Telescope Reviews: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart

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Equipment Discussions >> Refractors

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Napersky
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/27/10

Loc: Chicagoland

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Napersky]
#5639173 - 01/23/13 04:12 PM

30 day is no ones "return period" for mail order transactions its Federal Law!

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Napersky
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/27/10

Loc: Chicagoland

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Napersky]
#5639180 - 01/23/13 04:15 PM

I need to get a ronchi tester built.
I have a good bench for testing will actually need to extend it for this scope.

The Zygo is a nightmare.

Mark

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Napersky
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/27/10

Loc: Chicagoland

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Napersky]
#5639182 - 01/23/13 04:17 PM

I hope the NASA glass is not damaged and that no refiguring needs to be done as there is no glass to satisfactory replace it.

Post Extras:

Darren Drake
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/09/02

Loc: Chicagoland

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Napersky]
#5639188 - 01/23/13 04:21 PM

I tested it and I found it has a bad edge. About the last 1/10 inch or so so a mask can make a big difference.

Post Extras:

mustgobigger
Post Laureate

Reged: 06/12/07

Loc: Michigan

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Darren Drake]
#5639209 - 01/23/13 04:33 PM

ebays buyer protection lasts for 30 days and if item was not as described you can file a case and return it.
unless you bought it other than paypal or one of their
approved payment plans.

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jjbird
member

Reged: 01/17/06

Loc: Wisconsin

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: mustgobigger]
#5639280 - 01/23/13 05:26 PM

Is the bad edge a manufacturing issue, or did it become an "acquired" defect? Who ultimately answers for it? These are tough questions to answer.

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jjbird
member

Reged: 01/17/06

Loc: Wisconsin

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: jjbird]
#5639284 - 01/23/13 05:29 PM

I wonder if Roland may want to have a chance to refigure it.

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Darren Drake
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/09/02

Loc: Chicagoland

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: jjbird]
#5639360 - 01/23/13 06:16 PM

I have wondered if it might be caused by a tight retaining ring or something simple but we have yet to look further into it. I consider this unlikely as I think there would be a pinching effect rather than a bad edge which appeared to around the entire circumference but again it needs to be further looked into.

Post Extras:

R Botero
sage

Reged: 01/02/09

Loc: Kent, England

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: jjbird]
#5639363 - 01/23/13 06:16 PM

Quote:

I wonder if Roland may want to have a chance to refigure it.

+1

Get in touch with AP - ASAP! Sorry to hear about this - hopefully it can be solved by AP or amicably with the seller...

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mgwhittle
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 08/24/11

Loc: Chattanooga, TN

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart [Re: Napersky]
#5639473 - 01/23/13 07:42 PM

Quote:

30 day is no ones "return period" for mail order transactions its Federal Law!

Really? Never heard of this before and my google search of the subject does not have provided any info on this. Where are you getting this info from? I'd love this to be true!

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Jeff B
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/30/06

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Napersky]
#5640805 - 01/24/13 02:12 PM

Quote:

Star Test of Sirius shows diffraction spikes. This should not be. Should have been able to go higher power and see detail on Jupiter was very disappointed.

Sorry to hear about the weird star test. Diffraction spikes suggest to me stress on the glass. If so, it can come from several sources.

For example, I had an older 5" oil spaced AP lens that also displayed diffraction spikes, the cause of which were the screws used to secure the cell in the tube. They were very tight and applied enough pressure to the cell to stress the glass. Loosening the screws fixed everything. Extreme cold can also shrink the cell & tube to the point of pinching. Also, Roland sometimes used a gel rather than oil. As the gel ages, it too can apply stress to the lens block.

The former 2 you can check out yourself, the latter will require a return to AP. It may take a few months to get it back too as Roland works service returns in as time permits. Also, there will be a service charge ( I paid $300 for another lens return that displayed a hexagonal diffraction pattern). However, you'll get back a basically new lens, fully serviced and tested.

Jeff

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Darren Drake
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/09/02

Loc: Chicagoland

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Jeff B]
#5640824 - 01/24/13 02:24 PM

I don't think diffration spikes is the best way to describe the aberration we saw. It was more like a very "hairy" outer ring. It is caused from a turned edge.

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chboss
professor emeritus

Reged: 03/24/08

Loc: Zurich Switzerland

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Darren Drake]
#5641881 - 01/25/13 02:33 AM

Sorry to hear about the problems with the optics.
It will be interesting to find out what is causing this problem.

best regards
Chris

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Tanveer Gani
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 11/02/06

Loc: Washington State

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Darren Drake]
#5642404 - 01/25/13 11:44 AM

Quote:

I don't think diffration spikes is the best way to describe the aberration we saw. It was more like a very "hairy" outer ring. It is caused from a turned edge.

Did you test with a very narrow-band green filter? The early A-Ps are not perfectly color corrected and the star test can be muddied by CA.

Also, IIRC, "hairy" outer ring is a sign of rough optics. Turned edge gives you clear rings on on side of focus and fuzzy ones on the other. Here's Suiter's link for reference:

http://home.digitalexp.com/~suiterhr/TM/kestner.jpg

As I doubt Roland ever produced rough optics, you may want to check the lens for oil leakage and separation. A separation around the edge could be producing what you're seeing.

Tanveer.

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Darren Drake
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/09/02

Loc: Chicagoland

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Tanveer Gani]
#5642485 - 01/25/13 12:29 PM

No the "hairy" part was moving due to seeing issues and not part of the lens. No filter was used but the bad edge was glaringly obvious in the null test but like I said much more is needed before anything final is determined. Mark is getting heart surgery today and will be outa commision a few weeks.

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jjbird
member

Reged: 01/17/06

Loc: Wisconsin

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Darren Drake]
#5642566 - 01/25/13 01:13 PM

Best wishes for a quick recovery to Mark.

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mustgobigger
Post Laureate

Reged: 06/12/07

Loc: Michigan

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: jjbird]
#5643172 - 01/25/13 07:03 PM

Get well mark and keep us all
Posted on your recovery.

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Jeff B
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/30/06

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: mustgobigger]
#5643547 - 01/25/13 11:06 PM

God speed Mark. All the best.

Jeff

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mikey cee
Postmaster

Reged: 01/18/07

Loc: bellevue ne.

Re: AP 6" Superplanetary on AstroMart new

[Re: Jeff B]
#5643574 - 01/25/13 11:31 PM

Darren obviously we didn't see this one coming. But tell Mark that Mike and Donna from Omaha wish him a good prognosis and strong recovery. He owes me a look in his Unitron and hopefully that Super Planetary when the bugs are worked out.