Amazing ISTARs!

[Watcher3]

Well, Ales is doing it again! I e-mailed him to change my order to the "new" Super Achro design. (I had ordered a 6" F/5 Achro lens). He told me they're also going to be making a Super Achro II. Achro lenses with a 50 percent reduction in CA!

I'm going to go with the 30 percent CA reduced Super Achro. I think this lens will be just the ticket for a short DSO scope. The Super Achro that I'm getting goes for half again what the standard Achro sells for, and I don't know yet how much more the Super Achro II will be, but for my planned lifetime big Achro, (9 or 10") in the future, I'll be very interested.

This company is moving fast. You really should register here so we can try to keep informed. Hint Hint

[spyke]

I've been in touch with Ales too, and with the UK importer and dealer, Peak2valley instruments. Both have been extremely helpful. The models I'm interested in are 5" f12 or 6" f10 I think, but transportability and mounting are important issues for me. CA is too, naturally, but the Super Achro options sound very interesting.

I may get a chance to see some of these at Astrofest in Feb 2011, if I can manage to get down to London to attend.

Ant

[Watcher3]

I think an Atlas class mount would hold a 6" F/10. A Hargreaves strut would work wonders to steady it if there's any instability at all.

Sounds like the F/10 would be very near ED performance in a Super Achro II, or Pro, whatever it will be called. Even at double the standard achro price, it's still in the D&G achro price neighborhood.

[astrosean]

I would think the super achros and super-super achros would be very similar in performance to the "ED" lines of scopes from other manufacturers. My guess is that color would be very dependent on the observer's tolerance. I would gladly trade up from my 6"f15 to a 7" or 8" super achro or Super AchroII if user reports suggest good color correction. Ales is really hitting the nail straight on it's head with these new offerings!