paulastro

1 minute ago, JeremyS said:

What about these? A fine FC 100 and skilled Tak workers 

Just the ticket - that should cheer him up 🙂.

What's the use of looking at pics of a load of Tak telescopes, they all look the same - so yesterday.

🤣 Only Joking!  For goodness sake Jeremy, please post a couple of pages with some pics for Mike, or he'll be all sulky and miserable as he hasn't got a copy. 😊

1 hour ago, Astro_Dad said:

Having sadly missed the aurora tonight, clearly  visible from local gardens and of course Lime Tree it seems , I was nevertheless inspired to view Jupiter on what is a very clear Bonfire night here. Lovely views of the disc and Galilean moons through my 8” with 150x power using the Baader Zoom. It’s been a while but good to be back out. 👍

Glad to hear you're still looking up Andrew 🙂. Best regards, Paul

2 hours ago, wookie1965 said:

I am not Jealous at all, lovely scope if and when I sell the 10" I am looking to get a 5" I already have a 4" with the Tal and the Celestron C102 a friend has lent me which considering how old it is I have had some really great views through. I do miss my 5" though I should never have sold it.

You can always buy the 103's sibling, the Askar 120 triplet.  A clone of the 103, but bigger  and £500 more I think. 🙂.

I've updated the original post to include a brief first light report from observations during the early hours of Nov 4th.

The Askar on the AZ5 Altaz mount.  The folded paper wrapped round the dovetail is to protect it from being scratched, until I install a permanent fix.

5 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

This is my observing patio (one of two) and shed where the 12" is kept. Just 18mm of rain this morning and it's overwhelmed. The garden is flooded too so I don't know what the solution is 

 

Gosh, that's terrible. 

I'm afraidI don't know anything about drainage, I live at over 800 feet on a hill and if it rains heavily the water  flows quickly down the road like a river. We are quite elevated from the road as well which helps.

I do feel for you and I hope the water subsides quickly and you are able to come up with a solution for apermanent fix.  The very best of luck to you.

1 hour ago, bosun21 said:

Have they specified what type of glass the ED lens is yet? I was also looking at this scope but my Starfield does everything I ask of it well so no need to change it. The 120 is also catching my eye.

I'm not aware of them  specifying it,  certainly not in anything I've seen.  Though I would of course pass it on, its not something I'm personally bothered about.  I wouldn't care if I never knew - as you know, there are many other factors involved.  I'll make up my mind as to its quality when I've had some sessions observing with it under different conditions.  Mind you, this could be a long time if the weather doesn't change 🙂.

Unless the Askar would somehow improve your observing experience in some way, I'd just keep the Starfield if I were you.  Though a 120 would be good if you really need it 😅.

3 hours ago, Coco said:

Fantastic looking piece of kit!

I'm on the market for a 4" visual scope myself in this price bracket, and having looked at a few second-hand ones I've decided to buy new like you it is a toss-up between the Starfield and the Askar, I'm sat on my hands rocking
forwards and backward praying for clear skies your way! 😁

Congratulations, every member loves a guinea pig when it comes to new astro tackle. 🧐

Cheers
Guy

Thank Guy, and good luck - it took ages for me to make my mind up between the two.  I set the standard in my mind that if it's at least equal in terms of optics to the Starfield etc ( I used to have the Tecnosky version pre Starfield launch) then I'll be more than happy.  For me the Askar has several useful features I particularly wanted, particularly multiple mounting points for finder and other kit, a handle, binoviewer friendly etc.  It will be very Starsense Explorer friendly which is important to me.

In terms of fit and finish I'm delighted with the Askar, though I'm aware the Starfield is very good too of course.

If weight is important to you, note the Askar is heavier, though it was within my requirements.

Looking forward to first light to see it's night time capability.

10 hours ago, John said:

Great looking scope. Congratulations Paul 🙂

It seems to be gaining a reputation as a "3 in 1" scope: visual mono, visual binoviewer friendly and imaging too.

Look forward to performance reports on it 👍

Thanks John.  It does seem it has the potential to satisfy all of these requirements.  I read a good review on u-tube which compared it's imaging capability against three other four inch scopes and to me it seemed to do all right, and I think the others were all more expensive.  This is it, sorry haven't got a link.

