IB20

The beginning of this transit was spectacular. It looked like something had taken a little nibble of Jupiter’s limb as the shadow moved onto the face. Real nice viewing conditions and Io is remaining visible on the disc due to it transiting in front of the SEB. Gutted I can’t stay up to watch it finish around 1:30am. Managed to get Jupiter’s brightness under control with a variable polarising filter, looked beautiful at 171-120x. Still preferred the Tak and 4mm TOE though 😅.

There is another tonight. The GRS has just about rotated from view but Io is due a transit and shadow transit very shortly.

I spy Tak UWs!

I’m in agreement, I’m finding I prefer contrast over light grasp during this opposition. Maybe I need to try a contrast booster on the 8” light bucket. The wider field of view seems to help on the refractor too, it’s just framed better.

Saturn looks mesmerising tonight. Its planetary disc casting a shadow on the far side of the ring system. Plenty of banding visible on the northern hemisphere, each a different sandy hue. Cassini division nice and clear at each ansae. Transparency really good too so easy spotting of Titan, Rhea and Dione in the 3” frac. Best views were with the 7XW at 82x & 0.93mm exit pupil, everything just popped so clearly. 🪐

Loving the picture of the 76DCU on the Starbase mount. 😍

Ha, love this. Nothing wrong with collecting eyepieces, quite enjoying comparing them myself in different conditions/targets etc.

This perfectly captures what I observed, great sketch.

Last count I have; 2 x TOEs 4 x XWs 7 x BSTs 1 x Morpheus 2 x Ultimas/Orion Ultrascopics 2 x BCOs 1 x BGO 4 x orthos 2 x plossls 5 x freebie junk EPs So 30 but 25 really as the freebie EPs are never used. Room for more I’d say 🤣

That was awesome, seeing was average but managed around 144x in the Tak and 120x in the dob. Preferred the Tak’s contrast and light scatter control to the blazing bright dob image and spent 95% of the transit with the 3”. When the shadow neared the planetary limb, Europa suddenly appeared, imposed just over it creating an amazing 3D effect between moon, shadow and Jupiter… just wow. The shrinking red spot even graced us with an appearance too ☺️. Love planetary season!

Setting up both the Tak and the 200P, skies are nice and clear, transparency looks good too!

So I went with the More Blue retrofit microfocuser as my first upgrade and I’m really impressed with the quality and feel of the focuser. Although it comes with no instructions, the installation really is extremely simple; there’s a quick video guide available and the most difficult part I found was getting the little two prong screw out of the housing of the focusing axle. I’d read reports that the mounting bar felt flimsy, not sure if this has been changed but I don’t have a problem with it and it feels very solidly attached. Didn’t realise how plasticky the original focus wheels were until I removed one, they never seemed to feel like that when I used them. Time for testing; Jupiter and Saturn were nicely positioned so put the scope out for 5 mins. Initially the upgraded focuser felt a bit lumpy, but playing with the tightness of the grub screw soon ironed any issues out. The coarse focus has retained that “snap to” ability which I really like and the 12:1 fine focus wheel is a joy to use. I’m very pleased with the upgrade and I know it’s going to improve my observing. I only went out for a quick test but 90 mins disappeared on observing Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune. 😆

Now with fine focus 😁

A little upgrade for the Tak. 😁

Yep it’s the Starbase 80 mount, so I guess Scopetech? It works beautifully for the Tak and Starbase Achromat. I’ve thought about upgrading to a Berlebach and other mount but it has given me no reason too. The only reason right now being so I could use both scopes at the same time.

Small but mighty, the perfect scope. 🥰

Wonderful Neptune.

I do have a pair of Revelation BVs but can’t get them to focus with the 76. Can’t remember if I needed to lengthen or shorten the light path but something needs to change for it to focus. Getting them to work is on my list but thought this topic was easier to do than work out what adapters etc I need! I’ll revive that thread at some point. 😃

I love my TOEs too much to leave the module on, the 4mm in the Tak 76 is a match made in heaven.

I must say it does look really nice in the Q configuration, but I worry it’d make my higher mag EPs redundant for planetary viewing except on nights of perfect seeing. I do think the Q module would make it a fabulous double star scope though. I think I would like fine focus for my observing, I have one on the 8” dob and I love it, particularly as I’m mainly planetary too. I’ve read that the MEF-3 can feel “spongy” which I guess means reduces it being fine focus, but unsure if that’s something to do with the installation of it. Would the 1/7th v 1/12th focus of the MEF-3 v the more blue noticeable? I prefer the aesthetics of the FT micropinion but not sure they are still available. The FT 2” focusers look amazing but for its cost and adaptor I could get a Ha solar scope!

Always looking for that 0.1% improvement I was just wondering what other Tak users think of the fine focus parts, particularly Mef-3, More Blue and FT pinion focus “upgrades”? Additionally, have any of the 1.7Q extender module owners had more chance to use it in its f12.75 configuration?

Oooo, what did you get? The 10 isn’t too bad but they start getting like police batons towards 3.5mm. I quite like the weight of them now, they feel like they could take an accident or two! A strange thing with the XWs is I have them screwed all the way out for daytime viewing and the opposite for nighttime.

Pah! Another complete cloud out. 🙄

Sorry I’ll rephrase, no undercuts that snag all the time like their Televue counterparts.

Pentax XWs are still £279; I’ve never used a Delos but by most reports I’ve read there doesn’t seem a lot between the two ranges. No undercuts either 😃