A Report, a Review, and New Stuff

[JayTee]

This past week I was fortunate enough to travel to Teton Village Wyoming which is just outside of Jackson Hole. I was there as part of an extended family (adults-only) vacation. Needless to say, the sky, at this location, is very dark. I only got two observing nights in because of the impending first large winter storm hit while we were there.

The equipment that accompanied me was all new-to-me equipment. I have previously posted images of my Meade tripod, my Celestron SLT Mount, and the Bresser AR102S refractor (really a "reflactor" as it has a mirror in the aft end), this was their first true first light. So, for this post, I'll briefly cover what I saw, the performance of the AR102S and my new way of transporting Astro gear for air travel.

I traveled 3 miles from Teton Village up into Teton National Park to get away from the resort lighting so I could have truly dark skies. Both nights had an SQM-L reading of approximately 21.60 and a NELM of 6.0 to 6.2 and a seeing rating of II. I had beautifully dark, clear, and calm skies for the two nights I was able to observe. I only took along 3 eyepieces: a 32 mm Plossl, and my GSO 20 and 15 mm 70° field-of-view eyepieces, plus a 2X Barlow. Giving me effectively five different magnification settings. Here's what I saw through the AR102S.

The observing location:

 

• M31 - using the 32mm (giving 14X) - The entire galaxy fit in the FOV. Both M32 and M110 were easily visible as were two dust lanes. This is by far one of the best visual presentations of M31 I've seen in a long time.

• M33 - using the 20mm (giving 23X) - This galaxy was easily visible and even had structure, once again, one of the best views visually in quite a while.

• C14 (Double Cluster) - using 20mm - It was well defined with star color very evident.

• NGC 7479 - w/ 20 & 15mm - Initially, I could not find it to see it. Finally, after 30 minutes of verifying my position, I caught a very dim glimpse of a wisp of grey!

• M13 - w/10mm (giving 46X) - It had structure but I was unable to resolve it to the center. I tried barlowing the 15mm (giving me 61X) but the center still remained unresolved.

• M27 - 15mm (giving 31X) - Easily defined and with a great starfield behind.

• M57 - 10mm - It was quite small and I could barely tell it was a donut. This tiny 1.5 by 1.0 arc minute object is probably as small as you'd ever want to go with this scope.

• M15 - 10mm - Small and compact, could not resolve the center.

• M11 - 10mm - It seemed usually small to me but the structure (flying V) was still evident.

• M101 - 15mm - Surprising to me, it was easily visible with the tiniest hint of structure visible. One of the best views seen in a while.

• M8 - 15mm - Nebulosity visible as was the "lagoon" structure.

• M20 - 15mm - Nebulosity was visible, but just barely

• M16 - 15mm - Only the star cluster was visible, the Eagle structure was not evident

• M17 - 15mm - Nebulosity was visile as was the shape.

• M45 - 32mm - It all fit into the FOV, some nebulosity was evident but the big surprise was how little CA color was evident - I expected a lot more.

• NGC 253 - 20 & 15mm - This bright edge-on galaxy was easily defined

When I first got this reflactor several months ago the image was not correct, the brighter stars displayed as pinched diamonds in the eyepiece. I could never get the focus to bring them to a point and I could never get a diffraction pattern. ES said it may be a collimation problem so I double-checked the collimation, made a few minor adjustments (easily accomplished on this scope) but nothing changed about the display of the brighter stars. At that point ES said to send it in we'll see what we can do. I could never find out exactly what they did to it, but I was told that this "older model" scope needed a part that is currently included in the newer models. At any rate the telescope I got back performed significantly better.
Stars now focus to a point, although I still can't see a diffraction pattern. I'm wondering if this has to do with the short focal length? The background is dark enough (considering the FL) providing good contrast and the widefield gives a really exceptional view. Stars were pinpoints in the inner 2/3 of the field of view.  I only brought a limited selection of EPs but each one of them showed the same distortions towards the edge of the FOV. This distortion was mild and did not detract from the overall image even when looking at large objects like M31 or M45. As a side note, none of my cameras will focus when attached to this reflactor (the Canon T3i and my ASI120MC). Not even when using a barlow. So this is a visual only scope. Also, their ads claim it has a 2" focuser, that's not true. This telescope only accepts 1.25" eyepieces. Finally, this scope will NOT work on an EQ mount based on where the "V" bar is attached to the OTA (see image).

