AOE Refractors?

[quokka]

I've been looking at picking up a refractor as a quick look / portable scope and I'm wondering does anyone have any experience with AOE 80mm & 90mm refractors. They look quite good for the price, and their specs make me think that they are not sourced from the usual Synta range.

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Just bought an 80mm AOE refractor as a guidescope - I'll let you know about quality when it arrives (very soon hopefully)
Doug

ps...I don't expect it to be bad as AOE tend to provide decent quality stuff!
An Achromat isn't going to give you photographic quality - but will be good for a visual scope at 80 and 90mm.
All the best

Contact them directly, Dan is a decent guy online!!!

[quokka]

Thanks dugnsuz, I'll be interested in your opinion, but I'll take your advice and get in contact with AOE as well.

[davewaldo]

This is what Ruff told me when I questioned the differences between the 80 and 90:

"I think for general purpose astronomical use the 80mm will be better, it
does have better coatings (FMC as compared to MC) and shows less CA thanthe 90mm. It also takes high power surprisingly well. However the 90mm
is also good because it does grab that extra light for the wide fields
of view but if you want a multi function that you can push the power up
for also some closer planetary views without as much CA then the 80mm
would be the way to go."


I'm looking at getting the 80mm for a grab-n-go and down the track a guidescope.

I too will be interested in your evaluation of the scope Dugnsuz

Cheers,

Dave.

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Just received the 80mm OTA (+ tube rings) at work!
White OTA with gun metal grey mechanical parts (focuser etc), retractable dew shield - smooth. Bracket to add finderscope on focuser assembly.
Lots of outward travel on the R+P focuser, Multicoatings on lens look good too.
Yet to try it out visually.
I'll be using this as a guidescope for autoguiding, and it looks like it will do the job well. A nice solid little scope for under $200 I reckon (so far!!)
Cheers
Doug

[davewaldo]

Great!

Do you have clear skies down your way at the moment?

Any chance of a visual firstlight any time soon?

Dave.

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Originally Posted by davewaldo

Great!

Do you have clear skies down your way at the moment?

Any chance of a visual firstlight any time soon?

Dave.

It's clear in Adelaide now, last night was great.
First light perhaps tonight if I can get it hooked up to the mount, I don't have a 1.25" diagnonal so it'll have to be a straight through look! Ouch my neck!!!!
Cheers
Doug

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Had a quick look tonight...
First impressions - a bit rough!!
Obvious CA around Jupiter as expected, seaguls at edge of field with a 15mm GSO SuperView as expected!!
Might be good as a widefield scope for scanning Milky Way at low power. But pushing magnification up to 120x showed up its weaknesses.
Note: focuser is 1.25" so no 2" EPs on this scope!!
Should work fine as a guide scope I hope.
If you can, try and get an ED80 as a grab and go - the difference between these 2 80mm scopes is marked.
Cheers
Doug

[davewaldo]

hmmm that doesn't sound so good..... But the price is right.....

[quokka]

Dugnsuz, do you have anything more on the AOE80 now you've had it for a little while? Better or worse than your initial impressions?

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by dugnsuz

seaguls at edge of field with a 15mm GSO SuperView as expected!!

Cheers
Doug

Yep, that would be the EP, not the scope.

[quokka]

Thanks. I think it might just be a case of, as dave waldo said, " the price is right".

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Originally Posted by quokka

Dugnsuz, do you have anything more on the AOE80 now you've had it for a little while? Better or worse than your initial impressions?

Perhaps I would soften on my initial impression a little.
At lower powers the scope is really pretty good - objective lens is nicely multicoated, widefield views are very nice. At low power CA is noticeable (but not horrible) on brighter objects - Jupiter, Moon.
Higher powers (over 100x) are more telling and other factors come into play too...the R+P focuser is a bit sticky (even after Super Lube treatment) and doesn't help in achieving critical focussing.
For Grab and Go/ Wide Field viewing it will be good I reckon. Price is right as stated.
OTA can be bought seperately and comes with tube rings but no diagonal for $195, and as you said in the original post I don't think they're Synta scopes. Best to contact AOE re the source.

Cheers
Doug
ps... fantastic guidescope!