Grab'n'Go - with attitude (aperture)

[A McEwan]

Hi all,

Trouble with owning a 120mm ED refractor is you come to expect to see a lot of detail when observing, which is why I've now converted my 127 Maksutov to be my Grab'n'Go scope. Here it is on my modified and tuned AZ-3 mount. Please excuse the clunky-looking counterweight - I'm still trying to find a nice 4lb one that Skywatcher used to make.

Oh, and as for wide field, my 16mm Nagler gives me 88x and nearly a full degree, and my LVW 22 gives 68x and about the same field of view, so about one degree is as much as I can manage. Good job I still have the ED80 for when I want to have a quick look at M45 or M31!

[Cloudwatcher]

A nice handy instrument the 127,especially good for viewing the Moon,planets & double stars but as you say,not the weapon of choice for widefield views.

[Ant]

I do really like the Mak's, so portable and really very good for moon and planets.

That does look good on the mount - excellent combo for a grab and go.

Ant

[John]

Thats a really nice setup !.

I tried a Celestron C5 on my AZ-3 mount for a while and it worked suprisingly well.

How much cool down time do you find the 127mm Make needs ?.

John

[vienna2]

I'm new to this and have the same scope. Is there a dew problem with this scope?

and

is there a bit counterwieght snobbery in stargazing:)

[A McEwan]

Thanks!

Dew problem? Not with the dew shield on it - no problem at all. Without it, yes.

About an hour cool down time is required. Depends on conditions, but that usually does it ok.

As for counterweight snobbery... I think I may have invented it!

[phillc]

Did you make your own dewshield ? And if so what material did you use.

phillc

[A McEwan]

No, I bought it - it's an Astrozap one. Very good quality.