dweller25

I think the only scopes that I sold due to a better or equal alternative were : OO 8L 1/10th wave v C8 FS128 v IM715 4” APO v C6 and CC6

I just sold mine, it was a nice scope, very light and cooled in about an hour. Sold it as my 4” refractor was a little better at the eyepiece. I have had the 6,8 and 9.25 - the 8 was the best allrounder.

1985 - Astro Systems (Bedford) 8.5" F/5 Newtonian - A brilliant first scope - should have kept it - sold 1988 - Beacon Hill 6" F/8 Newtonian - Hinds optics, very nice but kids came along so no time - sold 2007 - Celestron 102SLT refractor - not really good at anything - sold 2008 - Celestron C9.25 SCT - very disappointing - sold 2008 - TAL 125R - very nice but too much CA - regretfully sold 2008 - Skywatcher 127 Maksutov - a bit too small - sold 2008 - Skywatcher 8" F/6 Dobsonian - superb optics - should never have sold it - sold 2009 - Skywatcher 120ED refractor - pinched optics - returned 2009 - Takahashi TSA102 refractor - 4" perfection - KEEPER 2009 - Helios 6" F/8 refractor - too much CA - sold 2009 - Takahashi FS128 refractor - superb scope - KEEPER 2010 - Celestron C102ED refractor - excellent lightweight travel scope - should have kept it - sold 2010 - Skywatcher 180 Pro Maksutov - would not cool down - sold 2010 - Skywatcher 8" F/6 Dobsonian - disappointing optics - sold 2010 - Skywatcher 10" F/5 Dobsonian - superb optics but too heavy for my bad back - sold 2012 - Takahashi Mewlon 210 - this brand new scope was actually three years old! and had bad mirror shift - returned 2012 - Celestron C8 SCT - Nice optics but the OO 8" was better - sold 2012 - Orion Optics 8" F/6 Dobsonian 1/10th wave - superb optics - Awkward viewing angles affected bad back - sadly sold. 2013 - Intes Micro 715 Maksutov - Superb optics - views matched the FS128 - sold 2014 - Orion Optics OMC200 F/20 Maksutov - Carbon fibre beauty - would not cool down - sold 2014 - Lunt 60 H-Alpha solar scope - always at work when the Sun came out! - sold 2014 - Skymax 127 Maksutov - still a bit too small! - sold 2017 - Tal 100RS - New old stock - had a tilted lens cell and an out of true focuser - sold with full disclosure. 2018 - Celestron C6 - very light and good optics - close to but not better than my 4” APO - sold 2019 - TS 6” Classical Cassegrain - never dewed up - close to but not better than my 4” APO - sold 2020 - Takahashi FC100DZ - very lightweight 4” APO - great for my bad back - KEEPER My taste in scopes is changing as I get older.... Viewing from the rear suits my back. Quick cooldown suits the highly variable Lancashire climate I appreciate the views unobstructed, high optical quality optics provide. My back likes lightweight scopes. I am becoming a refractorholic 😂

Well thats x100 per inch which is Tak territory, so if anyone can do it Mike can 👍

That story made me go quackers 😂

The Vixen AP has a maximum loading weight of 6kg, the M180 weighs 6.2kg. The old Vixen GP had a maximum loading weight of 7kg so may be a better option ?

If I could only have one scope it would be the TSA120 the OP mentioned, but I am visual only 👍

Welcome to the Tak club @Nicola Fletcher 👍

It is a GP-DX (10kg rating) and holds the FS128 well. Personally I would not put a TSA120 on a GP (7kg rating), but the GP-DX would be fine.

Bumpers - wife had ankle surgery and then caught it on the protruding foot plates 😔

Nice scopes these FS128’s......

Great video ”More possibilities for Fluorite lenses” ? Hope it’s an lightweight FC128DZ.........

Both scopes are good but It’s worth saving a little longer for the 8” F/6 telescope as it is a better allrounder.

Check from the front of the scope very carefully for any screws touching the mirror

You can add a short extension tube between the diagonal and the eyepiece holder ....

@johninderby Looks like you are in luck - clear evenings Thursday and Friday 👍 Looking forward to the review......

Turned the 4” refractor onto Mars this evening at 18:00UT and was surprised to see dark surface markings on a sharp disk - albeit on a very small disk at x160. As an experiment I changed to my highest power eyepiece giving x384 and was surprised even more that the view was still sharp and Syrtis Major could clearly be seen in the middle of the planet, along with some limb haze too. I only went out to look at the Moon - which was great - as I thought Mars was long past showing anything other than an oval fuzzy orange blob !!

This may help.... http://scopeviews.co.uk/TeleVueMounts.htm

Great project 👍

@Aquavit sounds like you have an itch to buy an 80mm ED - they do make great grab and go scopes and the TS option you linked to is nice 👍

Personally I quite the look of diffraction spikes on stars 🙂 Of course that will not be an issue with DSO’s.

I know you are looking at a refractor, but honestly a 6” Newtonian will do all the things you want, it will give truly apochromatic views and will be much cheaper too.

Great Vixen GP advice 👍

It must be a UFO...... Unidentified Fumes Overhead 🙂

Heat plumes are bad news for any telescope. Possible a combi boiler going on and off giving variable results between your scopes ?