221 replies to this topic

[eyespy]

Hi Taratular,

 

Those cloths are perfect.  I find that the ROR sometimes leaves slight smears but with some breath and a clean micro cloth, they come right off.

 

Doug.....

[Tarantular]

Thank you sir ! So today i used another set of new but cheaper micro-fibre cloths that i have for lenses and managed to remove all the haze, its back to perfect now !!! So first I blew off any dust just in case and just used my breath and gently started polishing/buffing that haze under LED light. What i noticed was that after i started buffing, if my hand sits on top of the lens for more than say 5 seconds it starts hazing behind my palm area (i guess from the heat my hand gives off ?), and if i keep buffing over that it leaves light haze on its place... So i started buffing for a couple seconds at a time so that it wont haze from my palm and slowly removed it all. I'm thinking at this point a glove would be very helpful to prevent that hazing from the palm itself but i dont have gloves. I wont touch my lens for now. When ROR comes in, I will store it in my cabinet and use it only when i need it. Thanks all and clear skies !

Edited by Tarantular, 22 May 2022 - 04:51 PM.

[blr]

I'd say, do not clean the front element too often. Any cleaning, no matter how gentle leaves some micro scratches on the coatings, and you risk even a deeper scratch. If the FE was very dirty/hazy from the factory, clean it ones and leave it. There always will be some dust on it, but it doesn't affect the image.

[thecelloronin]

Can this scope be broken down to fit in a Pelican 1510 for airline travel?

[Jim in PA]

Can this scope be broken down to fit in a Pelican 1510 for airline travel?

I don't think so, Ronin.  It's too long for that case.

[tmash]

You should read the reviews of the AT102ED in this forum, same scope different brand. 

Hi, the question that hasn't been answered is what is the CA like on stars with the 102? 

[tmash]

very nice picture

What is the CA like for stars?

[Cbaxter]

Read the whole thread, there are celestial images from this scope in past pages. There is, imo, considerable CA on bright stars in the images I've seen online. However, the amount of CA on bright stars seen visually is going to be very subjective and depend on the eyepiece/barlow used and the observers tolerance for CA.

[whooshbang]

What is the CA like for stars?

Here is a single 1 min exposure of M13 with the 102 and no FF/FR. There is some CA present on the 2 bright stars near this cluster.

 

 

I have however seen an excellent photo of M13 with the very same optics... see here https://www.cloudyni...3-svbony-102ed/

 

perhaps my processing skills need some work

[blr]

Well, the image you linked is taken at much longer total exposure time, all in all a lot more elaborate imaging.

In your image, the CA on the stars could be easily removed during processing.

[whooshbang]

 

In your image, the CA on the stars could be easily removed during processing.

That's good to hear! Thanks!

[~RA~]

I'm wondering if others, like me, are following these US eBay listings out of morbid curiosity:

 

SVBONY Astronomical Telescope 102/714 ED Extra Low Dispersion Refractor OTA | eBay
https://www.ebay.com...FQAAOSwuQNicuDG

 

SVBONY SV503 Telescope, 102ED F7 Extra Low Dispersion Achromatic Refractor OTA, 792855933977 | eBay
https://www.ebay.com...M4AAOSwyA5io04f

 

Their pricing makes me feel a little smug for the deal I got on my scope, but also a little sad to know that some buyers are likely to be taken advantage of. I did send one of the sellers a link to the official SVBONY product listing to show them that it can be had for less than half their price. No reply so far...

 

~ RA

[Tarantular]

The SV503 102mm F7 costs = USD $606.99 right now. It has been around this price for a while now. If someone buys at these prices without checking their official site , that's kind of on them. I feel like an instrument like this deserves some sort of research before you spend money. 

Edited by Tarantular, 11 June 2022 - 03:26 PM.

[Infiniti]

Для астрофотографии не подходит.
https://astronomy.ru...html#msg5548433

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Infiniti]

One and a half hour exposure in sub-amids of 180 seconds. Crop 70%

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[jlinsobe]

I'm wondering if others, like me, are following these US eBay listings out of morbid curiosity:

 

SVBONY Astronomical Telescope 102/714 ED Extra Low Dispersion Refractor OTA | eBay
https://www.ebay.com...FQAAOSwuQNicuDG

 

SVBONY SV503 Telescope, 102ED F7 Extra Low Dispersion Achromatic Refractor OTA, 792855933977 | eBay
https://www.ebay.com...M4AAOSwyA5io04f

 

Their pricing makes me feel a little smug for the deal I got on my scope, but also a little sad to know that some buyers are likely to be taken advantage of. I did send one of the sellers a link to the official SVBONY product listing to show them that it can be had for less than half their price. No reply so far...

 

~ RA

Ebay does an amazing job  by showing the buyers some other vendors of the same and similar products on the same page.

