Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

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John Donne United States of America
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Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

#1

Post by John Donne »


September 17, 2021
40° 06' 58" N
87° 46' 42" W

Oakwood, Illinois in the side yard.
High humidity and rather warm tonight.

Seeing was above average.
Transparency below average.

I am testing some new-to-me kit tonight.
I first mounted my CG4 with a Skywatcher Evostar 72 ED f6 and then an Orion 110 F6 Eon. The 12.5 doctor with and without a 3X barlow. This optical train performed very well with max mag of sbout 100X with the 72mm and about 160X with the 110mm.


Views of Saturn were spectacular for sky conditions. Cassini division bold defining the A ring. The C ring bold against the belly of Jupiter giving nice definition to B ring.

Both telescopes give similar quality and detail in the view with the difference being scale of course and a brighter view with the 110 Eon.
20210917_205812.jpg
Jupiter was also very well defined with a moon transit in process and a faint GRS with well defined northern and southern equitorial belts as well as somewhat less well defined northern and southern temperate belts.

And finally I played on the more or less 90% moon with the same kit configurations.
Both kits were very fine. Scale of course was somewhat different. The SW72ED showed a very very faint, thin green line along the bright limb, but no color showed in thr bright crater areas. The 110 was color free and the contrast in both telescopes was brillient.
The twist lock focuser coupling on the Eon is a wonderfully convenient mechanism.
20210918_110301.jpg
I took a hand held cell phone snapshot of the moon just for kicks.
I think I have found my personal ideal observing kit.
These two telescopes for everythig, and although I did not deploy the 6" Rumak Maksutov will by my go to for high magnification views of the planets.

I do not do AP now but if for some reason I went there the two fraks would serve quite well mounted on my Orion Eq/Az pro mount. And of course the Mak would serve very well for planets.

The Orion 110 has very solid, smooth focuser. It is the best I have ever used.

Only three objects but for a side yard outing it was very satisfying.

Cheers to all.
Peace and clear skies !
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20210917_210837.jpg
Last edited by John Donne on Sat Sep 18, 2021 7:03 pm, edited 4 times in total.
SCOPES :ES127 f7.5, SW100 f9 Evostar, ES80 F6, LXD75 8" f10 SCT, 2120 10" f10 SCT, ES152 f6.5.
MOUNTS: SW AZ/EQ5, MEADE LXD75, CELESTRON CG4, Farpoint Parallelogram.
BINOCULARS: CL 10X30, Pentax 8X43, 25X100 Oberwerks.
EP: Many.

"I am more than a sum of molecules.
I am more than a sum of memories or events.
I do not one day suddenly cease to be.
I am, before memory.
I am, before event.
I am"
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bladekeeper
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Re: Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

#2

Post by bladekeeper »


Nice fracs, Mark, and a very nice lunar pic!

Those should make for fine imaging scopes should you ever decide you hate yourself and want to engage in AP. :lol:

Thank you for the report! :)
Bryan
Scopes: Apertura AD12 f/5; Celestron C6-R f/8; ES AR127 f/6.4; Stellarvue SV102T f/7; iOptron MC90 f/13.3; Orion ST80A f/5; ES ED80 f/6; Celestron Premium 80 f/11.4; Celestron C80 f/11.4; Unitron Model 142 f/16; Meade NG60 f/10
Mounts: Celestron AVX; Bresser EXOS-2; ES Twilight I; ES Twilight II; iOptron Cube-G; AZ3/wood tripod; Vixen Polaris
Binoculars: Pentax PCF WP II 10×50, Bresser Corvette 10×50, Bresser Hunter 16×50 and 8×40, Garrett Gemini 12×60 LW, Gordon 10×50, Apogee 20×100

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Re: Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

#3

Post by SpyderwerX »


