cricri
member
Reged: 08/02/07
Posts: 10
Loc: France
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Hello Helpwanted,
For me, there's no chromatism at 111X even on the moon, but I never compare it yet with an other scope.
I use mainly 25mm for deep sky and 222X for planetary.
In the Celestron user's instructions they specify to reduce the aperture if there's chromatism but from my side, I've no need.
cricri
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helpwanted
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/04/07
Posts: 4266
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
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thanks cricri... nice to hear the optics still hold up at 222x!!
i'm about two weeks from having mine... so i enjoy hearing evrything i can on these scopes!
David
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xx12i
TV eps
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helpwanted
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/04/07
Posts: 4266
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
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please post anymore observation reports, i love hearing them!
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xx12i
TV eps
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JMPowell
member
Reged: 12/16/05
Posts: 20
Loc: Cleveland, MS
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I own the XLT 120 and so far have been pleased with it. I have a number of eyepieces and use the UO's for planetary viewing. I have just received the GSO 2" dielectric diagonal from AgenAstro and tried it last night. Considering the bad seeing conditions last night I can't give a decent report yet. It was nice to have a WA 2" eyepiece. The double cluster looked great. Comet 17P was dim against the bright LP sky. On good nights it has been picture perfect using a 20mm 1 1/4" Antares Elite eyepiece.
This is a step down in aperature from the 10" dob I had but I really like the ease of setup and light weight of the OMNI 120. Now if I can only master the setting circles.
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James
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cricri
member
Reged: 08/02/07
Posts: 10
Loc: France
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Hello from France
Here are my first pics made with my XLT 120 + barlow x3 + SPC900NC : Saturne and Mars for both are composition of around 300 pics / 600
http://pix.nofrag.com/a/1/4/0937413905b52c15df94977384105.html
http://pix.nofrag.com/d/9/d/854d895e92a90d0598f7fba7c7a70.html
cricri
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Trever
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/18/03
Posts: 3144
Loc: North Alabama
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Very nice Pictures! I especially like the Mars image.
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Trever
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Celestron C 9.25 on ASGT mount
Zhumell 12 inch Dobsonian Reflector
Vixen A70LF 70mm Refractor OTA
Nikon 8x42 Trailblazer Binos
Stellarvue M1 mount
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akemag
professor emeritus
Reged: 10/26/07
Posts: 582
Loc: Sweden
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Wow, i´m on a Mars quest and that looked good. I got my XLT 120 last week, but the weather has only permitted one session. Tonight promise clear skies, and i´ll be targetting Mars most of the time. I´m pleased to hear that it it can take a 3x barlow! What magnification were you at then?
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Celestron Omni XLT 120
Celestron Powerseeker 80EQ
Bresser Skylux 70mm
10" GSO DOB
5mm Ortho
6.5mm, 25mm, 32mm Plossl
3.6mm, 10mm, 25mm MA
20mm Erfle
4mm, 10mm, 12mm, 18mm RK20mm Kellner
8mm, 20mm Huygens
1.5-2x Barlow
Orange, Green, Variable Polarizing Moon filter
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Talstarone
Lunar Man
Reged: 09/12/06
Posts: 8153
Loc: Pinetops, NC
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I am very curious to see how the improved mount with 1 3/4 inch tubular legs performs.
Does it handle the weight and length of the 120mm, or is it better suited to a short scope such as the C-5, or perhaps even a lighter weight 102mm refractor.
I would like to see if the improvements helped the Mounts performance or not.
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Todd C.
My Eyes,My Heart,My Soul,and The Glory of God's Heaven.
Orion Mini Giant 15x63 Binoculars(Bogen Tripod)
William Optics ZenithStar 66 ED Refractor
Sky Watcher EQ5P GOTO EQMount (SynScan)
Meade Series 5000 Plossls(20/14/9mm)
Celestron X-Cel LX(12mm)
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Dave Hederich
sage
Reged: 09/12/07
Posts: 396
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I think it pays to be skeptical about how meaningful marketing claims may be to the end user until good, objective comparisons have been made.
