HollyHound

Setup the FC-100DZ and Mewlon 180 on AZ100, earlier this evening and allowed it all to cool properly.

Just been out for 30mins and taken in some fantastic views of Mars and Jupiter 🙂

Mars is the clearest and most detailed I've seen it, in both scopes... plenty of dark areas very visible and I thought I saw some white at one of the poles, but it was very faint, so not sure (certainly nothing like the very distinct and clear ice I saw in 2020 with my StellaMira).

Jupiter has given me the best view yet with my Mewlon... combination of very cold and relatively clear night, plus the MaxBright binoviewer.... I watch Ganymede very close to Jupiter and then disappeared as it started it's transit across the face 😁 Loads of belt detail in both the DZ and Mewlon.

One thing is for sure... the Mewlon really does need an hour for it to give it's best... anything before that (without active cooling) and it's better to stick with the DZ. But once it's cooled, then the extra details is visible against the DZ, although it's quite close 🤔

Left everything covered up again now and slowly freezing out there, so I can eat, watch a bit of TV and then once M42 is up I'm hoping to give that a go... see what the extra aperture of the M180 does 🤞

3 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Getting the Mewlon ready for Jupiter tonight, whilst the C11 is gathering photometry on variable stars

Ha ha... snap, I've just popped the Mewlon (with MaxBright binoviewer) and DZ out on the AZ100 for Jupiter, Mars and some other stuff later this evening... Had a quick look at Jupiter now with the DZ, but left them both outside for the Mewlon to properly cool 😁

Good luck and stay warm 🤞

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Small scopes do present wonderful large airy disks don’t they? I love the views of doubles through my little scopes, even the little TAL Alkor, 66mm newt. Something like Izar looks like a tiny blue grey gem sat on a golden ring around a perfect airy disk. Beautiful.

Ultimately though, resolution wins and the DZ or DC will show significantly tighter doubles than the FOA60Q despite its quality, assuming you have good or excellent seeing conditions. The larger aperture shows smaller airy disks, which makes tighter doubles possible.

I did enjoy Mars through the 60mm, not so much detail as you say, but a lovely crisp and contrasty disk. I’m sure the better correction of the FOA has an impact on trickier targets like Mars though vs the FS-60

Agreed, the 100mm scopes will always win on detail and tighter doubles 👍

The FOA-60Q does however just give a sublime view, everything just seems so “perfect” and “jewel like”… in fact I think @JeremyS even calls his Gemma for that very reason 😃

The ScopeViews review does indicate that the longer f ratio scopes do better in “turbulent seeing”, so that is another advantage I guess.

It certainly can’t work miracles (although it might come close 🤣) and won’t supplant the DZ or DC, but makes a wonderful companion… which is why I have my AZ75 setup most of the time to out there two side by side 😎

4 hours ago, Hans Joakim said:

Thanks for the feedback, Gary and Jeremy! Much appreciated.

Those Oklop bags are excellent. I have this two-compartment, padded bag that I’m very happy with: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/telescope-bags-cases-storage/oklop-padded-bag-for-small-telescopes.html

Just out of curiosity: Have any of you done a side-by-side comparison between the views had in a FC-100 and the FOA-60Q on say the Moon, planets and brighter Messier objects? Not a fair comparison aperture-wise, or considering the higher price tag for the FC-100, but curious about how well the smaller gem matches its larger sister! 

(Guess I’m just looking for good reasons to buy another Tak!) *** Calling Takophile Anonymous ***

I did exactly this last week… as others have already said, the FC-100DZ will always show more detail and colour. However the FOA-60Q manages to get pretty close, and certainly holds its own for contrast. 

Jupiter shows more colour and intricacy on banding in the DZ, but the FOA gives a massively pleasurable view, and of course is much more compact  (travel?).

I find on the moon it’s actually a lot closer, perhaps due to brightness, but again I’m sure more subtle detail will be seen with the DZ.

Mars is sublime through both and I would slightly give the edge to the FOA, not for detail but for colour rendition and the sharpest rendition of the colour.

The DZ will always win on DSOs of course, due to aperture.

Now where the FOA does win, is with doubles… the airy disc is just so crisp, clear and bright and the diffraction rings are much more diffuse, so aids seeing close double partners 👍

If you can get one, then you will enjoy it… I’ve had mine for a year and a half, and love it 😀

Just now, JeremyS said:

It was you that told me about the Oklop bas for the FOA 60Q, Gary. Thanks 👍🏻

No problem... that's why I love this forum 😁

11 minutes ago, MalcolmM said:

Big favour please? Could you link to the bags you use for 60Q, 100 and Mewlon please? Thanks,

Malcolm 

No problem...

