The latest purchase as listed in the title is a Skybolt 50×500 refractor. Manufactured by Astro it’s objective is rumoured by many to be of good quality. I have only briefly tested this out under less than ideal circumstances, a slightly cloudy night but with enough clear sky to allow a brief (15 mins) test. So how did it perform…. read on.
Skybolt 50×500
Firstly the scope arrived with a little dust on the objective but no marking to the glass, a quick clean and a minor mod to the focuser back end, i fitted a vixen threaded 1.25″ adapter to the focuser tube and was ready to go. The odd looking Alt-Az mount worked surprisingly well, it held position and didn’t alter allignment when tightening the adjusters. there are no setting circles or markers for degree settings so all targets were found by eye the old fashioned way. The Pleiades always gets observing time everytime i setup a scope, so first impressions of the target are made against so many previous observations with so many different scopes i’ve lost count. I have to admit i was impressed by the contrast and by the number of stars visible under less than ideal skies, an ideal test for 50mm scopes is the number and clarity of the chain of stars running down from Alcyone. On nights of poor seeing this chain is invisible to 40-50mm bino’s, on good nights all of the chain stars are visible and tonight with “average” seeing and average transparency all of the chain was visible through the little Skybolt. The double cluster in Perseus was clearly defined but a little thin on detail with stars popping in and out of view with averted vision, a fine night will allow a better view i’m sure. Auriga’s clusters M36,37,38 were all visible with some detail but fuzzy centres which again will probably improve with better transparency. Fifteen minutes is hardly enough time to fully review a scope but i felt that under the circumstances the Skybolt performed admirabley, definitely a keeper.
The scope itself is really well built, all aluminium with no plastic parts. Even the odd Alt-Az mount is all metal parts with suitable 50’s looking grey paint. I’m not sure when the scope was manufactured as it doesn’t appear in any of the available “Astro” catalogues, from the colour scheme and accessories i would guess at late 50’s early 60’s. The original instructions have been chopped and glued into the lid of the wooden box the scope arrived in, so no further clues there… The manufacturers stamp mark confirms it to be of “Astro” origin and the quality of the accessories suggests good quality glass and good construction, i havent used the .965 accessories yet but will use them in future. Maybe a back to back with my Tasco 6TE is in order bue due to a recent house move all my astro gear is still in boxes waiting to be unpacked…. more soon.
smallscopefocus 