12052 replies to this topic

[davidc135]

Perhaps the red and blue edges were cause by atmospheric dispersion. What were you observing and what was its elevation? Maybe nothing is wrong with the refractor.

 

Russ

Decentration is a possibility too.  David

[k5apl]

The color edges were not caused by atmospheric dispersion.  I have since disassembled the objective, and will spend some time to:

1.  make sure the elements are in proper order

2.  substitute foil spacers in place of the plastic ring

 

I only had a couple of minutes yesterday, and it looks like the two elements are about the same thickness, and I couldn't see any Newton's Rings pattern.  Need more time to keep checking it out.  I'll update my findings.

Wes

Sears Objective 4 6305A

[PawPaw]

Early this morning with light winds and Vega beckoning overhead I gave the "New to Me"  Nikon S65 a short stroll before sunrise.  I left the S65 out on our porch overnight so it was fully acclimated along with a bevy of Nikon eyepieces.  This is now my new favorite grab and go.  For those that scoff at little achromats,  and I know there is a current thread debating the APO vs Achro,  I for one enjoy both. 

 

First off the mount is absurdly over-built, as Dave trott states, and I completely agree.  The ability to change from Gem to Alt-Az is very nice.  This AM I was utilizing the Gem mode.  The targets were Vega,  The double double,  Arcturus, Deneb and Delta Cygni.  With the skies lightening quickly I had little time to waste.  Around 33 lbs complete the package is light enough to move with OTA and mount but heavy enough for excellent viewing stability.  At f/12 this little Achromat just plain performs.  The color on Vega at 156X was of course evident but not objectionable to my eyes.   At 111X it was even less so.  Even with seeing est @ pickering 6 the diffraction rings at times were steady enough to almost form a complete circle.  Tiny delicate diffraction rings!  Arcturus presented a little more color for me than Vega but what a view it presented.  With its diffraction ring moving the color to me was lovely but again not overly bothersome.   Performed a star test on Deneb with Nikon O 12.5mm and was not dissapointed.  I will admit to struggling on star testing at times especially on larger aperture scopes but this little Nikon left no doubt on its quality figure.  

 

With the sky lightening quckly and the coyotes announcing the end of the hunt I moved the S65 over to the double double.  Clear separation on both at 156X with Nikon O 5mm.  Steady separation around 50% of the time on the dimmer companion.   Then moving to Delta Cygni I was not expecting success with the racing light.  I started at 156X and was able to detect a very slight bump on the diffraction ring 50% of the time.  Dropping the mag to 111X helped and it was no doubt the fleeting secondary appearing.   I just thouroughly enjoyed the short session and it really helped start my day off with a big smile.  I must setup my Takahashi TS 65P and this Nikon side by side and see if I can get a bigger smile.  I say to those who are debating APO vs Achro I say there is room for both and its more about the quality of polish and figure than the type of glass.  Nikon engineers put it all together in this little package in 1983.       

 

 

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[Kasmos]

The color edges were not caused by atmospheric dispersion.  I have since disassembled the objective, and will spend some time to:

1.  make sure the elements are in proper order

2.  substitute foil spacers in place of the plastic ring

 

I only had a couple of minutes yesterday, and it looks like the two elements are about the same thickness, and I couldn't see any Newton's Rings pattern.  Need more time to keep checking it out.  I'll update my findings.

Wes

Sears Objective 4 6305A

Ring spaced objectives on Towas are too far apart to show Newton's rings. 

[Princess Leah]

  For those that scoff at little achromats,  and I know there is a current thread debating the APO vs Achro,  I for one enjoy both. 

 

For those who are debating APO vs Achro I say there is room for both and its more about the quality of polish and figure than the type of glass.  Nikon engineers put it all together in this little package in 1983.       

Well said. They each give different kinds of views that are pleasing in their own way.

It's similar to binoculars and telescopes. They both have something the other doesn't.

I find using small traditional achromats very enriching.

[Corcaroli78]

Last Saturday,  I observed the partial solar eclipse from my garden in my danish location (55*N)

 

 

 

I was thinking to use my 4 f/7 ED with Herschel prism, but ultimately i gave the honor to witness the eclipse to my faithful Zeiss Telementor II with brown solar filter for an orange view. A handheld afocal picture (42x) is the testimony of the session.

 

Carlos

Edited by Corcaroli78, 31 March 2025 - 09:10 AM.

[davidc135]

Still more fine seeing enabled some detail to be seen on Mars with both the Tak FC100 and Dynamax DX-6, both at x200. Syrtis major, the southern Mare and Hellas below with the NPC and a dark fringe above. The DX-6 managed some of it.

 

David

[deSitter]

I observed a record-setting yellow snow pollen count of 14800 on Saturday. That broke the old record by more than 5500. Can't even play with telescopes indoors with numbers like that.

 

-drl

[oldmanastro]

Ring spaced objectives on Towas are too far apart to show Newton's rings. 

Neither the metal rings nor the plastic ring spacers in Towas have a consistent thickness all around. Individual spacers work much better. Even with three discreet spacers Newton rings may be difficult to see.

[oldmanastro]

I observed a record-setting yellow snow pollen count of 14800 on Saturday. That broke the old record by more than 5500. Can't even play with telescopes indoors with numbers like that.

 

-drl

After looking at impressive images of pollen covering whole windshields I will not complain about the red fine Saharan dust except for the fact that the dust has already arrived and will be with us until October. The dust is already reducing transparency. 

