A quick daytime first light

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Thefatkitty Canada
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A quick daytime first light

#1

Post by Thefatkitty »


Hey everyone, hope all is well with you and yours :D

I picked up a second-hand scope on Thursday and had a view through it today.

It's a William Optics Zenithstar 61. I need to do a complete review of this scope; the quality of it is second to none. I wanted to do that today, but we're having my wife's mum over for dinner, as tomorrow is Mothers day here and the traffic today will be less of a nightmare than tomorrow.

I'm blown away with this little scope. I woke up at the timely hour of noon, had something to eat, and for the first time since last year it was clear and almost 15C (65ish F) outside.

I used the mount from my Celestron Astromaster 60mm that I modified into my Towatron. Not a big fan of the plastic mounting, but I just wanted to see how it would do. I used an ES 2" diagonal and a 2" 50mm GSO lens. I have my CG4 that will now take it thanks to a bracket I made, but a quick G&G was all I wanted. Excuse the background; Sarah and I both like to weld up random objects and we're both fans of horror movies; she is so my child :D

02.JPG

I could not believe the views of the nearby trees! The wide field views were absolutely stunning. I could see details on pine cones, new leaves coming out, and even a Robin; the details on the feathers! And no false colour whatsoever, I wish my eyes could see that well!

Sarah loved the view through it, and as for Sasha, well... ;)

01.JPG

hopefully I get some time with my C80-HD later for solar, but family first :D

Thanks for reading and 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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Bigzmey United States of America
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Re: A quick daytime first light

#2

Post by Bigzmey »


Congrats again Mark, it is a beauty! But why it is not in your signature yet? :D
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.
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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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Juno16 United States of America
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Re: A quick daytime first light

#3

Post by Juno16 »


Hi Mark,

Looks like a beautiful scope!

I certainly know what you mean about terrestrial viewing. Before I set up my Sharpstar 61 for AP, I loved to watch a pair of Ospreys hang out hundreds of feet up a local television\internet isp’s tower about 1/2-3/4 mile away.
They look like specs from the ground, but are really large and beautiful birds.
Personally, I could really enjoy using a small scope on a portable mount just to watch wildlife (and pine cones too!).
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.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
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Thefatkitty Canada
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Re: A quick daytime first light

#4

Post by Thefatkitty »


@Juno16 Jim, I know what you mean about the birds; there are some seriously large hawks hanging out at a cell tower here at about the same distance you mentioned. I'm so looking forward to this all tomorrow (if the weather holds) with this scope.

We had a nice early mothers day today, and the weather certainly cooperated. Good eats; the girls had probably too much wine (except for Jackie's mum; driving) and I stuck to my staple, beer... A few of those and dinner ;)

It's clouding up here which is too bad; I was hoping to take my new to me 60mm out.

Still, I did get some Solar in today between everything with my '96 C80-HD. It's on the original CG4 mount it came with; a few mods though (this mount serves all of my fracs).

C80-HD_Solar.JPG

And the end result with the above equipment, Baader 3.8 OD film and Solar Continuum filter; 15 shots with my EOS 550D at ISO 800 and 1/1600th sec exp; best 25% stacked in AS3 and no post-processing whatsoever.
I liked it the way it came out :D

Sun_05-07-22s.jpg

This is a screenshot of my processing with AS3! in Linux Mint, gotta love a green Sun; a nice narrow band pass with the Baader SC filter :D

Image1.jpg

Tomorrow I'll make a 5.0 and 3.8 OD solar filter for the 60mm Zenithstar. I'm hoping for some better weather 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: A quick daytime first light

#5

Post by milanpicard »


Nice gear, congrats!
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Juno16 United States of America
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Re: A quick daytime first light

#6

Post by Juno16 »


@Thefatkitty
Mark, that is a fine solar image!
You have a wonderful collection of scopes!

You really should check out the hawks. Birds are , just cool!

49FE5750-DD07-4F5B-813B-4FE40CEA1696.jpeg
DA46458B-3894-4C42-B37E-F0352C83B7A4.jpeg
A few quick snaps with my cellphone from last year.

Take care ol’ buddy!
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60ECD891-DD6C-43F6-B50C-355AAE9FE1E2.jpeg
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.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
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Re: A quick daytime first light

#7

Post by Unitron48 »


Nice addition to your collection! Congrats!!

