Startravel ED 80 for visual?

[col]

Hi guys

Iv got the chance of an old Startravel ED 80 and wondered if it is good for visual astronomy. Or is it not really any good for visual seeing with it's 80 mm in size. 

I was thinking being ED it might be better than my 102 achro startravel for quick set up during sucker breaks in the clouds. 

Worth getting? 

Cheers guys. 

 

[Knighty2112]

I use my AA Ascent 80ED scope regularly as a quick setup scope for planetary work, lunar and also some double star work, which works very well, so should work OK with these targets for you too. 

[Carl Au]

To be honest I would not think that there would be much difference between the scope you have and a 8O mm short tube in either cool down or ease of use. I guess it’s slightly easier to mount 

[Ags]

Not sure what scope this is.... Startravels are definitely not ED scopes. Do you have a picture?

[Carl Au]

Do you this: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/reviews/telescopes/sky-watcher-evostar-80ed-pro/

[col]

I asked about its name and It’s a gold coloured star travel ED 80 pro from 15 plus years ago .

 

[col]

3 hours ago, Ags said:

Not sure what scope this is.... Startravels are definitely not ED scopes. Do you have a picture?

He is going to check but it sounds like it’s going to be the gold ecostar ED80 pro. 
I’ll find out for sure tomorrow.

[Carl Au]

Champagne is the colour and it’s the same scope as the one I posted the link too. Very highly regarded little scopes whatsoever the colour. Remember to take its age into consideration when or if you buy 

[Coco]

If it's cheap buy it and let us know how they compare.  I find my Achro102mm 660/6.47 stopped down to 60mm just fine on planets and the moon with a 12mm eyepiece, but full aperture superb on deep wide field. 

[col]

I paid £300 for it including some accessories, I'm hoping I'v not over paid and I'm sure you guys will enlighten me on my knee jerk buy. 

But I do like it, as its like new and almost unused. 

He's only used it approximately five times since he got it, about 14 years ago it seems. 

[col]

[Clarkey]

An older ED80 by the looks of it. £300 with the extra's is certainly not over the top in my opinion.

[col]

12 minutes ago, Clarkey said:

An older ED80 by the looks of it. £300 with the extra's is certainly not over the top in my opinion.

Iv been pottering with  and everything that came with it, and I have to say I'm very happy .

I'm intending it to be my grab and go set up when there's not enough time to take the dob out, or the weather is suspect.

I might even give astrophotography a go with it, but nothing major, just a two second exposure type thing and no stacking or other manipulation.

Then again I do have an eq five, so longer exposures might be an option. But I'm not planning on getting into photography in any way other than the odd quick shot.

[Carl Au]

Good for you. Price spot on

[Carl Au]

Actually it’s a bargain. You did well. 

[col]

58 minutes ago, Carl Au said:

Actually it’s a bargain. You did well. 

Cheers, it is old but it's been well looked after and doesn't even have a single mark on it. Iv been over it with a fine tooth comb and is in mint condition. 

These are the eye peices and two barlows that came with it, plus the meade 26 mm which iv got in the scope so isn't in the pic.

. 

[ollypenrice]

The Startravels are certainly cheap and partially cheerful but this is not a Startravel, it s much, much better. You did well.

Olly

[col]

Thanks Olly, he did like moonfish as most of the eye pieces are by moonfish. 

Not a company I'm familiar with. 

[Carl Au]

Moonfish certainly used to be well regarded. 

Edited October 24, 2022 by Carl Au

[col]

2 minutes ago, Carl Au said:

Moonfish certainly used to be well regarded. 

With what I already have, and the eyepieces that came with the scope, Iv got a lot of variation to go at.

Ill no doubt do some comparisons too.

[col]

I managed to get a look at jupiter before the clouds really took over and the train started. 

A 15mm in the 2x Barlow giving me a nice clear image with three cloud bands and four moons. 

The same 15mm in the 3x Barlow and that gave me just as nice a view, but a surprisingly large image in the eyepiece. 

Then the rain moved in just as I'd got my 10 mm to try in the 3x Barlow. 

No red spot yet, but I'll keep trying. 

The two looks at jupiter were two separate cloud gaps, as I keep a look out for the gaps to hopefully appear. 

Looks like that's going to be it for tonight, but my first impression with this scope is its hard to believe it's only an 80mm while looking at jupiter tonight. I'm impressed. 

[col]

I forgot to add I managed ten minutes with the 10mm in the 3x Barlow. 

It was a large image in the eyepeice at 181 times, but not as sharp as it was at 120 times. 

I realise I'd gone past its max power, but I was curious seeing how it would perform at that high magnification. 

It performed better than expected, and was a nice enough image, just a little soft compared to the lesser power. 

All in all I'm very happy with it, and looking forward to clear skies, which are unfortunately not happening here at the moment. 

[Carl Au]

Excellent good for you, nice scope at a very good price. You are going to have a lots of fun with it

[col]

4 hours ago, Carl Au said:

Excellent good for you, nice scope at a very good price. You are going to have a lots of fun with it

Thanks Carl. 

I got out tonight and looked at jupiter and also caught saturn with it tonight. 

The seeing isn't great but Saturn's rings were crisp and showed well. 

Next I got a look at Mars, it only looked like a small orange, but I realise the aperture isn't ideal for the planets and will get my 8"dob out for Mars another night. 

I was going to try for some deep sky but the school security lights are on and is washing the sky out a bit, maybe another night. 

Iv only tried a limited number of eyepeices and not got round to the two inch one yet. 

So I'm looking forward to scanning the skies with that next time. 

The novelty of this scope has put my dob in the corner this last week, I'll have to address that. Nobody puts dobby in the corner 😁

 

[Carl Au]