25585

New arrival. Heavier baby than expected. The Equinox family is complete, photo to follow. 

11 minutes ago, Lockie said:

I have no idea what you mean? 

 

More photos of Candy the CanDL later 

On 20/05/2018 at 09:53, Lockie said:

I think he's risking it with anything less than this with that heavy DL tube 

http://www.losmandy.com/AZ8.html

I know @iPeacehas an AZ8 mount. 

The height of kit shown is 4 feet max. I would need to go to 6 feet min so another 5 x $100 height spacers in addition. €1775 + shipping. A lot of Skytees for that money! ?

@JohnTeleskop Express have AZ8s reduced currently.

I like the "manhole cover" except its colour.

Soft covers should be kevlar for Taks ?

Waiting for my 80 Equinox.....

17 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Just delivered a LensCoat Hoodie Lens Cap (XX Large) - Black. This is to use on my Tak FS102 when I need to cover it during an observing run. The standard Tak "manhole" cover is wonderful, but it's a bit heavy, so upsets the balance. The LensCoat weighs almost nothing. And is so much nicer looking than the Telegizmos cover I have been using, which is a really tacky, if not downright ugly, piece of kit.

Hmm. I like the TG cover for its greater depth. Also would be extra protection for the whole hood when carrying. Where can you buy one, as my FC would appreciate it ☺?

Found this thread linked from CN(!).

I have an 80 Equinox (the baby ) to complete my family of 120, 100 & now the 80 for travel. So need a back pack for it, RACI & star 1.25 diagonals, semi-apo filter, a barlow, zoom & finder ep. Which leaves a stable enough mount & tripod.

Would a SW Pronto be good enough, & what tripod to go with it then?

44 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

How does this work then, Stu? Not in the obsy, so still portable 

And no counterweight needed 

 

About right for that heavy tube ring

4 hours ago, Timebandit said:

 

 

Joking aside. The Skytee should be more than up to the job for the Tak 100. I sit the equinox which is heavier on a 2" leg AZ 4 and that mount is not rated as highly as the Skytee. I do think John has a valid point to the mounting side/location on the Skytee, to which the Tak should be located. As no point risking your set up for a swap of mounting location. 

Do they sell round inflatable air mattress you could put round the Skytee, so the Tak would have a soft landing if needed ?

 

 

 

Following the plentiful advice, I mount my 120 Equinox on the side, on its own clamp, on its own head. It has the counterweight bar in line to balance the whole kaboodle. Big wide weight. A ST80 usually on the top acting as a finder.

The other head is for DL Tak (on top, adequately counterweighted now) &/or 100 Equinox on the side or my C8, as the mood takes me. Usually though only one scope & an 80mm finder.

My Tak is too expensive to risk taking to strange places, that's what 100 Equinox is for, or an ST.

Going by images alone what floats my boat most I think are prominences. Spots are black blobs. Surface detail is fascinating just to realise what it is, but prominences are drama!

So given the expense of equipment, I personally would go for what gives the best visual prominence results, and enjoy what quality that gives to other features. 

Given the above, any recommendations?

They might be made by the same company but quality can be more upmarket. 

Celestron's CGEM II looks similar to a SW EQ6 variant (AZ EQ6 is tempting for the AZ Alt ability but both need to be checked physically before buying). 

2 hours ago, Timebandit said:

Now you have done it. 25585 was just about feeling secure in the mounting set up he has achieved with the Tak 100. I can see a AZ EQ6 now being thought of ,for extra safety?. My understand the skytee was more than adequate? . But a new AZ EQ6 would look great in the white and Green trim ??

 

 

 

 

 

 

No more SW mounts! It is great heavy duty for heavy kit, but I am not impressed by the mechanics, particuarly how sensitive the slo mo tensions, grub screws, & other smaller bits are to work. 

If my Tak does take a fall, the 4 rings would protect its tube, hopefully absorb some shock. 

Photo below shows the holes each ring has on both top & bottom which allow stacking if wanted, useful for finders or even an eyepiece rack. 

Skytees do allow a Losmandy clamp to be fitted to either top or side, which I have noticed is almost exclusive to it. None of the T shape mounts seem to provide that option. Skytees also have threaded holes for 2 8mm bolts as well as 6mm on both pucks. 

1 minute ago, Lockie said:

Flipping heck! lol Really like the Primaluce kit don't you! What's the logic behind having 4? You have a DL, on a Skytee so I'm guessing it's flexure for imaging you're concerned with? 

I would have been happy with 3, but they only sell in pairs..... Apart from better anchoring, more choice for mounting finders etc using a pair of rings at front & back. The Tak does not have a finder shoe as my SW fracs do each. 

Primaluce rings on (their) Losmandy bars attach with 2 or 3 bolts, much more secure than single bolt Vixen. Losmandy being broader gives support to the whole ring base and therefore also supports the whole weight of an OTA too. 

1 hour ago, Lockie said:

It looks well protected too! Like scope armour 

I don't think I'd change it because of the way it looks, but it is quite heavy, so maybe for that reason? Early days, we'll see  

P.s. didn't you put bright red rings on your Tak?! or am I thinking of some one else? 

Primaluce 95mm. Red yes but not bright but mid. I understand scope armour well! 

3 hours ago, Lockie said:

Takahashi fs60cb sporting some Vixen lanthanum glass, waiting for some grab n go Jupiter action.

Mount very temporary. Not sure what to buy for this little beauty?

P.s I own a flipping Tak!! ?

Poor thing looks smothered in that clamp. ?

Although Celestron & SW are not like for like all the way through, are Celestron mounts & drives as well as scopes better quality than the SW versions?

How does Celestron GOTO compare with SW?

22 minutes ago, Stu said:

I had totally forgotten you had that one!!

? C'mon Stu, how could you forget who you sold such a great frac to?

10 minutes ago, Piero said:

Sure, but Derek has a TV-60 if I am not wrong.

That would be a great finder!

Just now, Piero said:

 

What's wrong with a standard 8x50 finder? 

Cheap ones have fixed eps. 

Would an optical path corrector as used for bino viewers 1.5x suffice to reach focus?

29 minutes ago, Piero said:

Whilst I accept the fact that there is a small chance that it can happen, my opinion is that if one can be certain that it will happen, then the design has some fault... 

If I buy a car, I do not expect to have to regularly check the bolts and nuts of each door to make sure not to lose (!!) one while driving! Can you imagine a similar scenario on a motorway?? 

But you do for wheels & tyres I hope!

Periodic checks on all nuts, bolts, screws is part of running maintenance. For all things.

2 hours ago, Timebandit said:

 

 

Nice to see the ED120 still has some fans out there

And re -acquired suggests you were missing the cracking views they can produce

Enjoy ?

 

 

I am one ?

10 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Well, the good post person visited today and delivered a new family member, brand new and boxed.
Nice and far lighter than I expected although I had the specification and read 25585's write up about his version.
This is the second 2" eyepiece I have ever owned, had the 28mm Sky-Watcher with my ED100, thought that was big,
but no this is a little bigger and very nice build quality.
I even like the eye lens cover (cup) 25585!

Here it is with the rest of the family,
some further additions may be added as funds and availability allows.

 

Very pleased for you Alan  

Now there is that 42mm FLO is selling, but a bit more expensive. 17mm is a good one, to seek out & buy next. 

Moonlite 2.5 inch focuser is what I may choose. 

Using 41mm Panoptic or ES 40mm Maxview requires no less. Cheaper than a FT, and more options.