New Glass - snap decision.

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Greenman Great Britain
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New Glass - snap decision.

#1

Post by Greenman »


My Starwave 80ed, has been serving me well, and I can put up with the fringing. So I had decided to keep this and purchase no more Glass. Then this weekend a chance for a low cost upgrade, was well, too much to resist. Altair Astro we selling off some Starwave Ascent 80ED’s to clear room for new stock. :sprefac:

This was at £200 (listed at £399 on website). They have an upgraded geared focusser, and the added appeal of a non-screwed on lens cap (solid, but tedious to put on and off, or drop on your foot). The improved focusser appeals as my main camera is reasonably heavy , and the lock screw somewhat in accessible. Plus my current Starwave is serial # 0044 so I imagine dates back to 2012. I’m hoping for a bit less CA, but it looks as is the ED is similar in the lens cell as it’s based around FPL51. It is not the newest version of the 80ED (the R) it is essential new is if it is circa 2018.

Seemed like a bargain to me, plus the current Starwave is still saleable.

First light at some point in the future, metrologically speaking of course... :?
Cheers,

Tony.

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Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

Latitude: 52.219853
Longitude: -1.034471
Accuracy: 5 m
Bortle 4 site. https://maps.google.com/?q=52.21985,-1.03447

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Juno16 United States of America
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Re: New Glass - snap decision.

#2

Post by Juno16 »


Man, that sounds very exciting Tony!

I just bought a Sharpstar 61 EDPHII apo that I am really looking forward to using soon on the larger nebulae.

We both will have very poor skies ahead!

Congratulations!
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
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Lady Fraktor Slovakia
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Re: New Glass - snap decision.

#3

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Enjoy the new telescope, what is the focal ratio of the new refractor, is it the same as the old refractor?
I assume it is a doublet since it is showing colour at f/7?
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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Greenman Great Britain
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Re: New Glass - snap decision.

#4

Post by Greenman »


Hi Gabby - yup 80x 560 so F7, 0.8 FR/FF 480 F5.6 so the same as the 80ED.
Cheers,

Tony.

Image

Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

Latitude: 52.219853
Longitude: -1.034471
Accuracy: 5 m
Bortle 4 site. https://maps.google.com/?q=52.21985,-1.03447

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Re: New Glass - snap decision.

#5

Post by Greenman »


Juno16 wrote: Mon May 17, 2021 1:59 pm Man, that sounds very exciting Tony!

I just bought a Sharpstar 61 EDPHII apo that I am really looking forward to using soon on the larger nebulae.

We both will have very poor skies ahead!

Congratulations!
Nice scope Jim, I was tempted by a WO 61 for the same reason, but it was £500. Which was too high for my budget.
Cheers,

Tony.

Image

Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

Latitude: 52.219853
Longitude: -1.034471
Accuracy: 5 m
Bortle 4 site. https://maps.google.com/?q=52.21985,-1.03447

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Thefatkitty Canada
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Re: New Glass - snap decision.

#6

Post by Thefatkitty »


Tony, congratulation! Yup, no clear skies for you... I read your comment on my Sun shots, and in all honesty, I did try to send my clear skies across the Atlantic. Put a big fan on my balcony pointed east... :lol:

Nice acquisition and I do hope you get to use it soon!

All the best,
Mark

"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4 & AZ-EQ5 mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.

H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D.

Oh yeah, and Solar Cycle 25 :D
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Re: New Glass - snap decision.

#7

Post by Greenman »


Thefatkitty wrote: Mon May 17, 2021 5:57 pm Tony, congratulation! Yup, no clear skies for you... I read your comment on my Sun shots, and in all honesty, I did try to send my clear skies across the Atlantic. Put a big fan on my balcony pointed east... :lol:

Nice acquisition and I do hope you get to use it soon!

All the best,
Hey thanks for that, it is more breezy today, must be the said fan. Indeed, new glass = new clouds.
Cheers,

Tony.

Image

Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

Latitude: 52.219853
Longitude: -1.034471
Accuracy: 5 m
Bortle 4 site. https://maps.google.com/?q=52.21985,-1.03447

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Bigzmey United States of America
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Re: New Glass - snap decision.

#8

Post by Bigzmey »


Congrats on the new glass Tony!
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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Re: New Glass - snap decision.

#9

Post by Makuser »


Hi Tony. Congratulations on the new glass on it's way to you soon. As the others have mentioned, shortly after the delivery truck leaves and you unpack your new gear, expect clouds, wind, and rain. :lol: Thanks for your new purchase report Tony, and we are all hoping to see your first light report soon.
Marshall
Sky-Watcher 90mm f/13.8 Maksutov-Cassegrain on motorized Multimount
Orion Astroview 120ST f/5 Refractor on EQ3 mount
Celestron Comet Catcher 140mm f/3.64 Schmidt-Newtonian on alt-az mount
Celestron Omni XLT150R f/5 Refractor on CG4 mount with dual axis drives.
Orion 180mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain on CG5-GT Goto mount.
Orion XT12i 12" f/4.9 Dobsonian Intelliscope.
Kamakura 7x35 Binoculars and Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars. ZWO ASI 120MC camera.
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Re: New Glass - snap decision.

#10

Post by Ylem »


Congratulations Tony, sounds awesome 👍
When the clouds disappear, enjoy :)
Clear Skies,
-Jeff :telescopewink:


Member; ASTRA-NJ



Orion 80ED
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Re: New Glass - snap decision.

#11

Post by Greenman »


Update, OK scope arrived a few day ago, perfect except for one sheared off knurled screw on the two inch eyepiece holder. Soon corrected by using a fine mini hacksaw to cut a slot into the broken off end and replacing with a spare from the goody draw. Oh, and no scope rings, that saw a bit of foolishness on my part in misjudging the size of the tube. I measured with a rule and judged it 8cm by eye. If anyone needs a set of rings size 80mm, let me know. At this point I checked online how to measure tube sizes and sure enough 90mm...

The new rings arrived today, and I mounted it on an A/Z Celestron mount and aligned the finder. Interesting finding the branches of the tree I used as a target showed no CA against a bright sky, I know the ascent uses FPL51 doublet. I is far superior than the view I saw through my original Starwave. I have high hopes for a clear sky on Saturday night and having a test under a moonlit sky...

Think this may have been a good purchase; the scope is also lighter, and easier to balance when loaded.
Cheers,

Tony.

Image

Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

Latitude: 52.219853
Longitude: -1.034471
Accuracy: 5 m
Bortle 4 site. https://maps.google.com/?q=52.21985,-1.03447

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Lady Fraktor Slovakia
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Re: New Glass - snap decision.

#12

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Good to hear you managed to overcome the issues and the refractor is working well for you :)
I hope you get a lot of use from it.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
The only culture I have is from yogurt
My day was going well until... people
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