Oh boy!

[LewisM]

When I first went to upgrade after 20 years recently, I had a hard choice between a refractor or a reflector. In the end, I settled on a Skywatcher 180mm Mak, and do not regret it! A WONDERFUL scope indeed.

I could not get my refractor thirst out of my mind (I had been a refractor user for YEARS, before upgrading to a 10" Newt. (Dob. mounted), and then to the Mak. So, just this week I traded for a Skywatcher ED80.

Last night here in QLD it was a gorgeous, COLD night. The seeing on the coast was SUPERB - nary an air shimmer to be seen, and the clouds seemed to evaporate in my sphere of observation. Took the ED80 out, mounted and balanced it on my HEQ5 Pro, did a really rough polar alignment (that turned out to actually be my most precise polar alignment ever!), and took a peek.

Now, the Mak gave superb, flat, DEEP field of views. Incredible contrast. The ED80 though...:eyepop::eyepop::eyepop: I mean, WOW. What were SSHARP pinpoints in the Mak were absolutely beyond perfect in the ED80. The Mak will show a VERY small amount of "starburst" on Achenar etc, but the ED80 revealed just perfect round stars with NO coma, abberation etc etc.

So, I settled in for a night of it, and finally went to bed at 4am (freezing to death in the process). The moon was at 98% last night (GRRRR), but the superb optics of the ED80 still allowed me to easily see MANY diffuse and planetary nebulae, a couple galaxies, several globulars, as well as Neptune, Uranus and Pluto (I used my imagination :lol:, content with the fact that the alignment was SO good that each and every goto assignment centred the object first try every try).

The thing I rapidly found out is how average the quality of the Orion Sirius Plossl's are in a GOOD scope. In the Mak, they were/are perfectly fine. In the ED80, they rapidly show their inherent problems - you get what you pay for. I find the Skywatcher supplied 28mm absolutely horrendous (I almost cannot use it). I guess I will have to spring for some Televue eyepieces afterall to bring out the best of her (though, I will admit the Orion 40mm Plossl is a nice one)

Now decisions... sell the Mak or not? :) I need an autoguider, so I think I will have to. Anyone ever mounted a 180mm Maksutov onto an 80mm ED80 to use as a guidescope? :lol::rofl::lol::rofl:

[gbeal]

Great report. Keep the Mak, well, don't sell it just for a guide-scope for the 80mm. Acquire a 50mm finder and mount the guide camera in that, it will be more than adequate for guiding either scope, certainly the 80mm.
Gary

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Gary's wisdom is sound.
Any ratty old boiler will do as guidescope - you don't need an expensive triplet.

[LewisM]

Was only semi-serious... made an alternate decision and will get a mount bar and mount BOTH scopes side by side. Probably - no, definitely- use the ED80 as the camera tube, and keep looking through that wonderful Mak.

NOW I am glad I kept that extra 5.1 kg counterweight that I bought :) I think I'll need to max out counterweights on the HEQ5 now! Hope that mount doesn't start going all coffee-grinder on me with all the added weight.

I think I'll get a Vixen NVW22 when I order the double mount bar.... just no-one tell the wife please. When I walked out of Sirius Optics the other day with that little ED80 in it's aluminium box, she stood there with her arms crossed. The "discussion" lasted until I was back in Brisbane city itself... ah red heads, gotta love 'em :) :) :)

[Screwdriverone]

Ahh yes....."the discussion" Had many of these and you will find, the "discussion" never actually ends, as it is often brought back up again when she wants to buy something for herself later on and you say..."wait on, we have a bill to pay".....then "the look" is brought out and its on again.....:)

Sounds like I may have to loan my brother in law's Skywatcher ED80 to put on my scope and have a red hot go with it, he barely uses his (I told his missus to get him one on an AZ3 mount when he is in the outback as its a doddle to use - he isnt a techo) so I may have to look after it for him, just to make sure they are getting their money's worth from it. :D

Cheers

Chris

[gbeal]

Well, I'm in the discussion already so why stop dealing out advice.
Forget the double SBS bar, forget it.
If you want to use both scopes at the same time then maybe, but I don't think this is what you are contemplating. The added weight and annoyance just isn't worth it. If the only reason you are buying it is to guide with one while you image with the other, go back to the finder-guider. Cheaper than a SBS, and better.
Gary

[LewisM]

Chris, how do you find the Orion mini-guider?

Was thinking to use it, or just add a dedicated guider to the ED80 when I will have both scopes dual mounted.

I bought one of the custom machined full 2" solid T rings/tubes from the USA, so that can go right into the back of the Mak (though, may need a 2" spacer tube yet - will need to check it, as the length seems too short)

[Screwdriverone]

Hey Lewis,

The 50mm Orion mini guidescope is awesome. Able to accept an eyepiece if you want, or the DBK21Au618 is a fantastic guidescope, so sensitive compared to the Philips toucam by a factor of 5.

So light, wide field, its great. If you want one, GET ONE! they rock.

Cheers

Chris

[LewisM]

Funny thing with the wife... I was all OOOH AHHHH in the front yard setup, and she heard me from the kitchen. Came out for a look (arms still crossed LOL). Naturally showed her Saturn. She said it was SO much smaller than in the Maksutov, and why the hell did you buy this one? I said, look again, and see the banding... and the shadow... and...

It went over her head a bit (she is a psychiatrist, so is pretty knowledgeable though), and kepot saying the mak is much better. Well, yeah, it gives bigger images for the same eyepiece, but the contrast and definition in the ED80 is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO superior.

They both have their place, and I don't and won't sell either. I prefer to use the ED80, but the Mak sure shines when you want to go DEEPER and gather light like the proverbial bucket.

I'll get an Orion mini from Bintel or Sirius, and go from there :) My alignments are good, but still reveal a LITTLE trailing. I need more accuracy (was going to off-axis it, but getting lazy). Been even too lazy of late to do drift alignments.

[ZeroID]

Wish you guys would shuddup !! :mad2:
I keep contemplating an APO 80 or 100 buy but the cost keeps me from busting out. Now you go and post all this stuff and I get the itchies all over again !!!
Going to have to do some serious money raising work ... <sigh> :shrug:

Thanks .. not!! :lol:

( Nice interesting read btw ... :thumbsup:)

[LewisM]

My initial desire was for an ED120, but I persuaded myself to the Maksutov...and then the ED80.

I dunno, but comparing them is pointless really. The Mak has the wow factor in some areas, and the ED80 in others. What get's me more wowed is the fidelity of the view with the ED80.

Besides, refractors are just plain dead sexy IMHO - even the short ones :)

ITCHING to get outside the last 2 days, but commitments have stopped me - I am sitting here looking out, but have to stay in. Is their such a phenomenon as "Blue Eyes" in astronomy? Observus Interuptus?

[Screwdriverone]

Pssssst Brent!

Long Perng ED80 APO doublet at Andrews Comms = $599
OR
Williams Optics Megrez 72mm Doublet APO = $599.....:D
OR
Skywatcher complete package ED80 Black Diamond = $899 (case, rings, diagonal, finder etc)

Schweeet!

Don't mean to tempt you or anything.....;)

Cheers

Chris