Anyone use this? Sky-Watcher telescope?

[Michael_Lambert]

http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/s...1=1&class2=108

Been looking to get a telescope primary for shooting the moon and i can get this locally for a really good price.

[Michael_Lambert]

I got the model wrong.

THe store says its just released and can;t seem to find info online for it.. Its called the Sky watcher Black Diamond 127. Similar to that but with F12 1500mm focal length

[screxer]

Not quite the same....but very similar with almost the same specs (1500mm focal length f/12.1). I use this as one of my telescopes:

http://www.telescope.com/control/pro...oduct_id=09826

[Bernoulli]

I have this scope. Be advised that the full moon will not fit into the frame with a 1.6 crop camera such as 40D or 50D. It just barely misses. No problem with a full frame camera, you need to go to more than 2000 mm before it won't fit.

Here's a shot from November's full moon and it just barely misses fitting. If it's less than full you can usually turn the camera and get it all in but it's kind of a pain to have to worry about this.

[Celestron]

Heres what i found by googling Black Diamond 127mm .

[Michael_Lambert]

Hum that price has to be wrong... lol I am being quoted 1/2 that for the tube assembly.. brand new shipped from Vancouver BC to my door

And the good thing is i will be using my 1D mark3 ( 1.3 crop) so compared to the 1.6 i should be good to go with getting the full moon in my shot

[Michael_Lambert]

Got my scope in, now i just need a evening that is clear to see what it can do.. untill then its a sexy looking paper weight

[Celestron]

Nice looking scope . Can it be used for terrestial also ?

[Michael_Lambert]

I assume so.. but i guess it would have to be at a good distance.

Is it common for the spotting scope ot be upside down?

[Celestron]

Not uncommon for an astronomical scope , thats the way they are . But you can buy a diagonal that turns everything back up right . I think it's called a Erecting Diagonal .

[screxer]

yes, that scope can be used for terrestrial....yes, it is common for the finder scope to be upside down (right side up finder scopes are very expensive and many companies don't carry them for that reason alone. People use it to center an object and could care less if it is upside down. I know I won't pay a premium for one that is right side up)

[Michael_Lambert]

The one thing i find nice about this one is that it's all aluminum. Has a very tough feel to it unlike some of the ones i was looking at that seemed to be made of cheap plastic.

[Celestron]

Originally Posted by Michael_Lambert

I assume so.. but i guess it would have to be at a good distance.

Is it common for the spotting scope ot be upside down?

Are you talking about your Finder Scope or the Telescope itself ?

[Michael_Lambert]

Originally Posted by Celestron

Are you talking about your Finder Scope or the Telescope itself ?

Sorry the telescope.

Some of the ones i seen at the local stores that where selling for a couple hundred dollars with a mount where i guess pvc.

[txduggan]

Originally Posted by screxer

yes, that scope can be used for terrestrial....yes, it is common for the finder scope to be upside down (right side up finder scopes are very expensive and many companies don't carry them for that reason alone. People use it to center an object and could care less if it is upside down. I know I won't pay a premium for one that is right side up)

What do you consider "very expensive"?

I used the Orion RA/CI for a year or so and it didn't break my budget:

http://www.telescope.com/control/pro...oduct_id=A0564

-OR-

http://************/4zasxx

The 6x30 is ~$42 and the 9x50 is ~$66.

That's cheap, relatively speaking

RA/CI finders normally suffer from image degradation based on their optical design/number of optical elements,, and I believe that's why you don't see them offered by distributors, as opposed to price.

Also, IMNSHO, it's a niche product; many astronomers get used to the "upside" down effect.

Just flip your star charts and shine your red light underneath them to match the orientation ~~~

-TomD