paulastro

Sure do, I couldn't be more pleased with its performance since I wrote the review. I'm sure you'll be delighted with your purchase 👍 😊.

After a trip away, I returned on the afternoon of 7th and caught up with these four fine sunspot groups. Also had some views this morning. Single frames taken on both days with the Tecnosky 102ED F7 and Olympus E-M5 Mk11 and Baader Solar Continuum Filter. Very nice to see the changes over the two days, AR2866 certainly seems to still be growing over the 16 hours between the two observations.

Stu, I was giving my TS 6 inch f6 Newt ota first light last night and just happened to catch this event. It did indeed take a few minutes to come to full brightness. I saw it when it first appeared, quite a surprise when you're not expecting it. I didn't time how long it took, but did look at my watch after it had been brightening a while and it was 9.40. I'll be posting my findings re the ota in due course. If anyone can't wait to know, this is a clue.....👍. 😁

Thanks Peter. Bad timing for me though. I'm in the Midlands to attend a funeral and didn't bring the PST with me. Mind you, the weather where I live doesn't look so sunny - forecast good down here. Good to see the GONG and spw.com screen grabs though. Thanks again.

Grant messaged me and explained that GSO only supply one screw - I can't think why on earth this is as other finder foots (presumably not GSO sourced) with two holes have come with two screws, such as the Tecnosky refractor I own. Penny pinching? Though there are some foots, with only one hole this is not as bad as having two holes and one screw as this one is. With the version supplied by TS the one screw only applies pressure at one end. If the foot of the bracket itself is not made to good tolerances, this means the finder can wobble on the finder foot - as is the case with one SW bracket I have. This resulted in my SW RA correct view 50 mm finder falling off the scope when the weather was very cold and the screw became loose through the metal contracting. The finder snapped when it hit the ground and I haven't yet managed to repair it. I haven't a spare srew and Grant is unsure they have one, and if so how much it will cost. Apologies to Grant as I didn't realise he was at home and I was keeping him from his family while we exchanged messages! The offending GSO foot is below.

The good. I ordered a TS Photon 6 inch f6 ota on August 31st, paid for express delivery, and it arrived the next day before lunch time 👍. The not so good. There was a part missing so I sent the following message the same day. I've not yet had a response, or received the missing part yet. I would have waited a bit longer before posting this, but I have to go to the Midlands for a funeral tomorrow, and won't be back home until at least Tuesday. if its on the way, sorry to Steve and the team. I have to say though, this isn't the first time I haven't received an answer to a question - and of course its not possible to follow a question up by a phone call. 😒

I can't carry a 14 inch dob in one hand on it's mount for grab and go. Also, if I had a 14 inch dob the seeing and transparancy I usually have at home would almost never allow it to perform to its capacity 😉

I was observing from around 4.50 to 5.25pm with the PST. There were some fine proms with a couple of detached bits. Surface detail not so good for me as I was cloud dodging, the only AA I could see was the main one. A fine view non the less for that 🙂.

Also, there are these options if you would be happy with an f6 version. There are also shorter versions if you need them. Though the f6 would of course be a better scope than the others for planetary. I've used some very good f6s which are excellent on planets and will make it easier to view extended objects such as the Pleiades and M31 than an f8. Good to have so many choices for anyone's preferences. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ts-telescopes.html

Other folks have stolen my thunder, I was going to suggest a 6inch dob, four inch refractor or a 127 Mak. Be aware though that with the Mak it's less easy to get wider field views because of the longer focal length, though excellent for high powers on the Moon and planets. John is correct in pointing out what he did re the 6inch dob being a bit low to use when looking lower toward the horizon - when I've used one I prefer to sit down to observe for this reason. This can also be overcome by instead of buying the 6inch dob, get the same telescope as a tube only (or an f6 or f5 newtonian instead of an f8) and buying an AZ4 altazimuth mount for it. This mount is also excellent for use with any of the other scopes that have been mentioned. Some people may tell you that you need an equarial mount. Not true in my view. The AZ4 is less complicated and easier to use with any of these scopes and will give you a more relaxing and comfortable observing experience. In a similiar vein some people may tell you that an AZ4 or a dob mount makes it hard to observe using higher powers. Nonsense, you soon get used to it, and it's far easier and less trouble to use than an equatorial, especially when you're starting out. If you end up buying an equatorial in the future, the AZ4 will still be useful as an easier to use grab and go option, so my advice would be to hang onto it. Good luck, you've a lot to look forward to.

Sorry about your DS unit Mark. I hope you're up and running again soon.

