Telescope40

Dave. Just to follow up other comments. What works for you, works for YOU ! I’ll look forward to the next chapter of your Astro kit journey. As already noted, you have options ready to hand that are not shabby at all All the best. John

So. Begs ze 64000 $ question. First SGL member to buy or even get a look thru one. As per Dragons Den - I'm out !! on the ownership front but a look thru at a gazillion magnification has to be epic, surely. John

Hi John. Just been following the moon dance at Jupiter. As per S&T predictions I was in awe of watching Io come into view from being eclipsed by Jupiter. Took about 80 secs to go from - can’t see to full illumination - at 17.06 from my location. Great stuff. Did I mention it’s cold again. Sure I’m turning into one of the “Powerpuff girls” - can’t hack the frozen feet. Only out for 50 mins. Lightweight John

Hello all. Just had a nice session. FS128 / MB11's / SVbony 8-3 zooms in use. As noted by others tonight that Jupiter was first target. Nice and steady Eddie conditions. I usually see the GRS as salmon coloured nowadays with the "128" but rather pale tonight compared with earlier viewings / sessions. Io and Europa looking like a couple of ping pong balls close to the disc and the GRS making for the meridian. x208 holding up and showing nice detail on the disc. Moved on to Luna. Great stuff. Craters Atlas and Hercules looking good. Hercules looking like a deep dark pit as just out of the terminator line. Endymion and De La Rue showing nicely along with Strabo and Thales. Mare Crisium nicely lit - Picard and Pierce clear. Making great use of my Duplex moon atlas - great to put names to many more craters these days. Sounds like I have a little more knowledge the older I get ?? Don't answer that !! 🤣🤣 Had to bale out back to the house after 90 minutes. Combination of cold feet. Ouch ! And light mist has shrouded most of the views now. All a bit fuzzy. Not worth persevering against my cold extremities. Enjoyable tho. John

Happy to assist with this again ! John

Nice addition. Hope it brings the scope to a place where you hoped it would be. 👍👍 John

Leave it !! 😂😂😂😂

Was going to give this a look. Not a cloud in the sky right now 👍 However it is blowing an absolute hoolie so with a wind chill of minus 20 and a possible chance of a Astro accident I am going to wimp out. John

Yes. @Stu @Nigella Bryant John's @Johnsketch is great. I was using the same sort of magnification too. The band has just morphed into a narrow line and builds back up further on you go. Fascinating, Jim !! At least it confirms also my eyeballs are still in working order or maybe the kit I am fortunate to use is making nice gains in views for me ??!! 👍 John

Hello all. Got a session in yesterday. Out about 4 pm with my Tak 128. Jupiter first up in the gathering twilight. Very steady and great viewing of the GRS transit. Was it me, probably, but I did seem to notice the SEB was markedly different preceding and following the GRS. The band after the GRS looked rather washed out and indistinct compared with the band ahead of the spot ?? Came in about 5 pm for food and back out again. Jupiter for another period of time and then a scoot around some usual suspects with the aid of SS. M34 M35 M36 M37 M15. Finished off with a new open cluster to me - NGC 752 in Andromeda. Rather chuffed. Clouds beginning to spoil the party at this point so packed up about 8 pm. John

Jeremy. I’ll defer to your good self. Will be a rather nice addition to your Tak herd. 👍😂 Answering my own question. By Jove - Yes https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=208850 John

Did I see one available on the ABS UK site earlier this month. John

Hello. Just the one pressie for my Canon IS 10x30 binos. Original case just not cut it so from the the large river in S America site a Aproca hard case. Looks the business and the binos are happy in their new home. John

