Refractor For Purely Visual Astronomy?

[Louis D]

5 hours ago, Ian McCallum said:

The $64,000 question!😂 I was looking at the 12" Dob range, but haven't seen what I really want in stock, plus the thought of a really heavy behemoth puts me off, a bit. I know I could build a trolley of some sort to wheel it out, but I don't know if that's the route I want to go.

I can tell you I have a 15" truss Dob that I rarely use since an automotive back injury in 2000 made lifting the 65 pound mirror box a literal pain in the back.  I keep it in hopes I'll someday be able to park it in a garage on a wheeled cart with corner jacks at a dark sky vacation/retirement house.  That way, I only have to lift it once onto the cart.

[Andrew_B]

5 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

Wow! I'd have killed for a scope like that thirty years ago. And I must have spent hundreds of hours lusting over photographs of beautiful 4" refractors owned by those lucky astronomers in the old books I bought second-hand when I started out in this hobby. Such refractors still set my heart racing when they catch my eye over 40 years on. They may be small but they can pack a punch way above their weight. 

Thirty years ago a 4" refractor was anything but small and even a basic achromat was a lot of money. From what I remember the bottom of the range 80mm Vixen achro with a basic alt-az mount cost almost a grand in modern money.

The only thing that doesn't seem expensive is when you see that in 1991 you could buy an Astro-Physics 6" f9 Starfire for £2300. Even taking into account inflation that isn't a bad price and there weren't 20 year waiting lists either back then!

[Alan64]

I got this 80mm f/11 achromat, with an EQ2-class mount, all made in Japan, and for US$699 in 1992...

Today:  $1363

Nowadays, the kits are made in China, much less in outlay, and in many cases every bit as good, the OTAs in particular.

[John]

My dream scope for years was something like Sir Patrick Moore's 5 inch F/12 Cooke refractor:

And a few years ago I was lucky enough to be able to buy something similar

Except that mine is .1 of an inch larger in aperture than Sir Patrick's

 

[Franklin]

How does the 130 ride on the HEQ5 John? Must be about 12kg on there.

[John]

5 minutes ago, Franklin said:

How does the 130 ride on the HEQ5 John? Must be about 12kg on there.

The scope actually weighs in at 9.5kg so it was well within the capacity of the mount from that point of view. The length of the tube put the mount under more strain than it's weight.

After trying a Celestron AVX, the HEQ5 and a Vixen GP-DX, none of which were really totally satisfactory with the scope (the AVX was actually the best of those 3) I decided to go for a heavy duty alt-azimuth mount and was very lucky that a T-Rex mount came on the market around that time. That does the job beautifully well 

 

[Franklin]

That's interesting. Been looking at the TS Photoline 125ED which weighs around 8kg, too much for my GP, so was looking at alternatives and the AVX is the one I'm interested in. Not had any experience with Celestron mounts before but it seems a similar spec to the HEQ5 and a bit cheaper.

The T-Rex looks bomb-proof though.👍

[johninderby]

Would recommend buying from Astrograph as they are a UK dealer so no customs or high shipping costs to bother about. Plus top class service and the owner Rupert is an expert that can answer any questions you might have.

https://astrograph.net/epages/www_astrograph_net.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/www_astrograph_net/Products/AGTEC125F78

https://astrograph.net/epages/www_astrograph_net.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/www_astrograph_net/Categories/Shop/"Telescopes %26 Binoculars"/Apochromatic_Refractor_Telescopes

Edited October 6, 2021 by johninderby

[Ian McCallum]

3 hours ago, johninderby said:

Would recommend buying from Astrograph as they are a UK dealer so no customs or high shipping costs to bother about. Plus top class service and the owner Rupert is an expert that can answer any questions you might have.

https://astrograph.net/epages/www_astrograph_net.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/www_astrograph_net/Products/AGTEC125F78

https://astrograph.net/epages/www_astrograph_net.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/www_astrograph_net/Categories/Shop/"Telescopes %26 Binoculars"/Apochromatic_Refractor_Telescopes

 

https://astrograph.net/epages/www_astrograph_net.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/www_astrograph_net/Products/AGTEC250-35

[Ian McCallum]

I'm still drawn to the Scopetech Acromats that Aunty FLO sells...😲  The price on this one catches my eye...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/offers/offer_scopetech-stl80a-l-80mm-f125-classical-refractor_155968.html

Mind you, I'm still eyeing up the f15 version!🙄

[johninderby]

Ah it is a slippery slope this looking at all the different scopes ypu could buy. 😁

The shorter Scopetech is a bit more manageable but the F15 just seems like the one to have. 🤔

[neil phillips]

On 29/09/2021 at 18:21, johninderby said:

Perhaps a Bresser 127 would be a good alternative. Decent optics and a great focuser.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-ar-127l-1200-refractor-ota.html

Or

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-ar-127s-635-refractor-ota.html

I second this, nice cheap refractors these. Jupiter 20 degrees UK. Thread might be about visual. But the image doesnt lie. If colour correction isnt at the top of your list.  Edit Think i will be keeping this one.. 

