Thank You Sarah! I have been waiting for someone to review this scope. The data looks great to me! I just used your links and bought the 120 with the flattener and x8 reducer. Another awesome video and great review!!
Hey Mike! Congrats on your new scope and the accessories! I'm really excited for you! Can't wait to hear how things are going with them. Thanks always for your support and positive feedback. It means so much!!
@@SarahMathsAstro You are Welcome!! Thank You again for all your awesome video's and great info!! I am excited too! I will keep you posted on everything! Have a great Day!!
You’re simply amazing. You make a very complicated (at least for a beginner) subject easily understandable and easy to understand. You’re an excellent teacher and I am extremely grateful. You’re a superstar!
Most interesting. I'm thankful you mentioned that BlurXterminator could deal with the chromatic aberration you found with the 0.6 reducer, perhaps show before and after its use, if you find something similar in your next product review. It will also help us new folks when you explain the ramifications of pinched optics, or other findings you mention in multiple instances during a video.
Thank you for your feedback, that's very helpful and much appreciated. I went ahead and made a comparison video to show what the .6x Reducer + 103 APO's chromatic aberration and elongated stars looks like before and after using BlurXTerminator in the video linked below. Video: drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1y0GBSYrOjrRn9HkqsZwoRwmUt8Wn4YJF (if it's blurry, it just may need a few moments to buffer) The first image is of the single, 45 second exposure (raw, only debayered), and the second image is of 5 stacked 45 second exposures (debayered + image integration) to see how the chromatic aberration becomes more apparent in a stacked image/ more light collection and then to see how BlurXTerminator version AI 4 corrects for that along with the elongated stars. For the pinched optics/ issue with the larger star and triangle-like diffraction spike, the more integration time, the more apparent it will be in your final stacked image from my experience. Particularly when there are a lot of large, bright stars in the frame and when you're using a scope with a long focal length/ are very zoomed in. I hope this helps, and thanks again for your input! Sarah
Outstanding review Sarah. I’m torn between the Askar 103, the 120 , or the WO Flourostar 91.For the life of me I can’t make up my mind lol! Great channel and keep up the good work .
Thank you! Those are all great scopes. I can see the challenge. I forever have a soft spot in my heart for any WO FLT but it's also hard to beat the price point of the 103 and 120 apertures. Hoping that you are able to arrive at the best decision for you soon. Thanks again for stopping by. Cheers!
total Beginner here with zero knowledge about the topic: Thanks a lot for this really nice video and description of everything! It helps me so much more to understand all the different parts on a telescope :) Thank you!
Congrats on starting your journey! That's really exciting. I'm glad this video was helpful - that's great feedback to hear. You never know what levels people are coming at with videos so thanks so much. Cheers!
@@SarahMathsAstro you are welcome! I agree, it is hard to know what the audience wants and it is also hard to find a balance between people like me (that don't know anything) and experts. You are doing great and I wish you would have more videos :) Thanks you!
I'm pretty sure the gap/spikes on Mirfak are from the flattener. Look inside the flattener, you will probably see a small gap in the metal ring that holds the elements in. All my flatteners/reducers have this gap and cause similar gap/spikes. Each flattener/reducer have unique spikes. A way to test for pinched optics is to put as many dew heaters as you have on the ota, warm it up super good will imaging and see if the spikes go away or change. Good vid, keep it up and Cheers 👍👍
The best and most thorough review - much appreciated! The striations on the bright star hopefully will be resolved by the manufacturer - if they are from the reducer optics(?) or the main OTA or a combination of both. Hopefully too, you get to do more of these excellent in depth reviews! Thanks!
Thank you for your kind words and thank you for taking the time to watch! I haven't had issues since so we will see come colder evenings again. More in-depth reviews are coming, too. If you have any requests, please let me know and I'll see if I can get that specific product to review. Thanks again and cheers!
Great in-depth review. Excellent! One minor remark, the 533 sensor is not a 1 inch (25.4mm) sensor, but is only 16 mm across. This is due to misleading marketing and historic reasons (glass vacuum-tube-based sensors).
Yep. Correct. The vidicon tubes were 1 inch in diameter, ie., that was the outside diameter of the glass tube. The actual imaging region was 16 mm across the diagonal. It's confusing for people just looking at the sensor size and not knowing the history.
Really great review. I've heard some really good things about these scopes and the optics seem batter than the ES102 essentials trip at the same price.
Hi Sarah, In regard to the 0.6X reducer/flattener for the ASKAR 103APO I tinkered yesterday and today a few a hours. Yesterday I tinkered around 58mm and nothing satisfied me and so today I went back to 56mm and voilá the backfocus is around 56.4mm with a Poseidon-M and Astronomik filters. Round stars everywhere. This concurs with the experience I made with the 1.0X and the 0.8X optical reducer/flatteners which gave me round stars both at 56mm backfocus. regards Rainer
22:27 That weird shapeness in the stars usually is due to the notches in the locking rings of filters and lens shown at 16:14 and 17:21 . Best practice is to keep the filter as close as possible to the sensor and to avoid flattners/reducers with those internal lock rings notches exposed to the front objective which skews the light path. Overall great scope with nice round stars.
Thanks for your input/ insight on this. I wasn't using a filter for these tests but perhaps it was the internal lock rings' notches skewing the light path that you mentioned. More to look into. Thanks again.
This is a good video reviewing the Askar scope. I am still concerned about QC problems coming from Askar and that they use FK61 glass and only have 1 ED element. In future 'scope review' video's consider posting the raw test images so we can have a closer look.
Thank you, Sarah, for this comprehensive report on the Askar 103APO. I am considering pairing it with the Celestron AVX mount and tripod. Have you reviewed the Explore Scientific 102 mm ?
Hi Gihan, thank you for the kind words. That mount would be a nice choice for this 103APO. I have not reviewed the Explore Scientific 102mm though. Cheers
This is great. I was thinking to buy the 103 with the .6 focal reducer to get a really fast telescope. Definitely off the table now. Obviously at the price is great, it is however not fcd100 or fpl53 optics quality which is very apparent. Thanks Sarah you just saved me money and frustration. 👍
You're very welcome. I just uploaded a video to Google Drive to show the comparison of what the chromatic aberration looks like before and after with the 103 APO + 0.6x reducer using BlurXTerminator version AI 4. The first image is of the single, 45 second exposure (debayered) of Mirfak before and after - which shows great results with BlurX and then the second image is of a stacked image that contains 5, 45 second exposures of Mirfak (debayered) before and after with BlurX. Both times BlurX cleaned up the CA well and the elongated stars I had due to improper back focus. Video here: drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1y0GBSYrOjrRn9HkqsZwoRwmUt8Wn4YJF (if it's blurry, it may just need a moment or two to finish buffering) Thanks!
