Seben Big Boss

[Lunarjim]

So, I actually got around to setting it up.

Just a short review in 2 parts to see what it it actually like. The second part later tonight when I've been outside.

The box it arrived it was very heavy but undamaged.

Assembling it was a 20 minute job

The parts is arrived with:

Main scope - silver in colour and not too bad. Looking down the end of the scope the mirror didn't look too bad. I expected worse!

The tripod is a very light aluminium one. However, this means it also feels flimsy but seems to be upto the basic job of handling the weight. It came in 3 parts held together with small screws and some large bolts. Assembled it seems sturdy enough. As long as there's no wind blowing. I could erect it in the New Forest but it would probably sink with all the bogs.

The rest of the mount is actually not too bad. I'll submit some pictures later .

The welcome addition was a set of plossl lenses that seem very sturdy and good quality.

So far it seems slightly better than some cheaper Ebay Tasco scopes.

The finder is cheap and nasty but seems to work.

Still, the proof is in the eating they say. Off to see what it can get. Nice bright :moon: today.

As soon as dinner cooked, nipper to bed, vacuumed hallway and got ready!

So, should I carry on with this review?? Answers please!

[Johnny Hormone]

... be rude not to

[Lunarjim]

Well, been out and had a brief look at the moon. Sometimes.

The image was lovely and sharp, bright but not overpowering and certainly worthy of any gazers longing dreams.

Then I woke up.

When I get a focus on the moon with the 25mm lens it certainly brought tears to my eyes :tearyeyed:. Not eternal beauty but a headachey, squinty thing :cyclopsani: going on. I'm pretty sure it needs aligning as I could focus on the moon from 2mm away from the end of the lens but not looking through it. The finderscope, on the other hand, was a fine little scope. If anyone in CHristchurch wants to make sure it's set up right drop me a PM. Change my mind......

Ahem.

Tried the barlow lens next.

5 minutes later, removed the plastic tube (lens in there somewhere I'm sure). Didn't do much except give me another headache and wonder on the futility of it all.

I'll try it in daylight next then. Got a nice neighbour who'll help (for a price, of course ).

In short, won't write an in-depth review as not going to waste time and effort on it. However, a basic price of -free- can't be argued with. Anyone want to swap for a Tasco?

Next review, the Seben Toilet Tube (The Big Floss), f19 refractor with pseudo organic lenses.

[tony4563]

Ah well...now I know you got the scope for free, I feel a little easier in telling you that I've read that Seben are not renowned for having the best optics in the business. Having never owned or used one of their scopes though, it would be unfair to say that they are poor, full stop. Once you get the scope collimated (and that sounds like one of your problems) cooled down for an hour and use good standard eyepieces, I think you'll find the views just that little bit better. My introduction to astronomy as a child was when I was bought a Tasco 4" reflector. The box was covered in wonderful colourful pictures of Jupiter, Saturn and the Andromeda galaxy. Another one was of a happy smiling family gathered behind an excited child looking through the eyepiece. These eyepieces were 0.95" Huygens. I remember the care I took in unscrewing them to clean the dust and muck off the lens element. To look at it now, I laugh. Jupiter never looked like the pictures on the box. But.. I'll never forget the wow and excitement of seeing 2 bands on a very small white sphere surrounded by 4 white specks to my dying day. All I'm saying is that,once sorted,you WILL see something with this scope... just don't expect TOO much! Most importantly, ENJOY what you see, even if it's only the moon. Hopefully, you will see a little more when your next scope comes along

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Even with joke shop optics you should be able to see something on the moon, maybe the view was too bright? You could try sticking something over the front end to cut down the amount of light getting in there, that would probably help. My 12" Newt. has the lightsabre thing going with a full moon, you just can't look down the eyepiece as it makes you blind for a couple of minutes. Great for photographs though, very fast exposures so the boiling doesn't show until you try stacking them.

Try it on M45 or M42 when the moon has gone away, that might be better.

Captain Chaos

[tony4563]

Blimey CC, that 12" would have blown my retina out! Gazed the full moon tonight with a 90mm Mak on low power and was still blind in one eye for ages!

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Its quite cool to stick in a 2" 40mm EP and breath past it, looks like a laser beam coming out, and I won't be peering in THAT again for some time.

Captain Chaos

[GordonCopestake]

I had my 12" with a 45mm plossl in when i foolishly looked at the moon.... night vision? I couldn't see even in the house hehe. My missus thought i'de been taking drugs as one pupil was nice and big and one was a pin point

The moon is BRIGHT!

[Lunarjim]

Joking aside, anyone out there fancy giving us a hand in setup?