All-in-all this is a very nice grab-and-go scope.

For me, one of the funnest/coolest things about this trip was how I packed all my gear for air travel. On previous trips with my gear, I was never really satisfied that my check baggage would protect my gear. I was looking for a different way to protect things for this trip. Serendipity is sometimes an amusing thing, my golf clubs were out because I was contemplating taking them on this trip. My golf clubs travel in a hard shell golf club case. I looked at that and said my golf clubs are not going on this trip because my telescope is going in that case. It worked like a charm, everything fit and then some, there was even room for my camera tripod and 10X50 binos. Everything came out perfectly unscathed both at the destination and then back home. As an interesting note, I was told by my father-in-law that I really should put a golf club in the golf case so that I could claim that it really was golf clubs that were in there to prevent the airline from charging me additional money because it would have been seen maybe as "special baggage." I even got them to put a fragile sticker on the outside of the case because they were "antique" clubs.

So it was a great trip, all the gear traveled well with no damage, the skies were perfect, and it was a memorable experience. I hope you have enjoyed this lengthy right up and hopefully it provides some use for you.

As you all know, it didn't happen if don't have pictures - so here are the rest:

This is what had to go into the case

A moving blanket was the basis for the padding

The OTA was nestled in the gap of the tripod legs wrapped in a heavy beach towel (HGTTG recommendation)

We are fully packed with the golf club, a 4-iron, in place

Don't ship without the "fragile" sticker (pronounced - "frag- gee- lay, it's Italian")

Why this OTA absolutely doesn't work on an EQ mount. Unless you change the position of the "V" bar.

Cheers,
JT

[Juno16]

Fabulous report JT!

What a beautiful place to observe!

I can only imagine the views you had. Thanks for sharing and great packing work!

Jim

[Don Quixote]

Thank you JT for a fine report and review.

I am assuming that you meant NGC7479 when you listed NGC7974 in the target list.

If so I can confirm this is indeed a difficult target with 100mm.
I have concluded that my success may have been partly due to the fact that I was using 100mm biniculars.

Thanks again JT.

[notFritzArgelander]

Nice outing! Strange scope.... Glad it pleased. Does it have a built in mirror diagonal? Or is it more like an erect image monocular?

[JayTee]

Does it have a built-in mirror diagonal? Or is it more like an erect image monocular?

It is a built-in mirror diagonal which makes it ideally suited for an Alt-Az mount. It was very comfortable to use.

Cheers,
JT

[JayTee]

I have concluded that my success may have been partly due to the fact that I was using 100mm binoculars.

There is a general notion (anecdotal evidence) that in a contest between binos and monos, of the same aperture, the binos give the sqrt of 2 (≈1.4) increase in brightness. I have never found scientific statistical evidence proving this effect so I can't claim it is actually true.

For what it's worth,
JT

[notFritzArgelander]

I have concluded that my success may have been partly due to the fact that I was using 100mm binoculars.

There is a general notion (anecdotal evidence) that in a contest between binos and monos, of the same aperture, the binos give the sqrt of 2 (≈1.4) increase in brightness. I have never found scientific statistical evidence proving this effect so I can't claim it is actually true.

For what it's worth,
JT

I'd take it with a grain of salt since it seems to ignore differences in physiology. A scientific treatment indicates individuals with similar eyes (R and L) can expect a 25-40% gain. I find for myself that 0.3 magnitude is good, between the extremes. I tracked down a paper FWIW....
https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.a ... id=2123192

[Don Quixote]

I have concluded that my success may have been partly due to the fact that I was using 100mm binoculars.

There is a general notion (anecdotal evidence) that in a contest between binos and monos, of the same aperture, the binos give the sqrt of 2 (≈1.4) increase in brightness. I have never found scientific statistical evidence proving this effect so I can't claim it is actually true.

For what it's worth,
JT

Yes.
Statistical evidence.
Good stuff.

I have never really relied on statistics, not being in a field of work requiring such dependance.

I mostly rely on what I can see.

I suppose, once in a while, statistically speaking, I mean what are the odds?

Once in a while statistics just might not be the proof I need.

For what it's worth.

[notFritzArgelander]

I confess I've always loathed statistics. I've loved every other branch of maths but statistics has always been a tiresome necessity.

Still, I've kept at it because some familiarity with statistics is necessary in every day life to avoid becoming that "sucker who's born every minute". An appreciation of stats helps to weed out the attempted lies that use fraudulent stats.