Great session last night. Out late afternoon to set up and catch Europa transit and it's shadow follow suit. Getting good views. Bobbed over to Saturn and the Moon for a little while but rather low. Not worth persisting with. Left my gear in place and came in for food. Back out about 6.30. Rowan AZ100 had nicely followed Jupe. TBH, the sky was not looking that great but talk about steady. No waiting for those short periods of stillness. Jupiter now getting some serious altitude and I have to say I think I witnessed my best ever views or pretty close. Able to see a nice difference in size of the moons Ganymede and Europa to the left of the main disc. Bands have detail - NEB seems to have a big "mark" on it that I have seen in my last couple of sessions. A cooled scope and steady atmosphere a complete winner. The Svbony 8-3 zooms I find to be excellent. Click stops nice and firm. No OCS in use and was getting great value views with mags of x173, x208 and x248 - native. Not quite sure if these magnification calculations are spot on but can't be all that far off base. ( Never been able to confirm for sure how the maths work ?? ) John

Hello Dave. Yes. I think we checked this out when I became a lucky owner. Funny to think they might have been only hours,days,weeks apart on the Tak production line 👍👍 John

That looks the business for sure. No mishaps with that. Out of interest, might I enquire as to the serial number of your scope as it's been on the other side of the pond all it's life. Mine is - 99025 - A 1999 scope, number 25 of that year. Regards John

Hello Dave. I say, rather nice, huh ?? ENJOY YOU WILL 👍 John

Hello. I can confirm that a dust cap from the current TOA 130 will fit a FS 128. My 128 was missing its manhole cover when I got it. I was able, via @FLO to obtain one from Tak Europe. Just the ticket Regards. John

Hello. I use this one with my FS128. Clamshell attaches nicely. I feel it is safe everytime I mount the OTA. HTH Farpoint Dovetail Plate - Takahashi Clamshell -Two Mounting Positions – FarpointAstro John

Great stuff. You will enjoy - from a fellow owner 😀 Regards John

Afternoon all. First chance I've had to update following use of 2x SV 8-3 zoom EP's in my Tak FS 128 with MB11 binoviewers. All has gone well. Viewing conditions not the best by a long way last night (Tuesday - PM ) Got outside to watch a GRS transit approx 7 pm ish. Nice views when the atmosphere steadied up. Not the best of skies but what’s new. Hopefully next session will give up more detail ??!! The EP's are nice to use. The click stops are nice and sharp compared with a SVBony 10-30 zoom I have. Once combined with the diopter adjustment on the BV's I was able to play around with the magnification and focusing. No OSC in use. Decided I will keep the pair. Hope everyone else who has bought one of these has success in it's use. Very much worth the price, Black Friday in my case and I've seen quite a few doing the same on the forum. Regards John

You will have to subtract my aging eyes. Might have some impact on the results 😂🤣 but here’s hoping !!

Dave. This all sounds good 👍. If the zooms work out as expected I was thinking of moving the OCS on but 590x magnification with the 3mm setting has to be worth a go - lol 🤣🤣🤣 Thx John

Hey Dave. Trust you are all good fella ?? Yes. The focus option on the Maxbrights are a complete winner aren't they. I'm hopeful the SV zooms will work nicely. I've really no idea what sort of magnification they will provide if used without any GPC. You may have done the math - I have not !! The eyepiece pairs I have ( 20mm and 15 mm ) are used in a way that give the best view to me rather than actual size. Detail soon drops away as everyone knows. I have got a 1.7x GPC that I do use as well but I'm sure that will be a crazy mag level through the FS 128 with these zooms in place. I had to join the Black Friday SVBony zoom train, as too good an offer as I've seen for quite a while. Good reports too on here as well. Be funny to know how many units they have shifted just to SGL members over the last 10 days or so. 🤣 I will update once I get outside under a clear sky. My comments will be rather short and sweet. I do not consider myself any sort of expert when it comes to reviews and alike. Much rather read a few posts on here from chaps who know their mustard. As noted by a few on here. The zooms seem to be a well made item for sure. The FL adjustment seem solid and will hopefully work in tandem once in the BV's. The diopter adjustment on the Maxbrights will correct for any slight misalignment. ATB John

Ta - Daa !! Arrived yesterday with the return of the clouds. Looking to try in my Maxbright BV’s and Tak FS128. No GPC. Thought was worth a try. If not workout, I can pass one forward. John John