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View Full Version here: : How’s this for a roller coaster week

DJT
10-02-2022, 09:05 PM
So…
…Last Thursday a kerbside Celestron 76 Astro tracker was donated to me to see if anything could be done with it..

…on Friday a new to me FC76DCU arrived …

…On Saturday I got an email from AstroPhysics asking me if I’m still interested in the AP130 starfire GTX I’ve been on the list for for the past 9 years..

…On Tuesday I was made redundant…


…yesterday I was asked if I would be ready to have the 130 GTX now…

…today they confirmed it’s shipping tomorrow..

Aaaand breeeeath……:drink::drink:

Life is good :P
strongmanmike
16-02-2022, 11:55 AM
Wow, yeah that's pretty exciting! :) oh...and, like a new baby, the beers (https://pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/165735102/original) :whistle:

Mike
DJT
16-02-2022, 04:16 PM
That’s been restored and is going into my Airbnb place where it’s very dark

And as for beers…. Just had to pay the duty for the GTX it to be released from customs. It will be tap water for now.. (not)

Christening Photo will follow
Peter Ward
16-02-2022, 05:11 PM
Only nine years? .....so it was just a short wait then :)

Did you order the FFC and QUAD reducer too?
DJT
16-02-2022, 08:07 PM
Hi Peter

I didn’t. I just got the prime focus field flattener.

I do have an FSQ106n so figured the quad wouldn’t give me much and might consider the FFC later but given the landed cost including duty on this thing guilt kicked in.

Thinking on, I could just sell the tak and get the quad which I might look at later as well but they are a tad expensive though undoubtedly very good.

David
Peter Ward
16-02-2022, 09:00 PM
A good call. There is quite a bit of field curvature without it.

I'm sure you will be delighted with the 130GTX.

It's an awesome 'scope. :thumbsup:
DJT
23-02-2022, 08:43 PM
😁

After 2 days watching it sitting in a depot it arrived.
strongmanmike
24-02-2022, 12:33 AM
Yeeeah baaaaby! ;) :drink:

Beautiful looking scope David :)

Mike
gregbradley
24-02-2022, 09:29 AM
Congrats.

I have had several high end APO scopes and the 130GT (very similar to this) is my favourite.

So light and easy to handle. Stunning for visual as well. Stars are tiny pinpoints with a good eyepiece.
The quad corrector is a great accessory but if you are using it with a full frame CMOS cameras it does require patient tilt correction as everything is more sensitive to these small pixelled full frame sensor cameras.


Greg.