849 replies to this topic

[Echolight]

Fiske, since we all live vicariously through you, I feel it is your responsibility to get an NP127 

[Echolight]

The Evostar 120 is lighter weight. Which would be welcome. But the focuser aint all that.

 

Regardless, when stepping into this territory of financial commitment and mounting requirements, as a rank amateur in the field of splitting stars, I think easy E and F along with a chance at the pup are reasonable measuring sticks. And I believe the Evo 120 shiuld have a shot at meeting these requirements.

[Fiske]

Fiske, since we all live vicariously through you, I feel it is your responsibility to get an NP127 

Did you miss the part about telescopes being support instruments for my binoculars?

 

 

The Evostar 120 is lighter weight. Which would be welcome. But the focuser aint all that.

 

Regardless, when stepping into this territory of financial commitment and mounting requirements, as a rank amateur in the field of splitting stars, I think easy E and F along with a chance at the pup are reasonable measuring sticks. And I believe the Evo 120 shiuld have a shot at meeting these requirements.

 

Good to know about the focuser on the EvoStar. Point AstroTech there. 

 

Thank you! 

Edited by Fiske, 26 November 2023 - 09:28 AM.

[f18dad]

Fiske, since we all live vicariously through you, I feel it is your responsibility to get an NP127 

 

Yes, thank you Fiske for spending your money for all the rest of us!   

[Echolight]

Did you miss the part about telescopes being support instruments for my binoculars?

 

 

 

Good to know about the focuser on the EvoStar. Point AstroTech there. 

 

Thank you! 

Of course, you probably don't need all the extra accessories that you are paying for with the Evostar.

 

Still, the 20% lighter weight is attractive.

[Fiske]

I already know how this is going to go. Nuge will get a Takahashi TSA 120 (has probably already ordered one ), and then I'll have to follow suit. 

Edited by Fiske, 26 November 2023 - 12:21 PM.

[norvegicus]

Very helpful. 

 

I got tired of telescopes and most(!) of the time just want to enjoy the night sky with the comfort of both eyes.

 

 

But now that darn Jon Isaacs has me pondering a 120-127mm refractor.

 

Astro-Tech 125 EDL or Sky Watcher EvoStar 120...

 

TSA-120 for sure

Edited by norvegicus, 26 November 2023 - 10:22 AM.

[jrazz]

I was about to say TSA....

 

Now that that's gone I'll say get a 150mm TOA!

[Fiske]

I was about to say TSA....

 

Now that that's gone I'll say get a 150mm TOA!

Because that would surely be a value-priced, light-weight, easily deployed support scope!

 

[mogur]

Did you miss the part about telescopes being support instruments for my binoculars?

 

 

 

Good to know about the focuser on the EvoStar. Point AstroTech there. 

 

Thank you! 

Huh? I don't have any trouble with the focuser on mine. Admittedly, I don't use any heavy 2" EP in it for low power views. For that I have my 100mm binoscope. 

[Fiske]

Huh? I don't have any trouble with the focuser on mine. Admittedly, I don't use any heavy 2" EP in it for low power views. For that I have my 100mm binoscope. 

Well played!

 

Edited by Fiske, 26 November 2023 - 01:00 PM.

[Echolight]

A 100mm binoscope can take heavy 2 inch eyepieces??? 

 

 

Who knew..... 

[Fiske]

A 100mm binoscope can take heavy 2 inch eyepieces??? 

 

 

Who knew..... 

A binoscope is not a binocular telescope. It's two independent telescopes harnessed together, probably with EMC diagonals, and yeah, they can handle two-inch eyepieces if you have the IPD for it. 

 

Not to mention the budget.

 

Edited by Fiske, 26 November 2023 - 01:27 PM.

[Echolight]

A binoscope is not a binocular telescope. It's two independent telescopes harnessed together, probably with EMC diagonals, and yeah, they can handle two-inch eyepieces if you have the IPD for it. 

 

Not to mention the budget.

 

Seems like a lot of trouble for 100mm.

 

I figured he was talking about those APM SA's in his sig.

[Scott99]

Apart from the minor detail of not being binocular vision... 

 

(But why quibble?)

 

right.....a 6" refractor binoscope would of course be ideal...but at least a single TSA120 would give you that nice low power of binoculars with a big, perfectly corrected lens    If my numbers are right, TSA120's maximum FOV would be 3.1 degrees....the 50mm Masuyama would give you 18x...I think that's both sides of the Veil nebula...not bad!

Edited by Scott99, 26 November 2023 - 01:37 PM.

[Fiske]

right.....a 6" refractor binoscope would of course be ideal...but at least a single TSA120 would give you that nice low power of binoculars with a big, perfectly corrected lens    If my numbers are right, TSA120's maximum FOV would be 3.1 degrees....the 50mm Masuyama would give you 18x...I think that's both sides of the Veil nebula...not bad!