 

picclick.com is a better alternative.  It lists and summarizes Ebay, Amazon  the same listings of the same  product by multiple vendors.

[ronnekex]

Have anyone tested the performance of the SV503-102ED with the flattener/reducer across a full frame 24x36mm camera chip? How large is the usable image circle when it comes to vignetting, star sharpness, roundness, color errors? It would be nice if someone have some full frame image examples.

 

According to some ads this telescope-reducer combo can "meet the illumination needs of full-frame shooting".
https://www.amazon.c...TPDX/ref=sr_1_3

 

(Sorry for posting this question in two threads simultaneously. I realised that this this thread was more recently active).

[Tarantular]

I just had the best viewing experience of Saturn ever tonight through a telescope thanks to SV503 scope ! The viewing conditions were just perfect tonight. I could see the separation of the outer ring with the inner rings. I could see the different shades on the surface of the planet. Also the moons - just amazing !!! This SV503 refractor is just miles ahead of my old MAK. The MAK could not resolve even close to the clarity of the refractor for planetary.. I think I might give away my old MAK as a gift to a friend.

Edited by Tarantular, 17 August 2022 - 03:36 AM.

[Oldfracguy]

I had one of these last month, at the same time I had an AT115EDT.  I had them both out in the desert of eastern San Diego County under pretty dark skies about 5 weeks ago.  I have since sold both, but I thought a little info on the performance of the SvBONY SV503 102mm f/7 FPL-51 ED Doublet would be useful here.

 

I brought two mounts, and set both scopes up at the same time aimed at the same objects.  The SvBONY SV503 f/7 ED was riding on a Sky-Watcher AZ5 Heavy-Duty Alt-Az Mount (which, by the way, was just barely able to handle this scope weighing in at 10.4 lbs. with an Orion 9x50 RACI, a Baader T2 Prism Diagonal and a Paradigm Eyepiece installed).  The AT115EDT was on Celestron CG-4 that I've modified to fuinction as a true Alt-Az mount without counterweights.  Both scopes have very good dual-speed rack-and-pinion focusers.  Unlike its sibling, the AT102ED, the SV503, as well as its little sister, the SV503 80mm f/7, have the upgraded rotating focusers like the high-end Astro-Tech triplets:

 

 

The entire focuser--finder scope, diagonal, eyepiece--rotates as a complete unit.  I just do visual obsertaion, so I don't use that feature, but I can imagine how imagers would find it quite useful in setting up the desired shot angle on a GEM, where the diagonal and camera can find themselves in some pretty awkward positions at times.  That's why I configured my CG-4 to work in Alt-Az mode.  (The Setting Circles never worked anyway!)

 

I know this isn't a fair comparison, but not long after I viewed a few objects with both the AT115EDT and the SvBONY SV503 102mm f/7, I packed the SvBONY back up in its box.  That turned out to be fortunate, because right before midnight the wind came up, so I packed up and headed to a spot in the mountains of central San Diego County and set up both scopes again under really dark skies this time.  This time the SvBONY did a good job at going toe-to-toe with the 115mm triplet, only showing a little less detail on Jupiter and Saturn.  I did see a little color on brighter targets in the SvBONY 102mm, just as you will with any of these KUO-made "ATxxED clones" that use FK-61, FPL-51 or FCD-1 glass objectives.  On the other hand, Vega through the AT115EDT was pure white.   

 

I only sold the SvBONY to free up funds for a used FPL-53 ED Doublet (SW 120ED EvoStar) refractor that I will receive next week some time.  

[Mcloud]

Try Venus..

Jon

Or a mercury vapor light

[Bean614]

I just had the best viewing experience of Saturn ever tonight through a telescope thanks to SV503 scope ! The viewing conditions were just perfect tonight. I could see the separation of the outer ring with the inner rings. I could see the different shades on the surface of the planet. Also the moons - just amazing !!! This SV503 refractor is just miles ahead of my old MAK. The MAK could not resolve even close to the clarity of the refractor for planetary.. I think I might give away my old MAK as a gift to a friend.

What Magnifications were you using?

[Skywatchr]

I had one of these last month, at the same time I had an AT115EDT.  I had them both out in the desert of eastern San Diego County under pretty dark skies about 5 weeks ago.  I have since sold both, but I thought a little info on the performance of the SvBONY SV503 102mm f/7 FPL-51 ED Doublet would be useful here.

