What's a Megrez?

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Hi, just a quick 'un, but whats a Megrez refractor & whats its primary use (observing or imaging).

Thanks

[robbieince]

It's not a type of refractor but a brand or product line - made by William Optics.

Usually thought to be very well

Made if a little expensive.

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Thanks Rob. Are they used more for obs or imaging do you know?

[Nexus 6]

Look at FLO'S website at the top of the page. Are really used by imagers but would make a fine grab and go.

Alan

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Thanks guys!

[dmahon]

If you're spending that much on a small aperture scope, you're probably going to want it for imaging . You could buy something better for visual only use with the same money however if you want to do both, and only want to buy one scope, they're not bad for visual use (just not as good as the 10" Dobsonian you could buy instead).

[russ]

Are really used by imagers but would make a fine grab and go.

Alan

That sums them up nicely. I found it good white light solar scope, birding scope and travel scope. But the aperture is too limited and on a clear night i just wanted to put it away and grab the dob.

[Orion_the_Hunter]

The thinking here is because I'm physically disabled therefore everything needs to be small & lightweight.

I would like to do dso imagery. but I rekon the heaviest mount I can manage is an NEQ3 goto.

What do you think?

[russ]

NEQ3 won't have any trouble taking the Megrez And the Megrez is a great imaging scope.

I few people on the forum are using the NEQ3 for imaging. I think there have been some teething troubles but those are being ironed out with firmware updates.

[brantuk]

The Meg 72 is a nice little scope - very well made and great for dso imaging - not much cop with planetary imaging though. However, for visual use it's a great little all rounder in the "small grab and go" category. I get very nice views of jupiter and saturn using 8mm and 5mm Radians with it - didn't try barlowing them yet.

It is a little weighty to answer your question - heavier than it looks - but only cos it's a nice chunk of metal and glass - about two 1kg bags of sugar equivalent I reckon

[brantuk]

Yup - just checked the weight in the spec : "Tube Weight 4.8 lbs. (2.2 kg)"

(1kg sugar = 2.2lbs) lol

[makapala]

I have a Megrez 72 mounted on a video camera head and wooden tripod. I've taken it on the train no problem. Usually lives in the car.

The whole lot fits in a shoulder bag with a couple of eyepieces. I can be observing in about 2 minutes. Any time any place!

The same cannot be said for big dobs which probably live in a garage or shed and need "wheeling out"

I love and own big scopes but for sheer availability the Megrez is hard to beat.

[Orion_the_Hunter]

I guess it's good for imaging DSOs through, but hiw does it perform for observing (both solar system and DSOs)?

[russ]

My Megrez quite well on solar system targets. The moon was wonderful and mine showed a lovely image of Saturn upto 150x. It wasn't as good as the ED80 on either target but not bad at all and in a smaller package. My 72 showed a small bit of Chromatic Abberation that wasn't visible in the ED80.

Deepsky was what you would expect from a 72mm aperture scope. Underwhelming from the garden but quite wonderful from a dark site sweeping through the summer milkyway (as i did from south Isle of Wight).

[Psychobilly]

Is the NEQ-3 still available .... I know FLO used to list it and the EQ3-Pro...

There is an ongoing issue with the Guideport on the EQ3-Pro which Skywatcher are working on a fix for... (Thanks Nick-H for persevering and convincing them there really is an issue)

Billy...

[mijijim]

Hi,

Megrez is as well as the name of a telescope is also the name of the star

at the inner end of the handle of the Plough.

mijijim

[mijijim]

Hi,

I should have mentioned that I actually do have a 72mm Megrez. The

weather has been cloudy for a while here in NE Essex, so I have fitted a

45 deg. erecting diagonal to allow me to birdwatch at our local lakes. The

72 is a very versatile piece of equipment.

mijijim

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Great here for ships & boats!

[Capricorn]

The WO Megrez series are 72, 90, 110, 120 mm dia.

The Megrez series are ED Doublets, think most now have FPL-53 glass but earlier ones had FPL-51. Don't recall anything around 102mm:icon_confused:

In effect you have the choice of WO ED DOublets called Megrez or their others, some of the others are also ED Doublets, but quite a few are APO triplets - think all the FLT series are triplets.

Cannot recall what the 80mm offering is called but it's not Megrez or FLT. Something Star ?

If serious imaging then the weapon of choice is a triplet, but the 72's and 90's are pretty good. The 90 isn't exactly light but is very nice. The new 120 looks tempting.

For cheaper options have a look at the telescope service site.

[shaunster]

The Megrez series are ED Doublets, think most now have FPL-53 glass but earlier ones had FPL-51.

.

The 72 has FPL-51 even the new ones...

The other type you are thinking of is the zenithstar, also using FPL-51 glass

There was a megrez 80mm triplet made but now discontinued I think, they are pretty amazing scopes if you can pick one up..

[F15Rules]

There's a Megrez gone up for sale complete with Gibraltar Altaz mount (great grab and go but not for imaging) on UK Astro B&S...£1200 with extras.

HTH

Dave

[Rautospoon]

There's a Megrez gone up for sale complete with Gibraltar Altaz mount (great grab and go but not for imaging) on UK Astro B&S...£1200 with extras.

HTH

Dave

Hi, Couldn't see this - what number is it ?

Cheers.

[E621Keith]

There was a megrez 80mm triplet made but now discontinued I think, they are pretty amazing scopes if you can pick one up..

I think that Megrez 80 had a Lomo 80/480 objective, which is said to be the best 80mm objective money can buy along with its sibling Lomo 80/600. They are very expensive though, even a second hand one is double the cost of a new ED80.