Thread: Just bought ...
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Old 26-06-2011, 07:54 PM
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ZeroID (Brent)
Lost in Space ....

ZeroID is offline
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Auckland, NZ
Posts: 4,949
First Light Report on my new toy:
Weather has not been kind since it arrived and I'm full of head cold but Sunday night the southerlies came up cold and blew the clouds away.
I've mounted the scope on a sturdy old camera mount I've got. The wedge it is mounted on has three cammera threaded holes beneath as well !!

First surprise, the finder is a good wee 6 x 30 doublet beastie, gives amazingly clear views compared to the 1 lens wonders I had experienced before. Also has an excellent springloaded adjustment system which is a breeze to use and an 45 degree erecting prism for the scope itself.
It arrived with 2 x 10 mm EPs, one is an Antares 52 degree FMC and is a good addition to my range. The other is a unbranded 10 mm plossl but still in good condition.

Seeing was not good, very windy and quite unstable up high and down at ground level. started with the 10mm Antares and went up for Mimosa and Cru cluster, not bad. Across to Eta Carina and could just pick out the dust clouds, pretty ok for an 80 I thought. Round to Saturn and rings visible albeit a small image. 2 x Barlow pushed it way too far for the conditions on the 10mm. So pulled out my 20mm GSO SuperView and what a stunning picture that was ! Plenty of sharp stars well out to the edge and a nice vista to see. Butterfly, Omega Cen, Wishing Well, Eta Carina, Sthn Pleiades and a host of others in that region. Switched to the 15mm GSO SuperView and again a stunning view with a bit more detail and contrast. Dust clouds quite visble in ECar. Had a another look at Saturn and barlowed the 15 but too unstable so no detail or moons confirmed. One big plus was with the 20mm and the wide view I picked up and tracked three satellites quite easily and even an aircraft going overhead.

Verdict : I am more than pleased with my buy. I'll make up a balance arm/weight to make it easier to manage on the AZ mount and get a right angle mirror for the EPs but with the 15 SV in it is an excellent grab and go and under the conditions on the night when it got too cold and blustery I just picked it up and carried it inside to strip and pack away. Very convenient. Any trips away I do it will defintely be in the back of the car and I'd fly this if the circumstances were right.

I will make another side bracket and sling it beside the 114mm on the EQ6 with a CCD in it if the weather cooperates. The Serrurier Truss build is progressing well and eventually it will be part of that project as a guide/visual scope. As my first real refractor I am very happy with it.

The gentleman I bought it off is selling the gear for a friends widow. He has more coming that might be of interest to me so is sending up a list in a few weeks time to give me first choice. I'd better start saving !!
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