Telescope40

6 minutes ago, jock1958 said:

Hi John

Pics below of my diagonal with click lock and 2” nose piece. Baader are really good at making bits & bobs that swap over really easily, basically screw on and off.
If you need any more info don’t hesitate to ask, cheers Iain.
 

 

Jock. That’s great. Didn’t realise Baader do a 1.25 in clicklock that fits this diagonal. 
He heads for the FLO website 🤣🤣££

23 hours ago, jock1958 said:

Bought mine over 5 years ago and it’s excellent, I’ve swapped the nose piece for a 2” and the helical focuser for a quick lock which I find easier to use. 

A quick lock on the eyepiece side ?? 
Please tell me more 👍

John 

Sorry to hear this.  I've got a bit paranoid when bolting up my scope to the mount of late.  I end up using a rather bright torch, held in my mouth, to check that the bar is totally seated correctly in the clamp mechanism. Sod any dark adaptation for a while. The security of my scope comes first.  I even tilt the whole mount slightly using the scope to make sure nothing is moving incorrectly / loose. 

Bit extreme I guess but not as extreme as my reaction if the ground and an OTA got into a very violent meet up. 

Glad to hear no lasting damage occurred.    

John 

Hello. +1 for the MEF focuser. Fitted one a few weeks back to my Tak FS128.  Supplied by FLO. Yes. Not cheap but worth every penny. 

John  

A couple of nice deliveries. 
Baader prism diagonal courtesy of @HollyHound

Should go well with my Maxbrights. 
Also some Baader wonder fluid. Heard too many positive reviews. 
John 

Hello. Single I phone shot - 7.45 am- Moon over my local church. 
Not the best but a shot at least. 
John 

33 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

 I could be wrong but the Tak pic of the FS128 on an EM1 may have been one of the pic's I posted on SGL a few years ago. I have a collection of photo's showing the history of Tak scopes and their development over the years. I think i posted many of those pic's, so you should be able to search for them if you know how.

Mike. Thanks for your update. I’ll take a look around the site as you suggest. 
 

John

Hello. Just come across this photo. 
FS 128 with a Sky 90 piggybacked on top. EQ6 ???? 
Have your cake and eat it !!!! 
John 

2 hours ago, F15Rules said:

Hi John,

Yes, Trinity is fine, thanks, am just keen to get her out more..the past two nights were pretty good, quite clear, but at minus 5 or worse it was just too cold to be comfortable. Tonight is shaping up the same, I'll have to see if I can bear it!❄️🤔😊..

Here's a couple of nice pics of her on the original Tak tripod from the  warm and sunny weather of summer a couple of years back.

 

I normally use my home built fixed height wooden tripod with Trinity (shown above carrying my then Moonraker 80mm F15 achromat)..it's shown below, this time carrying Trinity..

The original tripod shown below is an extending hardwood Tak one, identical to the one which originally came with Trinity as a new scope in c 2000..it's very lovely to look at, but in truth, the big FS128 is happier on the more solid, less glamorous, fixed tripod.. it's quite a big tube (almost 6" diameter), but only 7.5kg in weight.

Here's another Tak library pic of the same Tak Tripod carrying an FS128 on an EM1 mount back in 1994..

This Tak tripod would be just perfect for any 4" Tak, including the TSA102, and I may move mine on soon as I'm just not using it much.

Good to hear you're getting good observing with yours, John👍

Dave

Dave. Some great pictures there.  Is the final one out of a Tak catalogue of some kind ?? 

Fraid I have to agree with you about the weather of late. I've cheated a little. Been going out shortly before sunset to view Jupiter and Saturn. Been rewarded with nice steady skies.  Was able to last for about 90 mins then the feet start to be the issue rather than any other part of the anatomy. Some of the detail on both planets have been a joy. 

