296 replies to this topic

[Astronomics]

It would be so nice to see the Aston Martin grey trim come back.  It is such a distinctive and classy look.  I seem to remember Mike saying that the manufacturer couldn't do it for the current scopes...80, 115 and 130 triplets.   My original AT111 and the little AT72 are both Aston Martin grey trim.   Beautiful.  

The 102 and 92 will have the trim.  We are hoping to move it to the EDT series as well.

[Astronomics]

Michael, any word on the expected optical specifications? Strehl, wave front etc?

Also will it be black and white like the prototype, or the Aston Martin grey like the other AT scopes?

 

Steve

We went down that road with the original TMB series, so we aren't going to have those numbers available.  The current batch of EDTs fall into our preferred specs and have performed very well.  My hope is that people get out and enjoy the scope and not get wrapped up in a piece of paper.

 

I am unsure of the color at the moment.  I would like the grey, but it may not be possible.

[Phil Cowell]

 

 

 

The AT152EDT is now available for pre-order at Astronomics! Go get 'em!

 

https://www.astronom...ota_p20564.aspx

I'm still waiting for some close up shots of the production sample.

 

Give me time. Work and weather have got in the way.

 

I can't help Phil with "work" (whatever that is..... retired guy alert)..... but Clear Sky Chart for NY's Southern Tier is predicting clear for tonight, and a rare "excellent seeing" for a few hours..... with a nice moon..... after that, the forecast is snow showers.....

 

I'll be out with the scope again tonight. Just checked the clear sky clock and it looks good.

[Peter Besenbruch]

 

I truly wonder if anyone has ever based a vacation on the premise of visiting a "Telescope Dealership". To be honest I would seriously consider it.

When we had our old showroom we had a person do just that.

Hmm... I was planning a Germany vacation, ending up in Regensburg. I was intending to visit TS outside of Munich. Now I'm not so sure. A visit to the majestic mountains and orotund oceans of central Kansas, Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle might be just the thing, if it included a stop in Norman...

[stevew]

 

 

 

 

The AT152EDT is now available for pre-order at Astronomics! Go get 'em!

 

https://www.astronom...ota_p20564.aspx

I'm still waiting for some close up shots of the production sample.

 

Give me time. Work and weather have got in the way.

 

I can't help Phil with "work" (whatever that is..... retired guy alert)..... but Clear Sky Chart for NY's Southern Tier is predicting clear for tonight, and a rare "excellent seeing" for a few hours..... with a nice moon..... after that, the forecast is snow showers.....

 

I'll be out with the scope again tonight. Just checked the clear sky clock and it looks good.

 

I hope you have a great night Phil, but I was more interested in some close up pictures of the scope say on your kitchen table or something, rather than more pictures of it in the dark..

Anyway I know life is busy, so don't worry about it. Enjoy your clear night.

 

Steve

[stevew]

 

Michael, any word on the expected optical specifications? Strehl, wave front etc?

Also will it be black and white like the prototype, or the Aston Martin grey like the other AT scopes?

 

Steve

We went down that road with the original TMB series, so we aren't going to have those numbers available.  The current batch of EDTs fall into our preferred specs and have performed very well.  My hope is that people get out and enjoy the scope and not get wrapped up in a piece of paper.

 

I am unsure of the color at the moment.  I would like the grey, but it may not be possible.

 

I completely understand that you don't want to start any comparison wars, but I was hoping to hear the minimum expected specifications.

There may be some people that may want to sell their Cluster Buster 3000 5 inch with a .999 strehl in order to off set the cost of the new ADT152, and may get disappointed with a 152mm with a .70 strehl ratio.

Can you at least tell us who designed the lens.??

 

Steve

[stevew]

 

Michael, any word on the expected optical specifications? Strehl, wave front etc?

Also will it be black and white like the prototype, or the Aston Martin grey like the other AT scopes?

 

Steve

My current production AT130EDT is white, not gray. I think most of the current AT Refractors are white as well. Perhaps some of the older AT's were gray but not the current line. 

 

Of course all refractors should be white. I was asking about the trim [focuser, lens rings etc]

Personally I like white tubes with black focuser and trim. It's a classic look. Just like Phi's picture of the prototype.