So I’m really looking at a budget refractor and trying to make this work before I go with the purchase. The .6 reducers corner elongated stars might be a back focus issue that can either be solved with an Askar back focus adjuster or adding shims. At post BlurX AI 4 might fix it as well. But i do get where you are going reviewing in an unbiased raw form of the scope and short captures to assess the quality.
Just found your channel and had to subscribe. While I am a visual observer, have a 12.5" newt/dob, I may soon get into astrophotography if I can afford it 😊. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Cheers!
@@SarahMathsAstro You're welcome Sara. It is a fantastic mirror. John from Galaxy optics made the mirror. I am lucky to have super dark skies 20 min from my house.
Love your content 😊 I’m getting more and more interested in going into astro viewing and/or photography. But I find it hard to know where to begin. It would be nice to know for example how big the moon is if this telescope was used for viewing. Or even the sun. I guess since it’s a budget scope it would appeal to beginners that not necessarily would jump straight into photography and advanced processing that requires a lot of extra gear, knowledge and time.
Thank you! I agree with you on all of the above. I’ll have to try and include more field of view samples/image tests for framing. Thanks for your input!
Superb review.and presentation and impressive astrograph at lower F # maybe when spacing and sensor size matched I use a similar 102 f7 and with a 174 sensor you will get full disc for Solar white light imaging and Lunar, great final image too
Very thorough review. But I don't think that is pinched optics you are seeing around Mirfak. I bet it's lens cell clips protruding into the field. If you still have the scope, can you push the lens shade all the way in and examine the lens cell closely with a flashlight. Check if you can see three clips evenly spaced around holding the lens in place.
Hey, a lot of millionaires/ billionaires keep their money tied up in non-liquid funds so their bank accounts are sometimes 0. Thanks for the kind words, friend and hope you’re doing well!
In my early years in amateur astronomy it was always a guy thing, seeing you so young and knowledgeable on the subject is really nice to see, I joined your Patreon, clear skies!
Thank you for your really kind comments, they mean a lot. I've learned much from other members of this amazing community. I'm just grateful to be able to share and give back. Thank you also for supporting me over on Patreon, that's incredibly generous of you and goes a long way. Thanks again and cheers!!
Sarah, This is probably the most unusual question asked of you so far. Here goes......... I own a Fuji GFX 100s Medium Format camera and was looking for some sort of refractor to use as a "long lens". The sensor is 33mm x 44mm (so I guess if you use the old A squared + B squared = C squared formula the diagonal / image circle will be 55mm). I've found a company that makes a T-Adapter for my camera to the scope, but I'm just wondering how on earth this thing might work for daylight photography, and how I might generate an image circle big enough. Quite a doozy, I know. Any suggestions would be helpful. Larry
Larry, I'd imagine that this would do pretty well for daylight photography (not solar of course since you'd need lots more gear for that). But yeah, with the 55mm threads on the back of the flattener, .8x reducer, and .6x reducer, you may be able to get your camera attached.
Thank you for the review! I've used a lot of APO refractors and pinched optics is usually easy to fix by unscrewing the shipping screws in the lens block. Most of APO refractors come with 2x sets of screws, one set for calibration and the other set for shipping scope to keep the optical elements in place. Anyway, do you think this scope would be a good upgrade from the 94EDPH?
Thank you for your input on this! I'm still not sure what exactly this is. I think it may have been some sort of internal shavings in the way or something. Looking more into now that I'm back from eclipse travels. Regarding your question, I don't have direct experience with the 94EDPH, but have heard nice things about it. I think if you're looking for a bit more reach and resolution, with some flexibility in terms of focal length/ ratios with the optional accessories, this would be a good option. It's fairly lightweight still, too.
Great video, I wouldn't pick the 533 even if it best matches tho, I don't see a point seeing the corners with such a tiny sensor, I think APS-C/FF is a minimum for these kind of tests to actually mean anything.
Thanks, Joe! That's great news that you're enjoying the scope. Always nice to have a bit more reach for galaxy season, that's for sure. Hope you've been well!
Great review. I recently acquired something similar but 72mm. Love the accessory demo too. Can you take them back if they don't go with your outfit or your cat disapproves?
Great Video, shame you did not have an APS-C size sensor to test in this with the 3 flatteners / reducers…as that would have shown how the star shapes were in the corners…👍🏻
Definitely. I hope one day to have a OSC APS-C or full-frame with small pixels. Nico Carver from Nebula Photos was able to test this scope with a full-frame camera with small pixels in this video here: ua-cam.com/video/G1zM-lz7Fx4/v-deo.html
I enjoy your subtle humor, and look forward to your informative videos. I see the cases as useless. Once the scope is built out, I'm not going to take it apart, even for travel. Else provide a configurable case, or save the customer a few bucks, and ship it in a cardboard box. Also, is a vixen bar adequate? Should a Losmanty bar be used with a larger imaging rig? Here's a thought, cardboard box and "D" plate instead for same price. I'm in the market for move reach, with "galaxy season" here. (Read, no nebula season) .
Thanks for taking the time to check out the videos and provide feedback. I haven't had any issues with the Vixen dovetail, but if I had more accessories added, I might consider getting a Losmandy. I believe Askar has one that can be purchased for it.
I've used both the ZWO AM5 and the EQ6-R Pro mounts with this scope and accessories along with heavier imaging trains (ASI2600MM Pro + filter wheel). Both did just fine.
Quite impressed... review is very well done! Two things; 1. Can a dslr connect to this (I have a Nikon D70)? 2. In medical imaging, we use the term 'imaging chain' as opposed to 'imaging train' unless I mis-heard you? 🤔 Thanks!
Thank you! Yes, you can connect a DSLR to the 48mm rear adapter. You'll need a t-adapter for your specific camera that can accommodate M48 x 0.75 threads (the base of the rear adapter of one of the accessories - either the 1x flattener, the 0.8x reducer, or the 0.6x reducer). Here's one that will likely work: amzn.to/3wNrF00 You are correct about the phrase "imaging train" as well. We use that a lot in astrophotography. It's very interesting to hear what other phrases are used in different contexts. Thanks!
Hi Sarah, great review of the Askar 103 telescope. I watched this video a while back, and I’m re-watching it now. I was wondering if you know anything about the type of glass that SharpStar uses in their telescopes. I know it’s ED Glass, but I was wondering if you knew what type or where it comes from.
so many options from Askar 103 APO 700mm/f6.8 120 APO 840mm/f7 140 APO 980mm/f7 185 APO 1295mm/f7 Love to see a compilation of these against each other.
