To conclude, images and descriptions from the telescope and myself, outdoors under the night sky last August...
I usually test my telescopes with Polaris, the north star; mainly because it doesn't move, and given that my mounts are manually-operated. I couldn't take an afocal-shot of the star at high power, but upon returning indoors I immediately created a virtual sketch of the sight with my PC's paint-program. Polaris, at 167x, and through a 6mm Vixen NPL Plossl...
- Polaris - 081919b.jpg (6.22 KiB) Viewed 2035 times
I think, there at the top of the star, that that's a diffraction-effect from the single stalk; flare-like, and jutting upwards. The seeing was off an on, and as the primary-mirror was acclimating to boot. The Airy disc presented itself regularly, and had a rather tight first-diffraction ring round it, with successive rings shimmering, dynamic, as they emanated from their host. Polaris' companion, Polaris Ab, was a little below and slightly to the right. Also, Ab did not disappear when staring directly at it. I observed the wonder for about fifteen minutes, as I had used lemon-eucalyptus spray instead of that deet-based.
On another night, I took the Bird out as soon as it became dark. First, I observed Jupiter for a bit...
- 082319 - Jupiter.jpg (7.65 KiB) Viewed 2035 times
Actually, all four moons were visible. That afocal shot is by no means indicative of what I saw, as my Minolta DiMage F100 is a bit dated. For the very first time ever, I saw the Great Red Spot. It was tiny, but there it was. I even saw it rather clearly with the bundled 4mm(!), and at 250x. I don't know what to think of this 4mm symmetrical-Ramsden, save that I apparently got one where the lenses were well ground and polished. How is that possible given the usual reputation of these kit-eyepieces? I guess I'll have to chalk it up to having been 2019, and now 2020.
I then directed the telescope towards Saturn...
- 082319 - Saturn.jpg (6.81 KiB) Viewed 2035 times
Again, that afocal shot is by no means representative of the tack-sharp view I saw. Through the 4mm, the image only slightly softened, but not by much at all.
Lastly, I aimed the Bird at the star Ascella, within the "Teapot" of Sagittarius...
- 082319 - Ascella.jpg (6.3 KiB) Viewed 2035 times
That afocal shot, and the telescope and eyepiece, revealed the beautiful blue colour of the star; and no, I didn't increase the colour's saturation with the paint-program.
I then disengaged the axes, popped in the
GSO "Super View" 20mm, and scanned in the area right round the top of the "Teapot". It wasn't long before I spotted M28(I think); a lovely globular cluster. I did have to use averted vision to see the "diamonds" within, but not that far away from the cluster; almost adjacent thereby.
In July, when I had collimated the telescope for the first time, I took this afocal-shot of the Moon, and with the bundled 4mm, at 250x. The mount was shaky, so I set my camera's shutter to 1/45th of a second to compensate. As a result, the image had to be brightened later with the paint-program. Imagine my surprise at what was then revealed...
Now, it's a bit blurred there within the image, but during the live view I was floored by the tack-sharp view. I definitely have that 4mm slated for continued use with this telescope, and others.
I haven't observed with the telescope since, as I've been working on another. In addition, it suddenly started to become cold at night shortly after those shots, and I'm not too fond of cold weather.
Thank you for looking.