mikeDnight

Just made a rough sketch of Jupiter showing the shadow transit, but seeing here is like observing from the bottom of a swimming pool. Just before packing up I saw the globe of the Moon popping out of Jupiter's limb.

They are probably telling the truth. The sticker would almost certainly have been made in the USA. 😆 The only thing that really matters at the end of the day, is that the eyepieces and telescopes deliver as expected. Very often, they deliver beyond expectations when conditions permit, regardless of origin.

I think it's disgraceful that TeleVue would ignore their customers grumblings. Who do they think they are, Takahashi?

Lots of detail there David. Thanks for sharing. It will hopefully inspire me and give me the incentive to get off my lazy ....... ☺️

Very often there's more in the image at the eyepiece than first meets the eye, and as some have already said, taking your time to observe Jupiter really will allow you to see more. Keeping accurate focus is critical, and so you may need to regularly check you're still in true focus. As the planet rises for example, you'll be looking through different depths of atmosphere, and as this changes, so will the critical focus point of your telescope. I'm forever twiddling with my focus knob when observing the Moon and planets! Another way to help you to see more of what's on view is to sketch what you're looking at. This can be a challenge at first, as controlling a scope while holding a sketch pad and pencil and drawing in very low light takes some getting used to. But even if you're not particularly artistic you'll soon find it beneficial and a great way to record observations. Often, observers studying Jupiter will make a full disk drawing, but you can just as easily choose to study just one point of interest, for example the Great Red Spot. Alternatively you can make a continual sketch that shows the belt and zone detail of Jupiter as over time as the planet rotates. The longer you look the more you'll usually see! Below are a couple of Jupiter sketches, and a timelapse sketch as examples. It's important to remember though, that the detail shown in a sketch is an accumulation of information over time, and not necessarily what you'll immediately see when you first look through the eyepiece. Hope this is helpful in some way! ☺

I have more than I use, and definitely more than I need. I was content useing a pair of 16.8mm Kson ortho's in my binoviewer for four years and little else. These eyepieces covered 90% of my observing needs. They were also ok on dso's if you dont mind a narrow field.

It's undoubtedly hype! I dare say there's some CA in a TOA but you'd never see it. I even question if it could be imaged. May be I'm just not overly sensitive to minimal CA; to me my DZ doublet is as pure as any apo, and with my binoviewers I use prisms and a Ultima SV triplet barlow, and also a cheap SW delux baflow. I can't see any difference optically between them. I'd be more tempted by the Masuyama barlows than the Tak. At least the Masuyama have pretty engraving on them!

Some interesting detail on Jupiter, with a prominent large white oval on the southern edge of the north equatorial belt. Festoons and garlands also visible. Even intricate detail in th north temperate belt. Worth a look if seeing allows!

You're very kind! ☺️

Thanks David, The detail was impressive but I didn't have much time. I think if I spent six or seven minutes struggling to see through the thickening cloud that's all I had. The NEB appeared very close to the equatorial zone, but that may have been because there were some strong festoons that reached from the NEB connecting with the EZ, which dulled the normally brighter North Equatorial Zone. I've had several opportunities to observe the planet since then, but cold weather puts me off a bit. I must be getting soft! The GRS was very prominent, much more so in fact than I've seen it in quite some time. Maybe that's because of the extra aperture? I should get the FS and DZ side by side soon!

Its a while ago that I made this sketch, and I wasn't going to post it as the seeing deteriorated dramatically and I didn't really get chance to finish it. I could barely see the planet towards the end as the cloud became too dense.

You're mean! 😑

I think the difference in performance between the big Apo names and the newer names that are now on the scene have become so close that it's really not worth losing sleep over, especially from a visual only perspective. I have a 5" because I was able to get it at a very good price, however I don't need a 5", butl wouldn't want to be without my 4". I know the OP is considering a 5" doublet, but looking at the Askar range of triplets, I have to admit they look very tasty.

