Anyone using one of Vixen's NA scopes? Care to comment on your experiences so far?
Maybe it was a dream, but I think I saw Astro Optical Supplies advertising the 140mm OTA at a special introductory price of $1,850. Seems pretty good for a scope that size, even if you might need a minus violet filter for lunar and planetary viewing.
Hi Morton,
When we sold the first of these telescopes, I asked the buyer to return some feedback, as it is a new scope. He did, and the results are pretty much what you would expect. Excellent and bright on DSO's, fair bit of colour fringing on the moon and planets. A fringe killer did alleviate the worst of this. Hope this helps.
Although I've never owned one, I have had the opportunity on a number of occasions to take a look through a NA120 owned by a member of our society.
I liked the build quality. Very nice fit and finish. Much better than your average achromat. I didn't like the focuser however, very stiff ... but this could be owner preference (I haven't actually asked).
Optically it's much better than your typical achro, but certainly not colour free. I'd guess it shows about half the CA you'd get from a standard achro of same aperture from memory. A recent look at Saturn did show a very faint purple haze, but I remember a look at Jupiter when it was last at opposition showed considerable violet ... for my eyes anyway. A minus-V filter would probably eliminate most if not all of it.
Thanks guys. Looks like the scope is a bit of a monster (as I suppose you'd expect for a 140mm refractor). Seems to need the Vixen Atlux mount, so not exactly a quick grab and go scope!
Oops. Hit enter too soon. So even with such an attractive price on the OTA, by the time you add a suitable mount, it's going to cost as much, if not more, than a brand new 8" LX90, which is the most likely scope I'll end up buying, and so the scope against everything else will be judged.
I guess you can't expect miracles from a scope this cheap. There's definitely a reason why Vixen APOs and Tele Vue scopes cost a lot more!
The NA140 is very light for its aperture and will (for visual) sit on a GPDX/GM8 capacity mount, but it will be at the mount/tripod limit, but it's still probably around $4K all up new with the OTA at that price. You could look at the NA130....cheaper, lighter and a slightly longer focal ratio (less CA).
If your aperture deprived (as your title suggests), I'd highly recommend a 10" dob, and if the portability factor doesnt bother you, a 12" dob. The GSO dobs sold by (for example) Bintel are great value. They're mirror centre spotted, have cooling fans, have crayford focusers (upgradeable to a 5:1 fine focus for bugger all) and have more aperture.
With quality eyepieces they'll offer you more light grab and, in my personal opinion, far better views than an 8" SCT....and for the price of the SCT you'll get the dob and 2 or 3 premium EPs...and the EPs will make a world of difference (assuming your gig is visual observing).
I purchased the Vixen NA140SSf a few months ago from Astro Optical and can only say it performs brilliantly, at least on star fields and nebulae as I haven't had a chance to observe the moon or planets as yet. In particular, when observing M42, the nebulosity is very apparent and contrasts well. I recall that the trapezium showed perfect pinpoint stars at 100x and the fifth member was well resolved. I wish I could say the same for my 10" LX200.
The OTA weighs in at around 6.5KG and looks like it was made for the EQ6 Pro. With the EQ6/V3 on special recently I thought this would make an ideal combination. It was originally going to be fitted to my HEQ5 Pro however it seems to sit and look better on the EQ6. The focuser is a rack and pinion affair and is very smooth with no apparent lash and can be locked in position. It feels stronger than some Crayfords I've used however it is a shame that no brass compression ring is fitted to hold your eyepieces, only two screws. I replaced the Vixen dovetail with a standard 20cm long dovetail as it wasn't suitable on the EQ6 (OK on the HEQ5). Only one counterweight is needed although if you need to use a camera, large eyepiece etc., you can easily add the other weight which comes with the mount.
When I get time, a full review will be forthcoming and I am sure it will be all positive. A quick pic is shown to give some idea of the OTA on the EQ6.
I owned a Vixen NA130SS for some time before I swapped it for an MX916 camera. This 'scope is excellent. Less colour than a similar sized acro. 5 stars int the trapezium (never saw 6 stars), split alpha-geminorum with ease. Double-Double in Lyra - clear split. Split Antares once.
On planets - as my school reports said "could do better".
Beautiful flat field - perfect wide field 'scope.
Holds magnification to x360.
Chromatic aberration shows when viering the moon - dark purple shadows. An APO shows black shadows.
