I am really looking forward to receiving this scope, its been a bit of a roller coaster ride for me with the thought of being ripped off. I would not have been so concerned if he had at least let me know what was happening with the order but not answering emails and having emails bounce back as not deliverable was a bit of concern. Houghy played a big part yesterday by also sending email to Gilman, I dont know what was in it but obviously it worked.
Anyway I am on holidays as of friday and will be travelling around this great state and hopefully find some dark, clear skies. Going from Roma to Mt Isa and meet up with the Astro Guys there and then Townsville Yeppoon and the Gold Coast and Barambah on the way home to Roma about 10 days of driving. The plans will more likely to change at anytime.
I'm considering one of these scopes, & I feel like I've been on a roller coaster ride just lurking on this thread!
- Mike
I will not vouch for the company - but their english translation is not good so there can be a little difference in the interpretation of some questions. I feel as though if you keep sending emails to them it becomes like spam – and they ignore it. The bottom line is they are a company that is in the business of making and delivering the 127Ed APO and from my experience you will wait out the 40 days, plus or minus a few weeks depending on whether or not they were able to secure the materials to build the scopes within the quoted timeframe. the delivery once sent is very prompt! Their focusers are not the best – either need tweaking or like a few of us have done gone out and purchased a moonlite focuser for this beast. Optically this scope has knocked my socks off, unfortunately for me imaging was a nightmare because of the focuser, but from Allan Gould’s experience and you can see from his images it is a winner. I took the gamble, and I think for me it has paid off, even with an upgraded focuser, way cheaper than if I had gone to get a scope of this size from someone else (they retail in AUS for over $3000, see here(http://www.myastroshop.com.au/produc...asp?id=MAS-430 ), and here (http://www.astro-optical.com.au/view...=name&x=32&y=7 ) now you must realise that with the Aussie dollar going down the gurgler yet again (currently under 78), that this will affect the pricing on these scopes. I bought mine when the Australian dollar was very near the 96 cent mark – bargain!! So if you are after one of these – go in with your eyes open and be ready to accept delays, it’s worth the wait.
I also received a email from Gilman yesterday confirming priced on these scopes and accessories :
Dear David
Thank you for your mail.
our ED 127 with dual speed focuser, OTA,
with ring and dovetail rail,
with aluminium case package,
without diagonal and eyepiece.
USD815
other accessories are option as follows :
high reflex 2" diagonal, USD20
high reflex 2" diagonal with adapter, USD22
high reflex 2" dielectric diagonal,USD55
8x50 finder scope with illuminating reticle, USD25
8x50 finder scope erected image, with illuminating reticle, USD70
WA10mm, USD20
WA15mm, USD21
WA20mm, USD22
ED2.3mm, USD29
ED3.8mm, USD29
ED5.2mm, USD30
ED7.5mm, USD31
ED9.5mm, USD32
ED12.5mm, USD32
ED14mm, USD33
ED18mm, USD33
ED21mm, USD34
ED25mm, USD34
2"/50.8mm, 2x, ED Barlow Lens, Multi Coated, USD35
there are 2 kinds of mounts as follows :
(1)
ED80 small altaz mount with goto system & tripod, USD210
ED102, ED127 big altaz mount with goto system & GPS & tripod & aluminium case, USD590
(2) EQ5 equatorial mount, USD125,
goto system is USD280,
GPS is USD95,
Thanks a lot.
how difficult is it to install a Moonlite? and is collimation a challenge as well?
it literally just screws onto the tube assembly - end of story and done in under a minute, that's removing the old focuer and installing the new one. I have not had a chance yet to adjust or test the collimation, but i will. Actually i have not had time to read the literature that came with the focuser. perhaps I should
Greg,
its no Tak, but its no lemon either (except for the bog standard focuser (unless they took on board Allan and My suggestions)) seek out Allan's images and have a look. As for the price - i posted the current price in USD above ^^^^^ , but when i got mine it cost me 1237 AUD delivered and 538 USD for the motorised moonlight focuser. Visually it is spectacular - very sharp. I am yet to image properly with mine but hope to in the near future. Would I give it up and sell it - NO. Fantastic portable setup - the case is brilliant and as Allan has proved it will operate on the HEQpro5!
This may be the start of what Roland Christen of AstroPhysics fears - high quality Chinese triplets at low prices. They may end up being the Takahashi's of 20 years from now.
Oh it looks a bargain to be sure. Which Moonlite did you get to fit? (I don't see it on their flange chart).
