155 replies to this topic

[Asbytec]

Okay, not good. Mine is tight. Im amazed the finder actually holds its pointing alignment as well as the scope holds collimation. Hopefully just a one off problem with an easy fix. Cheers

[Hiroshi]

My MAK180 has been replaced by a new one. I'm going to do star test tonight again.

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[cildastun]

It is worth pointing out that there is a slight "issue" with 180 Maks - the dovetail mount is inclined at a slight angle which requires the finder to be adjusted to allow for this. I have a RACI finder on mine on which I've mounted a Rigel finder, so that when I adjust the RACI, the Rigel is adjusted as well. Some finders cannot adjust far enough to compensate for the angle apparently. It sounds as though yours had a stripped thread as well?

 

BUT, a wonderful scope! The views and images of planets and doubles are simply excellent for 7".

 

Chris

[Hiroshi]

I'm testing my new MAK180 and it's very good. The collimation is better than previous one. I'm happy now.

 

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[starman876]

sounds like the finder bracket needs a captive nut on the ota so when being tightened there is no chance of stripping the threads out of the otA back cell.

Edited by starman876, 28 April 2018 - 09:49 AM.

[Bill Barlow]

I previously owned the SW 150 version and the finder mounting bracket was attached to the tube with nuts on the inside.  So if they come loose, hard to tighten up again since you can’t hold the nut tight while tightening the screw.  It seems possible that if loose enough, they would fall into the tube.

 

Bill

[Deep13]

Guys...don't compare telescopes by their sizes.It's not fair to compare 30 000$ scope to 300$ scope.It's like racing Ferrari with Opel Astra.We all have budget when we choose our new scope.So let's say 1000$ ...which is the best scope by this value ? Do I care if any scope by the same size as mine is better when it cost 10 or 20 times more....no.If I have unlimited bank account I know 20" apo will be the best....but who cares when that thing will cost 10 milion $ without the mount.

Well, I paid $550 delivered for a Discovery 8" DHQ Dob, sonotube with particle board Dob mount, in 2000. A few years later, I paid $1500 for a used Televue 101, unmounted with no diagonal. So with a $500 TV mount and $300 diagonal, it was $2300.

Which one di you suppose gives better views of DSOs, planets, and everything except terrestrial and solar? The 8" Dob consistently shows more detail and brighter images, as I said, on everything. Sure, what the 101 shows is pretty close to technical perfection with correct color, pin point stars, and maximum contrast, but the 8" still shows more. So price isn't everything.

[Deep13]

Seriously, a better image is a better image, whether it takes $500 or $20,000 to get there. Will a tremendously expensive 6" APO give a better image than an affordable 6" SCT? Yes, indeed, it just does. The SCT is a completely useable scope and good quality scope, but a Ferrari is still a Ferrari. As soon as someone writes "good for the price" s/he is effectively saying that the view is of middling quality, but since the user does not have much money, it's good enough for him or her. Not only does that invalidate any meaningful comparison, but personally, I find it a bit condescending. Except for a now-obselete TV 101, none of my scopes is a Ferarri. They're more like Subarus. They all work just fine, but I would be deluding myself if I said my 6" DIY Dob were in the same class as a 6" Astro Physics scope.

Rather than a MCT of any size, I bought a used 9.25" Celestron SCT as a dedicated planet scope, possibly to replace the much bigger 5" f/12 Refractor with D&G lenses. There is no question which scope has better optics: the 5" refractor clearly does, and second-hand it cost me about as much as the used 9.25" despite having a lot less aperture. Yet, I've already observed variable coloration on Uranus with the 9" that would have been impossible with the 5.

Edited by Deep13, 29 April 2018 - 10:48 PM.

[CHASLX200]

Well, I paid $550 delivered for a Discovery 8" DHQ Dob, sonotube with particle board Dob mount, in 2000. A few years later, I paid $1500 for a used Televue 101, unmounted with no diagonal. So with a $500 TV mount and $300 diagonal, it was $2300.

