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HollyHound

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Everything posted by HollyHound

  1. Well last I managed another very brief session between the clouds, for 10mins 😬 Moon was up but very low... normally when viewing this with hand held binoculars (either 16x70 or even the 8x56), I can see stuff, but the detail is just masked by "jitter". Pushing the button on these IS 15x50, and it was quite steady indeed... enough to actually start to concentrate on lunar crater details, which would normally be quite frustrating 👍 I did find that leaning against a wall, or even leaning back against one, gave an almost perfectly steady view... I was able to spend a full 10mins viewing the moon like this before the binoculars become a little tiring to hold (they are quite heavy). Had a quick scan around the small gap and was able to spot a lot more detail, and of course concentrating on anything was much easier. I spotted Saturn appear in another gap, and was very surprised to get a really clear, steady view.... Normally I can just make out "lobes" for the rings, but this I could not only see the rings, but also "just" make out a very fine dark division between them and the planet itself 😮 Again, this is indeed a gamechanger and for quick "grabbed" sessions or cruising around the sky, this is going to be perfect. 😁
  2. Been avidly following this post, then realised I hadn’t posted any here 🤔Although most of these have been posted elsewhere… here you go 😀 FC-100DZ and Mewlon 180C FOA-60(Q) FS-60CB FC-76DCU (my favourite grab and go, sitting “ready to go”) Excuse the state of the “patio”… it’s a farm and needs a bit of work out here 🤣
  3. Does this apply in reverse if you own a Mewlon but not (yet) a TSA120 😬
  4. Good call. I moved mine off the Tri Pier onto a LiteRoc tripod last Winter, and it’s now a super light weight, quick to setup, but capable mount. Runs easily for a whole evening without needing a charge and as a bonus, connects to SkySafari 👍 Having said that, on my wish list are the motorising kit for the AZ100 and (eventually) a TSA120… although I’m worried the latter will stop me loving my FC-100DZ and/or Mewlon 😬
  5. Canon don’t seem to think that expensive binoculars like these need objective end caps, but fortunately they accept normal 58mm camera lens caps, so I’ve added a pair of generic ones, which will work fine. As a bonus, they also accept 58mm filters, so I’ve popped a set of UV (clear) on them too, but will confirm if they degrade visual quality at all, and if so will not bother 🤔 @Stu and @Mark at Beaufort have both indicated that binoculars lend themselves to being used with various 2” astro filters too (UHC and O-III) so once I’m comfortable with them, I will give that a go too 👍
  6. From the “What did you See Tonight” thread for last night… The briefest of “first lights” for my new Canon IS 15x50… loads of cloud and the moon was very low, but it was enough to test them and confirm what I hoped, that they’re going to be a “gamechanger” 👍 Being able to get (very) steady views at 15x, without the usual “jiggles” or needing to mount them, means that I can now use these for quick views (lunar, planets) or just lovely wide views of star fields 😃 EDIT: Add Jupiter and moons to the list… spotted her in a clear spot before heading off to bed, was out in 2mins and got a lovely (steady) view… these are great 🤣
  7. These beauties arrived a few days ago, and although I’ve posted a little about them in other threads, I thought I’d start a separate thread to post my thoughts as I get a chance to use them 😃
  8. The ScopeView reviews seems indicates that too, so it is very likely to be a factor 👍 “I should also point out here that Takahashi finish the mirror polishing in-house and each pair is a matching set. Bench tests suggest Mewlons have excellent optics and this one certainly does, as we will see.”
