Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#21

Post by helicon »


Bigzmey wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:49 pm Congrats! Were clouds included free of charge? :)
Yes they were. Mother Nature's bonus!
-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
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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#22

Post by Thefatkitty »


Congratulations and good for you! Look forward to the unpacking pics :D

And now, you just have to wait for a clear night... ;)

Looking forward to hearing how it all goes,
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: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#23

Post by helicon »


Thefatkitty wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 10:04 pm Congratulations and good for you! Look forward to the unpacking pics :D

And now, you just have to wait for a clear night... ;)

Looking forward to hearing how it all goes,
Thanks Mark. I spent this morning assembling the scope, attaching the star diagonal, adding the finder, etc. Here is the OTA...
PXL_20230105_171626667.jpg
-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
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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#24

Post by Greenman »


helicon wrote: Thu Jan 05, 2023 5:21 pm
Thefatkitty wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 10:04 pm Congratulations and good for you! Look forward to the unpacking pics :D

And now, you just have to wait for a clear night... ;)

Looking forward to hearing how it all goes,
Thanks Mark. I spent this morning assembling the scope, attaching the star diagonal, adding the finder, etc. Here is the OTA...

PXL_20230105_171626667.jpg
Heh, I missed seeing the OTA - the Xmas tree took my attention - enjoy in 2023!
Cheers,

Tony.

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Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

Latitude: 52.219853
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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#25

Post by helicon »


Greenman wrote: Thu Jan 05, 2023 6:12 pm
helicon wrote: Thu Jan 05, 2023 5:21 pm
Thefatkitty wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 10:04 pm Congratulations and good for you! Look forward to the unpacking pics :D

And now, you just have to wait for a clear night... ;)

Looking forward to hearing how it all goes,
Thanks Mark. I spent this morning assembling the scope, attaching the star diagonal, adding the finder, etc. Here is the OTA...

PXL_20230105_171626667.jpg
Heh, I missed seeing the OTA - the Xmas tree took my attention - enjoy in 2023!
Today the tree gets taken down and I am going to throw it off the balcony and onto the driveway below (keeps me from dropping needles all over the place) Luckily here the refuse company will pick up Friday for a $7 charge along with the other plant material recycling.
-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
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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#26

Post by Makuser »


Hi Michael. Congratulations on receiving your new refractor. This new glass should enhance your observing sessions. Thanks for the new equipment update report Michael and the best of wishes for many clear skies now.
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: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#27

Post by Ylem »


Congratulations Michael on a fine scope.

I wish I had kept mine, I just had the OTA, and my Porta Mount didn't like it too much at higher magnifications.

In some situations it through up better images than my 80ED.

Enjoy 🙂
Clear Skies,
-Jeff :telescopewink:


Member; ASTRA-NJ



Orion 80ED
Celestron C5, 6SE, Celestar 8
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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#28

Post by helicon »


Here is the scope on its Twilight II mount, sitting in the extra room...I do have to complete a rotation of the rings...
PXL_20230106_174813231.jpg
-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
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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#29

Post by Lady Fraktor »


A 2lb ankle weight wrapped around the tube at the focuser will let you push it further up in the tube clamps if you find the eyepiece to low.
The telescope looks great. Hopefully you can get it out soon.

Is the lens cell collimatable?
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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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#30

Post by helicon »


Lady Fraktor wrote: Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:53 pm A 2lb ankle weight wrapped around the tube at the focuser will let you push it further up in the tube clamps if you find the eyepiece to low.
The telescope looks great. Hopefully you can get it out soon.

Is the lens cell collimatable?
Wow, that's a great piece of advice Gabby. I tried a mock session looking up toward the zenith and it was a bit tough on the back. I will definitely get an ankle weight. It comes with a collimation eyepiece, so that suggests it might be. It would really help if I read the manual. :icon-smile:
-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
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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#31

Post by Lady Fraktor »


If there is 3 sets of screws around the outside lip of the lens cell it is collimatable.
Since you own newtonian telescopes I assume you have a laser collimator as well so you can use it to check that the focuser is in alignment as well.
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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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#32

Post by helicon »


I do have a laser collimator. Yup, there are three screws.
-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
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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#33

Post by Lady Fraktor »


3 double sets or just 3 screws?
Double sets are push/ pull. (long screw + grub screw)
IMG_2645 (2).jpg
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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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#34

Post by Ylem »


helicon wrote: Fri Jan 06, 2023 5:52 pm Here is the scope on its Twilight II mount, sitting in the extra room...I do have to complete a rotation of the rings...

PXL_20230106_174813231.jpg
It looks quite happy on the Twilight II :)

Enjoy 🙂
Clear Skies,
-Jeff :telescopewink:


Member; ASTRA-NJ



Orion 80ED
Celestron C5, 6SE, Celestar 8
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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#35

Post by helicon »


Lady Fraktor wrote: Fri Jan 06, 2023 8:59 pm 3 double sets or just 3 screws?
Double sets are push/ pull. (long screw + grub screw)

IMG_2645 (2).jpg
The manual covers the collimating process for the XLT refractors...so yeah. It recommends two people to do the process, one to observe and the other to handle the screws with a phillips screwdriver and also tighten or loosen the allen set screw.
-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
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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#36

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Definitely easier with two people but can be done with one.
It likely is fine but I always test the focuser alignment then collimation when a new refractor arrives.
I also check with a artificial star and Ronchi eyepiece but I am just weird that way :)
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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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#37

Post by SkyHiker »


helicon wrote: Tue Nov 01, 2022 10:50 pm The issue with the AR 152 is that it needs to be attached to the mount before use, requiring one arm support for a bit while I use the other hand to tighten the screws onto the dovetail, sort of tricky. The 102 weighs in at 9 pounds so significantly lighter than the 152 OTA. The main outlets seem to be out of stock or on back order presently.
There's a simple trick for that. I had the same problem with my 12" Newt that weighs 48 lbs. without AP gear. The trick is to add a stop on the dovetail of your scope, assuming it is long enough (otherwise just order a longer one). I made a stop of plywood and attached it to an available screw hole on the dovetail. Now I just have to lift the scope briefly so that the stop is placed right over the top of the shoe, then I only have to apply a little balancing force, but I don't have to support the weight of the telescope to keep it from sliding down while I tighten the screws. It makes a world of difference in handling this beast. See the photo below.
Plywood stop added to dovetail
Plywood stop added to dovetail
A bit late to respond, but HTH.
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
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Re: Celestron 102 mm XLT f/9.8?

#38

Post by helicon »


SkyHiker wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:08 pm
helicon wrote: Tue Nov 01, 2022 10:50 pm The issue with the AR 152 is that it needs to be attached to the mount before use, requiring one arm support for a bit while I use the other hand to tighten the screws onto the dovetail, sort of tricky. The 102 weighs in at 9 pounds so significantly lighter than the 152 OTA. The main outlets seem to be out of stock or on back order presently.
There's a simple trick for that. I had the same problem with my 12" Newt that weighs 48 lbs. without AP gear. The trick is to add a stop on the dovetail of your scope, assuming it is long enough (otherwise just order a longer one). I made a stop of plywood and attached it to an available screw hole on the dovetail. Now I just have to lift the scope briefly so that the stop is placed right over the top of the shoe, then I only have to apply a little balancing force, but I don't have to support the weight of the telescope to keep it from sliding down while I tighten the screws. It makes a world of difference in handling this beast. See the photo below.

IMG_1488 (800x600).jpg

A bit late to respond, but HTH.
Thanks for the idea Henk. May solve the problem!
-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
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