Which one di you suppose gives better views of DSOs, planets, and everything except terrestrial and solar? The 8" Dob consistently shows more detail and brighter images, as I said, on everything. Sure, what the 101 shows is pretty close to technical perfection with correct color, pin point stars, and maximum contrast, but the 8" still shows more. So price isn't everything.

Bigger Newts will always beat out smaller APO's on cost and image detail on planets if they are built good. Now compare a 8" APO to a 8" Newt and the APO is gonna win, but at 20 to 30 times the cost of the Newt.

Edited by CHASLX200, 30 April 2018 - 05:13 AM.

[CHASLX200]

I previously owned the SW 150 version and the finder mounting bracket was attached to the tube with nuts on the inside.  So if they come loose, hard to tighten up again since you can’t hold the nut tight while tightening the screw.  It seems possible that if loose enough, they would fall into the tube.

 

Bill

No way to get inside?

[asenov13]

Bigger Newts will always beat out smaller APO's on cost and image detail on planets if they are built good. Now compare a 8" APO to a 8" Newt and the APO is gonna win, but at 20 to 30 times the cost of the Newt.

It doesn't really matter who is gonna win if you have 500$....in the end you will buy the scope you can afford no matter if it is good or bad.The answer you realy need is " Which is the best teescope I can buy with my 500$ ? " Than you can compare 12" dob to 9" SCT to 7" mac to 4" ED to 3" apo  and you can choose which is the best scope for your needs.

 

 

12" dob  -  deep space

9" sct    - deep space and planets

7" mak  - planets

4" ed   - planets and astrophotography

3" apo  -astrophotography

[starman876]

It doesn't really matter who is gonna win if you have 500$....in the end you will buy the scope you can afford no matter if it is good or bad.The answer you realy need is " Which is the best teescope I can buy with my 500$ ? " Than you can compare 12" dob to 9" SCT to 7" mac to 4" ED to 3" apo  and you can choose which is the best scope for your needs.

 

 

12" dob  -  deep space

9" sct    - deep space and planets

7" mak  - planets

4" ed   - planets and astrophotography

3" apo  -astrophotography

So true. You buy what you got the cash for.  everything else you dream about.  Well, that is unless you want to max out that new credit card you just got.  So which are you?? The dreamer or the guy that maxes out the credit card.

[Foc]

I would think that any telescope that you make good use of is better than not having a scope because you cannot afford perfections or so many scopes you never get round to serious use with any.  A well made inexpensive scope with a simple eyepiece can give any number of good views if conditions allow.

 

....still as some one with two refractors and a Dob and a large number of eyepieces who does not live in steady skies by the coast on in the tropics,.... I still feel the call of a nice slow 6 or 7 inch Mak!

 

Your scope and set up looks nice Hiroshi.  

 

Hmm  better take my own advice and go out and look at Jupiter rather than pics of astro toys before I do something expensive.

[Asbytec]

I would think that any telescope that you make good use of is better than not having a scope because you cannot afford perfections or so many scopes you never get round to serious use with any.  A well made inexpensive scope with a simple eyepiece can give any number of good views if conditions allow.

Enough to have kept me in the hobby for 5 decades with scopes between a 60mm refractor and an 18" Dob. For various reasons, my 6" MCT gets more use than any of them. Excellent tropical seeing and ease of set up and use are two of them. The views are amazing and I learned to use it, these are the main reasons. Got it on closeout years ago. Figure it cost me about $1/observing hour. 

[asenov13]

So true. You buy what you got the cash for.  everything else you dream about.  Well, that is unless you want to max out that new credit card you just got.  So which are you?? The dreamer or the guy that maxes out the credit card.

