asaint
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/25/03
Posts: 2089
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Astro-Tech 102ED
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Scott Beith
SRF
Reged: 11/26/03
Posts: 37207
Loc: Frederick, MD
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One of the best refractor reviews I have read. Very well done! 
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   SLAP Observer (TMB130SS, SV102V, SV80ED)
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke.
"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell
"The measure of a man’s greatness is not determined by what he accomplishes for himself, but by what he accomplishes for others.” -- Some Bald Guy
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ScottAz
Fleet Navigator
Reged: 02/06/05
Posts: 1151
Loc: Millington, TN
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Jon, you and Monks Monkulus make a great team!  Excellent review! I really enjoyed it!
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Scott Azmus
SV80BV, C6S XLT, NexStar 11, & 18" Obsession 
Many Views Yield Truth
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ik507racer
super member
Reged: 01/15/08
Posts: 147
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mmmm good review.
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John Kocijanski
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/22/03
Posts: 1663
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Great review. Is this the same as the Orion version?
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Deep Space Observer 10 * SPC-8 * C102 HD f/10 * XT 4.5 * Orion/Moonlite 80ED * PST *
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ik507racer
super member
Reged: 01/15/08
Posts: 147
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Would be nice toget a review about the 111mm Astro tech triplet.
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jrcrilly
Refractor wienie no more
Reged: 04/30/03
Posts: 25203
Loc: NE Ohio
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Great work, Jon! Very thorough and informative.
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John C
Urban Observatory
A&M/Astreya 76mm F/6 APO
TMB/LOMO 80mm F/7.5 APO
Tak FSQ-106N F/5 APO
Meade 178ED F/9 "APO"
Meade ETX-125AT
C14
Teeter 20" F/3.8 truss Newt w/ServoCat
CI-700, NJP, GPDX/SS2KPC, CG5-GT
ST-10XME, DSI Pro
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Tom Trusock
Reged: 02/26/02
Posts: 29971
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Very Nicely Done Jon. 
T
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Hyperbole - undoubtedly the best thing ever.
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Phil Frederick
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/19/05
Posts: 845
Loc: Seattle, WA & La Paz MX
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Excellent review John
My experience with the SV102ED mirrors virtually everything you said. And the comparison with the 80mm scope clearly helps answer often-asked questions of 80mm vs. 102mm.
I've concluded, as did you, that the 102mm is the scope to grab (over the 80mm) because it'll definitely show more yet it is still very portable. But I'm still keeping my SV80ED!
Good job!
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Phil
Intes M500 MCT (Teton Mods)
Stellarvue SV115EDT
Stellarvue SVR70ED Raptor
Orion ST80 f/5 w/Crayford
SV F50 Sparrowhawk
SV F60 Biggerhawk
Tak Teeguls, SV MG, SV Stablelock tripod, TV Gibraltar tripod, a rebuilt TV Gibraltar tripod with fixed Walnut/Oak legs, M1 on Bogen475
... Naglers, Panoptics, Stratus'
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runner
super member
Reged: 11/26/07
Posts: 178
Loc: Nova Scotia, Canada
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Wonderfull review Jon, this this has put my search for a new refractor to rest......excellent!
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CollinofAlabama
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/24/03
Posts: 1179
Loc: Lubbock, Texas, USA
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Jon,
A very timely review the community needed. I'm about to pull the trigger myself on Orion's, which looks to be the same. I have two requests for you. First, could you possibly post some jpegs of the 80mm in its case and the 102 in its case? I realize this can be inferred by your photo of the tubes, but its nice to see how much bigger the package you'll actually put in the car is, size-wise.
Also, you mention you used the EQ-3 for this review. How did the EQ-3 handle this big, bad boy? It's a lot more scope than an 80mm. I own the AT80ED and its on an Orion AstroView, too, and would like to know how you feel the EQ-3 fares driving so much more scope.
Keep up the good work and thanks, again,
CDS
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Coelum Serendum
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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
Reged: 06/16/04
Posts: 12070
Loc: San Diego, California
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Hello and thank you all for your kind words. I had fun doing this review and as time went on I began to trust the scope more and more and now the reality is that in the last month I haven't used the 80mm Megrez II FD, it stays in it's case.
Answers to a few questions and make a few comments..
- I believe the optics are the same as the Orion scope though the focuser may be different.
- I may be getting the opportunity to test the AT-111EDT.
- Tom
- Phil: I did see you write up in the refractors section of the SV-102ED and your experiences seemed like we were working with essentially the same scope...
- CDS: My Astro-View EQ-3 is plenty solid for visual though it does sit on a Vixen Super Polaris wooden tripod.
