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The Takahashi FC76DS - unboxed.

Cjg

By Cjg
in Member Equipment Reviews

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Cjg

Cjg

Posted
Posted

Not had much eyepiece time with my new scope yet, but a few initial thoughts after a couple of short outings.

I've left a review for (the excellent) Ian King who supplied it.

I wanted something that was portable, and better quality than my previous refractor, a skywatcher.

The scope is supplied within 3 boxes, all very well packaged and protected with bubble chips.

Initial thoughts

It's bigger and heavier in the "flesh" than I though. The fit and finish are superb, lots of little details like the lens cap has felt added to the inside rim and stays put. The focuser is a single speed version, but very smooth and precise; there's no mistaking when you are in focus.

In use, the views are superb; Saturn, very crisp, M81 M82 easily visible with a celestron 25mm plossl. Andromeda was much larger in the eyepiece than I remembered, Kemble's Cascade was superb, beautiful.

After 3 years with a red dot, the 6x30 finder is taking some getting use to, but I'm going to enjoy this scope, a lot.

I'd also like to thank Gavin ( Gavster) and Matthew (Dirke Steele) on here who helped in answering my questions about their kit.

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jabeoo1

jabeoo1

Posted
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Thats a lovely box to open!  I look forward to additional observing reports etc.  

It sounds like I am drooling for a Tak.  I am for sure, and enough to have started a saving pot for one............Just a few years to go :) 

(This is a first quoting myself btw not a habit I will get into!) 

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Stu

Stu

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Lovely scope, I'm sure you will love it. I have the FC-76DC which splits in two, great for travel. From a dark site these scopes are amazing.

I can see a Feathertouch going nicely on there soon.

Have fun!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Cjg

Cjg

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Update 13th August 2015

Having spent a night under clear dark skies yesterday, I am very impressed what this small aperture scope can do. Was fortunate to be guided by a very experienced visual observer at Norwich Astro. The two main eyepieces I purchased to accompany the scope were Televue Plossl (25mm and 8mm). 

Started out on the "usual suspects"  and moved onto progressively more challenging targets in the early hours, culminating with  NGC 6543 in Draco; this a tiny, tiny object even with the 8mm, but clearly not a star.

We were able to resolve individual stars in M92, strangely enough harder to do last night than M13?

I spent more time looking at the M27 , the Dumbell; detail was so clear, with a "crispness" that I have not noticed before in my old 5SE.

The scope is big and heavy for a 3 inch, but the views are so worth every ££ spent.

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samgray128a

samgray128a

Posted
Posted

Well done Chris. Glad you clearly loving new scope. Not seen Cat's eye neb yet so thrilled to hear you were able to see it no matter how small. I find Draco a challenge as hard to recognise in the sky but will persist. Can't wait for more clear skies.

Sam :-)

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  • 1 month later...
ollypenrice

ollypenrice

Posted
Posted

Crispness is the thing, and the darkness of the background, for me. I've never tried one of these, which is probably a good thing since I can resist anything except temptation. However, since you are trying to lead us all into the arms of Satan with this thread I can only say that a TeleVue Ethos would be soooo sweet in this... This is not Plossl territory!

:evil: lly

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Cjg

Cjg

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Crispness is the thing, and the darkness of the background, for me. I've never tried one of these, which is probably a good thing since I can resist anything except temptation. However, since you are trying to lead us all into the arms of Satan with this thread I can only say that a TeleVue Ethos would be soooo sweet in this... This is not Plossl territory!

:evil: lly

Not quite in Ethos territory, but fingers crossed will be first light on a Panoptic 24mm this evening! Though Kembles Cascade in the 40mm TV plossl was rather good. I am part way through writing up an observing review, especially after a weekend at Cwmdu with the Astro Camp folk.
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Piero

Piero

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Wonderful little telescope! I am sure you will be very pleased with it! Congratulations! :)

Mine is smaller than yours and it is a joy to use particularly when combined with a Panoptic 24. I bet that you will like them a lot! 

If you don't have already, maybe in the future you could consider an UHC or OIII filter which will show you nice large nebulae if you go to a moderately dark place. :)

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Cjg

Cjg

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Oh my, wasn't superb skies last night; a little "milky". But, everyone needs to see the double cluster in a Tak 76 and TV 24mm Panoptic; it frames both NGC's beautifully, and Kemble's Cascade is a joy to pan up and down from the open cluster (ngc 1502), just taking it all in. Didn't get to look at M42 as we left Seething at about 0130 and was very milky; what a combination those two bits of kit make. I also had a look through a Pentax 10mm lens - that's excellent too; need to start saving as think could dispense with the plossls and just have those two eyepieces.

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Cjg

Cjg

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Wonderful little telescope! I am sure you will be very pleased with it! Congratulations! :)

Mine is smaller than yours and it is a joy to use particularly when combined with a Panoptic 24. I bet that you will like them a lot! 

If you don't have already, maybe in the future you could consider an UHC or OIII filter which will show you nice large nebulae if you go to a moderately dark place. :)

Hello Piero,

I think you know my friend Helix on here? You're not very far away from us. If ever you're in Norfolk and want to visit Norwich Astro , do please let me know. Our skies are rather good.

Chris

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Piero

Piero

Posted
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Hello Piero,

I think you know my friend Helix on here? You're not very far away from us. If ever you're in Norfolk and want to visit Norwich Astro , do please let me know. Our skies are rather good.

Chris

Hello Chris, 

It is really kind of you to let me know this. Thank you very much!   

At the moment I do not have a car, but if this should change I will certainly let you know and

we could have a nice evening/night out under the stars  :rolleyes:

Piero

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