jock1958

Very nice and similar to what I was seeing last night through my Tak FC-100DL, WO Binoviewers, TV 2.5x PM & Pentax XF 8.5 eyepieces.

Hi Dave, agree your wooden Tak tripod looks really nice compared to my rather mundane AZ4 steel leg tripod. You mentioned about the stability of it compared to your fixed leg tripod, what about adding a lightweight extension tube and leave the legs up or not fully extended? That’s what I’ve done with my setup and it’s rock solid with virtually no vibrations. Cheers Iain

Excellent photo’s and church bells at the start of the video make it very apt for this time of year 🎄👍

Agree the FS60Q is a great little scope which I tend to use for the brighter objects and grab & go. I’ve had a variety of finder’s including Taks 6x30, RACI, Baader Skysurfer’s III & V and combinations of both. Picture below with SS III & Tak which I found a bit cluttered & OTT so I’ve removed the Tak finder as I find the small SS fits the bill as it’s small, lightweight and relatively unobtrusive.

Excellent sketch as always @mikeDnight Was on it last night with my Tak FS60Q & 3-6 NZ, only hints of albedo features probably due seeing and limited aperture.

Warm welcome to SGL Douglas, agree the Cairngorms is a lovely part of the country where I learned to ski many, many moons ago. Iain

Looks fabulous @Telescope40and well worth the 25 mile journey! I’m sure it will bring you many, many years of enjoyment 👍 Ohh and by the way welcome to the Tak Owners Club!!

I’d love to try one out but I’m more than happy with my FC-100DL for the time being. As far as the dew spot goes If it’s on the outside of the lens that should clean off fairly easily, anywhere else I’m not so sure? Like you say Dave you need a proper look to be sure 🤔

Looks in fairly good nik Dave, wonder about that dew spot that’s mentioned 🤔

I hope he’s ok as well, haven’t heard much from @john lately either 🤔

Off topic Stu but is that a Tiger Tank I spy behind the AZ100?

My setup consists of a dew strap connected up to a power bank similar to @wookie1965 charged up battery lasts at least three good sessions.

Excellent report. On Monday night I was in my back garden and had some lovely views of the Swan using my 4” Tak, 14mm Delos & Nebustar filter, what surprised me was how big it was and the detail I managed to pull out. The Lagoon looked excellent as well showing loads of detail considering how low it is just now.

Bought my 31 T5 a few years ago off a fellow SGL’r who was offloading all his gear and mighty glad I did, it’s a fantastic eyepiece and like you Stu would have to be really skint to sell it. Initially I did have a few issues with kidney beaning / eye placement but solved that with the addition of a TV eye guard extender.

Hi Peter and a warm welcome to SGL. Visited Turks & Caicos just before the pandemic and thoroughly enjoyed it, loved Grace Bay and those dark unpolluted skies!!

I know this post is two and half weeks late and I apologise, but its the first time I've seen the Lunar X & V so felt the picture was worth posting as they both stood out so well. Rough iPhone pic taken through a combination of my Tak FC-100DL, Pentax XF 8.5, TV 2.5X power mate and WO BV's so magnification was pretty high. For those that own the Atlas of the Moon I decided to compare maps to my pic, I found the Lunar X fairly easily (circled yellow) but the V was more tricky so not 100% sure (circled red), maybe top right corner of page 17?

This concern's me as well. I'm used to the left & right on my refractors but upside down whilst trying to decipher my lunar maps is to much for an old codger like me 😩 🤣

Thanks Steve @FLO the Orion Premium version looks the same, and according to a video on YouTube a refractor or a MAC will require an Orion Penta Prism diagonal or the image will be upside down 😩 Take it its the same for the Stella Lyra version and what's the difference between a Penta Prism and let’s say a Baader Prism Diagonal 🤔

Im liking the features of these very much ie no barlows required, slide adjustment for your eye placement and click lock type eyepiece holders, I wonder if they are self centring? Still a chunk of wedge compared to my WO BV’s…think I’ll wait until some second hand ones crop up 🤔

Dave @F15Rules will have his contact details as he recently had his Tak serviced by him.

Great news, your perseverance is paying off. As far as merging goes it might be a case of ensuring the eyepieces are equally and correctly seated and not over tightened in the holders, on mine eyepiece undercuts can be an issue and knock them off square. Also I have a routine of getting the left eyepiece in focus with right eye closed then vice versa with right eyepiece. From my limited experience I find BV’s work best on objects like the moon, planets and brighter nebulae.

Hope it works with your prism diagonal, if not and it’s more in-focus you need then it might be a case of getting a Tak 2” visual back and a prism diagonal with a 2” nose piece. Before going down that route I would contact Ian at FLO as suggested earlier. Good luck 🤞 https://www.firstlightoptics.com/takahashi-adapters/takahashi-2-inch-eyepiece-holder-for-fs-60-and-fs-78fc100dc.html

Good call Jeremy, Ian King is the man!

Looks like the same visual back that’s on my Tak FS-60C/Q but not 💯 sure? just wondering if you can unscrew the lens on your barlow and screw it into the nose piece of your BV’s, I did this with my Baader barlow and achieved focus but magnification was a bit too much. Some pics below and ignore my last photo as you wouldn’t require the barlow tube.

Hi @IB20 have a read of this thread from a few years ago it might be of some help.