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Vixen ED114SS

Ambermile

By Ambermile
in Member Equipment Reviews

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Ambermile

Ambermile

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Let us know when you're selling it Arthur :lol:

Ha. Haha. right. I strongly suspect this one may at least see out the summer. Upgrading is going to be difficult I think - and expensive too :shock:

Here's some pics meanwhile alonside the Megrez FD...

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Ambermile

Ambermile

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Is that a carrying handle between the tube rings? That looks like a useful idea, oh and hide your magazine next time, it does nothing for your credibility.

Captain Chaos

Well, you have to give a little to get a new scope around here... she gets a mag, I get the Vixen :lol:

Yes, it's a carrying handle, makes life so much less scary!

Anyway, all mounted on the EQ ready to go, alongside the FD for guiding. Can't polar-align as it's cloudy, need to 'cos I had the mount off for the PSP :) One thing after another around here! Even had to make a new adapter for the pier as I sold the other one - forgot until I actually went to put the thing on :roll: Here's looking forwards to some sky maybe...

Arthur

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Ambermile

Ambermile

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Your pillar looks a bit "weathered" there in deepest Norfolk :shock:

naz :)

:shock: I'm sure I don't know what you mean - I am going to paint it one day...

Had a quick optic test on some trees on the skyline about 2 miles away. Meade #140 apo barlow and Meade 12mm ortho EP. No colour on focus but a little either side. Impressive actually. Downside so far is that the focuser is a little stiff. I am loth to alter it yet though because as it is there is no shift from in to out focus. I can live with it I think for two reasons. First, it will not drop out of focus at the zenith and second, with just these two scopes on the EQ6 damping time is minimal and the scope hardly moves at all on adjusting. Downside number two is that 1.25" focuser adapter. Why make a 2.7" focuser and then only supply a 1.25" fitting? I mean OK, there's a female T thread but even that's a bit small?

As soon as I get some clear bits I can get the Artemis fired up and see what happens but for now things are looking pretty fine :lol: No guider though so subs will be short to begin with ( I do have the Vixen flattener and also have knocked up an SCT adapter for it so the Rini could go in also).

Arthur

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Ambermile

Ambermile

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OK - more later but here's a quick and dirty histo-stretch only of 3 x 60 sec unguided unbinned frames with the ART-285. I think I am going to like this glass :lol: Also looks like the rough align is not too bad but hey - I'm sticking to targets around the poleand that's cheating ...

Arthur

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Ambermile

Ambermile

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OK, everything went exactly as planned last night. Yeah, right - but still reasonably good considering it was full Moon. (What idiot startests the night of the full Moon anyway?)

On then. Very nice scope, flat to the edge of the 285 so no worries there. Used it last night sans field flattener just to get some idea of what the FOV was. Happy to see that I can still get M81/82 both on the chip at once! Visually it is an excellent bit of glass - even with the Moon the contrast is striking. Later (after 12) I had the two clusters in the bagand was thinking of calling it a night but decided to drop an EP in and play. That M92? Truly awesome (and this from someone that doesn't "do" visual!)

Only issue I had has been partially mentioned earlier and it's about that focuser stiffness. I didn't think that was going to be an issue and actually, it wasn't but it *was* part of another one. Because the knobs are (I think) way to close to the tube (about 1mm clearance) it's a little awkward to get a good grip on them and unfortunately because of that stiffness you really do need a good grip.

After all though I think it is a nice bit of kit and for the price represents a good deal if you want as near to apo as you can get without the £5000 price tag and having "apochromatic" stamped on the bit of the scope you rarely look at.

A few pics then...

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Ambermile

Ambermile

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Very nice Arthur.

Looks like something has passed through the field of view on the second one.

Nice and flat and pin sharp mate.

thanks for the comments and yes, it was one of the Cosmos satellites. I know this because at the start of the session I had left the wireless card in the laptop and SN updated itself while I wasn't watching. However, while I was later checking for the next target with the program, I watched as this satellite slowly moved through M81/82 region without even thinking about the image I was taking!

arthur

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Ambermile

Ambermile

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great results there Arthur very impressive indeed so far

Are you at Kielder ?would love to have an invited look through for real :)

Well, I will be but not sure if the Vixen will. I was planning on just taking the FD on a photo tripod... I'll think about it :lol:

Arthur

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Ambermile

Ambermile

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Quick update. That stiff focuser turns out to be caused by a bent focus shaft :lol: Not much but I will have to decide wheter to leave it alone (I can live with it as it stands) or sort it. Never noticed before as I *always* focus on the outside of the scopes and the Vixen sits on the right of the mount. However, yesterday I was solar viewing and actually saw the wobble...

Arthur

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