Up early 7.45 to 8.10 am to fabulous activity within AR2860. It was sizzling with activity, multiple hot spots and flaring toward the N of the AA, using the PST. Lots of filaments and very nice prominences in the W. Went out for another look later at 10.35 and there were some detached elements from the prominences in the W. In between HA views I got the Tecnosky 102ED F7 out for some WL solar views. Lovely complex detail in AR2860. Took a single frame at 10.16am with the Olympus EM-5 Mk11, 1/6400 at 250 asa. Full disc and crop below. GONG screen grab below.

It would be a no no for me. I'm going to Kelling in a month's time but, as last year, I won't be moving round at night looking through other folks telescopes. Also, I won't be sharing my telescope with others. It's just not worth the risk. Last November I had Covid, and wouldn't wish it on anybody. Also, a few weeks ago my 25 year old daughter caught Covid despite being double jabbed and taking all precautions. She's OK now, but then it could have worked out very differently. Don't take any risks.

Large AA is crackling with activity, fabulous disc detail visible even in a PST.

Large AA is crackling with activity, fabulous disc detail visible even in a PST.

Some good comments here, so I have nothing to add to the responses re the original question myself. However, I would like to add that the sharpest of two images isn't necessarily 'better'. A view of Saturn with a 12 inch reflector may not be as sharp as the view with a smaller apo refractor, but on a reasonable night of seeing it will have much better colour rendition and better resolution of detail, and will capture fainter satellites than the smaller apo. Which is the 'better' image is always going to be subjective. I like nice pin sharp star images in an apo, but also I like the more vivid true colours of a larger reflector - particularly when observing Jupiter, Saturn, and the brighter nebula. It would be mischievous of me to suggest that perhaps this is the reason why so many owners of apos often crack on about how sharp their telescopes are when using ridiculously high powers - so I won't suggest it 😁. As johninderby suggests - buy an apo and a reflector. Perhaps a 60mm fluorite doublet for £1250 and an eight inch reflector for around £350? 😊.

Many thanks Steve, thats very useful. Absolutely no need to apologise though. Together with John's post that's all I needed to know 😊.

Thanks Steve. Sorry if I confused you. I did say I was asking about the TS Newts (OTAs) you stock - meaning the optical tube assemblies you stock of f4, f5 and f6. I know TS don't produce a 6 inch f8 Dob, and it's not what I asked in my question. I also am well aware there there are differences in the optical characteristics of the same aperture scope at different focal ratios, I did indicate this when I said " ....apart from the focal lengths being shorter at f4, f5 and f6. When I said "versions" I was referring merely to the different makes, and I know very well they are not made to the same fit and finish. I asked specifically about the optical quality, nothing else. All I wanted to know was how the optics of the TS OTAs optics compare with the other manufacturers. Just a general comment on how good you think the TS optics are would have been sufficient. At various times, over very many years, I've used Newts from all those mentioned, and others - apart from the Stellamira and TS. Let's leave it there. You have probably lost the will to live after having read this reply, as I did when I read your response to my original question - which I thought was pretty straight forward!

Steve, would it be fair to say the 6 inch series of TS Newts you stock are the same optical quality as the StellaLyra, Bresser and SW versions - apart from the focal lengths being shorter at f6, f5 and f4. I'm interested in the f6 particularly. Thanks.

Happy birthday to your dome Jeremy. Please pass on my best wishes. 💥 💢 🥳

It can also be because people have health problems, or like me 😄, they are getting on a bit and are unable to manage larger instruments any longer, or they have financial problems, or because their observing interests change, or because they find something they find more interesting to spend their cash on (hard to believe I know! 🙂), and numerous other reasons I dare say. Need I go on?

Nice someone else had a view Mark. I came in at 2.30 having stolen some very brief clear bits between quickly scudding clouds. My first attempt about an hour previously ended with me rushing in as rain pored down on me while I was actually observing. As you say, a nice collection of proms - I was using the PST I have on loan. I would be tempted to buy a double stack myself if one came up at a good price. I won't though, because if the owner wanted the PST back I couldn't use it anyway 😁.

Out observing from 11.45 to 12.40, primarily to see the beautiful large prom on the E limb. It didn't disappoint and showed subtle changes throughout the observational period. The most dynamic feature was the Loop prom on the W limb which I first observed around 11.45 and had completely gone by 12.32. By 12.05 it started to break up and by 12.12 there were only two remnents of it left. By 12.20 there was only one round remnent of it 'floating' off the limb and by 12.32 it had completely gone. It would have made a great video. Did anyone else see it or capture an image of it? If so, would love to see it. My sketch, using PST, below.

Excellent, a bit more detailed than I saw in the PST at 7.30am. ☺

Forecast to be clear from 7-8 am. Out set up by 7.30 when it was quite clear. Good decision as by 7.40 heavy rain clouds swept in from the west. Managed a hurried sketch, but didn't have time to check for surface detail. Well worth a look if you can catch it.