33 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

It looks fantastic Paul!  What a great package with that fabulous case. I like the look of that rotator on the focuser too, which I imagine will be a joy to use with your binoviewer attached. Shame about that dust speck between the finder dovetail clamps. 😅 Can't wait for a clear spell so I can come and play. Do we get a lens pic', or do you have to buy that seperately? 

I'll take a lens pic tomorrow, especially for you  Mike 😊.

I was in the market for a four inch refractor mainly for visual use. So why did I buy this one?

When I've had it a while I'll write a full review.  So if your wondering,  you'll have to wait to find out why I bought a triplet rather than one of the many fine doublets  with an FPL53 and Lanthanum element such as the Tecnosky, Starfield, Altair etc.

It only arrived today, but its certainly a striking looking and we'll made scope with a 3.5inch R&P focuser, detachable tube section, x2 fitted finder feet, a handle to which further finders or other equipment can be fitted and a rotating  (graduated) image facility.  It also comes with a nice zippered soft carrying case.

The new 103 triplet and the 120 triplet are tested at FLO on an optical bench before dispatch as all the Askar triplets/lenses are.  This is reassuring when an optic is new to the market and  not yet in the hands of many customers

I did point the scope outside through a double glazed window and looked at fine detail on trees, branches and lovely autumn colour leaves against the sky.  Using a Morpheus 17.5 and ES 24/68 the sharpness of fine detail  was excellent, and no unwanted colour that I could see.  Rain stopped me going outside.  All good signs prior to testing on the night sky.

Nov 2nd.  Lens Pic added, plus paperwork.  OK Mike? 😅

Here you are Mike 😊

NOV 4TH FIRST LIGHT.  Had some brief clear patches between 2.30-3.30 when it clouded completely.  Conditions variable cloud and good to poor seeing.

This is only brief as I'll do a fuller review after a few sessions, which may take a while because of the poor weather.

1. I didn't do any serious star testing, but out of focus the stars were perfectly round, and in focus nice tight sharp images against a very black and contrast background when there were no intervening clouds. Used an ES 24/68 series and Baader Mk111 zoom.

2 Jupiter exceeded expectations as the seeing was better than I expected at times.  Four/five belts very contrast and sharp, good detail including the shadow of Europa at around 3.10.  A good enough view that eases any concerns I had that it may not be as good as with a FPL53/Lanthanum doublet.  I could not recall seeing better in the Tecnosky when I observed with it.  Very pleasing.  Used Baader Mk1 binoviewer, x2 18mm Baader Orthos, x2 Celestron X-Cel LX barlow and Baader Contrast Booster for both Jupiter and the 61.4% illuminated Moon.

3  Moon.  In better moments as good as I can recall in any doublet - verging on that fluorite look in the best moments.

Future testing will involve some comparison tests.  Includes a comparison with Mike's Tak DZ when we can arrange it.

If anyone has any questions that can't wait until testing is complete send a PM and I'll answer if I can.

Elp

I agree you don't 'need' a triplet for visual, though the Tak TSA120 with FT I had some time ago was pretty good 😅 

I don't think many astronomers always only buy scopes because they 'need' them - for many it's a case of 'want' - for all sorts of reasons 😊.

Good luck for clear skies tonight.  Be sure to let us know how you get on 🙂.

As a non-imager much of this discussion leaves me feeling cold, though I do understand enough to know it's important for my imaging colleagues.

As a visual observer, I'd be more interested in which would perform the best visually - the Askar 103 triplet or one of the 102 F7 doublets which use an FPL53 element and a Lanthanum element.

The price difference is to some degree mitigated by the fact that the Askar has the removable tube section, which I believe would satisfy the requirements of most if not all airlines.  Also it comes with two Vixen finder feet - many of the doublets don't seem to come with one, never mind two.  Also a handle is supplied with the Askar.

PS  Vash, I love your image.  Your comments on its visual performance are also much appreciated, thank you.

2 hours ago, josefk said:

nice one Paul - i do like those Sky & Telescope articles that compile short lists of things in a concentrated area. 

Many thanks Josef.  I agree, and over the years S&T seem to be better than most.  Alas, I can't buy S&T locally any more and the subscription is rather a lot to pay in one go.  