Nice report and image, Mark. You must let us know more about the Orion Eon, I've pondered one of those 110's a time or two. :)
~Frankie~ My mind: Always on...Slightly off. :?
Celestron CPC1100 SCT....Celestron Evolution 8 SCT...TeleVue-85 apo...SkyWatcher ST150 achro..ST102 achro..ST80 achro.
Celestron AVX...Orion Atlas EQ-G...SkyTee-2...Twilight-1.
Baader BBHS prism and mirror diagonals + Vernonscope quartz 1.25"
EPs: TeleVue oldie (NJ) & modern Plossls, Widefields, and Naglers + 3-6 zoom & Brandons 6-32.
Astronomik, Lumicon & Baader filters..
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John Donne United States of America
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Re: Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

#4

Post by John Donne »


SpyderwerX wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 6:08 pm Nice report and image, Mark. You must let us know more about the Orion Eon, I've pondered one of those 110's a time or two. :)
This Eon 110 is mechanically the best thing I have had my hands pon

The focuser tube assy is rock solid...my Nikon mounted ... no slop... no wiggle. No focus slippage. I have been out shooting pics of humming birds today. 😊

The rotating mech is smooth and solid .
The scope is very nicely made and I have no reflection of my face in the objective even in bright sunlight.
I will keep you posted.
20210918_110416.jpg
SCOPES :ES127 f7.5, SW100 f9 Evostar, ES80 F6, LXD75 8" f10 SCT, 2120 10" f10 SCT, ES152 f6.5.
MOUNTS: SW AZ/EQ5, MEADE LXD75, CELESTRON CG4, Farpoint Parallelogram.
BINOCULARS: CL 10X30, Pentax 8X43, 25X100 Oberwerks.
EP: Many.

"I am more than a sum of molecules.
I am more than a sum of memories or events.
I do not one day suddenly cease to be.
I am, before memory.
I am, before event.
I am"
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Re: Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

#5

Post by helicon »


Nice report Mark. You had some great planetary views - congrats on winning the VROD for today!
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
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Re: Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

#6

Post by John Donne »


helicon wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:35 pm Nice report Mark. You had some great planetary views - congrats on winning the VROD for today!
Thank you very much Michael ! 😊
SCOPES :ES127 f7.5, SW100 f9 Evostar, ES80 F6, LXD75 8" f10 SCT, 2120 10" f10 SCT, ES152 f6.5.
MOUNTS: SW AZ/EQ5, MEADE LXD75, CELESTRON CG4, Farpoint Parallelogram.
BINOCULARS: CL 10X30, Pentax 8X43, 25X100 Oberwerks.
EP: Many.

"I am more than a sum of molecules.
I am more than a sum of memories or events.
I do not one day suddenly cease to be.
I am, before memory.
I am, before event.
I am"
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John Baars Netherlands
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Re: Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

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Post by John Baars »


Congratulations on the VROD!
Refractors in frequency of use : *SW Evostar 120ED F/7.5 (all round ), * Vixen 102ED F/9 (vintage), both on Vixen GPDX.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
Amateur astronomer since 1970.
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Re: Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

#8

Post by Thefatkitty »


Nice report and pics Mark! Seems you and I were both doing the same things last night :D

Congrats on the VROD; well deserved!

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: Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

#9

Post by Makuser »


Hi Mark. An excellent observing report. You had some great views of Jupiter with the belting, GRS, and moon transit and Saturn with the nice ring system including the Cassini division. And your lunar image was also very good with excellent contrast, surface details including the ejecta rays. Thanks for sharing this report and fine equipment photos Mark, and congratulations on receiving the TSS VROD Award today.
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: Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

#10

Post by Unitron48 »


Nice report...and capture, Mark! Congrats on the VROD!!

Dave
Unitron (60mm, 102mm), Brandon 94
Stellarvue SVX127D
http://www.unitronhistory.com

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
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Re: Sept 17 2021 views and Kit

#11

Post by OzEclipse »


Great report John and congratulations on the VROD. Nothing wrong with a good quality rack & pinion focuser. No slip like the crayfords. I have a very smooth single speed OEM R&P focuser on my Vixen VC200L. During my recent photo binge, I found the motor focus unit had stopped working. It had to be adjusted carefully but I found that I could focus pretty easily and accurately by hand.

Great report.

Joe
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Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
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