34 replies to this topic

[Yomamma]

Would you mind sharing the design of the wedge?

These are the STL and original Sketchup design files(skp)

 

https://internetsear...ritHoodProp.skp

 

https://internetsear...ritHoodProp.stl

 

Here is the design pic

 

[kgb]

These are the STL and original Sketchup design files(skp)

https://internetsear...ritHoodProp.skp

https://internetsear...ritHoodProp.stl

Here is the design pic

Awesome thanks!

[Ron (Lubbock)]

My (2020 vintage) Esprit 100ED has pinched optics such that stars become distorted (with hexagonal spikes) when it gets very cold outside.  Problems start when temperature dips below 0 degrees C, and they become bad if it's -10 C.  Unlike Churney, I did NOT find that the problem goes away when I use the Starizona Apex-L in the cold.  Stars were still ugly and showed the same hexagonal distortion.  It's worth mentioning, since nobody every said that an Esprit 100ED produced in 2020 is the same as one produced in 2025.  I fixed the problem by not doing any more imaging in January and February.  In my region, that means I miss out on suffering in the bitter cold to get like two partially clear nights with blurry seeing.  Not a big loss for me.

 

I also had severe problems eliminating tilt that originated inside the 'scope itself.  It took nearly two years to isolate the problem, and I fixed it by inserting a Gerd Neumann M48 CTU.  The telescope is now working perfectly and it's my main imaging rig, but I cannot use OAG due to lack of space.  I fixed it up with a QHY 268M and Chroma filters, which was a major step in getting it to perform at its best.  It's over-mounted on a Paramount MX, which also helps.  At the native f/5.5, it does shockingly well on small targets. 

 

You can see many examples of images taken with this rig in my Astrobin gallery (link in sigline). 

[raging_scotsman]

Well I'm back to the drawing board I think. Skywatcher has announced they are discontinuing the Esprit line. I had placed an order but my local shop cancelled it - they found out about the discontinuation when they tried to order my scope from Skywatcher and were informed that no more would be shipped.

 

There is one Esprit 100 at a shop in eastern Canada, but the price just went up $1,100 CAD because the spring sale ended while my order was being worked on in the west and I'm not surprised they want full price for the last one. So I could order it for a lot more than I intended and get one of the last new ones, praying it's a good example and doesn't need to be replaced, or I can keep searching for scopes. Continuing the search seems safest, I don't want to get stuck with the last scope in Canada and have it be a lemon when Skywatcher isn't shipping more.

 

The William Optics Cat 91 looks nice. Didn't want to sacrifice aperture if possible, though, but it might be negligible. The 108 is tempting but getting pricy. Sharpstar z4 doesn't seem to have a lot of users yet. Askar FRA 600 fits the bill, but I'm not feeling them as an established name yet either. Other than that there is nothing locally available that fits the focal length/aperture/speed I was hoping for with the Esprit. I've put my local shop on the task to see what they might have available for special order that fits the Esprit 100 niche.

 

Thanks everyone, but it was all for not.

 

Clear skies!

Edited by raging_scotsman, 01 April 2025 - 09:33 AM.

[Mr Astro]

Owned one for 6 years..

Overall its good scope, I only faced these 2 issues:

1\ Heavy scope.

2\ The focuser has moved a little from the scope body causing stars elongated at left corners --> Solved by removing the 3 screws that holding the focuser, then snug it all the way in till it stopped by the body itself, tight them up then all stars are perfect in all 4 corners.

As you know no gears are perfect 100% but as the quality and the performance I can give it 90% of recommendation.

Goodluck!

[Churmey]

Well I'm back to the drawing board I think. Skywatcher has announced they are discontinuing the Esprit line. I had placed an order but my local shop cancelled it - they found out about the discontinuation when they tried to order my scope from Skywatcher and were informed that no more would be shipped.

 

There is one Esprit 100 at a shop in eastern Canada, but the price just went up $1,100 CAD because the spring sale ended while my order was being worked on in the west and I'm not surprised they want full price for the last one. So I could order it for a lot more than I intended and get one of the last new ones, praying it's a good example and doesn't need to be replaced, or I can keep searching for scopes. Continuing the search seems safest, I don't want to get stuck with the last scope in Canada and have it be a lemon when Skywatcher isn't shipping more.

 

The William Optics Cat 91 looks nice. Didn't want to sacrifice aperture if possible, though, but it might be negligible. The 108 is tempting but getting pricy. Sharpstar z4 doesn't seem to have a lot of users yet. Askar FRA 600 fits the bill, but I'm not feeling them as an established name yet either. Other than that there is nothing locally available that fits the focal length/aperture/speed I was hoping for with the Esprit. I've put my local shop on the task to see what they might have available for special order that fits the Esprit 100 niche.

 

Thanks everyone, but it was all for not.

 

Clear skies!

I have not heard this news. Agena shows 4 in stock and skywatcher is still selling them directly on their website: 

 

https://agenaastro.c...GeUF7E7KJKUXYnB

Edited by Churmey, 01 April 2025 - 08:34 PM.

[raging_scotsman]

I have not heard this news. Agena shows 4 in stock and skywatcher is still selling them directly on their website: 

 

https://agenaastro.c...GeUF7E7KJKUXYnB

I don't know much, that's just what the local shop told me yesterday. They cancelled my order, said Skywatcher wouldn't ship them one, and have updated the entire Esprit line on their website to "discontinued." I might ask Skywatcher directly. If not I'm going to be fairly upset they cancelled my order at the sale price.

[Churmey]

I see no indication of discontinuation. I believe what your supplier was saying, is that they discontinued their sale price and that they couldn’t honor it for some reason. I don’t see the Esprit line of scopes going away anytime soon.

[sehoon104]

Esprit 150 is labeled discontinued at Agena. But at that price tag, I'd just grab an SVX152T

https://agenaastro.c...tor-s11430.html

[raging_scotsman]

I see no indication of discontinuation. I believe what your supplier was saying, is that they discontinued their sale price and that they couldn’t honor it for some reason. I don’t see the Esprit line of scopes going away anytime soon.

I emailed Skywatcher directly and they are out of stock on everything but the Esprit 80, but they confirm that there will be more 100’s to purchase later. So I don’t know what the local shop is up to, but I am pretty peeved that they screwed me out of the sale price.

Edited by raging_scotsman, 02 April 2025 - 12:37 PM.