3 hours ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

Nice report , mate ... the winter constellations do not disapoint . 

Many thanks Stu.  Yes it's always a special time every year when I have my first good look at the winter constellations in the early hours off a late September or October morning. My first look at M42 is always a magic moment for me.

Posted this in Observing Deep Sky, and thought it might be of interest here.

Thanks, Paul

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/414900-october-25th-a-star-hop-in-the-heart-of-orion-courtesy-of-alan-m-macrobert

Awoke at 4.30 am, and from the landing stairs I could see Orion showing well just past the meridian. Quickly dressed and was outside setup with the Celestron Starsense Explorer 10 inch Dob by 4.55am. I was keen as I hadn't had a good view of M42 yet this Autumn.  This usually happens at Kelling but I hadn't been able to go this year because of medical issues.

I spent most of the time looking at the Orion Neb, and other objects in the vicinity.  The views were stunning.  In the 10 inch the complexity and extent of the nebulosity were wonderful .  Also the many background stars including variables I used to observe regularly going back over fifty years, mostly with a six inch reflector.

I used 17.5 and 12.5 Morpheus eyepieces, a Baader zoom and x2 barlow giving mags from to x50 to x250.  This enabled a wide range of different field sizes.  The 17 .5 and barlow probably showed the best detail, providing a mag of x136 and a field of close to half a degree.

 I also looked at some other objects briefly including M37, M36, M38, M35, M1 and M41. Venus was irresistible, showing a small gibbous phase, just over 50%.

When I came indoors around 6.30am, I checked what I had seen in an article (same as this posts title) by Alan MacRobert which I had kept  from the January 1998 issue of Sky & Telescope.  It is a wonderful guide to the many objects in the vicinity of M42 and I'd recommend  it to anyone interested.  I've only included one page of the article below as I haven't  asked  permission to reproduce it in full. Its five pages in total.

Well done FLO 😊.

2 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

That's true! Many but not all, and suggesting using a blackout blanket to achieve good dark adaption could help some to get far more out of their telescopes.  Having said that, years at the eyepiece is no guarantee of observing skill. I recently recieved the Web Societies latest journal in which the editor immediately begins by mocking the deep sky observing skill of some Cloudy Nights sketching contributors who use small telescopes, implying they're seeing too much detail. When I first read it I had to check that I hadn't joined the BAA by 

 I would have thought most people would have heard about it (using a dark cloth) as its hardly a new idea - though of course, there's a difference between knowing and doing.

10 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

The trick to getting the best deep sky out of a smallish refractor is get as well dark adapted as possible, and to observe an object at length from under a blackout hood or blanket. Ive seen some amazing subtle detail through my 4" refractors using this method, even seeing M13 as an explosion of stars right to the centre. The greatest challenge for me isn't the aperture of my refractor, it's the overlying haze that kills the view.

Mike, I think many people on this forum do have good observing techniques and a lot of experience.  Even some people who may think four inch aperture scopes don't cause  an explosion of stars right to the centre of globular clusters 😊.

I agree John. They are by far the clearest indication of the resolution of scopes of different apertures.  However good a four inch telescope is, it doesn't get beyond the fuzzy snowball stage for me when looking at globulars.

I feel that for a good all round telescope, a six inch aperture is the least that gives good views, of some examples, of the majority of different celestial objects.

23 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

They do, if you want something larger than a toy telescope that's still affordable.    🙂

And Dobs of course Peter.  A cannon will always be better than a pea shooter for deep sky.  I keep my pea shooter (80ED) mainly for the sun. 🙂. 

In the dark world of imaging of course, a 50/60mm scope seems quite acceptable.

12 hours ago, Captain Scarlet said:

I hear you. And when the clear and free night does appear, which scope to use? I’ve missed at least one recent clear night over indecision.

M

I suggest you sell all but one of your scopes.  Problem solved 🙂

8 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

It's been a horrible year for cloud. I haven't had a good session in weeks and when they sky was clear the last few nights I had a bad neck 😡

I can understand the frustration. However,  if you decide to quit, I'm sure I could take care of the FS-128 for you... 

Don't you mean 'it's been a good year for cloud' ?  😊