I did a late session last week with Mars in my sights.  Still struggle with Mars. Mr Luna wasn't helping - LOL.  The conditions weren't the best. Thinking that the "seeing" will finally give me a good session before this opposition starts to wane. Time is with me so far. 

John 

Thank you to all. Think one of these may be worth a try. Confirmed my thoughts on one was correct or thereabouts.  

John 

Hello. Any people on here use this diagonal.  Thinking of a purchase to add to my Tak 128.  Trying to keep the Tak theme as well as still having good kit in my arsenal. Current using a Baader ClickLock 2" DiElectric Star Diagonal. Baader ClickLock 2" DiElectric Star Diagonal | First Light Optics      Nothing wrong with said diagonal - I can binoview using it although the scope only just comes to focus. 

Read up a bit on the Tak version.  Takahashi 1.25" Multi-Coated Prism Diagonal | First Light Optics     Couple of comments about the use of plastic but otherwise users seem quite complimentary.  Any comments greatly received.  Thinking it may have a better light path length for my binoviewers. If it didn't work out a return to FLO for a refund would not be the end of ze world. 

Thanks in advance for anyone's time.     John  

42 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

John, 

Just 4 months back, and now you have a lovely FS128 of your own..kind of a prophetic post, eh?😉👍

Dave

Hey Dave. This post has gone thru my head more than a few times over the last few weeks. Talk about crystal ball dreaming and then. My SGL signature is somewhat shorter than it used to be.  The 3 scopes I had at the time have now been sold over the last couple of months. Still knocked out the 128 is in the conservatory.  Views have been just what I dreamed of.  I'm done but then I have seen the @mikeDnight ad for his SKY 90.  Burnley ain't that far away. I'm joking !!!    You cant look thru 2 scopes at once ( as my late Mum once said to me)  although it would not be for the lack of trying. 

Trust "Trinity" is in fine fettle  ??!! 

John  

4 hours ago, FLO said:

FWIW I do understand and support your right to strike. Nurses, teachers and rail workers too. You deserve better. We deserve better. 

I wish I could say more, but I might already have overstepped SGL's no-politics rule. 

Steve 

Steve. Appreciate your comment and support. 
No more words required. 
 

Regards.  John 

Evening all. Interesting thread. 
I am a RM postman, part-time. All I’ll say is I have reason to strike. Believe me !! 
The recent updates to the thread from @FLO and Dave - @F15Rules say far more than I would wish to add. 
Please draw your own conclusions.  The saying “ lions led by donkeys” from WW1  rings a rather large bell in my ears ATM. 
 

Thank you.  John 

Hope this does not break any forum rules. Apologies and please delete if so. 
 

Hello.  Just had an odd but rather fruitful session on Jupiter. 

Had a walk out into the garden about 4.30pm. Nice and clear and noticeably calm/still. Jupiter nice and high. Lets grab the scope !!!   All set up - My Tak FS128 with Baader Maxbright BV's.  I checked for current events for Jupiter. GRS on meridian in about an hour. 

Well, was I treated to a breath taking hour and a half.  Using mainly a pair of pretty standard of SvBony 15 mm plossls, I was happy to watch the GRS come from just on show by the limb to the meridian. Could not believe the colour I was getting. Solid red/salmon was hitting me right between the eyes. Have had colour before in previous scopes but nothing like this.  Have to give it to the conditions. Seems as rock steady as I have known for a very long time. Stunned !! 

Tried a pair of 11mm ES Ep's but kept returning to the  plossls and just kept drinking in the vista. If the sky keeps clear later I'm going to have to give Mars a hit and see how it stands up. Has a big act to follow. 

John  

Hello. Poor seeing last night. Jupiter was “bubbly” to say the least. 
Mars somewhat better.  Went with the “ no dark adaptation route - as I’ve read. Not seeing a lot of difference when looking at planetary.  Work in progress ??!! 
Tty again tonight !!  Brurrrrrrrr ⛄️⛄️

John 

2 hours ago, Alan White said:

Postie brought me a big box, all in one solid well packaged piece, just how it left me.
It has visisted a certain Optics guru and is now returned with a full bill of health.

