First Light with EdgeHD8

[JonHigh]

Hi All, As some may know, I have been attempting, with some success in capturing DSO’s with my SkyMax 150 but the time came when I realised that I really need a faster SCT for what I wanted to do. Not looking for one but I found an EdgeHD 8” at a reasonable price and pulled the trigger and bought it. First light out the other night just working out balancing, visual alignments and working out collimation but the clouds started to roll in so aimed it to the Moon, and WOW! Looking at the Moon, my Mak was definitely more contrasty but the detail in the 8” blew me away. However with anything that's new there’s a learning curve and this is my first SCT having only owned Mak’s and refractors.

I took this quick shot with my iPhone through a Hyperion 24mm eyepiece. Had to get a photo in before putting it away. Really looking forward to clear skies again! 

Edited May 26 by JonHigh

[LukeTheNuke]

Very nice! Sharp and contrasty, I like it!

The Edge 8 is a cracking little light bucket. Congrats on the purchase! I'm hoping to get back to some lunar imaging with the Edge 8 myself. With your phone, did you have some kind of holder for it? (other than your hand! - I can never get anything decent just hand-held, and your shot is so sharp!)

[JonHigh]

Thank you. This was a quick hand held shot with held breath and surgeons hands! The Baader eyepiece makes it relatively easy.  I did boost the contrast and sharpness a tad. It was a fantastic sight that night and was lucky to have caught it with that much detail. This EdgeHD8 is an awesome scope and I'm extremely happy with what I have seen so far, even just visually. Open clusters have most definitely had the 'WOW' effect!  Trying to sell my SkyMax150. Might put it on here this weekend as well as the other sites. I have yet to get on with 'proper' imaging with it as I'm still working on fine collimation adjustment which is doing my head in. 🙄 and good enough weather!!!

[LukeTheNuke]

Gosh, handheld? Same as Mr Spock. I just can't get the hang of it! Do you rest the camera lens directly on the eyepiece, or hover above like a hummingbird? I shall give up on my hopes of one day becoming a surgeon.

I'm a bit wary of whispering this in case the frac fraternity are around, but the Edge 8 has a bit of a refractor vibe to it.

[JonHigh]

The trick is to slowing approach the exit pupil of the eyepiece and try and hold it in place as you move closer. 

🤣 Having only owned Frac's and Maks, I absolutely understand where you're coming from. This thing destroys my 6" Mak looking at open clusters even at f10. I do get that having an extra 2 inches aperture makes a big difference but it's more than that. It's a feeling or look, a bit like comparing a Canon/Nikon lens with a Leica lens. World apart. So glad I didn't get the standard C8 and opted for the EdgeHD. 

Edited May 31 by JonHigh