Refractor time...

[Greenman]

My long suffering wife has just ordered me a Celestron 102 AZ. I want to use this as a low cost option for bright DSO imaging.

It gets very reasonable reviews and should be mountable on my Nexstar SE6 setup or on the EQ mount for my 130 reflector.

Has anyone tried a similar set up. I will give you some feedback as things. Of course, this assumes it will not now rain for forty days and more importantly nights.

[Lady Fraktor]

Enjoy the new refractor, I would assume you would need a filter such as the Baader Fringe Killer to help keep some of the violet in check.

[Bigzmey]

Congrats on the new glass! Can't tell about AP, but it should be a good grab and go rig.

[Thefatkitty]

Hi GM, nicely done on the scope; good for you I have pretty much the same scope (at least for specs), it's the Nexstar 102SLT. I just have the OTA I bought used and put on my CG4 mount.

As for DSO's, you will see some achro tinging for sure if trying AP, most noticeably green stars. This is a not-quite-in-focus manually tracked 14 second exposure of M42 with my 102 from about two years ago. I used my Canon T3.

M42.JPG

Still, it is a great scope visually, and makes for a wonderful grab and go!

Enjoy it and all the best,

[Greenman]

Enjoy the new refractor, I would assume you would need a filter such as the Baader Fringe Killer to help keep some of the violet in check.

Hi LF,

It’s possible, but for fairly low mag wide work I’m hopeful the CA won’t be too bad. Still it will be fun finding out

[Greenman]

Hi GM, nicely done on the scope; good for you I have pretty much the same scope (at least for specs), it's the Nexstar 102SLT. I just have the OTA I bought used and put on my CG4 mount.

As for DSO's, you will see some achro tinging for sure if trying AP, most noticeably green stars. This is a not-quite-in-focus manually tracked 14 second exposure of M42 with my 102 from about two years ago. I used my Canon T3.

M42.JPG


Still, it is a great scope visually, and makes for a wonderful grab and go!

Enjoy it and all the best,

Hey Mark,

Thanks for the image, I agree on the grab and go, It’s partly for that too, ideal for a fast set up when time is tight. I want to carry it with me when I travel around the UK (as I do for my work).

Clear skies...

[Greenman]

OK just had first light on the 102 AZ, really nice views on a 3/8 crescent moon, quite bright, even with 10mm supplied EP little CA. With the supplied 20mm lovely wide view of the whole moon...

For the price it's a good 4 inch refractor, with a reasonable mount. I will be playing with it on my SE6 Mount soon.

First impressions for £149 this is a bargain.

[Lady Fraktor]

Good to hear you are enjoying the telescope

[Greenman]

Good to hear you are enjoying the telescope

I am impressed with the scope for the cost, great to work with on the SE6 mount (with a bit of care where you slew).

First DSO for me. M42.

Equipment:

Celestron 102 OTA; Mount Nexstar SE6

Camera Canon 100D; 30 seconds; Iso 1600; Wireless Pixel Pro remote. Single shot.
Sky Align.

[image] [/image]

[j.gardavsky]

Hello GM,

and congratulations on the new refractor.

The fast achromatic refractors are doing fine for the longer focus EPs (more than 15mm) with the Plössls, and for the shorter focus down to about 6mm with the Abbe orthos.
December through January is the best time to look around for the classifieds on the premium eyepieces, like the Tele Vue Plössls, or the Abber orthos from Japan (Tak, Fujiyama, Baader Genuine). The Baader Eudiascopic EPs are also working fine.

What I have also found out on my 6" F/5 Synta achro is, a zenith prism cleans up some of the ugly spherochromatism.

Enjoy your new scope,
JG

[Thefatkitty]

Great image of M42! That came out really well, good for you

Glad you're enjoying the scope and all the best,

[Greenman]

Hello GM,

and congratulations on the new refractor.

The fast achromatic refractors are doing fine for the longer focus EPs (more than 15mm) with the Plössls, and for the shorter focus down to about 6mm with the Abbe orthos.
December through January is the best time to look around for the classifieds on the premium eyepieces, like the Tele Vue Plössls, or the Abber orthos from Japan (Tak, Fujiyama, Baader Genuine). The Baader Eudiascopic EPs are also working fine.

What I have also found out on my 6" F/5 Synta achro is, a zenith prism cleans up some of the ugly spherochromatism.

Enjoy your new scope,
JG

I am a bit out of brownie points at the moment to spend anything on astronomy . I will look into the Zenith prisms