In the case of the Omni XLT CG-4 mount over previous Celestron CG-4 mounts, it appears that there is almost universal end user opinion that the new version is more stable, albeit heavier, than the older mount.
On the other hand, I've asked a couple of times if anyone has done a direct comparison between a new Celestron scope with XLT coatings and the comparable older model with full multi-coatings. By this I mean testing the two scopes back to back under the same viewing conditions with the same EPs.
So far there has only been one response about a direct comparison, and that response was that no difference could be seen between the two coatings. In other words, while the XLT coatings may represent a technical improvement, it may be so small as not be be generally detectable by the typical end user.
Unless other good data is available to contradict this, I would not base my purchase decision on a visual feature that I can't see with my own eyes.
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Celestron C4-R 102mm f/9.8 Achromat + GSO 2" Dielectric Diagonal
Tasco StarGuide 4 102mm f/13 Mak + NexStar 60GT Mount
Orion ST80 f/5 Achromat
Stellarvue BV3 Binoviewer + Burgess 1.9X OCA + SV23mm EPs
GSO 1.25" & Astro-Tech 2" 2X Barlows
Astro-Tech 38mm Titan, Orion 9mm & 20mm Expanse
Pentax 20x60 PCF WP II Binocular
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cricri
member
Reged: 08/02/07
Posts: 10
Loc: France
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Hello Akemag,
With Barlow x3 (Televue) I can reach mag x333 with my 9mm ep.
Max mag for XLT 120 is normaly x300, but at x333 , the view still clear and sharp.
The tripod is very stable. For me, the main issue is with the focuser : I think it's impossible to mount an electric focuser on the XLT 120 and with high mag (x300) it's uneasy to have good focus manualy because the view move a lot during focusing, so you have to wait 1 or 2 seconds to see the result.
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akemag
professor emeritus
Reged: 10/26/07
Posts: 582
Loc: Sweden
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cricri, i have been at 300x(well 307x to be specific) with my 6.5mm and 2x Barlow on Saturn. I had a sharp clean view that blew me away! Nice to hear that it could hold up to 333x and maybee 350x under good conditions. I also agree that focusing at that mag is hard. But once you got in in focus one should only need to track it (quite often!).
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Celestron Omni XLT 120
Celestron Powerseeker 80EQ
Bresser Skylux 70mm
10" GSO DOB
5mm Ortho
6.5mm, 25mm, 32mm Plossl
3.6mm, 10mm, 25mm MA
20mm Erfle
4mm, 10mm, 12mm, 18mm RK20mm Kellner
8mm, 20mm Huygens
1.5-2x Barlow
Orange, Green, Variable Polarizing Moon filter
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7thSign
member
Reged: 11/04/07
Posts: 36
Loc: North Carolina
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I own a xlt 120 and LOVE IT! there are some minor flaws, but none in the optics, mostly the mount, I feel, is slightly undermounted, but from what I've read there are tips and tricks around it, If you have the money, a focuser upgrade is a plus. If you would like to see pics of my scope I will be glad to send them to you. I have seen all three galaxies in andromeda. It splits doubles quit well, and the double cluster in perseus is a treat. I have not been able to push my scope on the planets, due to light pollution. I brought my scope to the East Coast Star Party, and got nothing but compliments. All in all a great telescope for the money. The fringe killer does a great job with CA on planets and the moon...
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Si vis pacem, para bellum
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letimotif
No Complaints
Reged: 05/20/07
Posts: 3221
Loc: Actually, right here.
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I recall reading somewhere about a homemade addition that can help with refractor focusing. It was remarkably simple. Just take a dowel rod and drill two hole in it to match the width of "u" bolt. Fit the bolt around the focuser knob and thread it through the dowel holes, securing it with wingnuts.
Essentially, the length of the rod, as measured from the center point of the focuser, increases the radius of fcus, just as if you'd glued a big wheel around the original knob. That makes for finer focus adjustments and can serve to reduce vibration while increasing focus accuracy.
