How’s this for a roller coaster week

[DJT (David)]

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……

Life is good

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Wow, yeah that's pretty exciting! oh...and, like a new baby, the beers

Mike

[DJT (David)]

Originally Posted by Hans Tucker

So ... nothing can be done fore the Celestron 76 Astro tracker?

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]

Originally Posted by DJT

So…
....... still interested in the AP130 starfire GTX I’ve been on the list for for the past 9 years..

Only nine years? .....so it was just a short wait then

Did you order the FFC and QUAD reducer too?

[DJT (David)]

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

Only nine years? .....so it was just a short wait then

Did you order the FFC and QUAD reducer too?

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]

Originally Posted by DJT

Hi Peter

I just got the prime focus field flattener.


David

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.

[DJT (David)]

😁

After 2 days watching it sitting in a depot it arrived.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Yeeeah baaaaby!

Beautiful looking scope David

Mike

[gregbradley]

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.