 

I brought two mounts, and set both scopes up at the same time aimed at the same objects.  The SvBONY SV503 f/7 ED was riding on a Sky-Watcher AZ5 Heavy-Duty Alt-Az Mount (which, by the way, was just barely able to handle this scope weighing in at 10.4 lbs. with an Orion 9x50 RACI, a Baader T2 Prism Diagonal and a Paradigm Eyepiece installed).  The AT115EDT was on Celestron CG-4 that I've modified to fuinction as a true Alt-Az mount without counterweights.  Both scopes have very good dual-speed rack-and-pinion focusers.  Unlike its sibling, the AT102ED, the SV503, as well as its little sister, the SV503 80mm f/7, have the upgraded rotating focusers like the high-end Astro-Tech triplets:

 

101_1574.JPG

 

The entire focuser--finder scope, diagonal, eyepiece--rotates as a complete unit.  I just do visual obsertaion, so I don't use that feature, but I can imagine how imagers would find it quite useful in setting up the desired shot angle on a GEM, where the diagonal and camera can find themselves in some pretty awkward positions at times.  That's why I configured my CG-4 to work in Alt-Az mode.  (The Setting Circles never worked anyway!)

 

I know this isn't a fair comparison, but not long after I viewed a few objects with both the AT115EDT and the SvBONY SV503 102mm f/7, I packed the SvBONY back up in its box.  That turned out to be fortunate, because right before midnight the wind came up, so I packed up and headed to a spot in the mountains of central San Diego County and set up both scopes again under really dark skies this time.  This time the SvBONY did a good job at going toe-to-toe with the 115mm triplet, only showing a little less detail on Jupiter and Saturn.  I did see a little color on brighter targets in the SvBONY 102mm, just as you will with any of these KUO-made "ATxxED clones" that use FK-61, FPL-51 or FCD-1 glass objectives.  On the other hand, Vega through the AT115EDT was pure white.   

 

I only sold the SvBONY to free up funds for a used FPL-53 ED Doublet (SW 120ED EvoStar) refractor that I will receive next week some time.  

Standing up that well to a larger Triplet says a lot about the SVBONY "mere" FPL51 doublet. I am quite happy with my 80ED, 102ED, but the 80 Triplet is waiting for permission from the cloud gods to see first light.

[Skywatchr]

Thank you sir ! So today i used another set of new but cheaper micro-fibre cloths that i have for lenses and managed to remove all the haze, its back to perfect now !!! So first I blew off any dust just in case and just used my breath and gently started polishing/buffing that haze under LED light. What i noticed was that after i started buffing, if my hand sits on top of the lens for more than say 5 seconds it starts hazing behind my palm area (i guess from the heat my hand gives off ?), and if i keep buffing over that it leaves light haze on its place... So i started buffing for a couple seconds at a time so that it wont haze from my palm and slowly removed it all. I'm thinking at this point a glove would be very helpful to prevent that hazing from the palm itself but i dont have gloves. I wont touch my lens for now. When ROR comes in, I will store it in my cabinet and use it only when i need it. Thanks all and clear skies !

It is because the lens is colder than your hand.  If the lens was the same, or higher temp that would not happen.   Gloves can release lint or "dirt" and you could inadvertently "wipe" and cause a small scratch. If you wear any gloves, always keep a keen eye before wiping.

[Oldfracguy]

"Skywatchr":  do you mean the Astro-Tech AT80EDT?  I often wonder whether or not the 80mm f/6 Triplet would outperform an 80mm f/7 FPL-53 ED Doublet (such as the AT80EDL or a William Optics ZenithStar 81) where fine detail and image clarity are concerned.  I have read where, for visual use only, the eye (rather than a camera) is most sensitive to contrast, and a Doublet provides better contrast than a Triplet.  On the other hand, getting rid of any persistent residual color, which bothers some people, may outweigh any slight loss in contrast that might be witnessed with a Triplet compared with an ED Doublet.

 

Do let us know how your 80mm Triplet does!

 

"Tarantular":  I can tell you that the Baader T2 Prism Diagonals, both the regular 32mm clear aperture model and the Zeiss 36mm clear aperture BBHS-coated model, do not add any color that I could see compared with a good mirror diagonal, using ED refractors from f/6 to f/11.  I sold my 2" Quartz Dielelectric 99% Reflectivity Mirror Diagonal after I saw double stars and planets using the Baader Prism Diagonals.  I did buy another 2" dielectric mirror diagonal, though, only to use with a 2" 30mm WA eyepiece for those great wide-field views.

 

 

Edited by Oldfracguy, 23 August 2022 - 04:33 PM.

[Tarantular]

Nice. I personally love the Baader T2 Prism for this refractor - it is a perfect match, but it is hard to find it in stock nowadays. I also have the SVBONY dielectric mirror diagonal but i dont use it much at all.

 

 

ps: BTW, gearing up for tonight to peek some Jupiter. Got my 3mm TV Delite,  4mm Antares, my 5mm TMB Planetary II, and my 7mm Pentax to try out. Supposedly Jupiter is closest to Earth since 1963. 

Edited by Tarantular, 25 September 2022 - 08:46 PM.