@@SarahMathsAstro I have a 8" SCT but it is old and needs more work done on it. So trying to get something in between the 360mm WO and the 2000mm Meade. Thanks for the videos
Hi, Very nice review and I also have the ASKAR 103APO. A little bit late but there are so many reviews of this scope that it takes time to look at all of them. After you tested the 0.6X R/F did you use the standard backfocus of 55mm? Have you since then changed anything in this backfocus measurement? I have read that the correct backfocus for the 0.6X R/F is around 57 to 58mm. Can you confirm this? Thanks Rainer
@@SarahMathsAstro Thank. Interesting that ASKAR is still announcing 55mm. Again, thanks a lot. I like ther 420mm FOV with an APS-C chip after checking what it covers. regards Rainer
@@SarahMathsAstro Hi Sarah, Sorry to undig this matter again. I recevied my 0.6X reducer/flattener and indeed the backfocus is around 58mm but I am still fidlling to find out the exact point. Yesterday when I did my first adjustment it was cloudy and I was able to get close. At the moment it is 57.95mm. I have the ASKAR Backfocus adjuster and I think I am still a bit too far. I still see triangle shaéd stars in the 4 corners. U have an APS-C schip = Poseidon-M camera. Do you have an exact measurement? Thanks Rainer
Hi Rainer, 58mm is about the extent that I found was needed. I could try to get very, very precise but would need another clear night to test. Apologies!
Thanks for taking the time to watch. I've been interested in trying out the PHQ series as I've heard/ seen promising results from them. As for a mount, I used the AM5 and the Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro mounts for this scope and the rest of the imaging train.
just discovered the existance of Sony's Starvis sensor and that there is now a Starvis 2. The IMX585 seems very promising, but it's all on paper. Do you have any insights on this tech? What if any are the drawbacks for this?
I’m curious when removing the focuser assembly or the end tube Is the inside closed and air tight? That’s a rather big diameter to let some dust in. Either that I’m just being cautiously picky in opening up a scope. Thanks Sarah
I wouldn't necessarily say it's closed off (in terms of the glass internally not being exposed when detaching the backend). That is something to consider, no doubt. I think if you're not changing it out constantly, that certainly helps. I felt like I got more dust with the Askar V and changing everything out while testing because I was going through/ swapping so many different pieces of glass (the two objectives/ the different optical accessories), taking them on and off, etc. But with the 103 and the back end, I didn't have much of an issue with dust, or at least it didn't appear to be an issue. If anything, I would tilt the tube down and use a blower and let the dust fall out if there appeared to be any. Great questions and valid concern. Thanks!
Apologies for not explaining further. Pinched optics is a type of distortion that is usually due to the objective lens of a refractor being secured too tightly with screws. When the objective lens are secured too tightly, they can cause these weird defraction looking spikes through large, bright stars. I wasn't 100% sure of what it was though since it can be challenging to really nail down a cause of something like this. But it can be corrected for by loosening the screws which I am going to try once I get some tools.
First... Ha! Eons ago I had a motorized Meade refractor, (long gone) but do you think it's a good Idea to plan on getting both refractor with something like a Schmit Cassegrain (sp?) if I desire to do some real star gazing?
Hey there! You could go with either or. I know many visual astronomers who love their schmidt cassegrains (SCTs - I never get the spelling right with this one, lol), Dobsonians, and refractors. I think if you're looking for something with a lot of visual prowess in terms of resolution and light collection, and don't mind having to collimate mirrors and have a place to store it, then Dobsonians/ Newtonians are pretty phenomenal for visual as are SCTs. Refractors are too, don't get me wrong. They're incredible. They're just very expensive for the same amount of focal length, etc. Refractors are great though for their optical quality and the fact that they require less upkeep to use them, in terms of not needing constant collimation (if ever after the first time from the factory), like Dobsonians/ Newtonian, and SCTs do. I don't know if that helped at all, but hopefully.
@@SarahMathsAstro Thanks so much for your input Sarah. I really appreciate it. I think back to the days I had that old Meade refractor and I couldn't see barely any color in Saturn or Jupiter looking with the naked eye. Watched a video late last night where someone did comparison between $1K and $10K refractor and the difference was unreal. Am I correct in assuming with mono camera you can get higher resolution and the filters make it so you basically sample singe frequency (or group of frequencies) to build a kind of artificial color image by giving each sample the equivalent of (RGB)? Although I think you call it something else by what you were saying in one of your other videos, and what little I've read up on it. And that you can get more detail with mono vs full color camera? (but I'm assuming you need to take more pictures to assemble final image). Sorry for all the questions. If I ask more I should probably send you some $ for your time....LOL. BTW, I was recently drooling at a 14" SCT Meade but I've got a ton more research to do before I'll move forward with anything. Like trying to see differences in Equitorial vs Fork mounts. Even started thinking about how in hell I'd unload that 14" if I could manage to swing it.... the tube alone weights 120 lbs....LOL. Hope you're having a nice evening and thank you again for your time.
Is there an extender one could use like the 1.0x flattener, 0.8x reducer, that would give say a f/10 and allow for a full frame camera? All the extenders I see use eyepiece fittings. I want a focal extender I can use in front of any diagonal, for camera or visual observing? Why do not find anything like that for any scopes? But many scopes have reducers specific to them? No scopes I find have extenders specific to them or made for full frame imaging?
The Askar V has an extender, along with a reducer/ flattener and a flattener and two different objective lenses that you can use with all three optical accessories. Oftentimes extenders can degrade image quality considerably. At least that’s what I’ve seen when it comes to them with cameras (teleconverters, specifically). But if well made, they can be great still.
@@SarahMathsAstro Wow!!! Thanks for pointing that out! The Askar V is GORGEOUS! If they had an optional 100mm and/or 120mm objective for that I would be very tempted to spend too much money on that! I think the 103 APO is already over my current budget, but I may have to just go with it anyway! I just wish the 103APO had the very classy silver accents, not a huge fan of the orange aluminum, silly, but I care too much about design aesthetics! Anyways, maybe while I wait and save money for my next refractor, maybe Askar will make larger aperture options for the, or like the current Askar V?? Oh, and yes, in my experience teleconverters for camera lenses are a compromise, but generally the lower extension work well, but higher extensions like 2.0x can degrade enough that it's not much better than cropping on the image file. But camera lenses are already very complex with a ton of optical elements. Given the more simple, highly optimized for sky distance subjects telescope options, I would hope extenders designed for a scope would perform well. Maybe for AP people just use smaller cameras? For visual people just use barlows? It's disappointing it seems the flatteners, reducers, extenders seem made for camera use only and you can't use them for visual observing? I don't understand why exactly, just mechanically you can't put eyepieces or diagonals on the end?
I just looked it up and it would be visible in the very early morning from the US. May be hard to see with the Sun rising earlier. Check out theskylive.com/comets
What ? Where did HD11 Celestron go!!? Is Askar better than Celestron!!? I really don't know what's going on. I see a lot of this type of Askar 🤔 What is the comparison between the HD 11 and Askar 103!!
I still have the HD11. The HD11 is mostly for lunar and planetary, or at least for me it is. and the Askar 103, along with my other refractors, are usually for deep space objects like nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters.
These manufacturers really disgust me putting those vixen dovetails on these larger OTA's. It's been far too long for them not to get it by now to provide a larger dovetail.
@@SarahMathsAstro The much smaller Redcat 51 or Williams Optics smaller Refractors. Larger OTAs should not have those dovetails anymore. I never use them.