[stevew]

 

This is going to be a hot item!

Scott, you’ll be impressed. Was so impressed I now own the prototype.

Phil

 

Phil, How does it compare to your TEC140??

[Agatha]

.

.

Of course all refractors should be white. I was asking about the trim [focuser, lens rings etc]

.

.

 

I remember those exact words in a thread title from several years ago.    I love white tubes too.   even though I have a few that aren't

 

I look forward to some closeups also.  It sounds like a very nice telescope.

 

 

Edited by Agatha, 09 November 2017 - 10:30 AM.

[Phil Cowell]

 

 

 

 

 

The AT152EDT is now available for pre-order at Astronomics! Go get 'em!

 

https://www.astronom...ota_p20564.aspx

I'm still waiting for some close up shots of the production sample.

 

Give me time. Work and weather have got in the way.

 

I can't help Phil with "work" (whatever that is..... retired guy alert)..... but Clear Sky Chart for NY's Southern Tier is predicting clear for tonight, and a rare "excellent seeing" for a few hours..... with a nice moon..... after that, the forecast is snow showers.....

 

I'll be out with the scope again tonight. Just checked the clear sky clock and it looks good.

 

I hope you have a great night Phil, but I was more interested in some close up pictures of the scope say on your kitchen table or something, rather than more pictures of it in the dark..

Anyway I know life is busy, so don't worry about it. Enjoy your clear night.

 

Steve

 

Hi Steve,

  It was a good night and I’ll upload some pictures in the light tonight.

Cheers

Phil

[CounterWeight]

I am glad too the proto is looking good!  at that price point quite a good buy for visual triplet greatness.  What I am curious about is the lens cell, how robust in day to day use and all that, also will be quality of what gets off the line to our hands as a production scope.  If I remember AT some time back did get the capability to do some testing or verification?

 

 

 

Agree about the f/8 TEC160ED - also just add that it was/is oil spaced and also very light for it's size, cooling and acclimation were minimal for a scope that size due to the oiled triplet design.

 

Very curious about view of M57, M27, M81/82 ... M13 and 92... so many others.

[CounterWeight]

Add me as another person reconsidering 'what is next for me' plans!, this to me looks like a 'best buy' in it's aperture class if it's good at high mag planetary, and has reasonable cooldown / acclimation.  Might shake a few industry trees out there, a good thing.

[Phil Cowell]

 

Ok first of a couple of pictures.

[Phil Cowell]

Close up of focuser

[Phil Cowell]

Front end rings and handle

[Phil Cowell]

This is going to be a hot item!

Scott, you’ll be impressed. Was so impressed I now own the prototype.
Phil

Phil, How does it compare to your TEC140??

Steve,
Haven't had the time to use them together yet. Its on the todo list.

[dpastern]

Looks a treat Phil!

[olivdeso]

Agree about the f/8 TEC160ED - also just add that it was/is oil spaced and also very light for it's size, cooling and acclimation were minimal for a scope that size due to the oiled triplet design.

 

Very curious about view of M57, M27, M81/82 ... M13 and 92... so many others.

Besides f/8 lower the spherochromatism, which is also interesting for solar imaging for instance.

 

For instance, the TEC160ED has a little bit more longitudinal chromatism than the AP 155/7, (I guess about 120µ against 60µ, but still good enough for visual use at least) and at the other hand, the TEC160ED has a lower spherochromatism than the AP155/7 which gives a little bit better blue channel to the TEC.

[3 i Guy]

Thanks for posting those Phil.

[Phil Cowell]

Thanks for posting those Phil.

Your welcome.

[glend]

 

Michael, any word on the expected optical specifications? Strehl, wave front etc?

Also will it be black and white like the prototype, or the Aston Martin grey like the other AT scopes?

 

Steve

We went down that road with the original TMB series, so we aren't going to have those numbers available.  The current batch of EDTs fall into our preferred specs and have performed very well.  My hope is that people get out and enjoy the scope and not get wrapped up in a piece of paper.

 

I am unsure of the color at the moment.  I would like the grey, but it may not be possible.

