Mike Loffland
Web Guru (Astronomics)
Reged: 09/03/04
Posts: 2080
Loc: Norman, Oklahoma
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Skywatcher 120/600 Short Tube Achromatic Refractor
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Doug76
Postmaster
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 5562
Loc: SE Louisiana, future Texan
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Just a point to make for you. This prism, an erecting prism, is not the type referred to in the forums. The prism referred to in the forums is a star prism, and would not dim the view or have the line of light through it. But in a short achro such as yours a mirror diagonal is the best choice.
Also, the Baader Semi Apo filter would have been a better choice. It also would cut the CA, but would not have altered the color of objects.
Good review, well done.
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Doug
Truckstop Astronomer
The Universe, the light of God, in all it's majesty
6 achro refractors, 50mm-150mm
1 apo refractor, 90mm
1 SCT, 8 inch
UO Abbe Volcano Tops
Faworski Ortho's
Panoptic 24mm
Carton 100mm f/13 under construction 
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Fox1971
member
Reged: 01/27/09
Posts: 16
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Is this basically the same scope as the Orion 120ST?
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coutleef
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 02/21/08
Posts: 1730
Loc: Montréal and Saint-Donat, Québ...
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I am a little bit surprised. I thought these 120 mm ST refractors (from Orion or SW) came with a 2" diagonal?
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François
Scopes: Nexstar 8 SE with Ron's rail and Denk S1 Powerswitch. EPs list is on my Bio.
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Doug76
Postmaster
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 5562
Loc: SE Louisiana, future Texan
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Quote:
Is this basically the same scope as the Orion 120ST?
Yes
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Doug
Truckstop Astronomer
The Universe, the light of God, in all it's majesty
6 achro refractors, 50mm-150mm
1 apo refractor, 90mm
1 SCT, 8 inch
UO Abbe Volcano Tops
Faworski Ortho's
Panoptic 24mm
Carton 100mm f/13 under construction
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Mark Costello
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/08/05
Posts: 1311
Loc: Matthews, NC, USA
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Overall, I thought it was a well written review based on good observations of several different types of objects. I was a bit perplexed about the discussion of the observation of M45, the disappointment and that based on scale versus field of view. I own a 4" achromat refractor with a focal length of 660 mm. I view MN45 with a 25mm eyepiece with an apparent field of view of 70 deg and 26X. With this, the entire cluster is framed nicely with a little dark sky to spare all around the edge of the field. The 26X is just right for viewing the entire cluster. I'm pretty sure I'd be happy with the view with this particular eyepiece and the 120ST.
Best Regards,
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Mark Costello
Matthews, NC
Wife, son, three daughters, two dogs, ... and
Souped up & Tuned Burgess 102mm refractor on a CG5 & Celestron 7X35's
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revans
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/26/05
Posts: 1516
Loc: Fitchburg, MA
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I've got the Orion 120 mm F5 ST achromat. Its a fine scope for the money both visually and surprisingly for deep sky color photography (if you handle the post-processing well). Probably the best buy out there...this scope could keep me busy for years... I'd never sell it...
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Rick Evans
http://www.freewebs.com/revans_01420/
"The universe is there for us to see, but it cannot be understood without learning its language -- mathematics." Galileo Galilei
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stevenf
member
Reged: 10/11/09
Posts: 31
Loc: Vancouver, BC
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I bought a nice used Orion ST120 with a crayford focuser about five years ago. Back then the reviews of this scope were not too kind! Pretty much everything I read was negative, or at least not too positive. I'm surprised and pleased to come back to astronomy five years later and find that this scope has found it's niche. I've always loved mine, would never sell it either...wondering if the original owner regrets it! 
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Meade ETX-60BB
Meade ETX-90EC UHTC
Skywatcher ST80
Orion ST120
Skywatcher 90mm Mak
Meade 9x63 binoculars
Celestron Explorascope
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tincup01
member
Reged: 07/29/08
Posts: 40
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I have the skywatcher 102/500, but what I love about a short tube are four key things, apart from the good views and seemingly sharp images even on powers around 120 magnification.
(1) It is like a pair of binos, but much better than any budget binos and you have a proper stable ALT/AZ mount.
(2) I can sit in my chair, with a few yoga blocks to change my height and view everything, without having to stand around. It means I have time and patience to observe and see more things.
(3) No need for a finder scope, I use a Meade 56mm Psossl.
(4) It is actually very small for the purpose of storing away and of course the cool down is virtually immediate, so again like binos.
Like other people on this site, I have build a simple counterweight mechanism for the AZ3 tripod, using an ETX90 piggyback, which is a strong/heavy piece of steel, secured upside down and hanging with two bolts off the front and from the underneath of the tripod dovetail. I add weights if required to that the up and down (ALT) works as the maker intended.
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Skywatcher f5 102mm on AZ3
Celestron F9.8 102mm on AZ3
Meade ETX 125
Relevation 8" Dob
Meade LX90 GPS
Meade lightbridge 12" Dob
7mm Nagler, RACI 8x50 finder, laser and Rigel
20x80, 15x70 and 7x50, Anti-vib pads
Plus lots of other bits and pieces.
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Retentive
member
Reged: 02/16/08
Posts: 15
Loc: Florida
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Today we live in a "my toys are bigger and better than yours" type of society. After reading posts here on CN I thought that all achros were useless and if you cant afford a 5" triplet then you shouldnt even start stargazing as a hobbie. Then I bought a 120ST and found to the contrary that this telescope does give great views of M objects and I have spent many a night just scanning the milkyway.
Great review, too bad there may be some beginners that have quit without ever trying an achro.
Phil
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Frank Luke
sage
Reged: 11/26/05
Posts: 217
Loc: Dog Bark, OH
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Retentive, I agree. I had the 120 f5 for about five years before I (reluctantly) sold it and got the 150 f5. However, I question if CN really needs seven reviews of the same scope. I don't believe anything new can be said about this instrument, so maybe it's time to put the Skywatcher/Astroview/Orion 120 f5 to bed, regarding future reviews of it on CN.
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revans
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/26/05
Posts: 1516
Loc: Fitchburg, MA
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True, there have been more reviews of this scope than most others. I've read all of 120 F5 reviews and found them all very good. I was hoping to see some images taken with the scope but did not find any in any of the reviews. So, I put a very short review of my own together that does include a couple of deep sky images taken with this scope. I'm not sure if it will be included in the new October reviews eventually or not... maybe the editors think as you do that there are already enough on this scope. 
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Rick Evans
http://www.freewebs.com/revans_01420/
"The universe is there for us to see, but it cannot be understood without learning its language -- mathematics." Galileo Galilei
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square_peg
Postmaster
Reged: 03/26/04
Posts: 29506
Loc: Maple Valley, WA
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At CN we welcome all telescope reviews.
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Tom (Pegster)
DSH-8 (GSO Dob)
15x70 Oberwerks
SVP/ED80
WO 66 Petzval
Sears Discoverer EQ 60/900
8x42 Regals
History is Philosophy teaching by examples.
Thucydides
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revans
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/26/05
Posts: 1516
Loc: Fitchburg, MA
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As a general question, what is the best email address to send reviews to? I've sometimes used the administrator email on the review page and haven't gotten a response...
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Rick Evans
http://www.freewebs.com/revans_01420/
"The universe is there for us to see, but it cannot be understood without learning its language -- mathematics." Galileo Galilei
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