As far as the photo of the two cases, I think it would be somewhat misleading. The WO 80mm Megrez II FD is a 555mm focal length scope but it is built into a 480mm FL OTA and then a extender tube on the focser is used to add that extra length. I don't like that aspect, it puts the focuser too far forward and it risks vignetting but it does make for a shorter scope. I think my case would be smaller than your 80mm.
I like the fact that the AT-102ED uses a full length tube rather than the extender tube but it makes for a longer scope. The AT-102ED case is a full sized case designed for the scope plus a 2 inch diagonal so it is much larger. Since you would not be getting a case with the Orion scope, the photo are probably a better judge of the relative size.
Make no mistake though, this is a considerably bigger scope but it is still a very reasonable size, when I went out this morning with my wife and house guest to look at Jupiter and Venus, this was the one.
Clear skies ahead...
Jon
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CollinofAlabama
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/24/03
Posts: 1179
Loc: Lubbock, Texas, USA
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I won't?
Orion 102ED case 
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Coelum Serendum
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mattz
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/03/06
Posts: 608
Loc: Where is Rescue CA?
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Nice job, Jon. Very well written.
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Matt
Orion XT10i with Feather Touch and Paracorr
26T5 17T4
9, 7, & 5T6
Either 12T4 or 13T6, we'll see after the death match.
One homeless SV80S
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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
Reged: 06/16/04
Posts: 12070
Loc: San Diego, California
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Quote:
I won't?
Orion 102ED case
I'll try to get a photo to you well before the May 3rd "expectedship date..." (for the case) 
Jon
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Pasquale
Encrypted
Reged: 10/12/05
Posts: 2219
Loc: Olympia, Washington
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Well done, and thanks, Jon... The 102ED has turned into my grab 'n go scope as well... I love looking through it! My 80 stays in the case since getting the 102...
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Pasquale
Go Seahawks!
NexStar 9.25 GPS / SkyAlign
Stellarvue SV102ED
WO ZS80FD Anniversary
WO ZS66ED Triplet
Vixen Sphinx SXW
Canon EOS XT/350D, Meade DSI, NexImager
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Phil Frederick
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/19/05
Posts: 845
Loc: Seattle, WA & La Paz MX
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Quote:
My 80 stays in the case since getting the 102...
Yah Pasquale, but what to do with the beautiful NHNG??????  I can't give it up! Of course, with this pathetic PNW weather, we may as well pack all of 'em up---or sell 'em. No never!..... 
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Phil
Intes M500 MCT (Teton Mods)
Stellarvue SV115EDT
Stellarvue SVR70ED Raptor
Orion ST80 f/5 w/Crayford
SV F50 Sparrowhawk
SV F60 Biggerhawk
Tak Teeguls, SV MG, SV Stablelock tripod, TV Gibraltar tripod, a rebuilt TV Gibraltar tripod with fixed Walnut/Oak legs, M1 on Bogen475
... Naglers, Panoptics, Stratus'
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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
Reged: 06/16/04
Posts: 12070
Loc: San Diego, California
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Quote:
Quote:
My 80 stays in the case since getting the 102...
Yah Pasquale, but what to do with the beautiful NHNG?????? I can't give it up! Of course, with this pathetic PNW weather, we may as well pack all of 'em up---or sell 'em. No never!.....
That is a good question. I have a 80mm William Optics Megrez II FD with the FPL-53 objective sitting in it's case. I figure it's a birding/imaging scope. It's a better size for digiscoping than the 102ED's. For astronomy, with an 80mm I am always a bit hungry, with the 102mm I am satisfied.
It's a light meal compared to those big round mirrors that wait in the garage but it's enough.
Jon
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Pasquale
Encrypted
Reged: 10/12/05
Posts: 2219
Loc: Olympia, Washington
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How true! The 102 is just enough to quell the appetite... I am really tired of this weather, Phil; and Arizona looks more and more inviting as another NW winter rolls along...
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Pasquale
Go Seahawks!
NexStar 9.25 GPS / SkyAlign
Stellarvue SV102ED
WO ZS80FD Anniversary
WO ZS66ED Triplet
Vixen Sphinx SXW
Canon EOS XT/350D, Meade DSI, NexImager
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doctordub
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/11/06
Posts: 1024
Loc: New Rochelle, New York
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Excellent article Jon! At 23" this Looks like the Ideal travel scope for me. Your article covered all of my questions, now its time to save my money!
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Jonathan
TeleVue TV102 on a Vixen Sphinx SXW mount
Meade LX200 10" SCT EMC on LXD55 with Pier
Jason Monolux 60mm F11 Achromat
Canon 15x50 IS
Minox BD 15X58 ED BR
Celestron Regal 8X42 LX
Olympus E-510, Zuiko 14-42, & 40-150
Meade DSI, LPI, Eep Orion color Eep
TeleVue Binovue, barlow,filters, & eps
Siebert Power Mag wheel
ASUS Eee PC
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