Yeah. With the TV-101 and 31mm Nagler Type 5, I've got a 4.71 4.46 degree FOV [thank you, Jon  ]. I totally get it.

 

And for me, that combination is not a patch on the 100XL-SD for visual punch. I mean, the TV-101/31mmT5 is meh and the BT is captivating. I know this is a YMMV thing, or maybe it's a you've never compared a 100XL-SD side by side with an APO refractor thing.  Either way, for me it's no contest at all, which is why telescopes are support instruments in my observing sessions.

 

My interest in 120mm refractors is for double stars, planets, planetary nebula and etc., not wide field, low magnification views, where they just can't compete with the 100XL, not to mention the 120 and 127XLs.  And it doesn't matter that FOV is wider. It's still one eye, not two. That seemingly makes a bigger difference to some observers than to others. 

Edited by Fiske, 27 November 2023 - 07:54 AM.

[Echolight]

I been tunin up my C6. Who needs some old Yak.

[Fiske]

For high magnification views, I find telescopes satisfying compared with BTs -- easier to use, more relaxing, and to me more enjoyable.

 

BUT, when I view DSOs with a telescope now, at low to moderate magnifications, what I find myself wondering is how I previously found the experience so engaging. I mean, I did, but switching to BTs has transformed observing for me to such an extent that I find it hard to believe I previously enjoyed single-eyed observation. It's almost like that was another person. 

[sevenofnine]

What telescope did "that other person" always want to have? Answer that question and I think you will have found your "supporting telescope" 

[Fiske]

What telescope did "that other person" always want to have? Answer that question and I think you will have found your "supporting telescope" 

Any telescope I ever wanted I bought or built. 

 

And what I'm looking for in a support telescope is completely different from my priorities before binoculars and BTs became my primary observing tools. I thought the Orion CC8 Classical Cassegrain was the answer, and it is a superb telescope, but I'm not observing much with it because of the setup logistics. I'm not ready to sell it yet, but there is a good chance I will sell it in the not distant future.

 

The Celestron 6SE or a 120mm refractor will likely be my support telescope of choice. 

[mogur]

Seems like a lot of trouble for 100mm.

 

I figured he was talking about those APM SA's in his sig.

I was.

[therealdmt]

Huh? I don't have any trouble with the focuser on mine. Admittedly, I don't use any heavy 2" EP in it for low power views. For that I have my 100mm binoscope.

Well played!

I don’t have any trouble with the focuser on my EvoStar 100ED either (same focuser the 120ED uses).

But, like mogur above, I don’t use any heavy 2" eyepieces with it either (my heaviest is an APM 30 UFF at 20 oz [556g]).

Nevertheless, be aware that heavy eyepiece users, binoviewers and astrophotographers do not like the focuser. It’s a Crayford, which works best with eyepieces at around 20 ounces and under. Positives to a Crayford include no grease (so no temperature restrictions), light weight, no image shift [such as with a cheap rack and pinion] and low cost. Negatives include slippage under the type of loads many users these days expect to be able to put on their focuser. Also, the Skywatcher’s iteration of the Crayford isn’t as super simple to adjust as GSO’s iteration (with the Skywatcher’s, there’s a push-pull arrangement of screws to get one’s head around, unlike the ‘just one screw to turn to loosen or tighten tension’ of a GSO)

[Fiske]

Huh? I don't have any trouble with the focuser on mine. Admittedly, I don't use any heavy 2" EP in it for low power views. For that I have my 100mm binoscope. 

I may have misunderstood this comment. 

 

The statement is that the APM 100mm SA  (in typical parlance a BT not a binoscope) provides low power views, not that it is used with heavy two-inch eyepieces. 

Edited by Fiske, 27 November 2023 - 06:00 AM.

[Fiske]

I don’t have any trouble with the focuser on my EvoStar 100ED either (same focuser the 120ED uses).

But, like mogur above, I don’t use any heavy 2" eyepieces with it either (my heaviest is an APM 30 UFF at 20 oz [556g]).

Nevertheless, be aware that heavy eyepiece users, binoviewers and astrophotographers do not like the focuser. It’s a Crayford, which works best with eyepieces at around 20 ounces and under. Positives to a Crayford include no grease (so no temperature restrictions), light weight, no image shift [such as with a cheap rack and pinion] and low cost. Negatives include slippage under the type of loads many users these days expect to be able to put on their focuser. Also, the Skywatcher’s iteration of the Crayford isn’t as super simple to adjust as GSO’s iteration (with the Skywatcher’s, there’s a push-pull arrangement of screws to get one’s head around, unlike the ‘just one screw to turn to loosen or tighten tension’ of a GSO)

Thank you for these helpful details. 

[dmorrow]

I think this one has your name on it 

 

https://www.stellarv...telescope-sale/