180mm refractor

[Harb]

I am thinking of buying and bringing this in from the US.....
Do you have any opinions on these say compared to a Tak....

Its a TMB-APM 180 f/9 CNC EDstar

Here are some images taken through her by her last owner.


http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9100/45573111zj3.jpg

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/1140/45573112uw7.jpg

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/812/45573113yu5.jpg

and the OTA itself

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2526/tmb180001qy1.jpg

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4961/tmb180002fb8.jpg

[M110]

Hi Harb, I'm a newbie. I was just looking at the pics through the scope, they are stunning. Did the guy say where it was mounted by chance? I was thinking, in the same orbit as the hubble. Pretty amazing pics for only180mm. Good luck you'll be the envy of everybody here taking pics like that.
Cheers for now
Andrew

[ballaratdragons]

Wow Harb, that is a great looking scope!

And those amazing images!!!!!!!!

Sorry, can't help with any info about the scope itself. Just had to comment on how great those images are :eyepop:

A review: http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=460&pr=2x6x17

[jase]

You may have already seen the review on CN: http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=460&pr=2x6x17 (http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=460&pr=2x6x17)

Appears to be a nice OTA. The TMB telescopes are renowned for optical quality, though I have read some reviews of disappointed users (in particular around the 100mm F/L instrument TMB makes). There are some trade offs. You’ll still require the use of a field flatner for astrophotography to get round stars to the edge. Also the TMB telescopes are traditionally much heavier than other refractors of similar size. 45 pounds (20kg) isn’t light. It is identical in weight to the C14 OTA. Add another 5 or 10kg for imaging equipment, guide scope etc and you need to check you mount rating. :) Such a long OTA can be a tricky to balance or more importantly ensure it doesn’t hit tripod legs in the field.

None the less, it’s a great start to imaging, but don’t loose sight of the big picture. A great OTA is useless if your mount doesn’t track well or you don’t match it to correctly to your CCD camera.

Don't hesitate :thumbsup:

[johnno]

Hi All,

I have to say,for a Refractor,that is a scope and a half,

Hope it works well for you,It should.

Regards.
John

[Harb]

Thanks guys,
Yeah, the chap that owns it at the moment is upgrading and has offered it to me for about half what it cost new in 2001.
He sent me the pics that were taken through it, to give me some idea of the optics.........
It sparked my interest, as I was looking at bringing in a 150mm Tak early next year, and this one will become available at about the same time, and although second hand and the same price as the new 150mm Tak, it is 30mm bigger aperature and is in mint condition......
Its a difficult one, I am still pondering!!.....................

Buy the way jase............I am still swaying back and forth on either the Los Titan or the Paramount........either should carry this OTA ok as long as the acc load isn't to high.
My main interest at this stage is planetary imaging, but that will no doubt spill over into DSO's.....

[g__day]

Awesome - buy what is the cost like?

[Harb]

It was $18,000 USD in 2001, I can get it now for $10,500 USD in mint condition...............
I am still very undecided which way to go here, as I really want to go to a high end scope for the long term.......but I am still thinking is this the one....
I am on a mission to find out all I can about it first before I spend up....

[Ric]

Hi Harb,
that is a very very nice scope and the images are equally impressive.

cheers

[g__day]

I think its worth it for a 7" APO of high quality. But it will need a killer mount...

[jase]

Harb,
IMHO - focus on the mount first. Get a good solid platform that will last you for years. Your optics will change with time. You may decide to mount a 28mm F/2.8 lens for some wide field work or go all they way up to a classical cassegrain @ 6300mm F/22 to get those planets. Regardless of the optics, the mount is the critical component. It also depends on your intentions. Dare I say it, but taking pretty pictures isn't much of a challenge for the mid to high-end mounts - especially with today's autoguiding techniques. If you want to push your mount, get into research. When you start doing supernova searches where you script your mount to accurately point to 150-200 galaxies a night to image, goto and pointing performance is vital.

If you can do both i.e buy the TMB and a quality mount... what are you waiting for...;)

...Didn't you have a boat to sell?

[Harb]

for the lumps on my head to go down from the new Work Equipment I just brought a month ago :eyepop:

some of my excuses are geting a bit worn down.....I need some new ones, any idea's

boy those rolling pins are hard:scared:

John

[johnno]

Hi All,

Harb,

I have already said,THAT,is one heck of a Scope,But after having a good look at the Photograph's taken through it,
And bearing in mind,

M110/Andrews,comment,re the Hubble,
I would give some Very serious thought to shelling out that kind of money.also bearing in mind,the cost of a mount to do it justice.

I am FAR,and a long way,from the Knowledge,and Expertise,from MOST,of the members here,BUT,
I would be seriously checking out those Images,They do seem Stunning,in fact, Almost,as good as the Hubble.


Just Trying to help.

Regards.
John

[Gama]

Have you considered or even looked thru an RCX scope ?.

You will find the optics are magic. The setup gives you a very wide field, electronic focus and collimation, goto, gps blah blah..
The optical performance of the RCX will suprise you. So much so that a couple of Ritchie Critien manufactures in U.S.A are trying to sue Meade over there design claiming loss in sales..
I own a RCX and im talking pinpoint stars to the edge and no abberation anywhere.

[rmcpb]

Great looking scope and photos but do you need to add import duties to a price tag like that?

[Satchmo]

A 7" F9 telescope for say $16,000 Aussie dollars landed ??? You could put together an equivalent Newtonian for 1/10 the price and there would be no coma over a 35mm frame. ;)

Mark

[Harb]

I will be honest and say No I haven't, but I am in no hurry, so I will take the time I think to go to a few star parties and check out what is around....
Maybe an observatory or 2 as well.

Re the Pic's, we maybe they are real, maybe not, I can't really say, but with all things for sale, I always take most info with a pinch of salt.
I have no reason to think the guy is dishonest though, so who can tell.

Re the import duties, We have Various Tv equipment going back and forth sometimes so I recon this is definately a telephoto lens that has been aligned and is on its way back;)

I haven't ever had to pay duties on second hand Camera equipment yet, and this has a lens at the end of the tube, and I have the Camera adaptor, so let em tell me otherwise.
We on ocassions get tight shots of the moon for broadcast at night time sporting jobs , so this will do the job nice;) ;)

Re the mount, definately will be putting whatever I buy on the best mount I can justify..........bearing in mind this will be a long term purchase, that will keep me happy for years....well that is the plan anyway :lol:
The Search continues...........

[astroboy]

I would have to agree with Mark , when it comes to planets I think 180mm is a bit on the small side and a good 10" newt would eat it alive and the other issue is F9 is very slow for DSO imaging and although a good reducer would get it down to F7 you may find you can only image one object per night.
I guess what I'm trying to say is I find most refactors are like SCTs , a jack of all trades scope but at a higher level.
If I had money to burn I would probably buy one the 12" Tak Mulons for planet imaging and visual and a fast astrograph for other stuff.

Zane