Great question and apologies for not touching on what it is. Pinched optics basically refers to the optics of the scope (glass or mirror) being distorted in some way. It can be caused by thermal expansion or contraction in a short amount of time for the optics (e.g. a quick temperature shift like going from warm to very cold). Sometimes retainer rings can be the culprit as well as other things that cause stress to the mirrors or glass lenses. The former reason is a little easier to test for but requires patience in terms of temperature changes and seeing how that changes anything. The latter can be challenging at times to diagnose and sometimes you end up taking a lot apart. I haven't had the issue with the 103 since that video and even in my earlier tests with it so it appears to have been resolved for now at least.
What's the possibility of you acquiring an Orion 8 inch classical to do planetary photography, Most of your equipment is slightly high-end. Has anybody ever asked you about problems and how to resolve the Problem of Newtonian Telescope 8 inch, I know you have sponsors and impromotors on your it's not possible to answer the question thank you for listening. James
Most of my experience is with refractors and SCTs. I would post a question in the forums of CloudyNights.com though - someone with your specific telescope may be able to help out better.
Thank you@@SarahMathsAstro! By the way, I have a question : Is there any change in the total number of light wavelengths for an off star when observing them ? Sorry ! I use English, using google translate !
For a refractory, pinched optics could be caused by retainer rings for example. Colder temperatures make them more pronounced. I'm still not sure if this is pinched optics though.
Yeah, still trying to diagnose if it was for sure pinched optics or maybe a bolt or something in the OTA somewhere sticking out. This is a pre-production version so maybe that has something to do with that. I think a lot of the other scopes that are reviewed, at least on YT are also pre-production units.
Askar are pretty decent. But the 0.6x is the culprit, and the dark wedge iron cross is a result of this degree of reduction. All their scopes are in fairness very good at native focal length.
1k$ isn't even close to budget unless you are rich. There are offerings for less in the refractor category but at this PO nt you might as well get a good reflector so you at least get more scope for your money.
What happened to good old visual observing? Nowadays, it's all about astrophotography. Astro youtubers are all above astrophotography. So frustrating for someone like me who refuse to go digital. I want to see the stars in the skies, not on a monitor screen.
Sorry bout your frustration :/ I think it's just the case of, to each their own. You probably know of Ed Ting already, but if you haven't I hope you'll check him out. He has some excellent visual astronomy videos here on UA-cam.
@@SarahMathsAstro No problem. I am a visual observer, never been bitten by the astrophotography bug. But I guess this is what most hobbyists are into nowadays. Yes, I know of Ed Ting. Super nice guy with great content.
Please consider supporting this channel over on Patreon (free data files posted there): www.patreon.com/posts/master-light-for-99505044/
I've been using my 103 since early December with the 0.8x reducer, an OAG, and the ASI533MC Pro. It's producing spectacular images for me.
That's great news.
Thank You Sarah! I have been waiting for someone to review this scope. The data looks great to me! I just used your links and bought the 120 with the flattener and x8 reducer. Another awesome video and great review!!
Hey Mike! Congrats on your new scope and the accessories! I'm really excited for you! Can't wait to hear how things are going with them. Thanks always for your support and positive feedback. It means so much!!
@@SarahMathsAstro You are Welcome!! Thank You again for all your awesome video's and great info!! I am excited too! I will keep you posted on everything! Have a great Day!!
It's good to see you posting videos again, because this was actually a very helpful and useful review.
So happy to hear that!
You’re simply amazing. You make a very complicated (at least for a beginner) subject easily understandable and easy to understand. You’re an excellent teacher and I am extremely grateful. You’re a superstar!
I'm so glad that this video was helpful! Thanks so much for your positive feedback and kind words :)
I love how this channel accrued over 24K in a year or 2!! Definitely deserve it!!
That's very kind of you! Thank you!! This community is amazing and I'm so grateful.
Most interesting. I'm thankful you mentioned that BlurXterminator could deal with the chromatic aberration you found with the 0.6 reducer, perhaps show before and after its use, if you find something similar in your next product review. It will also help us new folks when you explain the ramifications of pinched optics, or other findings you mention in multiple instances during a video.
Thank you for your feedback, that's very helpful and much appreciated. I went ahead and made a comparison video to show what the .6x Reducer + 103 APO's chromatic aberration and elongated stars looks like before and after using BlurXTerminator in the video linked below.
Video: drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1y0GBSYrOjrRn9HkqsZwoRwmUt8Wn4YJF
(if it's blurry, it just may need a few moments to buffer)
The first image is of the single, 45 second exposure (raw, only debayered), and the second image is of 5 stacked 45 second exposures (debayered + image integration) to see how the chromatic aberration becomes more apparent in a stacked image/ more light collection and then to see how BlurXTerminator version AI 4 corrects for that along with the elongated stars.
For the pinched optics/ issue with the larger star and triangle-like diffraction spike, the more integration time, the more apparent it will be in your final stacked image from my experience. Particularly when there are a lot of large, bright stars in the frame and when you're using a scope with a long focal length/ are very zoomed in.
I hope this helps, and thanks again for your input!
Sarah
good to see you again! stay awesome! your reviews are wonderful!
Thank you, kind sir!
Great review and happy to see you back!!!!
Thank you, Sascha!
So glad I found your channel. I've been binging on your videos all day. Thank you! Please make more videos!
Aww thanks!! I have a new one coming this weekend :D
Outstanding review Sarah. I’m torn between the Askar 103, the 120 , or the WO Flourostar 91.For the life of me I can’t make up my mind lol!
Great channel and keep up the good work .
Thank you! Those are all great scopes. I can see the challenge. I forever have a soft spot in my heart for any WO FLT but it's also hard to beat the price point of the 103 and 120 apertures. Hoping that you are able to arrive at the best decision for you soon. Thanks again for stopping by. Cheers!
It is now on my list to check out for purchase. Thanks for the deep dive. Great work!
It’s a great little (semi-big) scope. Thanks for stopping by!
That appears to be a fine scope, particularly at that price. Great comparison. Nicely done.
Thank you! I've been a big fan of your channel for some time now. Your videos are excellent and I love your backyard. Thanks for stopping by!
total Beginner here with zero knowledge about the topic: Thanks a lot for this really nice video and description of everything! It helps me so much more to understand all the different parts on a telescope :) Thank you!
Congrats on starting your journey! That's really exciting. I'm glad this video was helpful - that's great feedback to hear. You never know what levels people are coming at with videos so thanks so much. Cheers!
@@SarahMathsAstro you are welcome! I agree, it is hard to know what the audience wants and it is also hard to find a balance between people like me (that don't know anything) and experts. You are doing great and I wish you would have more videos :) Thanks you!
