My trusty Esprit 100mm f/5.5 telescope has served me well in the observatory, but it has finally retired. Now, I'm ready to take a big leap forward. Two years ago, I acquired a 250mm f/4.7 Newtonian telescope, but it was far from ideal for remote astrophotography due to its flimsy focuser and poor mechanical design. However, I didn't let that deter me. I embarked on a journey of modifications and upgrades to transform it into a powerhouse. One of the first improvements I made was upgrading the Chinesium™ focuser to a sturdy Baader SteelTrack, providing a much more stable and precise focusing mechanism. Additionally, I added a coma corrector to ensure sharp and clear images across the field of view. To enhance its overall performance, I replaced the primary mirror springs for much stronger ones, installed a secondary mirror heater, and reinforced the tube itself with a thick aluminum profile underneath the focuser and inside the tube.
I was thrilled to discover that these upgrades significantly improved the telescope's mechanical properties, allowing it to hold its collimation exceptionally well. With excitement, I dismantled my previous telescope from the pier and replaced it with this new and improved instrument. It was a tight fit inside the observatory, necessitating the removal of some shelves to prevent any collisions with the back of the scope.
With the enhanced light-gathering capacity of this new telescope, a world of possibilities has opened up for me, particularly when observing faint objects. The 1175mm focal length seems like a perfect match for my ASI2600MM Pro camera when capturing galaxies and planetary nebulae.
I eagerly await the arrival of autumn, when I can fully explore the potential of this upgraded setup!