Preview: Explore Scientific Triplet ED APO 140mm Refractor

I finally made the decision to buy a large Refractor Telescope. The Explore Scientific 140mm Triplet ED APO is a monster in carbon fiber! Take a quick look!

[@tjn5845]

Don't forget that lifetime warranty! Truly a lifetime scope...….congratulations on an awesome purchase.

[@TimTools99]

I am anxious to get it out under some dark, clear skies! Thanks

[@theepicoutdoors6418]

new telescope day is the best!! Keep up the good work👍

[@TimTools99]

Early Christmas present. Ha!

[@MadMikey1010]

Congrats on your new addition Tim! I look forward to seeing what beauty you will capture with your new scope.

[@shaunsprogress]

That's a significant leap up! Amazing piece of kit!

[@TimTools99]

Yes indeed!

[@kayasper6081]

Wow what a natural beauty! Without doubt you worked and saved hard for it, it is a joy to see you unpackaging it, must be a very special moment. Hopefully that first clear night came soon. Thanks for the video, I loved it.

[@ScoutCrafter]

Looking forward to seeing how you like the new scope. It's lovely!

[@gregor454]

Lucky fella. I can’t even find a refractor in stock to explore with my girls out on the farm in Illinois. Enjoy!

[@Astronomater]

That focuser is huge!

[@TimTools99]

Yes it is!

[@amp2amp800]

Congratulations and clear skies!

[@astrophotonics9470]

Grats Tim on your new Triplet, just got the 127mm version myself.

[@radioactivelarry]

WOW that sure beats my little 6" catadioptric telescope. I need a new one anyway. Thanks for the review.

[@TimTools99]

Well, I hope it is all I expect it to be. I spent the kids inheritance to get it. Ha!

[@3dfxvoodoocards6]

Beautiful APO

[@woody5109]

I’m currently in the market for a new scope, never considered these guys, thanks for this.

[@TimTools99]

You bet!

[@astronomyvideosbyjimkerr7741]

Great review, Tim. Very nice ES 140mm. You will enjoy this purchase.

[@slapastronomy8646]

Congrats on picking up a very nice refractor! Scott

[@TimTools99]

Thanks. I can't wait to get out there on a clear night.

[@JamesAdams-ev6fc]

Tim, all you need is an equatorial mount that can handle say 40 pounds and you'll be all set. Orion, SkyWatcher, and iOptron all make stable mounts like this. They also come with computerized handboxes that hold large databases. They're pricey, but they last a long time. Looks like a great scope, congrats!

[@TimTools99]

Thank you James for the comment. I have a Celestron go-to mount that I will be putting this on. I got that mount a few years ago to use with my 9.25 SCT. I may sell the SCT if this big refractor proves satisfactory.

[@JamesAdams-ev6fc]

@@TimTools99 I think you will love the new refractor. In this size range they are still easy to handle and with the quality of the one you bought, so many objects are in range--if you have dark skies--I do not.

[@ACEOFSPACE2000]

Excellent choice I love my Explore Scientific ED 102 Refractor .Nice unboxing Tim.

[@NOLASkaGuitarist]

Me too! I want to get into astrophotography, but all my experience and advice from other astronomers tell me to stay away from that never ending rabbit hole. So my ED102 is strictly visual for the time being, and it's quite a scope especially under dark skies.

[@ACEOFSPACE2000]

@@NOLASkaGuitarist I don't do visual much any more .I find it much more satisfying with astrophotography .Buy yourself a cheap dslr Rebel T5 .You can do planetary and deep sky .If you like it you can get a dedicated astronomy camera.You won't be disappointed.give it a try.

[@NOLASkaGuitarist]

@@ACEOFSPACE2000 Ahh indeed, but I would still be limited to short exposures as I have only an alt-az (Unistar Deluxe) mount for the refractor. In addition to a camera body or sensor, I would need a decent EQ mount and a filter or two to do the shot's I'd like to dabble in. Not to mention the scope has field curvature I can see in my wide field EP's so I would also need a field flattener to clean that up. Top it off with my limited free time and numerous other hobbies and it's very hard for me to convince myself I should invest that much more into it. Perhaps one day when I work less

[@fredaw61]

Your in Western NY. Me too. That is a sweet telescope. I love big refractors. I have a 80mm StarSense Explorer that I just picked up used. The mount is too shaky. I also own a Orion SkyQuest 8” Dobsonian. Shoot me a message if you would like. Maybe we could hit some dark sky’s.

