Would you rate this apo better than a average "sct" on the planets, and the moon?
I know it's not a TAK, but the contrast should be better than a sct. Is it?
I had a second 10:1 focus knob set in my box, did everyone get this?
Sorry I didn't read the post correctly. I didn't have a second focus knob.
I also took some images after the moon rose using an ST7 through filters rather than the single shot 40D of M83.
I only took single 5 min exposures through each colour and 2x 5 min lum frames. The blue halos are not present in this image although it is a pretty crap image due to the short exposures.
Phew , thats good to know. Its what Tom at Cloudy Nights also said...careful focusing can eliminate the halos.
that is good to know, I did notice this go in the eyepiece when mucking about with it. But I couldnt replicate it with the camera (thats when the software played up so did it by eye.).
Do not mount the 127ED direct to an EQ6. The dovetail bar supplied with my 127ED is a cast item and the dovetail section is too short to fit correctly in the EQ6. It'll go in, but will not be properly secured. Fortunately I tested this before I mounted the tube in the rings. Subsequently I had to mount the 127ED in the side-by-side set-up intended for my ED80. I'll replace the dovetail bar with an off the shelf 8" bar and it'll be fine.
The focuser will not lift a 35mm Panoptic. It doesn't slip, but it needs assistance when going uphill. Smaller eyepieces are fine.
Seeing was only 5/10 and some high cloud started to move in around 9pm. Transparency varied 3/10 to 7/10.
The evening was too windy for imaging but we had a great night of observing.
The views through the 127ED using a 35mm Panoptic were stunning to say the least. I'll say it again, stunning!
The Carina region was bright, sharp and contrasty. The Lagoon and Trifid fitted into the same field and were a sight to behold.
Omega Centauri was resolved to the core, the effect was 3-dimensional.
Small globulars were shown in good detail at higher magnification (10mm Radian).
I didn't notice false colour on bright stars.
Jupiter showed up well through the haze, some banding could be seen but the seeing let us down before we reached the resolution limit of the 127ED.
It's true the 127mm ED is not in the same class, at least mechanically, as a TAK or Televue. Optically it's great. I think it's the best value for money in a 'large' ED refractor available today. Is this an indication of what will the future bring? If so, the future looks bright...
I can't wait for a clear night. The 127ED should be a great imaging scope.
Do not mount the 127ED direct to an EQ6. The dovetail bar supplied with my 127ED is a cast item and the dovetail section is too short to fit correctly in the EQ6. It'll go in, but will not be properly secured. Fortunately I tested this before I mounted the tube in the rings. Subsequently I had to mount the 127ED in the side-by-side set-up intended for my ED80. I'll replace the dovetail bar with an off the shelf 8" bar and it'll be fine.
The focuser will not lift a 35mm Panoptic. It doesn't slip, but it needs assistance when going uphill. Smaller eyepieces are fine.
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I can't wait for a clear night. The 127ED should be a great imaging scope.
Cheers,
Rob
Rob i had no problems mounting the scope to the EQ6. sure the bar is short, but it is manageable and mounted securely.
I have not tried a heavy eyepiece yet, might have a go with a 34mm meade 2" ultrawide?
Had NO problems mounting mine at all and find with 2" LVW eyepieces or a Canon20d no problem with the focusser. Make sure you use the proper tensioning screw for the eyepiece or camera. I think there must be some variability with the scopes in relation to what is attached to them. I know that my finderscope is completely different to those that are being shipped at the moment. Any possibility of a photo to illustrate what you mean? I notice in weatherman's photos that there is a completely differnt bar arrangement for attaching the finderscope.
I did have a problem with the dovetail and it flipped out of the mount. Fortunately no damage was done. I then looked closely at the dovetail. You have to centre it carefully in on the mount as it has only about 1cm of movement up or down before it loses it's grip.
On a better note I took more pics last night. I focussed carefully and "NO PURPLE HALO. The pics are of M16 taken with an unmodded 40D. 7x 5 mins, darks, flats etc processed with Iris.
The bigger image is full frame at 50x80arcmins. The smaller one is a crop from the centre.
See how the dovetail section is recessed, with a square section at each end. This recessed section is shorter than the EQ6 dovetail foot, so the dovetail is spaced off the EQ6 dovetail recess. Because of this offset, the dovetail bolts on my EQ6 'only just' contact the lower edge of this dovetail section. If I tighten the mount bolts and then give the rings a hard push, the dovetail lets go.
Looks like a clear night tonight. I'll try to take some shots to demonstrate what I'm talking about here.
Nice photos but you may have to look carefully at how your camera is going into the focusser. It appears that on the left hand side of your full-frame shot there is slight elongation of stars which is absent on the right hand side. Excellent that you have no blue halo therefore good correction
See how the dovetail section is recessed, with a square section at each end. This recessed section is shorter than the EQ6 dovetail foot, so the dovetail is spaced off the EQ6 dovetail recess. Because of this offset, the dovetail bolts on my EQ6 'only just' contact the lower edge of this dovetail section. If I tighten the mount bolts and then give the rings a hard push, the dovetail lets go.
Looks like a clear night tonight. I'll try to take some shots to demonstrate what I'm talking about here.
Nice photos but you may have to look carefully at how your camera is going into the focusser. It appears that on the left hand side of your full-frame shot there is slight elongation of stars which is absent on the right hand side. Excellent that you have no blue halo therefore good correction
Not sure about this. The camera is connected using a 2" adapter directly in the focuser. I can't see how I could change it's tilt. In the raw images there is some smearing on the right hand side also but it isn't quite even. Some must be non flat field and some might be a tilted camera. I will have to experiment.
As you tighten up the 2" adapter into the focusser have a very careful look at the spacing between them. As its tightened it can go off axis very slightly and mess with the field flatness.
I overcame this by changing the 2" adapter to a WO band.
As you tighten up the 2" adapter into the focusser have a very careful look at the spacing between them. As its tightened it can go off axis very slightly and mess with the field flatness.
I overcame this by changing the 2" adapter to a WO band.
Allan, does this mean you have identified the thread on the draw tube and found something that fits?? I have a WO66 SD and the 2" adapter for that - but it does not fit on the 127 ?
They certainly look the same to me - I wonder if Steve is getting ripped off on the buy price?
I think so yes, they are also at Astro Optical for the same amount. They do claim to have individual optical reports for their scopes and the one I saw had a different finder (erect image) to the one I have.
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