I'm pretty sure the gap/spikes on Mirfak are from the flattener. Look inside the flattener, you will probably see a small gap in the metal ring that holds the elements in. All my flatteners/reducers have this gap and cause similar gap/spikes. Each flattener/reducer have unique spikes. A way to test for pinched optics is to put as many dew heaters as you have on the ota, warm it up super good will imaging and see if the spikes go away or change. Good vid, keep it up and Cheers 👍👍
Thanks for your insight here. It's much appreciated. Cheers!
Yes. I think if it actually had pinched optics there would be other indications. There wold be indications in other parts of the aberration analysis.
Awesomely thorough review as always, Sarah! Very pretty dumbbell nebula, too. Nice work 😊
Thanks, Keith!!
Excellent review Sarah and beautiful Dumbbell! Thanks
Doubly thanks, Friend!! Very much appreciated :D
The best and most thorough review - much appreciated! The striations on the bright star hopefully will be resolved by the manufacturer - if they are from the reducer optics(?) or the main OTA or a combination of both. Hopefully too, you get to do more of these excellent in depth reviews! Thanks!
Thank you for your kind words and thank you for taking the time to watch! I haven't had issues since so we will see come colder evenings again. More in-depth reviews are coming, too. If you have any requests, please let me know and I'll see if I can get that specific product to review. Thanks again and cheers!
Great in-depth review. Excellent! One minor remark, the 533 sensor is not a 1 inch (25.4mm) sensor, but is only 16 mm across. This is due to misleading marketing and historic reasons (glass vacuum-tube-based sensors).
Thank you! And thank you for your feedback - that was very helpful! I’ll be sure to keep that nugget of info now. Cheers!
Yep. Correct. The vidicon tubes were 1 inch in diameter, ie., that was the outside diameter of the glass tube. The actual imaging region was 16 mm across the diagonal. It's confusing for people just looking at the sensor size and not knowing the history.
Nice job, Sarah. You continue to get better.
Thank you, Anthony.
nice review, I have the same telescope, went with the 0.8 reducer. It is a very good telescope
Thanks! And that's awesome news about the telescope and the reducer. Wishing you many clear evenings.
Really great review. I've heard some really good things about these scopes and the optics seem batter than the ES102 essentials trip at the same price.
Thank you, Dennis. Yeah, for the price, they're hard to beat. I've been rather impressed.
Another awesome video going in-depth on the unit and accessories... Awesome job and keep it up...!!!
Thanks so much for the support! It's much appreciated :)
Anytime...!!!@@SarahMathsAstro
Hi Sarah, In regard to the 0.6X reducer/flattener for the ASKAR 103APO I tinkered yesterday and today a few a hours. Yesterday I tinkered around 58mm and nothing satisfied me and so today I went back to 56mm and voilá the backfocus is around 56.4mm with a Poseidon-M and Astronomik filters. Round stars everywhere.
This concurs with the experience I made with the 1.0X and the 0.8X optical reducer/flatteners which gave me round stars both at 56mm backfocus.
regards Rainer
Excellent work, Rainer! Thank you!!
22:27 That weird shapeness in the stars usually is due to the notches in the locking rings of filters and lens shown at 16:14 and 17:21 . Best practice is to keep the filter as close as possible to the sensor and to avoid flattners/reducers with those internal lock rings notches exposed to the front objective which skews the light path. Overall great scope with nice round stars.
Thanks for your input/ insight on this. I wasn't using a filter for these tests but perhaps it was the internal lock rings' notches skewing the light path that you mentioned. More to look into. Thanks again.
Thanks for the great review! I also have a beautiful tabby boy; he turned 14 this year.
Thank you for taking the time to come by! Your cat sounds like a very handsome fellow. Wishing you both all the best!
This is definitely the scope I'll be bringing to the office!
This is excellent news. Cheers, friend!
This is a good video reviewing the Askar scope. I am still concerned about QC problems coming from Askar and that they use FK61 glass and only have 1 ED element. In future 'scope review' video's consider posting the raw test images so we can have a closer look.
Thanks for your feedback!
Thank you, Sarah, for this comprehensive report on the Askar 103APO.
I am considering pairing it with the Celestron AVX mount and tripod.
Have you reviewed the Explore Scientific 102 mm ?
Hi Gihan, thank you for the kind words. That mount would be a nice choice for this 103APO. I have not reviewed the Explore Scientific 102mm though. Cheers
This is great. I was thinking to buy the 103 with the .6 focal reducer to get a really fast telescope. Definitely off the table now. Obviously at the price is great, it is however not fcd100 or fpl53 optics quality which is very apparent. Thanks Sarah you just saved me money and frustration. 👍
You're very welcome. I just uploaded a video to Google Drive to show the comparison of what the chromatic aberration looks like before and after with the 103 APO + 0.6x reducer using BlurXTerminator version AI 4.
The first image is of the single, 45 second exposure (debayered) of Mirfak before and after - which shows great results with BlurX and then the second image is of a stacked image that contains 5, 45 second exposures of Mirfak (debayered) before and after with BlurX. Both times BlurX cleaned up the CA well and the elongated stars I had due to improper back focus.
Video here: drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1y0GBSYrOjrRn9HkqsZwoRwmUt8Wn4YJF
(if it's blurry, it may just need a moment or two to finish buffering)
Thanks!
Thank you indeed. Nice illustration. It also show though Blur is a great tool, it does not fix everything :-) @@SarahMathsAstro
Hi since your review several people managed to people managed to improve the image quality by adjusting the back focus. Did you also try that ?
Thanks for the awesome review Sarah.
Thanks so much, Paul!
So I’m really looking at a budget refractor and trying to make this work before I go with the purchase. The .6 reducers corner elongated stars might be a back focus issue that can either be solved with an Askar back focus adjuster or adding shims. At post BlurX AI 4 might fix it as well. But i do get where you are going reviewing in an unbiased raw form of the scope and short captures to assess the quality.
Just found your channel and had to subscribe. While I am a visual observer, have a 12.5" newt/dob, I may soon get into astrophotography if I can afford it 😊. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Cheers!
Sounds like you have a great scope on your hands! Thanks so much for subscribing, too. It means a lot! Cheers!
@@SarahMathsAstro You're welcome Sara. It is a fantastic mirror. John from Galaxy optics made the mirror. I am lucky to have super dark skies 20 min from my house.
Love your content 😊
I’m getting more and more interested in going into astro viewing and/or photography.
But I find it hard to know where to begin. It would be nice to know for example how big the moon is if this telescope was used for viewing. Or even the sun.
I guess since it’s a budget scope it would appeal to beginners that not necessarily would jump straight into photography and advanced processing that requires a lot of extra gear, knowledge and time.
Thank you! I agree with you on all of the above. I’ll have to try and include more field of view samples/image tests for framing. Thanks for your input!
Great review informative. Your presentation is crisp and clear thank you 😊
Thank you for your kind words. Cheers :)
Just when I thought I was narrowing in on my choice for travel scope, now this one is in the mix! Maybe top of my list?
