Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b89429c566825f6ab32bcafbada449c9.jpg

PGM

Members
  • Posts

    69
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by PGM

  1. That's interesting, I didn't know that. I might buy a 2.5x Powermate to try it then.
  2. Absolutely! My barlow is also a shorty (Celestron X-Cel ED Barlow 2x) but I had no luck with it. Unfortunately where I live I know nobody pursuing visual astronomy who could help, and I can't keep buying more and more equipment just to try it once and resell it.
  3. Hi John, sorry for the delay, I thought I had already answered. Yes, diagonal » barlow » EP. That's right, I'd need more inwards movement. Anyway, I have 7 EPs, so I'm giving up on barlows for as long as I keep the stock DC focuser. I hate the idea of having to screw/unscrew adapters while watching something.
  4. I wonder if any Tak FC-100D owners could help me with yet another focusing problem. Previously I could not bring any eyepiece to focus, but @mikeDnight told me to remove the #81 adaptor and that solved it completely. Now I purchased a barlow (Celestron X-Cel ED Barlow 2x) and I can't achieve focus. I've tried with and without the #81 adaptor. Any suggestions?
  5. Mike, it worked! Thank you! I noticed a small opening in the clouds, hurried to get everything in place and there was beautiful Luna in-focus and fighting the clouds ? So just in case this helps someone else, the manual's DC diagram does seem to be incorrect - the diagonal branch should come before part 81, ie: - w/ diagonal: 15+14+46+diagonal+EP - w/o diagonal: 81+16+15+14+46+EP So simple, and yet I never would have tried going against the manual. Lesson learned. I can't thank SGL enough for the help I've been getting...
  6. How does one calculate the right parts? I was planning to give the Tak focuser a chance before getting a FT focuser, but this might settle it.
  7. Hi Mike, My DC did not look like that! I used adapters 81+15+14+46+diagonal, and you seem to be going without part 81 - if I'm seeing it right. Can the manual be wrong? That's great news, I'll try that tomorrow! Too cloudy tonight...
  8. Thanks. When I used the diagonal, the sky was not completely dark yet, so I could definitely tell apart the dark blue sky and a completely defocused whitish surface (which I took for clouds, but later on guessed it was the Moon). It was just completely out of focus, like a white wall.
  9. Hello, Well, yesterday was inauguration day for my Tak! ? ...and also for me as a scope operator. The full set-up I used consists of: - Takahashi FC-100DC (stock, but no finder scope) - Takahashi clamshell + Vixen plate - Berlebach Dovetail Clamp with Pressure Shoe - Giro Ercole - Gitzo GT5533S tripod - Baader T-2 Amici Prism Diagonal BBHS - Baader BGO 18mm / 6mm - Celestron X-Cel ED Barlow 2x I purchased this Baader T-2 Amici Prism Diagonal BBHS because I love the Moon so much that I can justify having a dedicated diagonal just for it. However, I do intend to get a second-hand Baader T-2 Zeiss Prism BBHS when I find one for sale in excellent condition. The BGOs 18/6mm are the only EPs I have at the moment, but I have a few gems on the way (TV Panoptic 24mm, TV Plössl 8mm, Pentax XW 7/5/3.5mm). The clouds that had lasted for many days were mostly gone but seeing was far from great. Just as I was starting to extend the tripod legs, one of them came completely off, along with some inside parts. This problem stole valuable time (and calm!) from me, but was eventually fixed with the help of two SGL members, as posted in another topic. So now the whole set-up was ready to go, with a BGO 18mm on the spot. I pointed in the Moon's general direction, took a peek, adjusting the focuser... nothing. I checked the diagram on the manual, and concluded I needed to take out the aux. ring adapter because I was using a diagonal. Did that, took another peek, changed EPs... still nothing. I remembered reading a few posts about light path issues, so assumed this might be one of those problems (which I still don't fully understand, to be honest). So I decided to go Japanese-style, removing the diagonal, adding the aux. ring, to look directly through the tube. By this time, the Moon and Mars were already low, and seeing was not helping either. I pointed the 18mm at the Moon, took a peek... and there was Luna upright in all its glory! ? I could see the unstable air waving in front of it, but still, very clear, and obviously closer than with my binos (even if not as convenient!). Very nice indeed. Time was of the essence, so a few minutes later I searched for Mars, and this was much trickier than I expected, because I have no finder scope. I have some knowledge of where many objects and constellations are, but I'm just a beginner and so the reversed image orientation and the first-time handling of the mount were harder than expected. Many times I found myself searching aimlessly. Still, all part of the experience curve, I'm sure. I eventually found Mars with the BGO 18mm, and also Sirius, Rigel, and a few other stars, but many other targets were impossible to find and identify - most were also too high in the sky to look without a diagonal (at this time I was breaking my neck and back doing yoga stances on the ground ?). The BGO 6mm was almost impossible to use. I enjoyed using it briefly on the Moon, but could not use it on anything else. I tried focusing a star on-axis with the 18mm, tightening the mount's clamp, and exchanging to the 6mm without shaking the scope (other than unscrewing the Tak focuser's ring), but no success, could not see a thing with the 6mm. I'm certainly doing something wrong... Ok, now back to my Amici diagonal. According to Baader's website, it has a 47.5mm optical length. Can anyone please explain what I need to make it work? Lastly, regarding the controversial Takahashi lens cleaning. Some topics on SGL and CN mention that the manual indicates alcohol is to be completely avoided, which some members attribute to a wrong translation from Japanese. My Tak is brand new, so maybe the manual has been corrected/updated - it has no mention whatsoever about alcohol. Care & Maintenance highlights: - large hand blowers are recommended; - canned air is strongly disapproved; - "Use pure cotton swabs slightly moistened with lens cleaner and gently remove any dirt" Well, clouds are back today. Hopefully they'll clear for 46P tomorrow night... Thanks for looking!
  10. Very nice pics. The previous night, the Moon, Venus, and Spica were forming a lovely triangle. The following night the Moon lagged behind, producing that beautiful line-up.
  11. Never tried a Zoom, but did some research a few months ago about them. There seems to be a trade-off between performance (they tend to have a worse FoV, exit pupil output, and image quality) and convenience (may be very useful for Moon, Planets, and the Sun, because a smooth change in their focal length allows the observer to quickly find the optimal useful magnification in a changing atmosphere, without taking the eye from the EP). 2 models seem to come up the most: - Baader Hyperion Zoom 8-24mm - Tele Vue Zoom 3-6mm I also found a post from someone using 2 Zooms with a binoviewer, but BVs are a different topic - I suggest opening a different thread if you're interested.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.