Package has been on a Southern UK tour of Mail Centres for some reason and gave me concern,
but this morning smiling postie delivered to a very reloieved me.

My Vixen optics after being dropped on concrete and left me with it written off by the insurer,
they said keep it, play with it, try and repair if you like, its yours, so I did.

I await a night sky, well a clear night sky to test it.

 

Alan. Great news. Sounding good that all is well with “ Lazarus”.  Look forward to a further update. 
John 👍👍

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Rather excitingly these very nice Baader MaxBright IIs showed up today. The result of a cunning series of transactions which got @HollyHound some adaptors and bits that he wanted, and me a pair of as new Maxbrights for a nice price 👍. I kept missing them when they came back into stock, so this was a great option. The added bonus was that Mum and Dad agreed to buy them for my birthday 🎂🎉👍.

Stu. Superb piece of kit. I’ve had mine a while. Pretty soon after they were available first time around. 
Can’t praise them enuf. Love the individual eyepiece adjustments. Helps even after you think you’re already at a great place, focus wise. 
Enjoy.  John 

Hello. A Takahashi MEF focuser from FLO for my FS 128. 
Rather heavy piece of kit considering it’s size. I’m impressed!! 
Quickly fitted in just 15 mins and running nicely. My Japanese is a bit lacking so just look at the pictures on the fitting instructions !!  
John - San. 

30 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

Beautiful and pristine pair of waterproof wide angle 7x50 Vixen 7x50 binoculars with 7.3 degree field. They look unused!

Dating from (I think) the 1990's, these have the JB-2 mark next to the prism casing, denoting that they were made by Komatsu of Japan, a very prestigious and highly regarded maker who also built for the likes of Nikon and others.

These were superbly packaged (as always) by @Franklin - many thanks Tim!!

Complete with all Vixen original caps, these also come with IF (Independent Focusing), so great for Astro.

Quite hefty and Tim very kindly included a tripod adapter which will allow me to use them on my Amazon Trigger Grip mount.

Can't wait to try these out!👍

Dave

Dave. They look the business for sure. Please give an update once you’ve had chance to give them a go. 
How many binoculars does that make 👍👍
 

John 

FARPOINT 12.5" Dovetail Plate for Takahashi Clamshell "D" Sized for my Tak FS128. 
Secures the clamshell to the bar and then fitted to the saddle on the AZ100. 
The clamshell was bolted directly to the mount but it was giving me a few
palpitations when moving the scope around when balancing. 
This is now solid. Not wanting any accidents to befall this scope. 
John 

8 hours ago, paulastro said:

7 hours ago, Telescope40 said:

Hhmm. I’m under the “E” in Manchester. 😂😂

Still here, dispute what weather apps and the BEEB say.  Ho hum 👎

Hhmm. I’m under the “E” in Manchester. 😂😂

Hello all.  Just had a very unexpected session with Jupiter. Was not thinking a window of opportunity at all. Forecast looked mixed at best.  Stuck my head outside abut 90 mins ago. Wall to wall light cloud but Jupiter was managing to shine thru nicely.  No other stars to be seen.  Should I risk setting up ??  Jupiter app showing a Io shadow transit due / commencing followed by the GRS transit in about an hour. 

Tak FS 128 set up on the Rowan.  Very surprised.  Maxbright BV's showing the shadow very nicely.  GRS a different matter.  Popping in and out of view as the cloud rolled past.  Twas rather a nice hour for sure. Able to test a new red light I've purchased and have now worked out a pretty foolproof way to mount the scope into the Tak clamshell.  Still thinking of switching to some tube rings. We shall see. 

John 

Got to be a quarter as good as a TV 3-6 zoom don’t cha think ?? Ker ching 💲💲
I may be in for one of these once a couple of reviews done. 
 

John