JeremyS

I use one of these (available in other guises): https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ovl-eyepieces/hyperflex-72mm-215mm-eyepiece.html

@Stu the whole point of musical chairs is that when the music stops, you remove a chair. Not add one!

9 hours ago, Space Oddities said:

Postman delivered quite a few packages today! I was looking for a telescope and mount that can fit in a backpack or small luggage. Looks like I have been hit with Takitis...

So happy with my purchase. This is my first Takahashi telescope, and it is a beauty. The craftsmanship is simply amazing, and the first views of distant trees suggest how sharp these lenses are. I followed a seagull in flight, it was a beautiful sight!

I chose this telescope (FC-76DCU) because of its weight (1.9kg !!) and the fact it can be split in half for transport. Very convenient.

Likewise, I was looking for a good mount that doesn't take much space. My AZ-5 is fine but rather big and heavy. So I went for this Sightron Japan Zero mount, which is also very well built. I tried mounting my ST120 and it handled it perfectly, with minimum vibrations. 

I love the fact that this mount can be very easily folded down to a small package. And yet, it can take 7kg of payload. It has multiple configurations, the different parts can be placed and oriented in many ways depending on your needs. A very smart design!

The mount itself is very smooth and can be tightened at different levels, so it can be used like a Dobson mount. I also added flexible knobs and a better saddle.

Of course, all of this came with a storm... I guess first light won't come for another week or so!  

Super setup. All you need now is a backpack 

SS III is poorly constructed. The based of mine broke off soon after first use and needed glue.

SS V much better engineered but bulky. I find no real advantage over a proper finderscope - a straight through inverted one for preference.

Still no group photo? 🤔

Splendid sketches. Really lifelike 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

9 minutes ago, Alan White said:

I am still attending, back now mobile enough for the journey and time at show thankfully.
Be nice to see some folks.

Safe travels.

Pics or it didn’t happen 😊

34 minutes ago, IB20 said:

Ain’t it glorious having a grab n go scope. Poking through those cloud gaps…

 

Just seen your pic for tonight: snap!
Looks like we both grabbed and went 😊

An evening with the Tak FC 76DCU

Did someone say ugly?
 

Plenty of reviews out there.

Also: 

16 minutes ago, jock1958 said:

Love the video as well, have you thought about doing your own You Tube channel?  😉😉🤞

You mean you’ve not seen it yet?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXYGUeekJCrBpM32yaJpjRw

11 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

 It was a glorious day here yesterday, but come late afternoon the clouds rolled in. I phoned my mate Paul just for a chat and he told me it won't be clear over night.   As luck would have it however, it did clear sufficiently for me to have an hour and a half observing the Moon and so, because he was clouded out and because I'm a true friend, I sent him this: (I think he hates me!)

 

 

I spent my time playing with my ultra flat's and a Barlow,  as well as my amazing SvBony 3-8 Zoom. The following pic's are through the zoom using a hand held phone camera. The camera lens may not have been perfectly clean and there was an annoying thin cloud covering the sky that varied in thickness. All things considered however, I think it turned out not too bad.

Has Netflix signed you yet, Mike? Cillian Murphy has nothing on you.

Your agent should contact the Takahashi marketing department.

Plenty of reviews around 

9 hours ago, josefk said:

This is a crappy picture but I had to post on here how excellent this chair is. Why oh why did I wait till now to get one? I would part company with a few serious EPs before giving this chair up - it’s that useful!

No more rotating the diagonal for me (to bring it to head height) and I can even drop the seat down behind the straight through finder and pop back up to the EP in seconds (I sometimes used to end up kneeling on the floor to get under the finder).

How very civilised it can be with the right kit. 🙂 

Being seated comfortably really helps with pulling out detail and faint objects 

I’m sure you’ve forgotten a few Stu 🤔

1 hour ago, John said:

It's still in development but it will have a traditional look to it 🙂

 

Now, I’m liking the look of this. A lot 👍🏻

10 minutes ago, Flame Nebula said:

Can anyone give me a really easy to understand idea of what this is, and how it affects what we see? 

What’s the project, John? Or is it under wraps?

People sell scopes?

Well, I did sell a Pentax SDHF 75 years ago and regretted it ever since.

47 minutes ago, Deadlake said:

I would select  an AP Riccardi-Honders, 

https://www.astro-physics.info/index.htm?products/telescopes/305honders/305honders

I could then use an NVD @ F3.8 in prime mode which gives a sharper image. Since the above scope is no longer made I'l have to wait for Lockwood's F2 Newt-Cassegrain (best words to describe it)



you can read more about it here...

http://www.loptics.com/articles/WSP2024/WSP2024.html

It looks like a Newt, however has a custom multiple optic corrector as a Paracorr cannot deal with the speed of the scope.

I'm sure not really a new design as the military have had scopes like this for some time.

You wouldn’t even need to find a cupboard to store that in 

😊

Home made solar filters for Canon 12x36is binocular 

2 hours ago, Second Time Around said:

I have 12x36 Canons where the switch has to be held down continuously.  However, despite having badly disabled hands I have no problem holding the button.  This is because my finger naturally falls into place on the button.

If I have no problem others shouldn't either.  So don't let this put you off buying such a model.

Indeed, easy to use and doesn’t waste the battery.

1 hour ago, paulastro said:

Personally, I'd prefer to have something with more aperture that was more useful for deep sky as well as planets and double stars 😊.

Ah, you mean a TSA 120 or TOA 130, Paul.

🤔