Here's the first astrophotograph through it, prior to ANY tube/lens mods etc.
Not too bad - and this image is unedited stack of 12 x 20 sec exposures. Still getting green reflections... 2am and Orion is STILL JUST over a tree for me - if I wait till 0330 it should be better... YAWN...
OK, only had time for twilight seeing (besides targetting the finder on a distant dead tree I like using).
Yeah, I CAN see some chromatic abberation, but that's only when using the 2x Barlow and the 6.3mm eyepiece! Using the 40mm yields NIL CA. Using the 28 yields NIL, and the 17 shows a very VERY insignificant hint of purple. The 6.3 throws purple, reds, and blues But that's with the Barlow pushing it to max potential.
Trained it on Saturn... OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even with the 40mm, I could CLEARLY see the ring shadow, banding, etc. Then I threw in the 6.3....my jaw dropped. Seriously, OK, there's CA there at that mag, but I don't care, it doesn't worry me much. The detail I saw more than compensated for the CA.
Tried Mars. Again, a case of WOW! I split Alpha Centauri's double with consumate ease even using the 40mm eyepiece - child's play. The DEPTH of the field is amazing too - typical refractor - velvet dark sumptuousness. Did a collimation star shot, and please to report even after me disassembling the objective cell completely to clean it, it is still SPOT ON collimation. (did I mention that's a metric poop ton of glass up the front?).
Downsides:
1. it's BIG. Zenith observations is going to mean I have an air matress inflated outside on the ground
2. It's big, therefore there's a few moments. Focussing becomes a fun experience seeing how much it dances whilst trying to focus. My Crayford inbound will help resolve a LOT of that, but moreso after I counter-balance and tweak the tube as I have received PM's about. I expected this with such a big tube. I am considering trying to find a longer dovetail bar too to spread it a bit more, and maybe tightening the HEQ5 head a little.
3. As expected, and already in the process of remedying, the R&P, whilst GOOD for a R&P still is...an R&P focuser. It has some drawbacks (yes Sherlock )
4. The older SW diagonals are not the best. The newer ones are light years ahead, and I have swapped over already with my ED80's.
I threw a blanket over it in the garage after I had finished balancing (EASIER than I anticipated) it in the HEQ5, and put the polystyrene foam objective "cradle" over it to hold the blanket... My 4 year old daughter came out and said "Daddy, it's a dinosaur". So, the scope got the name "Dorothy" after the Wiggle's Dorothy the Dinosaur.
I have shimmed under the pull-off dew shield with more felt, as it did seem a little loose. It's now tight. The blue is growing on me, but still think it'll be white and black before Sunday
100%, in every way, this is the BEST bang for the buck possible! Large aperture refractor, with MINIMAL CA (that can be removed almost entirely thanks to a Chromacor - just got to get one!), built pretty darned right out of the box. A few refinements (focusser etc), and she will be a stunner in every way.
Oh, and it's a BIG! I had a neighbour come out when I was sighting it in. She said "Holy SH*T!" I just chuckled.
Hens teeth them things , have you looked on Cloudy Nites ? yet Lewis , there is one for sale there , as of Monday ?
Brian.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LewisM
I'll do some pictures today after I put some lead sheet inside the tube at the back... that's too long a moment arm balanced as is, and even touching it and off she goes (dampens quickly though). The HEQ5 handles it JUST fine, though with a camera attached last night, I had to stop the slew otherwise the camera was going to hit the tripod leg near zenith! (note to self - if, as expected I get REALLY serious about this scope, it get's a pier )
Photos did not disappoint, except for the expected CA in the bright stars. Hopefully, the Baader filter will kill a lot of that. Have decided WILL grab a ChromaCor, IF I can darned well secure one!
Nice 3D image , shows the depth of field well , that these refractors are good at .
Well done Lewis .
Brian.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LewisM
Here's the first astrophotograph through it, prior to ANY tube/lens mods etc.
Not too bad - and this image is unedited stack of 12 x 20 sec exposures. Still getting green reflections... 2am and Orion is STILL JUST over a tree for me - if I wait till 0330 it should be better... YAWN...
Not happy with the shot actually Brian. Yes, it shows BEAUTIFUL detail (in the original size), but this light pollution is starting to frustrate me no end. Going to HAVE to dump that bazooka in the car and do a road trip one of these nights - maybe as far out as Kingaroy, where a mate has a DARK farm.
Today, I folded 1.5kg of plumber's lead sheet into a donut (pictures later when I download them off the phone), covered in in flat black felt, and inserted it into my newly re-blackboard painted (ultra matt black) tube interior - butts up against the final baffle and in front of the focuser cone plate - no interference to movement or the light path. The new CoG is MUCH better - much farther aft (rather than almost at the objective bell!), and this will GREATLY minimise and dampen out vibrations (I HOPE!).
The ring scratches to the sky blue tube are annoying me...so much so I re-felted the rings. Now deciding if I go all out and white and black paint it... I like the classic refractor colour, so I think I will. Already taken the darned label sticker off - I HATE THOSE THINGS! The ones with the diameter, focal length etc on them - IF I reattach it, it'll be on the BOTTOM of the tube, but I think I will have a custom brass plate laser etched with the details, minus the Made in China bit
Can't WAIT for the 1:10 linear Crayford to arrive from Agena!
Yeah, I have verbal diarrhoea again, but bear with me - this refractor has really taken a spot in my heart.
Indeed. I keep smiling whenever I see that objective, and point it skyward
Well, I stripped it tonight, rubbed off the Skywatcher decals and the scratches, and shot it with 3 coats of etch primer. It already looks better in grey primer than that gad-awful skyblue metallic (I REALLY dislike SW's colour schemes - sure, doesn't affect the function, but... I just change it instead of moaning about it). I am leaving my ED80 alone though (again, at least my ED80 is not one of the gold painted ones...)
Photos soon. Still walking in circles making funny looks from the acetone fumes from the etch primerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ....
Dorothy , cool .
But that's with the Barlow pushing it to max potential.
Hens teeth them things 
, have you looked on Cloudy Nites ? yet Lewis , there is one for sale there , as of Monday ? 
Nice 3D image , shows the depth of field well , that these refractors are good at . 
