Really disappointing scope...

[Mr Spock]

I've had this scope now a few months. Every time I go out I seem plagued by poor seeing condition - a mushy, wobbly mess. So the scope hasn't really had a chance so far. Tonight was different. There was a slight low level wobble, but, not bad at all.

I had a fair session on the moon. I tried a multitude of powers right up to x450 - which didn't seem much different from x200. But all the time there was this 'multiple image' artefact. Difficult to describe. I could see some detail, but never really sharp. My old Celestron 80ED shows just as much detail.

As the sky was darkening I decided to take in a few bright doubles starting with castor. At x 257 two nice airy disks but, oh my, I've never seen so many diffraction rings  I headed off to γ leo - same again, maybe even worse. Absolutely shocking to look at.

I think when I put the scope away tomorrow, it won't see the outside again.

[F15Rules]

That's sad to hear Mr Spock...may I ask what the scope is? 

Dave

[NGC 1502]

Erm.....please let us know what not to buy 😁

Cheers, Ed.

[Merlin]

It says iOptron Rumak  150 at the bottom.

[Peter Drew]

The poor image description seems indicative of insufficient  thermal equalibrium,  specially the multiple image issue.      🤔

[NGC 1502]

5 hours ago, Merlin said:

It says iOptron Rumak  150 at the bottom.

Thanks it does, but it’s not clear if that’s the scope with the issue, it would be nice to know,

Cheers, Ed.

[dweller25]

1. Try wrapping it with two layers of reflectix from B&Q

or

2. Buy a 4” refractor 🙂

Edited April 20, 2021 by dweller25

[F15Rules]

6 hours ago, Merlin said:

It says iOptron Rumak  150 at the bottom.

I can't see any image of the scope??

Edited April 20, 2021 by F15Rules

[jetstream]

1 hour ago, dweller25 said:

1. Try wrapping it with two layers of reflectix from B&Q

or

2. Buy a 4” refractor 🙂

I agree- if it aint workin it aint workin.

A 100mm refractor always works IMHO.

Edited April 20, 2021 by jetstream

[FLO]

@Mr Spock Is it one of ours? 🙂 

Steve 

[Mr Spock]

Fully cooled down - image was stable and sharp - just a multitude of diffraction rings.

I could use it as a target..

There were actually more rings than that...

1 hour ago, FLO said:

 Is it one of ours?

@FLO yes

[FLO]

1 hour ago, Mr Spock said:

@FLO yes

That's good because we can help. Please email us so we can arrange collection 🙂 

I am guessing it is the Rumak 150 in your signature. 

Steve 

[dweller25]

12 hours ago, FLO said:

That's good because we can help. Please email us so we can arrange collection 🙂 

I am guessing it is the Rumak 150 in your signature. 

Steve 

The reason I always buy from and point people towards @FLO 👍

Edited April 21, 2021 by dweller25

[philj]

Theres a lot of glass and metal in these scopes which require quite awhile to acclinate. When I first got my old Mak 180 I had similar views and then made sure tge scope was outside and cooling for at least an hour before doing anything serious with it. Once cooled the scope performed superbly. It wasnt a grab and go scope for that very reason

Edited April 21, 2021 by philj

[Mr Spock]

The scope is stored in a cool place and was outside 3 hours...

Been there, done that with Maks  

[dweller25]

Sounds like it may be a lemon Michael - I have had two in the past 😦

Fortunately you bought from FLO who will sort it out 👍

[jetstream]

18 hours ago, FLO said:

That's good because we can help. Please email us so we can arrange collection 🙂 

I am guessing it is the Rumak 150 in your signature. 

Steve 

Now this is whats called service, excellent service.👍

[Mr Spock]

On 20/04/2021 at 14:56, dweller25 said:

2. Buy a 4” refractor

Not really big enough - a 120mm would be nice. Even at 150mm the image is a bit dark for me (maculopathy)

3 hours ago, dweller25 said:

Fortunately you bought from FLO who will sort it out

 

1 hour ago, jetstream said:

Now this is whats called service, excellent service

That's the reason to buy from FLO. The service is second to none 👍

[Mr Spock]

I'm now thinking a lot of the poor seeing I've had may be in part down to the scope. Seems a bit to strange that others have had good nights when I haven't.

[Mr Spock]

Just had a much better session... with my ancient Helios 120mm achro...

CA isn't as bad as I remember. On the moon it's noticeable as a lack of contrast and a slight smearing rather than excess colour. Castor was really good - almost text book airy disks and diffraction patterns. Some fuzzyness due to CA, but again, much better than I expected. Seeing appears really good again.

I did notice a strange dark spot just off centre when looking at the moon. Turned out to be a spider in the dew shield   The objective is absolutely filthy, which, might explain a lack of contrast. I'll give it a proper clean tomorrow. 

[niallk]

On 20/04/2021 at 20:13, FLO said:

That's good because we can help. Please email us so we can arrange collection 🙂 

I am guessing it is the Rumak 150 in your signature. 

Steve 

Just have to say - what an outstanding response! 👍

[Stu Todd]

On 24/04/2021 at 09:49, niallk said:

Just have to say - what an outstanding response! 👍

I was reading through this and thought the same, good job FLO!

Less so of the OP, who has yet to even acknowledge the offer...

[Tiny Clanger]

7 minutes ago, Stu Todd said:

I was reading through this and thought the same, good job FLO!

Less so of the OP, who has yet to even acknowledge the offer...

You are privy to OPs email exchange with FLO ?

[Stu Todd]

No, but nice to acknowledge they have responded on a public forum eh?

[Tiny Clanger]

Perhaps the company asked them not to, or the process is in hand and there is no definite outcome to report ?

You have no more idea than I do what the outcome has been, or what action may be in progress.