Edited October 7, 2021 by neil phillips

[IB20]

1 hour ago, Ian McCallum said:

I'm still drawn to the Scopetech Acromats that Aunty FLO sells...😲  The price on this one catches my eye...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/offers/offer_scopetech-stl80a-l-80mm-f125-classical-refractor_155968.html

Mind you, I'm still eyeing up the f15 version!🙄

I love my Scopetech Starbase, I might have gone for one of the longer ones had I not purchased this. A 1 metre tube is long however!

There’s a Stellamira 80ED in the For Sale section (if you can access it yet) that’s available for <£500. Looks a beautiful scope.

[johninderby]

Ah my old StellaLyra 80mm that I sold to another SGL member a while ago. Indeed a very nice scope and a step up optically over the SW doublets  not to mention the build quality. 

Edited October 6, 2021 by johninderby

[Ian McCallum]

On 28/09/2021 at 09:47, johninderby said:

So it’s this mount. Might be better to consider something like a Skwatcher AZ5 manual alt az mount.

I've just seen the price of the mount that I've been recommended by FLO!😮 Well, I guess that knocks that plan into the bushes...🙄

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-eq5-deluxe.html

Edited October 7, 2021 by Ian McCallum

[John]

20 minutes ago, Ian McCallum said:

I've just seen the price of the mount that I've been recommended by FLO!😮 Well, I guess that knocks that plan into the bushes...🙄

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-eq5-deluxe.html

Long scopes need sturdier mounts than short ones of the same aperture even if the weight of the scope is easily within the mounts capacity. Long tubes exert a lot of force on the mount and tripod.

[Franklin]

1 hour ago, Ian McCallum said:

I've just seen the price of the mount that I've been recommended by FLO!😮 Well, I guess that knocks that plan into the bushes...🙄

The EQ5 is a clone of the world famous Vixen Great Polaris mount. It is the largest EQ mount available which can be operated manually (which is really handy if your batteries run out) but you can add an RA drive or Dual axis drives or even GOTO at a later date. I have had numerous versions of this mount and I regard it as THE benchmark medium duty EQ mount that has been the standard workhorse for visual amateur astronomers over the years. Compared to the larger, GOTO mounts that are available (HEQ5/EQ6), the price is very reasonable. It's built like a tank and will last a lifetime. I regularly see EQ5 mounts on the used market which sell for under £200 and unless you plan on getting a massive heavy scope the humble EQ5 will carry most amateur instruments with ease. Highly recommend the EQ5.

[mikeDnight]

On 06/10/2021 at 20:58, Ian McCallum said:

I'm still drawn to the Scopetech Acromats that Aunty FLO sells...😲  The price on this one catches my eye...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/offers/offer_scopetech-stl80a-l-80mm-f125-classical-refractor_155968.html

Mind you, I'm still eyeing up the f15 version!🙄

Another option, which includes mount and eyepieces, could be...

But then of course you could get a good 4" ED tube assembly for around that price!

Edited October 7, 2021 by mikeDnight

[johninderby]

Both the Starbase and Scopetech refractors are made by the same company but the Starbase does offer a shorter focal length and a mount.

Edited October 7, 2021 by johninderby

[johninderby]

Nothing to do with this thread really but couldn’t resist posting this.😁😁😁

Is Scoptech branching out? 🤔

[JeremyS]

4 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Nothing to do with this thread really but couldn’t resist posting this.😁😁😁

Is Scoptech branching out? 🤔

Wrong thread, John. Can you move to the “how to clean your eyepiece” thread?

[johninderby]

4 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Wrong thread, John. Can you move to the “how to clean your eyepiece” thread?

Or “How do I remove dust from the inside of my scope”. 😁

Edited October 7, 2021 by johninderby

[IB20]

35 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

Another option, which includes mount and eyepieces, could be...

But then of course you could get a good 4" ED tube assembly for around that price!

I’ve just been out with mine again. Negligible CA even on Jupiter, GRS transit with colour at 80x & 62x, Io emerge from Jupiter’s shadow and the beginning of Europa’s transit onto Jupiter’s limb. Only had a cloud break of about 90 mins, it’s just so easy and pleasing to use.

[johninderby]

So everyone should have one of the Starbase or Scopetech fracs then?  👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Wouldn’t be my only scope as it is a bit of a specialist but is a great option to have available. 🙂

Edited October 7, 2021 by johninderby

[John]

I'm sure that these 80mm refractors are lovely things but the original posters scope should show all that they do and more besides and catch challenging stuff like Neptune's moon Triton which is simply beyond a 4 inch refractor no matter how good it's optics are.

Having a small refractor AND a medium aperture scope is a great way to go though