Highburymark

More Tak green with the DC focuser - and even more if you go for the cradle!

I was a bit surprised when I received the Tak micro focuser for my FC-100DC. It's a very rudimentary package, particularly considering its price. But once fitted it is a very valuable tool and works well - particularly at high magnification. I bought my FC from Lee at Green Witch - excellent service and a nice guy too.

Thanks Stu. And thanks for the initial inspiration - it's wonderful to have a 4" scope of such quality that can be taken anywhere - even with my dodgy back

Thanks very much - it's a Gitzo carbon fibre tripod - model GT4552TS. It's superb. I needed something that was very lightweight for travel but also robust. Think this one is advertised as carrying a 25kg payload. It's what I use now for all my telescopes - handles a C8 well. New they are v expensive - out of my price range, but there was a big Gitzo sale at the end of last year and I picked it up for under half price from Parks Cameras in London. The mount head is a Giro Ercole mini.

Thanks Matthew - If they deliver in the African desert, they should do ok in rural Menorca

Thanks Michael - correct me if I'm wrong but haven't you got the stargazing holiday to end all stargazing holidays next month? Solar eclipse trip to the US?

Having a week's break in Menorca - flew from UK this morning. And had no problems bringing my 4" Tak. This is the first time I've attempted such a feat - albeit with the aid of some very helpful advice from Stu - but it worked out very well. You just remove the dew shield and focuser - both simply unscrew, and the tube fits snugly in a Samsonite cabin case - about 55cm long if I remember correctly. Flew with Monarch - standard cabin restrictions apply, so would probably be the same with most other European airlines. So looking forward to some decent nights with Saturn, Scorpius and Sagittarius nicely positioned - and a much nicer telescope than I've ever taken abroad before. Will report back.

Congratulations on your new scope Garry - and don't worry if there's nothing but cloud for the next few weeks. Just doing an artificial star test with an FC is a joy.

Mouth (or eye) watering case of goodies Piero. Very nice indeed.

I would love an LS60, but in double stack mode it is around £4,000. For most observers, that's simply unaffordable. And no point trying to save some money by getting the 50mm double stack unit - may as well get the LS50 in double stack mode and save yourself £1,000. That's what I have and it's a great little 'scope. But the focuser is poor, so may need to factor in that added cost. Very good advice from Alan though. Try and get the package you'll want to keep. Upgrading at a later date is expensive.

Very nice Tyson - lots of nice kit and I can vouch for the Equinox as a great travel scope - this must be the world's first grab and go set up that includes a 31mm Nagler!

Excellent travel options Matthew. We're lucky that there's never been such an array of great plane friendly scopes on the market. I've never taken anything bigger than a 3'" ED or a 4" Maksutov abroad, so looking forward to the FC in darker skies.

Thanks Derek - only just realised it was this thread where the original discussion on the portability of Stu's FC took place. Love the look of your set up too - in the C5 and TV60 you might have the perfect travel pairing

Wasn't expecting to get a holiday this year but changing circumstances this week mean we've been able to book 8 days (and 8 moonless nights) in Menorca at the end of July - even better is that we're staying at a small place several miles inland from the light polluted coast. This means I can take my Tak FC-100DC out of the country for the first time. It was Stu who first raised the prospect of such a possibility on this forum - by removing the FC focuser and dew shield the Tak tube measures about 18.5 inches - so is airline cabin portable ? Rest of kit: Gitzo tripod. Ercole mini mount. Leica ASPH zoom plus Leica 1.8x extender. Panoptic 24, Ethos 13. Nagler T6 3.5mm. Will report back on how things go.

Very nice Mike - I'm also a convert to Nagler T6s, so I'll be very interested to hear how you get on with them. Does this mean you've jettisoned the Vixen HRs?

Thanks John. That's cleared that up then. ?

Ps - apologies for hijacking the thread.

Just checked - and yes, the DL is identical to the DF/DC bar the focal length.

Agree Stu. But doesn't the DL have basically the same optics (and aperture) as the DC? Just a longer tube and hence f/l? I presumed resolution would be broadly similar once the different magnifications are accounted for?

Interesting report Gavin. I too found the GRS lacklustre on Friday evening with Tak FC-100. Slightly more defined with a Baader Neodymium filter. But if you are getting any sort of star resolution in M13 with London light pollution, clearly the new scope is a gem. From where I am, M13 is an indistinct milky blur, even in a well collimated C8 Edge.

Love the Baader focuser - very smart.

A) 24mm Panoptic or ES B Decent mid range zoom C) Nagler 3-6mm zoom = unbeatable travel EP case. Is there any better configuration of 3 EPs to cover all bases?

Wow - sounds like you've got a wonderful set up Dave. Impressed by the scope's lightness - and very nice to have the Tak eyepieces and prism to keep the weight down.

The BBHS diagonals are new - I think they've only been on the market for a year. And they are obviously niche products - none more so than the T2 amici correct view version. Maybe Baader have only produced a handful of these Mike - which might explain why they haven't yet achieved the consistency of the other Baader diagonal lines?

'Exes', I reckon Stu. More importantly, what a beautiful telescope - congratulations Dave. I had an opportunity to look through one recently, but bad weather - inevitably - put paid to the planned observing session. Look forward to your first light with the Tak