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Doc Bob
member
Reged: 02/27/09
Posts: 40
Loc: Maryland, USA
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Hi Everyone,
I'm new to refractors; been an SC type for several years and would like to expand my astronomy experience - I currently have an 80mm f/6.5 achro refractor as my grab-&-go telescope. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the AstroTelescopes 102mm f/11 telescope. I would like a nice planetary/lunar telescope that would be also good for bright objects and double stars. I would appreciate any comments pro and con to help me decide wether or not to purchase one of these instruments.
Thanks,
Bob
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CPC1100 w/Stellarvue 2" dielectric diagonal
AstroTelescopes 80 mm f/6 w/Celestron 2" mirror diagonal
Stelarvue M1 mount
Axiom LX 10mm 1.25"; 19mm, 23mm, 31mm 2"
CELESTRON 40mm Plossl (came w/ scope) 1.25"
Meade 5000 series 14mm Plossl 1.25"
Pentax XW 7mm 1.25"
a really inexpensive 4mm 1.25"
GSO 2" Barlow 2x w/ 1.25" adaptor
To many 1.25" filters - use only 3
OIII 1.25"
Lumicon Deep Sky Filter - SCT thread
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jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan
Reged: 02/28/06
Posts: 4349
Loc: Petaluma, CA
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PM o1d_dude (Kit) and ask him about his Stellarvue-branded version of this scope. Though there's no guarantee that the Astrotelescopes-branded version will have had quite as much TLC as the Stellarvue-branded version, the optics should be the same. The Stellarvue flavor was really quite good. Kit brought it to one of our local O.F.L.I. star parties a couple of months ago. I only had a couple of peeks through it, so I would encourage you to see what he has to say. It's a very pretty scope, by the way.
Regards,
Jim
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"I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me."
- Sir Issac Newton
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o1d_dude
o1der than dirt
Reged: 10/03/07
Posts: 2139
Loc: The TV/SV Wolfpack
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PM received and response sent.
That Pentax XW 7mm EP will become a favorite with the f/11. Trust me on that one.
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Kit
'Don’t worry about what telescope you own, or its quality. Just get out under the night sky, and enjoy God’s wondrous universe.' - Thomas M Back
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donnw
super member
Reged: 08/03/08
Posts: 166
Loc: Maryland
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Hi Bob:
I have one and love it! You can't beat the price-performance ratio (great deal!) Nice smooth dual speed focuser, well placed baffles (forgot how many), fully colimatable cell (side adjust - not push-pull), and good all around build quality and quality optics and coatings. Some color on the brightest objects but not at all objectionable. (Forget about anything better for less than 3 times the price - doesn't exist that I've encountered.)
As for AstroTelescopes version vs Stellarvue - AstroTelescopes (OEM'd by Kunming / United Optical) is the only supplier - not Stellarvue. Vic was kind enough to check out the quality of a couple of these scopes for the lady that owns or runs AT, but thats is - Stellarvue is NOT reselling UO tubes.
You can't go wrong with one of these scopes. I got mine at NEAF back in April (?) from Gary at handsonoptics.com. I was also just at their annual EastCoast Astro gathering this past Saturday and I know they had at least one on the shelf (if you're looking for a source.) You won't be disappointed ;-) Cheers...
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Peace & Blessings,
Donn Williams
Member - AAVSO
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Celestron EdgeHD 11 on CGE in SkyShed POD GL5
Meade Lightbridge 12", SN10, LX200 Classic 8", AR5, 314 Brass & ETX125PE
Lunt LS60T/DS, Stellarvue SV102ED, SV80BV, SV80/9D, SV NH2
Cave Astrolla 8", Zeiss Telementor II, Unitron 114, 128, 142
Towa 339, Royal Astro 76/1200, Pentax J80, Borg 100, AT 102-F/11
Goto 105, Various Sears/Tasco/Selsi/Towa 60-80mm's
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Clive Gibbons
Mostly Harmless
Reged: 05/26/05
Posts: 13461
Loc: Oort Cloud
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Here's a shot of the quarter Moon taken with a 102mm f/11 achro.
http://clanicd.com/SV102F11/20090926_lg.jpg
It's sharp and shows very little c.a. (as you'd expect from a 4" f/11 achro).