A great old book to encourage seeing through statistical lies and discover statistical truth is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Li ... Statistics.

I rely mostly on what I see though and secondarily on what the abstract odds are. If my card counting indicates that the cards outstanding to fill my inside straight haven't made an appearance yet, I might just go for it.

Most folks make mistakes in daily life through some form of belief in the gambler's fallacy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambler%27s_fallacy

and examples of confirmation bias https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias.

So I bother with statistics because it's good for me, not because I like it.

[John Baars]

Very nice report and a lovely telescope!
Good thinking about the golfclubs!

[Lady Fraktor]

For transporting, a C6-R sized refractor will fit perfectly in the same golF case and so will a CG-5/ ASGT mount with tripod.
I used two of these cases for years with mine.

[StarBru]

I was looking forward to your First Light Report for this scope. Nice and detailed, and I love all the pics, JayTee! Judging from your report, it looks like it's a decent DSO Grab & Go scope, which is something I would be interested in if I didn't have so many scopes already! Oh well, maybe some time in the future after I downsize a bit!

[Bigzmey]

Beautiful location and great report JT! Looks like AR102S is working nicely for you as a travel scope.

[Kingofthehill]

Nice "A Christmas Story" reference.

[helicon]

A great report JT. Somehow I missed this thread earlier. I have had similar astounding experiences with M33 and M101, which are almost invisible from home but easy objects under dark skies. Had a super view of M101 back in 2015 when I was staying on an island off the coast of Washington which had pristine dark skies. The view of M33 I had from the North Coast of California a couple of years back with the 15x70's revealed the spiral arms in all of their majesty - amazing because there is no trace of M33 with binos from the backyard. I salute you sir on coming up with such an intelligent way to transport your reflactor from the islands back to the U.S. mainland and back.

[John Baars]

I have been thinking about the "flaws" in the image you encountered. Most of them are gone by now. But it has not left my mind.
First of all it is a f/4.5 system. Such a "fast" system always has some coma, astigmatism at the edge as well as field curvature. You should not be bothered by it, it is part of the system. It is the optical price you have to pay for such a short wide field system. Just take it for granted.

Secondly I think it was the mirror-diagonal that introduced astigmatism or in your case pinching in the center of the field. It is a thin secondary under 45 degrees of angle. In my experience the slightest pressure (even of uneven) from below or from the sides cause pinching. This behavior is easily simulated with a so- called thin flip-mirror. I think the manufacturer loosened the setting of it and recollimated it. Remember that the slightest over-tightening, even on a thick mirror is easily seen in the image. Over-tightening causes enormous "mountains" or "valleys" on the very strict optical surface.

The better the optics, the smaller and less bright the diffraction rings around the Airydiscs are. In a 102 mm f/9 refractor I start seeing them from 100X, in a 150mm f/5 from 150X. They become more obvious at higher magnifications. Since you have used magnifications way under that, you should not be worried that you have not seen them. On the contrary, one should start being worried seeing them at such low magnifications, indicating a big P/V wave error.

All in all, I think you have a very nice small widefield telescope out there!

[pakarinen]

Hopefully, the only bears around were Ursa Major and Minor...

[Falcon 63]

Excellent report JT. Beautiful set up spot.

[The Wave Catcher]

JayTee,

I'm over a year late responding to your post here but thanks. I had responded to your previous post about this telescope but it was before you had first light. I have the same telescope and I love it. I can set it up in less than 2 minutes and use it every chance I get. I also made a good planetary telescope out of it by creating an aperture mask out of an old plastic yogurt container lid. I painted it opaque and cut a 60 mm hole in the middle of it. It reduces what little chromatic aberration to undetectable levels. Objects that I didn't think I had a problem with like Jupiter and Mars I can now bring out much more detail. Stars at high power always had just a bit of random "diffraction" like spikes on them that I thought was just my old eyes but with the mask stars are now pure pin points of lights. I now consider it a poor man's APO. ;-)

I'm mostly a visual observer and I like to keep things simple so I really love this little telescope. Sadly, this "reflactor" is going the way of the DoDo bird as stores seem to have sold their their last remaining stock of it.

By the way, it came with no documentation and I can't find any anywhere. Of course it doesn't take any instructions to use it for observations but it came with tools and screws to collimate the mirror. If I ever thought it needed it I'd like to know what the procedure, limitations, etc.

Thanks.

Steve