It’s definitely worth looking into :)
Superb review.and presentation and impressive astrograph at lower F # maybe when spacing and sensor size matched
I use a similar 102 f7 and with a 174 sensor you will get full disc for Solar white light imaging and Lunar, great final image too
Thank you! And I'm sure those results are fantastic!
Yes with both subjects add a Powermate too..regards Les
This girl is incredible ❤
Thank you!! :)
Agreed 🎉❤
HAHA. "Hows it going party people?" when talking about a 700mm lens is probably my most favorite intro ever.
Just have to keep it casual and cool :D
Very thorough review. But I don't think that is pinched optics you are seeing around Mirfak. I bet it's lens cell clips protruding into the field. If you still have the scope, can you push the lens shade all the way in and examine the lens cell closely with a flashlight. Check if you can see three clips evenly spaced around holding the lens in place.
I think you’re right about this.
Are we taking about aperture vignetting? It could be
Nice, Nicer, Sarah!!
Thanks, Jan!!
This scope is sooooo tempting thankfully my bank balance is almost 0 😅 or else I would bought one.
As always great videos Sarah with so much details.
Hey, a lot of millionaires/ billionaires keep their money tied up in non-liquid funds so their bank accounts are sometimes 0.
Thanks for the kind words, friend and hope you’re doing well!
Solid review, Sarah. Thanks.
Thank you, and thanks for checking it out. Hope all is well.
In my early years in amateur astronomy it was always a guy thing, seeing you so young and knowledgeable on the subject is really nice to see, I joined your Patreon, clear skies!
Thank you for your really kind comments, they mean a lot. I've learned much from other members of this amazing community. I'm just grateful to be able to share and give back. Thank you also for supporting me over on Patreon, that's incredibly generous of you and goes a long way. Thanks again and cheers!!
@@SarahMathsAstro you’re most welcome!
Thanks for the excellent review.
Thank you for stopping by.
I have had this telescope and its reducers for 6 months noe and not only cost effective, I have pinpoint stars with no asserations edge to edge.
This is excellent to hear! Very happy to hear that you've had such positive results with the scope and the reducers.
Sarah,
This is probably the most unusual question asked of you so far. Here goes......... I own a Fuji GFX 100s Medium Format camera and was looking for some sort of refractor to use as a "long lens". The sensor is 33mm x 44mm (so I guess if you use the old A squared + B squared = C squared formula the diagonal / image circle will be 55mm). I've found a company that makes a T-Adapter for my camera to the scope, but I'm just wondering how on earth this thing might work for daylight photography, and how I might generate an image circle big enough. Quite a doozy, I know. Any suggestions would be helpful. Larry
Larry, I'd imagine that this would do pretty well for daylight photography (not solar of course since you'd need lots more gear for that). But yeah, with the 55mm threads on the back of the flattener, .8x reducer, and .6x reducer, you may be able to get your camera attached.
Great review! So thorough!
Thanks and thanks for taking the time to check it out and provide feedback!
Thank you for the review! I've used a lot of APO refractors and pinched optics is usually easy to fix by unscrewing the shipping screws in the lens block. Most of APO refractors come with 2x sets of screws, one set for calibration and the other set for shipping scope to keep the optical elements in place.
Anyway, do you think this scope would be a good upgrade from the 94EDPH?
Thank you for your input on this! I'm still not sure what exactly this is. I think it may have been some sort of internal shavings in the way or something. Looking more into now that I'm back from eclipse travels. Regarding your question, I don't have direct experience with the 94EDPH, but have heard nice things about it. I think if you're looking for a bit more reach and resolution, with some flexibility in terms of focal length/ ratios with the optional accessories, this would be a good option. It's fairly lightweight still, too.
Great video, I wouldn't pick the 533 even if it best matches tho, I don't see a point seeing the corners with such a tiny sensor, I think APS-C/FF is a minimum for these kind of tests to actually mean anything.
Nico Carver uses a FF OSC camera with small pixels to test this scope here: ua-cam.com/video/G1zM-lz7Fx4/v-deo.htmlsi=KJ3-2W-qJLucmht3
Cheers!
Great review. I have the same scope been really enjoying it. now i really should get the 1x flattener do get some better shots for galaxy season.
Thanks, Joe! That's great news that you're enjoying the scope. Always nice to have a bit more reach for galaxy season, that's for sure. Hope you've been well!
Great review. I recently acquired something similar but 72mm. Love the accessory demo too. Can you take them back if they don't go with your outfit or your cat disapproves?
I sure hope so, ha! Thanks and congrats on the 72mm. I hope you've been enjoying it :)
Great Video, shame you did not have an APS-C size sensor to test in this with the 3 flatteners / reducers…as that would have shown how the star shapes were in the corners…👍🏻
Definitely. I hope one day to have a OSC APS-C or full-frame with small pixels. Nico Carver from Nebula Photos was able to test this scope with a full-frame camera with small pixels in this video here: ua-cam.com/video/G1zM-lz7Fx4/v-deo.html
Excellent review. Thanks for sharing :)
Thank you, Abdur! Very excited to check out your newest review!
I enjoy your subtle humor, and look forward to your informative videos.
I see the cases as useless. Once the scope is built out, I'm not going to take it apart, even for travel. Else provide a configurable case, or save the customer a few bucks, and ship it in a cardboard box.
Also, is a vixen bar adequate? Should a Losmanty bar be used with a larger imaging rig? Here's a thought, cardboard box and "D" plate instead for same price.
I'm in the market for move reach, with "galaxy season" here. (Read, no nebula season) .
Thanks for taking the time to check out the videos and provide feedback.
I haven't had any issues with the Vixen dovetail, but if I had more accessories added, I might consider getting a Losmandy. I believe Askar has one that can be purchased for it.
Keep up the good work! Clear Skies!
Thank you! Clear skies to you, too :)
honestly i might end up getting this one once i upgrade my mount. thinking about a zwo or a eq6 pro
I've used both the ZWO AM5 and the EQ6-R Pro mounts with this scope and accessories along with heavier imaging trains (ASI2600MM Pro + filter wheel). Both did just fine.
Quite impressed... review is very well done!
Two things; 1. Can a dslr connect to this (I have a Nikon D70)?
2. In medical imaging, we use the term 'imaging chain' as opposed to 'imaging train' unless I mis-heard you? 🤔
Thanks!
Thank you! Yes, you can connect a DSLR to the 48mm rear adapter. You'll need a t-adapter for your specific camera that can accommodate M48 x 0.75 threads (the base of the rear adapter of one of the accessories - either the 1x flattener, the 0.8x reducer, or the 0.6x reducer).
Here's one that will likely work: amzn.to/3wNrF00
You are correct about the phrase "imaging train" as well. We use that a lot in astrophotography. It's very interesting to hear what other phrases are used in different contexts.
Thanks!
@@SarahMathsAstro Thank you so much! ☺
Hi Sarah, great review of the Askar 103 telescope. I watched this video a while back, and I’m re-watching it now. I was wondering if you know anything about the type of glass that SharpStar uses in their telescopes.