Cool down time seems to be around the same for my FC100DZ and my FS128 - around 15 minutes from a warm house into a cold winter night. I'm not sure how carbon fibre will affect that, but the FS128 is a tank by comparison and it doesn't have a problem. Perhaps being a doublet is more important than tube material. There's definitely a jump in performance visually between 4" and 5" as regards brightness and planetary detail, far more in fact than the difference between a 5" and a 6". Having said that, it should be remembered that there will almost certainly be a noticable difference between a FS128 and a StellaMira 125, just how noticeable I've no idea. Stick a binoviewer in that 125 and I bet you'll soon forget about any comparisons.☺️ Having said the above, the scope that's given me the greatest experience over time has to have been my FC100DC, and that's because it was so easy to use and always punched above its aperture class, at times leaving me in awe. So ultimately if I were to choose just one great scope, I wouldn't go for a 5" apo, I'd go for a 4". But that's me, based on my experiences.

As well as being able to change the helical focuser for a 2" click lock, the BBHS prism allows the direct connection of the Maxbright ll binoviewer for low power viewing. 30mm Ultra Flat with 2" clicklock. I bought the 2" nose piece for this. The Baader Zeiss BBHS prism with Maxbright II directly attached.

As well as being able to change the helical focuser for a 2" click lock, the BBHS prism allows the direct connection of the Maxbright ll binoviewer for low power viewing. 30mm Ultra Flat with 2" clicklock. I bought the 2" nose piece for this. The Baader Zeiss BBHS prism with Maxbright II directly attached.

Here's my micro focuser. Its very precise and has no spongey feeling to it. Although its helical in design it can even be used with binoviewers, as the movement needed is slight and makes negligible difference to the angle of the viewer. I used this baader helical focuser with the 1.6mm Vixen HR plus 2X Barlow on my DZ. Simply awesome! And as cheap as chips - almost!!

It's amusing to think back at some of the junk focusers I've used over the years, some of which had ATM origins, and I know I'm not alone in this. Yet they worked in a fashion and I, like many, I was thrilled to have a telescope. Tak focusers are a world apart from those nightmarish contraptions. I'm only thinking out loud but may be we're going just a bit soft expecting focusers to work? It's similar with eyepieces today. If an eyepiece doesn't have a 300° apparent field we go into meltdown, complaining it's like looking through a straw. Next we'll be expecting clear skies! I jest of course, but the truth is that Tak focusers are a long way from being bad, they're just old school.

My DZ, which I've had since April 2020, has a relatively smooth and easy to use focuser. I can't remember if its become easier over time or if its always remained the same. What I do remember is that with my DC I needed the MEF, but with the DZ I've never felt the need for it. The trouble with having a go at adjusting the focuser, is that if you don't get the pressure on the grub screws just right you'll end up with image shift. I found that out with my DC and it took me some time, trial and error to get it back to an acceptable condition. Sometimes I think the best way to look at any Tak purchase, is that you're paying for the optics. Tak throw the tube and focuser in as a bonus.

Finally we've got a look at what's really inside you're observatory! 😂😂😂

Hope you don't mind me suggesting that 335X it too high a magnification for visual observation of Jupiter, and that's the reason you saw "hardly any detail". Even the expert planetary observer Edward Emerson Barnard found that 180X is around the ideal power for Jupiter, even through the great Yekes refractor. Some planets such as Mars, Mercury and Venus may benefit from 300X plus on occasion as they display mainly albedo features, but Jupiter is swaithed in intricate fine detail requiring high definition. Perhaps on a night with first class seeing you could push the magnification of Jupiter upto 250X, but it would be pushing things IMHO.

Showing a little TLC to your Carton could be well worth while. I have the F12 version which is an absolute joy to observe with. Mine has a 1.25" focuser so I can use 1.25" eyepieces, but even if your focuser has only a .96 drawtube you can get a diagonal to fit .96 to 1.25". Using modern eyepieces is a game changer for these small classic refractors. Carton often provided good mounts too, so even the mount could be worth reviving, but most of all, the optics are generally considered a cut above the general 60mm to 80mm contenders. If all I had was my humble little Carton 60mm I'd still be a very happy chappy.

I really like the SW 120ED which can be mounted on an EQ5 or Vixen GP, or an AZ4 for easier grab and go. I never found the 120ED to be particularly heavy, although it is significantly heavier than a FC100DC, but still an easy scope to carry and set up. But if you're looking for what is probably the best light weight 4" apo currently available the DC is outstanding. I had no regrets selling my SW120ED after observing with a FC100DC.

There are also some excellent sketches here on SGL as well as on Cloudy Nights that can give a real indication of how DSO's may appear through various telescopes, and under various conditions.

The fork arm looks very close to the Sightron mount sold by FLO.