  9. Yes, they definitely oversize the mirror to reduce visible aberrations… typical Takahashi, they don’t seem to ever “over claim” their specifications 👍 According to that review they finish the mirrors as a matched pair in house, so I wonder whether they literally don’t have the machinery to create hyperbolic and prefer to use their craftsman instead. But of course they have their lenses made by Canon, so that doesn’t make much sense either 🤔 One thing of note, is that Mewlons have a smaller central obstruction compared to SCT/Maks and (possibly?) Cassegrains, which does give them the exceptional contrast 😃
  10. This is why I love this forum 😃 I would never have considered even trying this 🤞
  11. I have to swap to a much shorter optical back end when I use mine with binoviewers, but then I’m not using a GPC etc (yet). In this configuration it does work very well indeed, especially with two Hyperion Zooms 👍
  12. There’s a little about the Dall-Kirkham design vs Cassegrain here… http://www.scopeviews.co.uk/TakMewlon180C.htm It does seem to be cost (it’s only been cost effective to grind hyperbolic mirrors cost effectively, quite recently) but also apparently they hold collimation a bit bette too 🤔
  13. Does seem a bit daft, especially considering the cost 😮 I hadn’t checked yet, so thank you, and that is something I really wouldn’t have considered… using filters in binoculars 👍
  14. That’s a really good idea, didn’t think of that, thanks 😃 Ah ha, great minds etc… already had picked up a pair of (generic) 58mm lens caps, which work well and protect it. Thanks to @JeremyS too for heads up that they don’t arrive with any objective covers 😮 I’ve also fitted some UV (clear) filters too, to protect the front objectives in use, but jury is out as to whether these will degrade the image quality and are even necessary 🤔
  15. Very much so… takes about a second, but then it’s just like magic 😃
  16. They’re amazing 👍 We’ve rented a cottage in West Wales for a short break later in November (with our dog), so I’m looking forward to bringing these along, for cliff top walks and some light astronomy 🤞😃
  17. The briefest of “first lights” for my new Canon IS 15x50… loads of cloud and the moon was very low, but it was enough to test them and confirm what I hoped, that they’re going to be a “gamechanger” 👍 Being able to get (very) steady views at 15x, without the usual “jiggles” or needing to mount them, means that I can now use these for quick views (lunar, planets) or just lovely wide views of star fields 😄 EDIT: Add Jupiter and moons to the list… spotted her in a clear spot before heading off to bed, was out in 2mins and got a lovely (steady) view… these are great 🤣
  18. Without wishing to state the obvious @JeremyS… I always mount my Mewlon on the right side of my mount, which conveniently puts the focuser right under the diagonal, where you can reach it with ease 🤔😄 I am aware that some say the AZ100 should only have single scopes mounted on the left, but I can’t believe that’s an issue with a lightweight scope like these 😬🤔
  19. I might have also done that, but now way I will admit to it on public forum 😁
  20. Oh and the end cap, makes a very fine hat... something vaguely "nautical" about it.... or is that just me 🤣
  21. Very lucky indeed... loads of cloud here, although I managed a very quick test of the IS 15x50 on the moon a few stars (through the clouds)... let's just say "gamechanger", without wanting to hijack this thread from the beautiful Melanie 😁 Can't recall if the M210 is three or four vane spider (EDIT: just checked photo, it's four)... the M180 is three and so you end up with six spikes, but each is a lot fainter than the four you get normally 🤔 Good luck with Saturn 🤞
  22. I can confirm categorically that I have not sir… I think that was just pent up demand 😬🤔🤣
  23. They've had two delivered in the recent batch., not just your one, nice 😀 I noticed they had a bunch of Taks suddenly appear on the website... at least three TSA120s (yes I am still considering one, but not until after the wedding now 🤣)... perhaps supply is slowly being restored, or just they've finally caught up with FLOs back orders 🤞 Mewlon 180 is still showing as 90-120 days though.... wow 😬
  24. Oh and I'm sure you noticed that with Mewlons, Takahashi are so generous... not only do you actually get a finder, but they also provide a 35mm dovetail mount fitting too 😮 Most unlike them to give anything away free with the scope 🤣
  25. Welcome to the Mewlon club @JeremyS, and what a Mewlon that is 😮 Good move going straight to getting Baader Clicklock fittings for the back end, that does make life easier... if I'd have known you were doing that, I could have saved you a few pennies, as I ended up with a spare M72/M68 adaptor sitting around here somewhere 😁 I forgot this one comes with the 50mm finder too. Very nice, and indeed you'll love how easy it is to manoeuvre these around using that finder/handle 👍 Eagerly await first light, although cloud seems to be stopping play a bit at the moment 🤞 Still gives you time to sit lovingly gazing at Melanie for a few days anyway 🤣
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