I know it’s ED Glass, but I was wondering if you knew what type or where it comes from.
Hi Jim, thank you. I’m not sure exactly what type of glass they use. There isn’t any documentation out there so far from what I know. I apologize!
@@SarahMathsAstro Thats ok. Thanks for the response.
As always, an solid, informative review. But, I’m waiting for your review on the ZWO Seestar S50. Go Sarah!🔭
It's in the works :)
so many options from Askar
103 APO 700mm/f6.8
120 APO 840mm/f7
140 APO 980mm/f7
185 APO 1295mm/f7
Love to see a compilation of these against each other.
So many, indeed! That’s a great idea, too. Such different focal lengths. Cheers!
@@SarahMathsAstro I have a 8" SCT but it is old and needs more work done on it.
So trying to get something in between the 360mm WO and the 2000mm Meade.
Thanks for the videos
Hi,
Very nice review and I also have the ASKAR 103APO. A little bit late but there are so many reviews of this scope that it takes time to look at all of them.
After you tested the 0.6X R/F did you use the standard backfocus of 55mm? Have you since then changed anything in this backfocus measurement?
I have read that the correct backfocus for the 0.6X R/F is around 57 to 58mm. Can you confirm this?
Thanks Rainer
Hi Rainer, thank you. Yes, I can confirm that the back focus is 58mm from my testing for the 0.6x reducer configuration. Cheers,
Sarah
@@SarahMathsAstro Thank. Interesting that ASKAR is still announcing 55mm. Again, thanks a lot. I like ther 420mm FOV with an APS-C chip after checking what it covers. regards Rainer
@@SarahMathsAstro Hi Sarah, Sorry to undig this matter again. I recevied my 0.6X reducer/flattener and indeed the backfocus is around 58mm but I am still fidlling to find out the exact point. Yesterday when I did my first adjustment it was cloudy and I was able to get close. At the moment it is 57.95mm. I have the ASKAR Backfocus adjuster and I think I am still a bit too far. I still see triangle shaéd stars in the 4 corners. U have an APS-C schip = Poseidon-M camera.
Do you have an exact measurement?
Thanks Rainer
Hi Rainer, 58mm is about the extent that I found was needed. I could try to get very, very precise but would need another clear night to test. Apologies!
@@SarahMathsAstro No problem, Iwill continue testing this today
regards
Many thanks for your review. Did you consider 107phq also? Will you put 103 on AM3?
Thanks for taking the time to watch. I've been interested in trying out the PHQ series as I've heard/ seen promising results from them. As for a mount, I used the AM5 and the Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro mounts for this scope and the rest of the imaging train.
just discovered the existance of Sony's Starvis sensor and that there is now a Starvis 2. The IMX585 seems very promising, but it's all on paper. Do you have any insights on this tech? What if any are the drawbacks for this?
This is a sensor/ camera group I’ve been looking more into. I’d like to test it for myself to give a better opinion.
I’m curious when removing the focuser assembly or the end tube Is the inside closed and air tight? That’s a rather big diameter to let some dust in. Either that I’m just being cautiously picky in opening up a scope. Thanks Sarah
I wouldn't necessarily say it's closed off (in terms of the glass internally not being exposed when detaching the backend). That is something to consider, no doubt. I think if you're not changing it out constantly, that certainly helps. I felt like I got more dust with the Askar V and changing everything out while testing because I was going through/ swapping so many different pieces of glass (the two objectives/ the different optical accessories), taking them on and off, etc. But with the 103 and the back end, I didn't have much of an issue with dust, or at least it didn't appear to be an issue. If anything, I would tilt the tube down and use a blower and let the dust fall out if there appeared to be any. Great questions and valid concern. Thanks!
What does it mean when you say it is pinched optics?
Apologies for not explaining further. Pinched optics is a type of distortion that is usually due to the objective lens of a refractor being secured too tightly with screws. When the objective lens are secured too tightly, they can cause these weird defraction looking spikes through large, bright stars. I wasn't 100% sure of what it was though since it can be challenging to really nail down a cause of something like this. But it can be corrected for by loosening the screws which I am going to try once I get some tools.
@@SarahMathsAstro
Thanks for the explanation :) I hope you will do a video on it.
Will Blur Exterminator clean up the fringing on the bright stars caused by the pinched optics?
Yes, very nicely.
@@SarahMathsAstro Thanks so much!
@stevenjones6748 you’re very welcome!
First... Ha! Eons ago I had a motorized Meade refractor, (long gone) but do you think it's a good Idea to plan on getting both refractor with something like a Schmit Cassegrain (sp?) if I desire to do some real star gazing?
Hey there! You could go with either or. I know many visual astronomers who love their schmidt cassegrains (SCTs - I never get the spelling right with this one, lol), Dobsonians, and refractors.
I think if you're looking for something with a lot of visual prowess in terms of resolution and light collection, and don't mind having to collimate mirrors and have a place to store it, then Dobsonians/ Newtonians are pretty phenomenal for visual as are SCTs. Refractors are too, don't get me wrong. They're incredible. They're just very expensive for the same amount of focal length, etc. Refractors are great though for their optical quality and the fact that they require less upkeep to use them, in terms of not needing constant collimation (if ever after the first time from the factory), like Dobsonians/ Newtonian, and SCTs do. I don't know if that helped at all, but hopefully.
@@SarahMathsAstro Thanks so much for your input Sarah. I really appreciate it. I think back to the days I had that old Meade refractor and I couldn't see barely any color in Saturn or Jupiter looking with the naked eye. Watched a video late last night where someone did comparison between $1K and $10K refractor and the difference was unreal. Am I correct in assuming with mono camera you can get higher resolution and the filters make it so you basically sample singe frequency (or group of frequencies) to build a kind of artificial color image by giving each sample the equivalent of (RGB)? Although I think you call it something else by what you were saying in one of your other videos, and what little I've read up on it. And that you can get more detail with mono vs full color camera? (but I'm assuming you need to take more pictures to assemble final image). Sorry for all the questions. If I ask more I should probably send you some $ for your time....LOL. BTW, I was recently drooling at a 14" SCT Meade but I've got a ton more research to do before I'll move forward with anything. Like trying to see differences in Equitorial vs Fork mounts. Even started thinking about how in hell I'd unload that 14" if I could manage to swing it.... the tube alone weights 120 lbs....LOL. Hope you're having a nice evening and thank you again for your time.
Is there an extender one could use like the 1.0x flattener, 0.8x reducer, that would give say a f/10 and allow for a full frame camera?
All the extenders I see use eyepiece fittings. I want a focal extender I can use in front of any diagonal, for camera or visual observing? Why do not find anything like that for any scopes? But many scopes have reducers specific to them? No scopes I find have extenders specific to them or made for full frame imaging?
