After 50 years of telescope use, I’ve found the dream telescope!
Observer's Corner for November
After the tremendous improvements over the decades of observing and astrophotography, this is the one for me!
I’ve used the Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, Aperture Fever monster Dobsonians and high quality refractors.
Although a large aperture telescope gives spectacular images, the hassle of set-up and weight can cut down the use.
I wanted a telescope that can be used anytime, portable for backyard or remote dark sites.
I wanted a lightweight equatorial mount with a computer and accurate tracking for astro-imaging.
So I went toward a high-quality, small triplet refractor to satisfy my needs in observing and astro-imaging and iOptron EQ25Z computer mount.
For “Grab ‘n Go” factor, I use a Vixen Porta Alt-Az mount for backyard use and quick set-up.
The optical tube is an Explore Scientific 102mm Triplet refractor housed in a Carbon Fiber tube. Besides it is light for portability, it expansion is zero.
Plus it is beautiful to look at. The 2” focuser is adjustable for rotation using camera placement.
As to observing, the planetary and star images are superb. The triplet reduces the chromatic aberration too minimal. I see no evidence of false color.
The star images are the sharpest I’ve seen with any telescope and the test at Epsilon Lyrae easily splits the two stars with darkness between them a2 2.2 arc seconds!
Saturn at 200x is beautiful and the Cassini Division is easy to spot. The 4” Diameter telescope has a 714 mm Focal Length at f/7.
On October 21/22, 2017, I took the telescope to Borrego Springs. I set up the equipment in the patio of the room a Borrego Valley Inn. I worked from 6:30 PM to 3:30 AM to take the photos.
The first image is Earthshine on the moon, then a sharp image of the sliver of the crescent moon. The other images are deep sky objects. I’ve also attaches the picture of the hotel, the telescope and mount.
A perfect telescope, perfect mount and perfect dark sky achieves nirvana!
As to the iOptron EQ25EQ mount, the light-weight components are easily packed up in a case for transport and quick set up. The internal polar scope allows rapid polar alignment and accuracy.
I can take photos up to 90 seconds without guiding. All my images of the Orion Nebula, Pleiades, Andromeda Galaxy, and Double Cluster, are 1 minute exposures!
Clear skies!
--Hal Jandorf
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