsequent session ruined by wind turbine turbulence.

And I think that I have problems! 

[mikeDnight]

"Told You So"!

Sorry, but you did prompt me Peter! ☺

[andrew s]

5 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

"Told You So"!

Sorry, but you did prompt me Peter! ☺

But had Peter checked the collimation of the SCTs 😜 especially  at low altitude?

Nice report Peter.

Regards Andrew 

Edited August 4, 2020 by andrew s

[Peter Drew]

I'm happy to use whichever telescope is giving the best image on the night or object, many a time it's the SCT.    🙂

[Telescope40]

I am a happy 150 ED owner as well. Very nice scope and good that it didn’t disappoint Mr D 👍👍

[Peter Drew]

I was surprised at how little focus adjustment was needed to nail the focus with the fine knob on the focuser, definitely an essential feature. Having it piggy backed on our 16" SCT that is mounted on a massive Ealing-Beck assymetric  mount is a great help as well.    🙂

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Peter Drew said:

(Cue lots of "told you so") from the Fraccers! 

I'm saying nothing, Peter 🙂

Apart from I'm glad you have excellent views of the planets with the new scope.

[paulastro]

Well, no surprises in your findings then Peter.  😄

[JeremyS]

7 hours ago, andrew s said:

But had Peter checked the collimation of the SCTs 😜 especially  at low altitude?

Good point, Andrew. I had read that Damian Peach et al need to re-collimate an SCT as they move the scope round the sky. 

Don't have to worry about that with a refractor 😜

[Peter Drew]

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

Good point, Andrew. I had read that Damian Peach et al need to re-collimate an SCT as they move the scope round the sky. 

Don't have to worry about that with a refractor 😜

Then why doesn't Damian use a refractor for his superb images?        🙂

[John]

Really good to hear of another great ED150

I'm so glad Synta sorted this scope out and made sure that they were delivered in good shape after my unfortunate experiences with those very early ones.

I'd love to try "good un" one day

[JeremyS]

20 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

Then why doesn't Damian use a refractor for his superb images?        🙂

He has the dedication and patience to tune his SCTs through the night - and to travel to locations with excellent seeing that allows his scopes to excel.

For us lesser mortals we have refractors 🙂

[andrew s]

1 minute ago, JeremyS said:

He has the dedication and patience to tune his SCTs through the night - and to travel to locations with excellent seeing that allows his scopes to excel.

For us lesser mortals we have refractors 🙂

While he has to tune his SCTs he uses them as I am sure @Peter Drew and you know is because for resolution you need aperture and for successful Lucking imaging you need very short exposures which needs aperture. As well as quality optics. 

I agree refractors in relatively small sizes are simpler to use  but in larger sizes they are not easy to handle (😜) even if you could afford to buy and mount one.

I am sure @Peter Drew could modify a commercial SCT so that it held collimation just as well as a refractor it's  a matter of mechanical design not optics. 

 Each to his own as long as you enjoy the hobby. 

Regards Andrew 

[JeremyS]

6 minutes ago, andrew s said:

While he has to tune his SCTs he uses them as I am sure @Peter Drew and you know is because for resolution you need aperture and for successful Lucking imaging you need very short exposures which needs aperture. As well as quality optics. 

I agree refractors in relatively small sizes are simpler to use  but in larger sizes they are not easy to handle (😜) even if you could afford to buy and mount one.

I am sure @Peter Drew could modify a commercial SCT so that it held collimation just as well as a refractor it's  a matter of mechanical design not optics. 

 Each to his own as long as you enjoy the hobby. 

Regards Andrew 

I don’t know about lucky imaging, Andrew, but I’m certainly lucky to have a nice refractor 🙂

 

[mikeDnight]

1 hour ago, Peter Drew said:

Then why doesn't Damian use a refractor for his superb images?        🙂

Simple - he uses computer software to taxidermy the mushy Schmidt images, so no need for the sharp refractor optics of the discerning visual observer. 