The Askar V has an extender, along with a reducer/ flattener and a flattener and two different objective lenses that you can use with all three optical accessories. Oftentimes extenders can degrade image quality considerably. At least that’s what I’ve seen when it comes to them with cameras (teleconverters, specifically). But if well made, they can be great still.
@@SarahMathsAstro Wow!!! Thanks for pointing that out! The Askar V is GORGEOUS! If they had an optional 100mm and/or 120mm objective for that I would be very tempted to spend too much money on that! I think the 103 APO is already over my current budget, but I may have to just go with it anyway! I just wish the 103APO had the very classy silver accents, not a huge fan of the orange aluminum, silly, but I care too much about design aesthetics!
Anyways, maybe while I wait and save money for my next refractor, maybe Askar will make larger aperture options for the, or like the current Askar V??
Oh, and yes, in my experience teleconverters for camera lenses are a compromise, but generally the lower extension work well, but higher extensions like 2.0x can degrade enough that it's not much better than cropping on the image file. But camera lenses are already very complex with a ton of optical elements. Given the more simple, highly optimized for sky distance subjects telescope options, I would hope extenders designed for a scope would perform well. Maybe for AP people just use smaller cameras? For visual people just use barlows?
It's disappointing it seems the flatteners, reducers, extenders seem made for camera use only and you can't use them for visual observing? I don't understand why exactly, just mechanically you can't put eyepieces or diagonals on the end?
Can you try to observe comet called C/2021 S3 ?
I just looked it up and it would be visible in the very early morning from the US. May be hard to see with the Sun rising earlier. Check out theskylive.com/comets
What ? Where did HD11 Celestron go!!? Is Askar better than Celestron!!? I really don't know what's going on. I see a lot of this type of Askar 🤔 What is the comparison between the HD 11 and Askar 103!!
I still have the HD11. The HD11 is mostly for lunar and planetary, or at least for me it is. and the Askar 103, along with my other refractors, are usually for deep space objects like nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters.
Gracias por esta nueva oportunidad de aprendizaje. Salu2
Gracias por pasar :)
nice scientific way , i wonder if you could make the image noisier , i think that would help us scientifically look at this product .
Interesting approach!
@@SarahMathsAstro yeah , more noise more science .
Thanks!
Thank you so much, Alan!
Very interesting, Show me the result of the "Ronchi test" .
I will take that into consideration for future reviews. Thanks for this!
These manufacturers really disgust me putting those vixen dovetails on these larger OTA's. It's been far too long for them not to get it by now to provide a larger dovetail.
What size relative to the OTA do you think is best for a dovetail?
@@SarahMathsAstro The much smaller Redcat 51 or Williams Optics smaller Refractors. Larger OTAs should not have those dovetails anymore. I never use them.
What is "pinched optics"?
Great question and apologies for not touching on what it is. Pinched optics basically refers to the optics of the scope (glass or mirror) being distorted in some way. It can be caused by thermal expansion or contraction in a short amount of time for the optics (e.g. a quick temperature shift like going from warm to very cold). Sometimes retainer rings can be the culprit as well as other things that cause stress to the mirrors or glass lenses. The former reason is a little easier to test for but requires patience in terms of temperature changes and seeing how that changes anything. The latter can be challenging at times to diagnose and sometimes you end up taking a lot apart. I haven't had the issue with the 103 since that video and even in my earlier tests with it so it appears to have been resolved for now at least.
Nice scope.
I think so :)
Just curious what are your qualifications, I understand this is UA-cam, Just wondering are you going for a masters. PHD ?
Self taught
What's the possibility of you acquiring an Orion 8 inch classical to do planetary photography, Most of your equipment is slightly high-end.
Has anybody ever asked you about problems and how to resolve the Problem of Newtonian Telescope 8 inch,
I know you have sponsors and impromotors on your it's not possible to answer the question thank you for listening.
James
Most of my experience is with refractors and SCTs. I would post a question in the forums of CloudyNights.com though - someone with your specific telescope may be able to help out better.
Ok
Amazing !
You are very kind! Thank you :)
Thank you@@SarahMathsAstro! By the way, I have a question : Is there any change in the total number of light wavelengths for an off star when observing them ? Sorry ! I use English, using google translate !
I just got this scope...
Congrats! Have you had a chance to use it yet?
Whoah... is that a Squarepusher mug??
Wow! Yes! I love Squarepusher as does my husband.
What the heck are "pinched" optics??
For a refractory, pinched optics could be caused by retainer rings for example. Colder temperatures make them more pronounced. I'm still not sure if this is pinched optics though.
So the retainer ring is actually so tight that it's differetially compressing the lens glass??@@SarahMathsAstro
2nd askar scope review where I've seen pinched optics. Not good and definitely gives me pause buying this brand.
Yeah, still trying to diagnose if it was for sure pinched optics or maybe a bolt or something in the OTA somewhere sticking out. This is a pre-production version so maybe that has something to do with that. I think a lot of the other scopes that are reviewed, at least on YT are also pre-production units.
Take off the dew shield from the OTA and twist the front end lens just a slight bit
Askar are pretty decent. But the 0.6x is the culprit, and the dark wedge iron cross is a result of this degree of reduction. All their scopes are in fairness very good at native focal length.
I am wanting to know visual performance.
The Moon views and Solar with white light Lunt wedge.
Also planet viewing.
@kellytaylor3915 I’ve read positive things about it for visual of those subjects.
1k$ isn't even close to budget unless you are rich.
There are offerings for less in the refractor category but at this PO nt you might as well get a good reflector so you at least get more scope for your money.
Yeah i hate it when people in this hobby say things are "budget" and they are over $1k.
Newtonians for life!
@@Sogstronomy dont need to track for hours when you can just brute force it with a giant aperture.
I definitely see your point here.
Budget is always relative.
@@drithenCalling a 1k scope "budget" is laughable,
Excellent job doing the video…..so how about doing something using the telescope and not just a review on equipment
Thank you and thanks for your feedback/ idea too!
Hi Hubble 🐱 ❤
Oh hiiiiiii :)
Casual accessorising lol
Can never forget to accessorize
@@SarahMathsAstro my sw gti has green anodised accents so ill only be buying green telescopes, etc in future, as red and green can never be seen ;)
Meh 😑
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What happened to good old visual observing? Nowadays, it's all about astrophotography. Astro youtubers are all above astrophotography. So frustrating for someone like me who refuse to go digital. I want to see the stars in the skies, not on a monitor screen.
Keep complaining, if you want a scope for observing you'll either get a reflector or a dobson. Theses scopes are made with astrophotography in mind.
Sorry bout your frustration :/ I think it's just the case of, to each their own. You probably know of Ed Ting already, but if you haven't I hope you'll check him out. He has some excellent visual astronomy videos here on UA-cam.
@@SarahMathsAstro No problem. I am a visual observer, never been bitten by the astrophotography bug. But I guess this is what most hobbyists are into nowadays. Yes, I know of Ed Ting. Super nice guy with great content.