 

Many people base buying decisions on those numbers. If i am looking at two competing scopes, the lack of metrics is going to be an influencing factor.

[Astronomics]

Michael, any word on the expected optical specifications? Strehl, wave front etc?
Also will it be black and white like the prototype, or the Aston Martin grey like the other AT scopes?

Steve

We went down that road with the original TMB series, so we aren't going to have those numbers available. The current batch of EDTs fall into our preferred specs and have performed very well. My hope is that people get out and enjoy the scope and not get wrapped up in a piece of paper.

I am unsure of the color at the moment. I would like the grey, but it may not be possible.

Many people base buying decisions on those numbers. If i am looking at two competing scopes, the lack of metrics is going to be an influencing factor.

The can understand that, but I can think of a few premium refractors off the top of my head that sell very well and give zero numbers.

[Astronomics]

Well, lets have a little social experiment.  What realistic strehl number do you think a 6" triplet at f/8 using Fk61 and Lanthanum should have when it sells for a hair under $4,000?

 

There isn't a right or wrong answer.  I just want to know what the realistic expectations are.

 

I want you all to keep this in mind, and I understand the glass types are different and some aren't even mentioned:

 

150mm Esprit from Sky-Watcher, no strehl given, $6399

SV152 from StellarVue, .95 strehl or better, is $8900

TOA-150 Takahashi, no strehl given guessing .95 or better due to pedigree, $12,970

Televue 127, No strehl and smaller, $7200

APM 150 triplet, usually .95 or better, $10,000 depending on the exchange rate

TEC 160FL, .95 or better, $12,500

Explore Scientific 165ED, no strehl give, $9500

 

So be fair and honest in your assessment as to expectations.  Would I like to get a .97 Strehl instrument at $4,000?  You bet.  I would also like to retire with a billion dollars in the bank.  Neither is happening anytime soon.

[dpastern]

Well, lets have a little social experiment.  What realistic strehl number do you think a 6" triplet at f/8 using Fk61 and Lanthanum should have when it sells for a hair under $4,000?

 

There isn't a right or wrong answer.  I just want to know what the realistic expectations are.

 

I want you all to keep this in mind, and I understand the glass types are different and some aren't even mentioned:

 

150mm Esprit from Sky-Watcher, no strehl given, $6399

SV152 from StellarVue, .95 strehl or better, is $8900

150mm Esprit from Sky-Watcher, no strehl given, $6399

TOA-150 Takahashi, no strehl given guessing .95 or better due to pedigree, $12,970

Televue 127, No strehl and smaller, $7200

APM 150 triplet, usually .95 or better, $10,000 depending on the exchange rate

TEC 160FL, .95 or better, $12,500

Explore Scientific 165ED, no strehl give, $9500

 

So be fair and honest in your assessment as to expectations.  Would I like to get a .97 Strehl instrument at $4,000?  You bet.  I would also like to retire with a billion dollars in the bank.  Neither is happening anytime soon.

you listed the esprit 150 twice Mike!

 

edit: but I don't think people are expecting Strehl .95 or greater for a 6" refractor at that price point either.  I think people are just curious to see its optical performance.  I mean, if it's strehl .8 at 4k, then people may think twice about buying it as it may not optically mean their personal requirements.  Strehl is so variable anyway, with optical variance amongst identical units being an issue, even with the most stringent of manufacturers imho.  

Edited by dpastern, 09 November 2017 - 09:30 PM.

[Adam E]

One thing that I would be curious about, as an imager, is whether the focuser possibly terminates in a threaded connection or not, and if so, whst those threads are.  I brlieve thats something that the whole new line of AT refractors is a bit unclear about.  The pages for reducer / flatteners mention threaded connections to the scope, but dont mention thread sizes.

 

To be honest, one of my most liked things about Teleskop Service scope descriptions is that the focuser threading is completely spelled out, and it is usually all compliant with the big TSFlat2.5 and Riccardi reducers.

 

Something I've noticed with the AT descriptions is that the thresding info isnt there, and as an imager looking at scopes, thats a critical piece of info.  For me, at least.  Not bashing here, but maybe constructive feedback would be to include this type of info in the scope specs and/or description.