Starfield 102mm f7 - First Light

[Mr Spock]

Tonight was the first time my new Starfield 102mm f7 apo has seen use. Earlier, while setting up, I used Deneb to align the finder. Deneb looked nice and clean with only a little colour, a nice airy disk and diffraction ring - and that was going straight from 22°C to 6°C! At last I have a scope which allows me to pop outside if a break in the clouds appears.

Once the scope had cooled I pointed it towards the moon. I spent about half an hour cruising the terminator at x179. All very nice and no false colour at all - none. It hasn't got the sharpness of my 250mm of course, but the views are very pleasing and remarkably detailed. Its ability to pick up fine shadings in Petavius was impressive for such a small scope.

High cloud started to spoil things but Rigel was out in the open. A little fuzzy at x179 moving down to x119 improved things. The secondary looked like a little jewel next its brilliant primary.

I'm now looking forward to my next session.

[Sunshine]

Congratulations! welcome to the 102 club, you will have loads of fun considering it may just be your most used scope moving forward.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Sunshine

[Stu]

I’m sure you will enjoy this scope a lot @Mr Spock. Out of interest, what mount were you using?

[Mr Spock]

Just now, Stu said:

Out of interest, what mount were you using?

EQ5 - it's a perfect match.

[Stu]

Just now, Mr Spock said:

EQ5 - it's a perfect match.

Yep, ideal. I’ve used a Vixen GP in the past and they are great with a 4” scope.

[Chris]

Congrats on first light, your observations sound promising so far 

[Mr Spock]

This is a scope which will allow me to do some astro when the seeing conditions are too poor for the 250.

[Mr Spock]

Tonight I gave it a full workout. I'm happy to say the intrafocus and extrafocus images are identical. Yay!

Conditions were wobbly though. As predicted above the 102 was still usable on the moon at x190 whereas the 250 was just unstable mush at any magnification.

[jjohnson3803]

Roughly how long was needed for cool down for that 22 to 6 drop?

 

[Mr Spock]

None. I did the same last night. Went straight from indoors to observing. 

[johninderby]

Surprising how some scopes are useable without any cool down although they will actually get better after a while. 🤔

[StuartT]

seriously considering getting me one of these 👍

[wookie1965]

Great report just shows 4" refractor can do plenty of great observing.