 

[John]

Damian Peach did used to use refractors. A Vixen ED150 was one of them. One of the few of these that made it into the UK. He used it mainly for solar imaging I think. Quite impressive results with that and other refractors:

http://damianpeach.com/solar.htm

 

 

 

 

[mikeDnight]

Around 2004/2005, not certain which, paulastro and myself delivered a large aperture Vixen ED to Damien. I wonder if this is the one?  I remember that we'd set off early and arrived at Damiens much earlier than anticipated (before 6am). Being the more considerate out of the two of us I suggested to Paul that we wait for a while before knocking on the door, but Paul wouldn't have any of it. It think Damien and his wife/girlfriend thought it was a raid!  The house was ruled by cats not catadioptrics, and the poor refractor was shoved into an old coal bunker attached to the house, after which all three of us drove to Cambridge to a BAA bewilderment day.  I also remember during that drive extolling the virtues of a good refractor to Damien, who listened intently. Looking back, it may have been that between Paul's Brummy and my Lancashire accent poor Damien might not have had a clue what we were talking about? 

Just checked the date I wrote in a book I bought at that BAA event - it was 2004.

 

 

Edited August 5, 2020 by mikeDnight

[Peter Drew]

I have more refractors than SCT's,  I just use the SCT's more often.       🙂

[paulastro]

43 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

Around 2004/2005, not certain which, paulastro and myself delivered a large aperture Vixen ED to Damien. I wonder if this is the one?  I remember that we'd set off early and arrived at Damiens much earlier than anticipated (before 6am). Being the more considerate out of the two of us I suggested to Paul that we wait for a while before knocking on the door, but Paul wouldn't have any of it. It think Damien and his wife/girlfriend thought it was a raid!  The house was ruled by cats not catadioptrics, and the poor refractor was shoved into an old coal bunker attached to the house, after which all three of us drove to Cambridge to a BAA bewilderment day.  I also remember during that drive extolling the virtues of a good refractor to Damien, who listened intently. Looking back, it may have been that between Paul's Brummy and my Lancashire accent poor Damien might not have had a clue what we were talking about? 

Just checked the date I wrote in a book I bought at that BAA event - it was 2004.

 

 

Yes those solar images were taken with the six inch Vixen ED I sold to Damien. He mentioned at the time he was going to use it for solar imaging.

The meeting was the BAA exhibition meeting.

Edited August 5, 2020 by paulastro

[John]

I remember when that Vixen ED150 was reviewed in "Astronomy Now". I have probably still got that edition somewhere. I read the review and looked at the pics somewhat open mouthed then saw the price and my heart sank - it was way, way beyond my means back then, not to mention that only a handful were available

Its great that today we can buy a decent quality ED doublet 6 inch refractor, "off the shelf", for around £1,500

 

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

Around 2004/2005, not certain which, paulastro and myself delivered a large aperture Vixen ED to Damien.

I can just picture you rocking up at Damian's house with that refactor, Mike, saying "forget those floppy SCT's, this is what you need".

🙂

 

[JeremyS]

34 minutes ago, paulastro said:

The meeting was the BAA exhibition meeting.

Ah yes, the 2004 BAA exhibition meeting- that was held in the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge. I was there!

[Rusted]

One doesn't become one of the world's leading astrophotographers by accident or great expense.
Decades of application, dedication and obsessive attention to detail over thousands of hours are cumulative.
Intelligence helps to achieve an understanding of all the issues involved.
Not least the ability to measure third hand, online rumours.

Even that is not enough unless the individual is willing to practice their craft endlessly.
To be willing to fail repeatedly in the hope of a reward at the end of the long, dark tunnel.

I heard an interesting definition of "an expert" recently: 100,000 hours. Or [say] ten years x 40 hours.
i.e. The equivalent of a full time job over a decade to achieve a mastery of any skill.
Probably a modicum of latent talent helps to oil the wheels. 

[Peter Drew]

A definition of "expert" that I heard from a Sage was someone who came from more than 25 miles.    🙂