Regards, Mike
i found an email which will describe everything:
From: RONALD NEWMAN
To: David Hough
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 11:22 PM
Subject: moonlite
Hi Dave,
Good to hear from you.
We have the new version in stock, but when ordering put a note in the comments box "For new ED 127" that way we ship the correct flange on the focuser.
Yes the new ED 127 flange is collimatable, and holds focus when rotated. We put twin dove tails finder brackets on this particular flange. It looks close to the Vixen style flange (shown on our page under the CFL models) in regard to the finder bracket layout.
We have not added the new focuser to the web page yet, however see attached photos--
Looks like the 127's made it to the Moonlite web page now (unless I missed it entirely last time I looked). I've also (ahem) emailed Gilman ... though I know that's a slippery slope I'm loitering near ...
Are we talking $450USD for the correct Moonlite Focuser?
What would be the best mount for this scope? The EQ5 that North group sells is not the HEQ5, right? I'm a little confused about these mounts. Are they made by Skywatcher, or HiOptic? Anyone know?
Skywatcher has an EQ5, EQ6, EQ5 Pro Syntek and EQ6 Pro Syntek. There is a new one, an NEQ6.
Is there another vendor in China that sells these mounts?
Are we talking $450USD for the correct Moonlite Focuser?
What would be the best mount for this scope? The EQ5 that North group sells is not the HEQ5, right? I'm a little confused about these mounts. Are they made by Skywatcher, or HiOptic? Anyone know?
Skywatcher has an EQ5, EQ6, EQ5 Pro Syntek and EQ6 Pro Syntek. There is a new one, an NEQ6.
Is there another vendor in China that sells these mounts?
yes, if you go for the manual focus one. remember to order the locking mechinism which is extra. HEQ5PRo or the EQ6pro, or a losmandy G11 or overkill with a titan, or G8 for that matter, probably a temma mount as well, paramount ME, probably even get away with a meade LX75 mount, and the celestron version? as for the makers - go to their respective web sites
The best mount for a scope of this size or weight would be the EQ6 without doubt. Then you can add a guide scope etc without problems
Quote:
Originally Posted by JR1560
Are we talking $450USD for the correct Moonlite Focuser?
What would be the best mount for this scope? The EQ5 that North group sells is not the HEQ5, right? I'm a little confused about these mounts. Are they made by Skywatcher, or HiOptic? Anyone know?
Skywatcher has an EQ5, EQ6, EQ5 Pro Syntek and EQ6 Pro Syntek. There is a new one, an NEQ6.
Is there another vendor in China that sells these mounts?
Are we talking $450USD for the correct Moonlite Focuser?
What would be the best mount for this scope? The EQ5 that North group sells is not the HEQ5, right? I'm a little confused about these mounts. Are they made by Skywatcher, or HiOptic? Anyone know?
Skywatcher has an EQ5, EQ6, EQ5 Pro Syntek and EQ6 Pro Syntek. There is a new one, an NEQ6.
Is there another vendor in China that sells these mounts?
I have mine piggybacked on my VC200L on an EQ6. I can switch around the imager and guider depending on which scope I want to use. Currently the 127mm is being used as a guide scope as I'm taking photometry images through the VC200L but for pretty pics when there isn't any moon around I will probably swap them. I had to add about 8kg of weights to the mount with this combination but it is still well under the mounts rating and will goto accurately. I will usually have my target within a 18x12arcmin CCD frame after slewing.
- but their english translation is not good so there can be a little difference in the interpretation of some questions. I feel as though if you keep sending emails to them it becomes like spam – and they ignore it. The bottom line is they are a company that is in the business of making and delivering the 127Ed APO and from my experience you will wait out the 40 days, plus or minus a few weeks depending on whether or not they were able to secure the materials to build the scopes within the quoted timeframe. the delivery once sent is very prompt! Their focusers are not the best – either need tweaking or like a few of us have done gone out and purchased a moonlite focuser for this beast. Optically this scope has knocked my socks off, unfortunately for me imaging was a nightmare because of the focuser, but from Allan Gould’s experience and you can see from his images it is a winner. I took the gamble, and I think for me it has paid off, even with an upgraded focuser, way cheaper than if I had gone to get a scope of this size from someone else (they retail in AUS for over $3000, see here(
and is currently on the plane winging its way to Oz as we speak
and as Allan has proved it will operate on the HEQpro5!
as for the makers - go to their respective web sites
