New scope on the way. :)

[gboulton]

Well...not quite on the way just yet. It should ship Monday I think.

New Orion ED80T. 80mm diameter, 480mm FL, f/6, Apochromatic Triplet glass. Orion had one as a factory second, $130 off regular price I jumped on it.

I'm thinking with the lighter weight and shorter FL than my current C6-A 6" SCT (a 1500mm, f/10, 15 pound beast) my mount...which currently gets 5-6 minute exposures, and can be pushed to 7, should be able to get out to 10min or more now.

It's no f/3.9 newt by any means, but compared to my current rig, this thing should positively leap out and YANK photons down to my sensor.

First light report will be forthcoming, of course! I'm hoping to have it Thursday or Friday of next week.

I'll go ahead an apologize now to any fellow astronomers in the SE part of the USA for the 2-week long bank of clouds I'm sure is about to swallow us whole.

[admin]

Oooers!!! Exciting!
I've seen some seriously impressive shots from these apos (even Orion's achros are very, very decent). Lower weight and focal length, combined with better optics (no obstruction) should have you smiling -
Really looking forward to your first light!

[gboulton]

They're shipping it by carrier slug, in 2 parts. 2nd part won't be here until Tuesday.

[admin]

They're shipping it by carrier slug, in 2 parts. 2nd part won't be here until Tuesday.

Ugh.
Kind of weird they would need two parts for such a small scope...

That said, I remember how I thought I was going to - rather optimistically - carry home the EQ5 I had ordered from a shop about 2Km from my house.
Never thought it would come in THAT many boxes and packaging. The shop owner who sold it to me closed his shop temporarily and gave me a lift home; so here's a shameless plug for AstronomyAlive - they're awesome!

[gboulton]

Well, I ordered the scope, and then a T Adapter...I'm presuming the 2 shipments are 1 for each item. Why the T Adapter couldn't be sent with the scope, I have no idea.

[gboulton]

[admin]

Oh man... that just exudes 'quality'! Love the carbon fibre - instantly screams 'high tech' at you.
I know people for which the ED80 has been the first and only love. Apparently it's so good that it can fend off aperture fever...
Hope you get to test those optics soon!

[gboulton]

Ok, now the weather Gods are just toying with me.

Look at today and tomorrow...

Do you see this? 2 days of clouds rolling in JUST IN TIME to ruin the evening...and then rolling out at first light!

[admin]

Ok, now the weather Gods are just toying with me.

Look at today and tomorrow...

Do you see this? 2 days of clouds rolling in JUST IN TIME to ruin the evening...and then rolling out at first light!

Don't fight it. It's a given. It's how the universe works. It's the first law of scope purchasing.

[gboulton]

Caught just enough break tonight to take a shot at the Horsehead as it climbs toward the meridian...
PHOTONS ARE BEING CAPTURED!