[Bomber Bob]

Finally had a night with large enough cloud gaps to make hauling out a scope worth it.  Very fine views of The Moon & Jupiter with ~ 8 / 10 seeing in my Kenko NES-80M.  This is my last "testing session" with an outstanding old refractor.  Picture-perfect star tests on Capella & Pollux...

 

My "new" Vixen Turret works well.  I loaded it with an AT/P-25 + 3 x Vixen LVs (20 / 10 / 5), for 40x / 50x / 100x / 200x.  Its clicks are just loud enough to hear -- much louder than the CG-5 Drives...

 

So cool to watch the GRS rise, while Ganymede & Europa had another close approach.  Large Barge hanging off the NEB and into the Zone -- about a half-hour ahead of the GRS...

 

We're back in The Soup now -- probably for the next 5 nights...

 

Gonna break yet another Swamp High Temp today -- at least 92F by 1500... getting an early start on Summer -- all 8 Months of it!  Bonus:  Very High Humidity, too!   Gonna spend this afternoon de-moldifying 3 Diagonals.  Y'all, I keep each in its own sealed Tupperware, with several fresh desiccant pax...  If I didn't... the interiors would look like a scene from HBO's The Last Of Us!! 

 

(Wonder if I can find a 1970s Popeel Seal & Save Bag System?  Remember those contraptions?  They'd suck all the air out of a clear plastic freezer bag...)

 

Hey!  Found the SEARS version:

 

Edited by Bomber Bob, 02 April 2025 - 12:25 PM.

[highfnum]

Tasco 132T 76mm

little baby scope

[deSitter]

After looking at impressive images of pollen covering whole windshields I will not complain about the red fine Saharan dust except for the fact that the dust has already arrived and will be with us until October. The dust is already reducing transparency. 

That sounds like no fun at all. But at least it is inert to optical surfaces. Pollen grains can etch glass.

 

My laser pointer reveals evenly distributed pollen floating in the inside air, with the windows and doors shut. Outside, it is like a smoky room.

 

-drl

[highfnum]

Tasco 132T 

Jupiter

 

[Bomber Bob]

VG Jupiter pic for a tiny J-B / B-J <Z> Tanzutsu...

[highfnum]

went back to 1966 today via Edmund 3 inch to look at sun

 

here is picture of   clock drive  which is still in mint condition

still works like new  setting circles not cracked 

 

 

 

 

[highfnum]

in action

[John Huntley]

This evening I've observed the Moon Jupiter, Mars, Gamma and Iota Leonis, Mizar and Cor Caroli with my 3 inch F/16 Elliott / BC&F brass refractor. The mount is a Fullerscopes MkIII equatorial.

 

The views were superb at 171x - no colour whatsoever and very clean and crisp images against a coal black sky. Lovely 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jragsdale]

This evening I've observed the Moon Jupiter, Mars, Gamma and Iota Leonis, Mizar and Cor Caroli with my 3 inch F/16 Elliott / BC&F brass refractor. The mount is a Fullerscopes MkIII equatorial.

Beautiful! I rarely hear about the "Elliott" refractors here. Coincidentally I just purchased a vintage BC&F "Elliott", one of the 6" f/13 export versions. Do you do anything to keep the brass in top shape?

 

Here's a pic of mine at RTMC 1997:

 

Edited by jragsdale, 03 April 2025 - 08:28 AM.

[Bomber Bob]

Bonus Session!  Skies went cloud-free about 15' after sunset.  Nabbed The Moon & Jupiter with my '84 FC-76.  Successfully tested my Vixen Turret, too -- this time with 4 x LVs 20 / 10 / 5 / 2.5 for 30x / 60x / 120x / 240x -- left my accessory cases in the shed... so, I was free to roam around the yard...

 

No GRS, but a Yuge Festoon with long streaming tail.  Solid 8 / 10 seeing, and the FC showed me 6 belts total at 120x.  Pure white zones.  Super sharp Moon, too.

 

Best of all, 20-knot winds with 30-knot gusts grounded most of the skeeters...

[deSitter]

This evening I've observed the Moon Jupiter, Mars, Gamma and Iota Leonis, Mizar and Cor Caroli with my 3 inch F/16 Elliott / BC&F brass refractor. The mount is a Fullerscopes MkIII equatorial.

 

The views were superb at 171x - no colour whatsoever and very clean and crisp images against a coal black sky. Lovely 

 

brassfrac01.jpg

 

brassfrac03.jpg

What year made?

 

-drl

[jragsdale]

What year made?

The "Elliott" Telescope was a special release of ~20 units made by Ernie Elliott prior to his retirement in 1992. Objective by Carton, Japan.

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Edited by jragsdale, 02 April 2025 - 09:33 PM.

[cavedweller]

I observed several globular clusters this morning with my orange tube C8. I was trying out a set of five Orion wide-angle eyepieces I just received from High Point Scientific. They are very nice, and I think they might become my favorites.

[highfnum]

moon with the little Tasco 132T

 

 

[steve t]

moon with the little Tasco 132T

Capture 2025-04-04T20_27_08_____100r_152T_77regt132twSE.jpg

 

Capture 2025-04-04T20_28_03t132t.jpg

 

Capture 2025-04-04T20_28_27t132t.jpg

Wow. nice images, thanks for sharing.

Steve T