Baader Classic Orthos on Skymax 180 (ex-barlow)

[Luminated]

Hello everybody! Hope you're all keeping well

I’ve messaged a respected member on here about this in more detail but wondering about other people’s viewing experience who use a Skymax 180? Particularly at max mag using the 6mm… 🤯

I’ve trawled through a lot of similar posts but can’t seem to pin this down…plus FOV simulators seem to underestimate my own viewing experience in terms of scale (eg I “see” Jupiter at 80x somewhat larger)…I do understand this is going to be subjective not to mention atmospheric conditions etc  

Much thanks!

(hoping for clearer skies…)

[markse68]

I don’t have your scope but i do that ep- what is your question?

[John]

I don't think it's going to be a good combination for Jupiter. 450x might work OK under the very best seeing conditions if used on the Moon, double stars and perhaps Mars but Jupiter generally does not respond as well to high powers as those targets. I would think that the 10mm Baader Classic ortho (270x) would be more useful and even then it might be too much magnification to get the best contrast and sharpness from Jupiter.

 

Edited October 13, 2020 by John

[Luminated]

Thanks John- very helpful; especially because I’m particularly keen to catch Mars right now...just as soon as clouds clear from London (very frustrating!)

[Luminated]

1 hour ago, markse68 said:

I don’t have your scope but i do that ep- what is your question?

I guess, in your case, the highest magnification you’ve found acceptable on planets

[Luminated]

Have been trying to figure how much use I’d get from  the 6mm with the massive focal length the  skymax 180 has...

[John]

Well I have a 12 inch dobsonian with excellent optics but I don't use 450x more than very occasionally.

Most of my planetary viewing with that scope is done at 150x - 250x and sometimes 300x.

 

[markse68]

2 hours ago, Luminated said:

I guess, in your case, the highest magnification you’ve found acceptable on planets

Ah ok- but that also depends somewhat on the aperture of my scope. I most often use a 7mm for 228x but if the seeing is good a 5mm for 320x. Higher on the moon sometimes and ridiculously high on tight doubles if they need it. As others have said, too high and you lose quality- contrast and sharpness- so it’s a bit pointless most of the time.

Mark

[Luminated]

Indeed... the highest magnification I have used recently has been 80x ...albeit with a SW ST80 on holiday 😄

Still enjoyable and Saturn enchants even at the minuscule 

[chiltonstar]

I've got a 180 and both the 6mm and 10mm Baader ortho eyepieces. 6mm requires a very good night, observing from grass and a well-stabilised scope. I do use it for the Moon, doubles and Saturn which occasionally needs the higher mag. For Jupiter, as stated above, a 15mm EP is a better bet (I use a Vixen SLV) to retain the contrast. For Mars, 12 - 18mm is the best range I would say.

Recently, I've been playing with a 7.2 to 21.5mm Hyperflex zoom which I have to say works very well with the 180 Mak for planetary viewing (not for wider field obviously).

Chris

[Luminated]

This helps a lot, thanks Chris!

Anyone used these FOV simulators much (just for impression of scale, not detail)...as mentioned, I find they underestimate slightly:

https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/

 

[John]

23 hours ago, Luminated said:

This helps a lot, thanks Chris!

Anyone used these FOV simulators much (just for impression of scale, not detail)...as mentioned, I find they underestimate slightly:

https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/

 

Sometimes the FoV that the scope and eyepiece are giving is not exactly what the specs might suggest so I suppose the simulators do their best but it's only approximate.

[Captain Scarlet]

A few months ago I posted a big piece called "reverse engineering a skymax 180". Part of my purpose was to establish exactly what focal length the scope was operating at. I initially assumed one important parameter by making the assumption it was 2700mm with the supplied accessories (51mm visual back and 2" diagonal). What prompted me down that route was a similar experience to yours: it seemed to be giving me more magnification and less FoV that I was expecting.

Over the next day or so I am about to update my post, having done the extra work to exactly pin down its focal lengths, and it turns out that with the supplied accessories my 2017 Skymax 180's focal length is actually 2883mm +/- 16mm. This explains the reduced FoV and increased mag.

Cheers, Magnus

Edited October 15, 2020 by Captain Magenta

[Luminated]

Wow... look forward to reading your update!

 I’m still waiting for my scope btw...COVID has caused severe backlog in the supply chain...least of our worries currently tho! 

Just entertaining  myself in the meantime  with lens options etc...