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: A quick daytime first light

#8

Post by John Baars »


That is an excellent GndG!
Widefields like, let me guess, more than 6.5 degrees?
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: A quick daytime first light

#9

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Good to hear you and Sarah could finally enjoy the views Mark
That is quite the low power viewing, 8.6° FOV with a exit pupil of 8.7!
At least there is no wasted light in daytime viewing. :lol:
Looking forward to see how the solar does with 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
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Thefatkitty Canada
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Re: A quick daytime first light

#10

Post by Thefatkitty »


Bigzmey wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 9:41 pm Congrats again Mark, it is a beauty! But why it is not in your signature yet? :D
Thanks Andrey, and it's been so long since I've acquired and new gear, not to mention the forgetfulness of age... ;) Believe me, it will be forthcoming!

Thanks again buddy :D


Juno16 wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 10:10 pm Hi Mark,

Looks like a beautiful scope!

I certainly know what you mean about terrestrial viewing. Before I set up my Sharpstar 61 for AP, I loved to watch a pair of Ospreys hang out hundreds of feet up a local television\internet isp’s tower about 1/2-3/4 mile away.
They look like specs from the ground, but are really large and beautiful birds.
Personally, I could really enjoy using a small scope on a portable mount just to watch wildlife (and pine cones too!).

Thanks Jim, and it so far seems to be! Though I have to admit, I was toying with buying a new Sharpstar, and then this came along...

I love the photo's you posted below; thanks, as well as the comments on my ol' Sol attempt! And through a cell phone to boot? Those are some really good images, thanks for posting those! I'm hoping to get some here as well. This scope I can see will be used for a lot of things...

milanpicard wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 5:51 am Nice gear, congrats!

Thanks, hope it serves me well :D

Unitron48 wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:47 am Nice addition to your collection! Congrats!!

Dave

Thanks Dave; though I'd happily trade it for a Unitron... lemme know... ;)

John Baars wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 11:07 am That is an excellent GndG!
Widefields like, let me guess, more than 6.5 degrees?
Thanks John, yes, the portability is great!
As for the FOV with that 50mm 2" lens, I'd need the eyes of a cat to take it all in at once :lol:

Hope all is well with you my friend :D

Lady Fraktor wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 12:01 pm Good to hear you and Sarah could finally enjoy the views Mark
That is quite the low power viewing, 8.6° FOV with a exit pupil of 8.7!
At least there is no wasted light in daytime viewing. :lol:
Looking forward to see how the solar does with it.

I laughed when I read that; so true! I had to hold my head away from the lens and literally look around...! Should be a little better with my KK ortho's or ES's. That's really all I have :lol:



Apologies for the late replies; Saturday got away from me/us and yesterday I woke up with an ache all around what feels like behind mt eyes. Not a headache, but believe me it's there. I did not make a filter for the scope or even use it; I basically spent the day in the basement with dim light. Waste of a day.

Last time something like this happened, I was 40 and was getting the same pain while reading/in front of the PC. Turned out I was getting farsighted and needed glasses. Hmmm. Now I'm an old decrepit 56 year old; perhaps my prescription needs adjusting or I need bifocals...

Off to the optometrist on Wednesday.

I'd like to think it's 'cause my eyes are so blown away with the ED glass on this little scope; but I strongly suspect that won't be the case.


At one point Id like to do a review of my thoughts on the little beastie, and even do a comparison with my $35 homemade f/7 "Towatron" achro. That should be amusing.


Alrighty folks, the daughter-unit should be home shortly, my wife is at CPR training today which will take her to 6:30, so Daddy's taking care of dinner.
Fun times, get ready 911!! Just kidding... :lol:

Take care all,
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: A quick daytime first light

#11

Post by davesellars »


Congrats on the new glass! Those small Williams Optics fracs look really nice. Glad to see that's performing well and it should provide a really lovely wide views the large clusters or scanning the Milky Way.
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Eyepieces: TV Delos 17.3 & 10; Pentax XW 7 & 5; BCO 32,18,10; Fuyiyama Ortho 12.5; Vixen SLV 25.
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Re: A quick daytime first light

#12

Post by Thefatkitty »


davesellars wrote: Mon May 09, 2022 7:50 pm Congrats on the new glass! Those small Williams Optics fracs look really nice. Glad to see that's performing well and it should provide a really lovely wide views the large clusters or scanning the Milky Way.
Thanks much Dave; hope you're good and getting out some!

So far, so nice in the day but hoping for some clear skies soon; you know the way it is.

Cheers buddy, and all the best to you and yours :D
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: A quick daytime first light

#13

Post by Ylem »


Congratulations on that Williams scope Mark, it's beautiful!
Clear Skies,
-Jeff :telescopewink:


Member; ASTRA-NJ



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