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A few telescopes of dubious value.
Understanding wife, two curious cats and one sadly departed.
"Semper ubi sub ubi"
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Patricko
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/30/07
Posts: 1534
Loc: SE New Mexico USA
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Hummm, nice picture but my Celestron 102 f/9.8 seems to show less color and has a sharper image when it comes to Luna. Of course this is just what I see with my eye not the camera.
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Clear skies,
Patrick
INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY ASSOCIATION
60MM TELESCOPE CLUB!
"You can always have better, but will you ever be happy with what you have?" - Me, myself, and I
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Scott Beith
SRF
Reged: 11/26/03
Posts: 37214
Loc: Frederick, MD
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You would need a side by side.
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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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Patricko
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/30/07
Posts: 1534
Loc: SE New Mexico USA
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Yeah I agree... anyone have some shots handy?
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Clear skies,
Patrick
INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY ASSOCIATION
60MM TELESCOPE CLUB!
"You can always have better, but will you ever be happy with what you have?" - Me, myself, and I
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jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan
Reged: 02/28/06
Posts: 4349
Loc: Petaluma, CA
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Patricko:
I too had a Celestron C102 (by Vixen), and agree that it was better than expected on the color correction front than any f/9.8 achromat had a right to be.
Mine had less false color than my f/10 5" D&G, as you would expect, but surprisingly not much more false color than my f/14.4 Anaters "Vixen Spec" achromat.
I only had a couple of peeks through Kits Stellarvue 4" f/11.4 using moderate magnifications, and liked what I saw, but not enough to form an opinion regarding color correction versus expectations or other scopes.
Regards,
Jim
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"I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me."
- Sir Issac Newton
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Doug76
Postmaster
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 5574
Loc: SE Louisiana, future Texan
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Mighty little CA for a photo through an Achro. Looks like a really fine scope to me. Bet you hardly even see any CA using it visually.
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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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Scott Beith
SRF
Reged: 11/26/03
Posts: 37214
Loc: Frederick, MD
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Quote:
Yeah I agree... anyone have some shots handy?
Sorry I meant side by side visually. 
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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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Patricko
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/30/07
Posts: 1534
Loc: SE New Mexico USA
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Quote:
Patricko:
I too had a Celestron C102 (by Vixen), and agree that it was better than expected on the color correction front than any f/9.8 achromat had a right to be.
Mine had less false color than my f/10 5" D&G, as you would expect, but surprisingly not much more false color than my f/14.4 Anaters "Vixen Spec" achromat.
I only had a couple of peeks through Kits Stellarvue 4" f/11.4 using moderate magnifications, and liked what I saw, but not enough to form an opinion regarding color correction versus expectations or other scopes.
Regards,
Jim
Hi Jim,
I find your comparison of the f/9.8 to f/14.4 very interesting. I've always wanted to try one of those long throw 4" achros but from what you experienced between the two scopes I'd say that sticking with my current f/9.8 would be the best thing for me. I still think a shootout between f/~11 and f/~10 4"ers would be fun.
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Clear skies,
Patrick
INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY ASSOCIATION
60MM TELESCOPE CLUB!
"You can always have better, but will you ever be happy with what you have?" - Me, myself, and I
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Trever
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/18/03
Posts: 2978
Loc: North Alabama
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I know that visually, this scope really rocks! I saw a very tiny bit of CA on Jupiter, but it did not effect the color of it nor the sharpness. It was the best Achro I had ever looked through. This is compared to any Synta scope I have ever looked through. Also, the build is exceptional.
If it wasn't for the fact that I already have a C11 and a ES 152mm for deep sky, I would have kept it. Plus I am mostly metal detecting for coins now on and off.
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Trever
Explore Scientific 152mm F/6.5 Achromat
Celestron CGEM 11 XLT SCT
Lunt LS60THaDS50 B1200 w/pressure tuner
Nikon 8x42 Trailblazer Binos
Stellarvue M1 mount
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