You mean to increase the cash...than you have more options....but don't forget the accessories ,sometimes they cost more than the scope itself.Here is what I use on the back of my mak

 

Sct-T2  adapter 25$

Baader heavy duty quick changer 115$

Baader Zeiss prism diagonal  260$

Nikon supercharged bino with baader quick lock holders about 600$

Zeiss Jena 25mm ortho 400$

0.965" to 1.25" adapters 20$

Lymax cooler 100$

Dew shield 10$

 

The total is 1530$  and my mak was 550$

So keep in mind all of this when you buy telescope and you want it to perform at it's best.You can go with  cheaper accessories but the performance will not be at this level

Edited by asenov13, 30 April 2018 - 07:14 AM.

[Foc]

"The views are amazing and I learned to use it, these are the main reasons"

 

Yes I can easily see that from your sketches.  I spend too much time fiddling with different options at present but a bit down the track I might yet settle down and just observe more, before us Aussie lose the planetary 'high' ground to the Northerners.

 

Nice binoviewers you have Asenov.  I should give mine a go on Jupiter on another night with my fac.

 

Forgot to turn the fan on the Dob...now I get to see if the stock fan will make much difference on cooling autumn night.

Edited by Foc, 30 April 2018 - 07:25 AM.

[Asbytec]

Yes I can easily see that from your sketches.  I spend too much time fiddling with different options at present but a bit down the track I might yet settle down and just observe more, before us Aussie lose the planetary 'high' ground to the Northerners.

Foc, yea, a game changer for me was to de emphasize my equipment and emphasize using it. Settle down and use it, as you say. Especially when the planets are higher in the sky. Sometimes I want a better scope or a larger aperture, but after a night of use I always ask myself, "Why?" They are better, but I'm enjoying this one.

[starman876]

You mean to increase the cash...than you have more options....but don't forget the accessories ,sometimes they cost more than the scope itself.Here is what I use on the back of my mak

 

Sct-T2  adapter 25$

Baader heavy duty quick changer 115$

Baader Zeiss prism diagonal  260$

Nikon supercharged bino with baader quick lock holders about 600$

Zeiss Jena 25mm ortho 400$

0.965" to 1.25" adapters 20$

Lymax cooler 100$

Dew shield 10$

 

The total is 1530$  and my mak was 550$

So keep in mind all of this when you buy telescope and you want it to perform at it's best.You can go with  cheaper accessories but the performance will not be at this level

and good eyepieces are getting more expensive and now bigger and bigger.  One of my new scopes came with a 4" focuser.  A 4" eyepiece costs more than the scope 

[asenov13]

and good eyepieces are getting more expensive and now bigger and bigger.  One of my new scopes came with a 4" focuser.  A 4" eyepiece costs more than the scope

It doesn't matter how big are your eyepieces.....Zeiss quality is unmatched.

[Bill Barlow]

No way to get inside?

I had to remove the front meniscus and get the screws out.  By doing that, the collimation was way off and needed adjustment.  Would be nice if SW would have just threaded the holes in the tube so you wouldn’t need the nuts.

 

Bill

[infamousnation]

do you have opportunity to compare with 6kg タカハシ mewlon 180 at 170,000 yen?

You could sell me the mewlon and buy a sw180 and an ethos and find out which is better.

[starman876]

It doesn't matter how big are your eyepieces.....Zeiss quality is unmatched.

But that 120 degree view is unmatched

[asenov13]

But that 120 degree view is unmatched

Enjoy it than...but Zeiss orthos will beat it in every other way...

 

light transmission

contrast

light scatter

colour tone

aberations

sharpness

flat field

lighter

can be used on binoviewer

 

I am sure there is even more but that seems to be enough

[starman876]

Enjoy it than...but Zeiss orthos will beat it in every other way...

 

light transmission

contrast

light scatter

colour tone

aberations

sharpness

flat field

lighter

can be used on binoviewer

 

I am sure there is even more but that seems to be enough

Nope, want that 120 degree space portal. Besides I have enough Zeiss eyepieces

[CHASLX200]

I had to remove the front meniscus and get the screws out.  By doing that, the collimation was way off and needed adjustment.  Would be nice if SW would have just threaded the holes in the tube so you wouldn’t need the nuts.

 

Bill

I jumped on a 6" version so i hope it is ok.