Just a thought for those who either can't afford, or don't want to spend, bucks on available alternatives.
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Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a Heaven for?
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7thSign
member
Reged: 11/04/07
Posts: 36
Loc: North Carolina
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that's a great post, know any secrets to help with play in the mount??
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Si vis pacem, para bellum
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7thSign
member
Reged: 11/04/07
Posts: 36
Loc: North Carolina
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we need a Omni forum to share pictures and such, and start our own cult, or just make an achromat forum
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Si vis pacem, para bellum
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Eric38
member
Reged: 05/04/07
Posts: 37
Loc: Chicago
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I have had my 120 for about a year. I often take it out to public viewing sessions with our group. There is always a line once word gets around. Just crisp and vivid views of the moon are even a crowd pleaser. I bought the polar alignment scope for this refractor and had to learn how to set it up initially because it needs to be correctly aligned. Perhaps this is for a different forum though. Also have the tracking motors because of the having to adjust tracking for every other person or so. Might even use this as an astrophotograpy platform. Between this scope and my ten inch Dob I am torn so I take them both out together.
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Explore Scientific ED80 APO/Vixen Porta Mount II
Orion XX14i w/Moonlight focuser.
10" Zhummel Dob
Celestron XLT 120 on CG4 w/tracking
Orion ST 80 on Smart cube on survey tripod
Apogee 90 on Sunpak tripod
25x100 Tachyon
20x80 JT(?)
15x75 Skmaster
C-90 Mak/Cas (Paper weight)
Hyperion 8-24 zoom EP
Hyperion set
Paradigm set
Paracor, Telrad, Red Dot finders, barlows etc.
W.O. Bino viewers
http://sites.google.com/a/ericstarpage.net/www/home
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gregplv
member
Reged: 01/25/09
Posts: 82
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Quote:
I own a xlt 120 and LOVE IT! there are some minor flaws, but none in the optics, mostly the mount, I feel, is slightly undermounted, but from what I've read there are tips and tricks around it, If you have the money, a focuser upgrade is a plus. If you would like to see pics of my scope I will be glad to send them to you. I have seen all three galaxies in andromeda. It splits doubles quit well, and the double cluster in perseus is a treat. I have not been able to push my scope on the planets, due to light pollution. I brought my scope to the East Coast Star Party, and got nothing but compliments. All in all a great telescope for the money. The fringe killer does a great job with CA on planets and the moon...
I just got one of these second hand and could not be more dissappointed. Pointing at Jupiter, I couldn't even focus due to the amount of flare. I then pointed at Arcturus... same deal. Added a vblock filter it was then just barely acceptable. This doesn't sound like your experience. I have tried three different diagonals including a 2" dielectric. What do you think?
There was so much flaring that both looked like a rotating beacon. Kind of like when you look to low and get into the muck, but Arcturus was high overhead.
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Greg
Orion 6" Starblast
Orion XT8 Classic
Orion XX12 Dobsonian
Stellarvue 110 ED
Stellarvue 80 ED NHNG
Stellarvue 80 9D
 Modesto, CA
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russell23
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/31/09
Posts: 2950
Loc: Upstate NY
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Greg,
I've had one since March. For deep sky I find it to be a great scope. For the moon, I have not found CA to be a problem. For Jupiter - it is a problem. I just picked up a used Baader Semi-APO filter that I'm hoping will clean up the CA on planets.
Overall, I think the scope is a solid performer for what I use it for.
Dave
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Vixen 140mm Neo-achro
1.25" Tak prism diagonal, 2" AP Maxbright
45mm, 30mm, 26mm, & 17mm Celestron Vixen Silvertop plossls, 28mm ES 68, 25mm and 17mm Sterling plossls, 20mm Pentax XW,20mm Parks Gold, 19mm Russell Konig, 16mm Agena Flat Field, 16mm Meade 3000 plossl, 15mm AT Paradigm, 12.8mm Zeiss, 2.5x TV powermate, 2.4x Dakin barlow (2" prototype barrel), 2x ES barlow.
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