Thanks for reading.
SW 80mm Achromat F 11.4
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SW 80mm Achromat F 11.4
I Borrowed an 80mm SW achromat (F11.4) from a friend to test it out and to compare it to my Orion ED 80 (F7.5). I wasn't expecting much from it, it has a plastic lens cell and dew shield and I figured it must be skywatchers bottom of the line scope for beginners. I used Tackahashi prism diagonals in both and compared them at equivalent magnification and exit pupils. I've had my ED80 since it first came out, and love the quality of the view. So comparing this to my ED80, I was pleasantly surprised. The main object was the moon and I was expecting a lot of purple fringing, but it was minimal, a lot less than the 150 F8 Achro , and only slightly more than the ED 80. The seeing wasn't the best so I couldn't go too high in magnification, but comparing the view in both, they were more alike than not. I looked online but couldn't find a single image or detail about it. The clouds rolled in before I could view much else, so I'll try it out again next clear evening. Looking through this long focal length achro took me back to my youth, and the thrill of seeing the moon through my first refrator.
Thanks for reading.
Thanks for reading.
Ivan
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Re: SW 80mm Achromat F 11.4
Thank you Ivan for this report and a grand image of the kit with a cloud enshrined moon above it all.
Cheers!
Cheers!
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Re: SW 80mm Achromat F 11.4
Thanks Mark and HP for the comments and all for the likes.
SW has had an after market GSO 10:1 focuser added, the same as what is on the ED80.
Hi HP, theThe Happy Parrot wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2020 5:24 pm Interesting report NGC 1365. Did you miss the fine focus with the SW?
Ivan
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Re: SW 80mm Achromat F 11.4
Thanks for the report Ivan. Good to see a long focal length achro tested against a faster APO and noticing the difference was minimal (with the Moon at least).
Scopes: Reflectors, refractors, and 1 catadioptric. Ranging in aperture from 50mm to 150mm.
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Re: SW 80mm Achromat F 11.4
Thanks. Too bad that you couldn't try high powers. That's when the CA will be at its worst.
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Re: SW 80mm Achromat F 11.4
Hi Coopman, I got to try it at higher power, it can't compete with the ED80, but still produced a very decent image. I'm still impressed with the quality of the view, I wish I had one of these when I was starting out.
Ivan
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Re: SW 80mm Achromat F 11.4
Thanks for the story. You reminded me that one of my all time favorite scopes was a plastic $15 50mm Galileoscope that I got back in the International Year of Astronomy. I had a lot of fun with that little scope. Even though I had more expensive telescopes it became my primary telescope for most of a year.
Rob
Telescopes: 50mm refractor, ED80 triplet, 90mm makcass, 10" dob, 8"SCT, 11"SCT
Mounts: Celestron CGX, Orion Sirius + several camera tripods
Cameras: Canon 6D, Canon 80D, ZWO-ASI120MC
Binoculars: 10x50, 12x60, 15x70, 25-125x80
Observatory: SkyShed POD XL3 + 8x12 warm room
AL Projects Completed: Lunar #645, Outreach #0280, Universe Sampler #93-T, Binocular Messier #871, Messier #2521, Messier Honorary #2521, Constellation Hunter Northern Skies #112, Planetary Transit Venus #1, Galileo #26, Outreach Stellar 0280, Meteor Regular #157, Solar System Telescopic #209-I, Observer Award #1
AL Projects Currently in Process: Double Stars, Comet, Lunar Evolution
Telescopes: 50mm refractor, ED80 triplet, 90mm makcass, 10" dob, 8"SCT, 11"SCT
Mounts: Celestron CGX, Orion Sirius + several camera tripods
Cameras: Canon 6D, Canon 80D, ZWO-ASI120MC
Binoculars: 10x50, 12x60, 15x70, 25-125x80
Observatory: SkyShed POD XL3 + 8x12 warm room
AL Projects Completed: Lunar #645, Outreach #0280, Universe Sampler #93-T, Binocular Messier #871, Messier #2521, Messier Honorary #2521, Constellation Hunter Northern Skies #112, Planetary Transit Venus #1, Galileo #26, Outreach Stellar 0280, Meteor Regular #157, Solar System Telescopic #209-I, Observer Award #1
AL Projects Currently in Process: Double Stars, Comet, Lunar Evolution
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Re: SW 80mm Achromat F 11.4
Sounds like a nice evening and a successful outing to make a comparison Ivan.
-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
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
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
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
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