[@robertbennett6410]

Im JEALOUS!! Best of luck sir.... Clear Skies!

[@markstump7079]

Nice Tim !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@book3100]

Pretty dang tasty scope!

[@Rich-hy2ey]

Beautiful scope, but I have that mount. Couldn't handle a scope that large if its life depended on it. For inexpensive alt-az mounts, the hefty T-shaped units from Sky Watcher like the Skytee-2 are decent or something like the APM or Vixen cradle style large binocular mounts. The best purportedly are the Discmounts but they are costly enough that looking at equatorials might be a better idea.

[@donkingdonkey4764]

Nice video Thx Tim

[@robertr9689]

Good stuff.

[@Lehmann108]

What a beauty!

[@HollomanUFOLanding]

Great video, thanks! How did you like your new telescope for visual obseving, especially the planets?

[@chrisstrobel3439]

Wow Tim that sure is a swell scope you got there, and only 20lbs wow!

[@TimTools99]

Thanks Chris. Yea that carbon fiber body is light.

[@Nottsboy24]

Excellent and nice telescope 👌🔭

[@mark11967AD]

I’ve read about this telescope. Sounds amazing. I’m actually looking to buy my first and am probably going to limit myself to around $500. Ed Ting if you’ve heard of him recommends the Skywatcher 8” dob only around $480. And also people rave about the Celestron Nexstar 8se think it’s called, but that’s like $1,000. Right now with covid so many people are amusing themselves with telescopes that most popular models are sold out. Surely I will find something by April

[@TimTools99]

Hello Mark. Yes, good idea not spending a lot of money on your first telescope in case you decide you don't really like doing it. Ha! I bought a little 80mm refractor for $599 for my first telescope. I loved it because it was small and I could take it anywhere. It could be used for viewing the night sky and also for bird watching which I also like to do. As it turned out, I got into Astrophotography and that little 80mm telescope does a great job with deep sky imaging. Since then I bought a big SCT and now this big refractor but .... the 80mm is still my favorite! (Explore Scientific ED80 Triplet Refractor.) Good luck Mark and enjoy yourself!

[@mark11967AD]

@@TimTools99 Thanks Tim I hope so!

[@uriahheep8470]

Nice scope.

[@t.a9822]

Nice telescope

[@ignatprokhoropchyuck4652]

Sure the Cadillac tube😨

[@lisaandthekozykittykamperv7952]

❤

[@etx007blue2]

I have the 115mm version of this, not a big fan of the focuser, it feels very cheap compare to Stellarvue or even Skywatcher.

[@ignatprokhoropchyuck4652]

Daddy's scope so cool

[@brianclark2119]

Thanks to you the Astro-gods are angry at me. They don't like it if you covet another man's scope... it's all your fault. You mentioned a pier in your observatory then a C-gem are you on a pier or tripod in the observatory? I use an AVX mount in my small ROR observatory. Nice set-up...drooling as I type.

[@TimTools99]

Ha! Well, the Astro-Gods will have to understand that we should be allowed to drool once in a while over another guy's toys! Yes, the CGEM sits on a pier in my little POD observatory. When I was planning the Obsy, I said, "why not go for it!" So i poured a 12" pier which is four feet in the ground. (I have a video of the pier pour job ...kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWPOlWqrpZlmqaM) It is nice because I don't trip over my tripod anymore. I was planning to build a ROR and had it all drawn up. Then, I discovered the little POD Observatory and took the easy way out. Soooooo, I will let you know how it goes with my new 140mm Refractor. I still can't believe that I bought that telescope!

[@brianclark2119]

@@TimTools99 Tim thanks for the reply. This is my gift to me at retirement... kzbin.info/www/bejne/n37WkKWwf6emrLc ) Simple and user friendly. Just wish the skies were more co-operative.

[@johnbarry5036]

this ota is $6000... :o

[@TimTools99]

They are not cheap. I gave around $4500 for it.

[@lmontader0rderlmontadar0rd95]

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[@84perseus]

Cheap mount expensive telescope

[@TimTools99]

I think I explained that this mount is not intended for a heavy scope like this and I would never actually use this mount with that expensive telescope. I just used it for the purpose of the video and i was very careful. The telescope sits on a concrete pier in my observatory.