25585

1 hour ago, John said:

Thats was sort of the point I was making Peter but maybe individuals vary in this ?

I've really enjoyed my Tak FC-100DL and I don't feel the urge or need to upgrade the focuser from the standard single speed unit but it's an F/9. Maybe the finer touch is more valuable at F/7.4 ?

When we discuss the excellent Skywatcher ED doublet refractors the focuser is usually singled out as needing upgrading by many (although I don't think it is that bad, at least for visual use) and quite a big deal is being made of this in the pre-emptive discussions on forums on the new Skywatcher ED150 Pro but those scopes are around 1/3rd of the cost of a Takahashi equivalent.

Maybe the more you spend on a scope, the fussier you get !

 

 

 

The Equinoxes come with better focusers. 2 speed, rotatable, smooth, scaled.

FT focusers are expensive, there are good cheaper models. I have not used my Tak enough yet to find any issues with the OE.

More you spend absolutely Primaluce! ?

16 minutes ago, Stu said:

That’s one blessing, Tak don’t do RACI finders..... (as far as I’m aware!)

I would have had one of their 50mm ones if they did a RA finder.

12 hours ago, AstroPhil said:

In fact this is exactly what happened earlier today; Ed suggested that if the drawtube is 2.7" then the MPA-TAK2.7 is the one to go for, so that's now been duly ordered. I looked at the MEF as well but could not find a supplier whereas the feathertouch seemed more available, as it were (not that I looked particularly hard, I admit). @Piero I certainly agree with you that microfocusing is a personal thing... I just like to have that 10:1 'tuning' available, for some reason, but the standard tak focuser I actually like a lot (basically, I find it just a shade heavy for fine tweaks).

FLO asked Moonlite on my behalf which focuser of theirs would fit, and was told the 2.7 inch model. Those of course have options on colour, speeds, tube length, finder shoes, motor etc.and are rotatable presumably.

2 minutes ago, BGazing said:

Great. I think I will try this at some point on AYOII, it is rated 12kgs when using both clamps...

That tripod's legs must have been stronger than they look. 

Is AYOII the Swiss made mount (penknife red)?

5 hours ago, AstroPhil said:

Well that's what I thought as well, but I also seem to recall that the 2nd run was a little different to the first, and I cannot find what the 2.7" dimension refers to (other than being the size of my drawtube!). The Sky90 refers to a 2.5" drawtube.... so yeah, it's a tad confusing!

I think only that the colour is different, 1st run had that nice satin black, 2nd the corporate mildew green - but no difference physically. Moonlite 2.7 inch focuser is an alternative, not sure about other makes - Baader Steeltrack might fit @FLOmight know.

Vixen moon filter.

38 minutes ago, Stu said:

What are hole spacings on there? Will it fit the SkyTee without modding?

You will certainly be prepared for when the TEC200 arrives  

Middle holes match, but I will need longer bolts. Need to measure how much extra yet. M8 definitely.

5 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

But it's not Japanese, 25885!  

Well I have an Ultima Japanese-made Barlow already.....

Zeiss Abbe 2x Barlow bought from @Piero

Many thanks, another A-Team optic. Lining up eps to try out. 

Amazon warehouse bargain. Geoptik 495mm Losmandy/Vixen clamp. Heavy.

@Johndefinitely going on my Skytee side mount! Might be too heavy for it altogether with a scope attached as the clamp is about 4kg by itself. 

Now reduced to £15 + p&p

What mine is. Good construction for the price. 

On 22 April 2018 at 00:14, F15Rules said:

Parks Gold set (3.8mm to 30mm except the 5mm), now joined by a pair of Celestron Ultimas in 7.5mm and 30mm.

All in a nice new Ali case☺..

Dave

 

Any difference in use between your Parks & Ultima 30mm eps? As the same optically, potentially a good bino pair. 

2 minutes ago, Olli said:

2 months of cloud  

That's May & June written off then. July has Wimbledon & August school hols. But astronomical twilight will restrict DSO viewing for awhile. 

Leather tan case for a pair of binoculars. New £30 on ebay. Very strong, just right for my Swift Osprey 7.5 x 42 birding bins. 

2 hours ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Brandon looks like fun. That's a lot of glass. Immersive views a plenty to come with that one. 

No problem with eye relief. Better than all my others, just overtaking the Vixen NLV 50mm. 

What's amazing is the Brandon is really light. Less than any other 40s eps, & my lightest 2 inch by far. 

12 hours ago, Alan White said:

Postie busy today.

Happy to report Double Star atlas following encouragement by Ed NGC1502 to look at them.

Have that & the Herschel also in same series. The data on doubles is what makes it so good. 

25 minutes ago, Saganite said:

These would have come by post but were purchased from a fellow member of BAS, and collected from him during Sunday's meeting of the BAA Deep Sky Section at  Bedford School, the home of my Astro Society. It was a terrific day of lectures, and good food,enjoyed in the company of well over 100 kindred spirits. 

 

Very nice! Ultima Barlows, which are short, are good for bino viewing. Not too hard to come by. 

1 hour ago, Alan White said:

Second item is a David Chandler item, replaces my Phillips one, far easier to read under red light to me.

All part of my ongoing Luddite existence.

Looks impressive Alan, Milky Way is good. I have a Phillips glow in the dark planisphere, which is quaint but works. 

Meet "Marlon". An offer I couldn't refuse. 

7 hours ago, John said:

Very nice setup Stu

You are living dangerously with your Tak FC100 mounting arrangements though - just the 2 tube rings and a Vixen/Skywatcher DT bar !

It's only a wee short DC. Good 2 rings spacing!

3 hours ago, Stu said:

They must think all their Christmasses have come at once!  

No more. They have done well from me. My Tak looks great though, red and white, very St. George, or barber pole.

More Primaluce hardware for the Tak. 

My 40mm and 34mm Maxviews are great bookends.

Are Luminous different from Axiom LX?

Now owning a single (still) 35mm Baader Eudiascopic & a 30mm, I have found only the 35 to have usable eye relief as a glasses wearer. A TV 32mm Plossl is in-between. 

For 1.25 fit low 20s eye relief eps, in low 20s focal length, the LVW & Pentax XW are good, as are Vixen SLV. (Drop down by a few mm & there are the TV Delos & Delite longest FL eps of 17 & 18 respectively. Nikon 17.5mm NAV-SW has good eye relief as well.

The Vixen LVW 22mm is not a heavy eye piece for its FL & 65 AFOV. Noticably lighter than the 17 LVW, & more compact, it's best of that excellent range. 

Japanese-made optics are returning to specialist exclusivity again, &/or simpler designs. Vixen HR & SSW for high mag specialisation, SLV - buy them all now!. Takahashi are exclusive, including LE range, period. Nikon NAV-HW & SW are narrow in FL choice & astro/spotting scope dual purpose. Pentax XW & XF are spotter eps which (for some FL) are good astro optics too. 

You can only bend light and correct optically in so many ways that are practical for eyeball viewing & manufacture costs. It's up to accessories & electronics to enhance what lenses deliver now. IS diagonal anyone?