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This has been an long week, though much good has resulted. I took delivery of the OTA arrived Sunday. I decided on the MakNewt after hearing much incredible input from TAC. And my wife also wanted it.
I selected the 7" graphite fiber tube that weighs only about 22 pounds with the findersope. This OTA weighs 10 pounds less than the 6" OTA with Al tube.
The OTA is pretty large, well over a meter in length. Overall quality was excellent: collimation was close to perfect. I received the OTA with a low profile helical focuser. Unfortunately it was too a profile, and I had to change over to a taller Crayford (no charge, delivered and installed by the dealer, Joe Sunseri at my home, gratis!!).
Imaging through the tube while standing on its end was quite good.
So, what do I mount it on?
My first choice was the G-11.
Unfortunately, my earliest delivery was some time in November. I tried everywhere.
Someone on TAC mentioned the possibility of a Vixen GP-DX, and that I could get *now*. You must realize that *now* has a nice ring to it. I've seen a few at star parties and the Vixens weren't that bad. And I call my little daughter Vixen.
I did, with the intention that in the future I would probably be ordering a G-11 and probably another OTA. (It must be occurring to you that I'm fairly well hooked about now.)
Sooo, I left work early, yesterday, adapted the MakNewt baseplate to a Vixen dovetail mount. The results are not all that bad.
Set up was quick and easy. The months of "practice" with the small scope paid off. The mount levels off easily. The illuminated polar makes alignment possible in a minute or two,
I visited all my friends last night. I began with M-13 shortly after dusk. I chose M-13 because I have recently viewed M-13 on a large and famous refractor. Also Ray Gralak posted a beautiful photo as a reference. With the MakNewt I could resolve virtually every star! even in the still light sky!
The mount was stable and the mount/tube took a few seconds to dampen out. I can live with that. The stock Vixen counterweight mass is about half to a third of what it should be: easy to correct.
This past Monday, I was able to buy four TeleVue Plossls for $150 (thay spanned a very good range from 4.5 thru 17 mm). Though the were 1.25 dia., and the eye relief was rather short, the image sharpness was excellent.
Moving on, Albireo was gorgeous. The Double-Double was easy. Ditto the image quality of the Ring and Dumbbell nebulae. Star color through this tube are stunning. They are like jewels.
Maybe a larger aperture would have helped M-31 and its companions, but darker skies would probably have sufficed.
Jupiter's rise was worth the wait. Detail and form was wonderful despite the fair seeing. While just up over the hills, the diameter was rocking and rolling. The view steadily improved till I realized I had to go to work today.
I'm very happy so far.
My reservations are few.
The big problem is that even at minimum height, my children still need a larger step stool than I have. And my wife (that wanted this instrument, has to stand on her tip-toes).
Oh, and my son asked me what I'm going to name it. "All telescopes have names, Dad!"