• FOA-60(Q) - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/telescope-bags-cases-storage/oklop-padded-bag-for-80mm-600mm-apo-refractors.html
• FC-100DZ (or indeed the FC-100DC) - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/telescope-bags-cases-storage/oklop-padded-bag-for-100mm-900mm-apo-refractors.html
• Mewlon 180C (although it says it's for a 9.25 SCT it is just the right size for the Mewlon too, the finder pocket embraces the built in finder perfectly 😁) - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/telescope-bags-cases-storage/oklop-padded-bag-backpack-for-925-inch-sct-telescope-ota.html

In all cases (pardon the pun)... they can be stored with full diagonals/extensions and Clicklocks required, without removal 👍

Hope this helps 😀

55 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Ok my Ethos case is done now (tho with one interloper 🙃)

Awesome set there @JeremyS 😮

If only I could get on with 100 degrees and the lower eye relief, I'd have kept mine... I'm secretly hoping the new XWs will form part of a lovely new set though 🤞

May these provide you with many years of superb observing 😁

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

I use an Oklop bag for my Tak FOA 60Q. But I wouldn’t take it hiking in it. Too long.

For my FC76DCU is use a backpack 

I have the same bag for my FOA-60(Q)... works well for keeping it safely stored around the house anyway... have one also for the DZ and Mewlon 👍

Out with the “big guns” this evening… for Mars, Jupiter and the Moon 😍

Mewlon just about cooled now… give it another ten minutes and then testing the new MaxBright II binoviewer (with 2x Hyperion Zoom) 🤞

Not that I need it tonight, but always super impressed with how quickly the Nexus DSC Pro aligns 👍I’m loving “push to” 😃

15 minutes ago, Captain Scarlet said:

This was my Orion-Helmerichs 200 newt on Skytee2, after Mars’ occultation but before re-emergence. Quite incredible the image-stabilization and quality of mobile phone cameras these days. They were 2-3 second handheld exposures!

Magnus

 

That is an amazing location you have there 😀

I thought our farm location wasn't half bad, but that looks like it get's nicely dark 😁

Just had an hour before the clouds rolled in… Dual mounted the FC-100DZ and FOA-60Q  on the AZ75 and got it setup quite quickly, proving the value of the AZ75👍

Got some good views of Jupiter and moons. Mars was ok, lovely colour, some dark areas, but not too much detail visible (seeing🤔). Almost full Moon was bright, but some interesting craters around the edge.

Interesting to compare the view between the two scopes… the FOA-60Q held its own against the DZ, particularly for contrast, although there was more detail with the later of course. The FOA-60Q does seem to excel at giving “steadier” views as the seeing fluctuates. 

Talking of occultations… I popped the HR 2.0 in the DZ for some closer examination of the edge and spotted a faint star just close to the edge, and observed it as it disappeared behind the moon… for some reason, I’ve never observed this before 😮

Hopefully some more clear nights soon, as I’d like to give Mars a go with the Mewlon, armed with the new binoviewers 🤞

27 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

Looks ideal for trapping and breaking fingers in between the front and rear sections.

Actually that is something I've learnt to be careful with, using my Berleback Nix chair... very easy to get fingers caught when folding it up, stings a bit, especially when they're a cold 😬😁

These all arrived last week, courtesy of @bosun21, all safely packed and in superb condition, thank you 😃

Baader SkySurfer V

Baader T2 Prism Diagonal

Baader GPCs 2.6x and 1.7x for my newly arrived MaxBright II binoviewers

Baader Heavy Duty T2 Quick Changer

As @Stu has already posted, after waiting almost two years for MaxBright II to come back into stock, I jumped on one from FLO and then another in the sales corner, including all these bits (except the SkySurfer). Whilst it would have been amazing to have two pairs of binoviewers, it seemed extravagant and as Stu just missed out on that pair, it made sense to move one set on… everyone’s happy 😃and my office is less cluttered 🤣

Just need some clear skies again now 🤞

Beautiful images... thank you for sharing😀

48 minutes ago, Hans Joakim said:

We are normally not particularly well-off weather-wise in south-western Norway, so having a lighter and more grab-and-go setup was a consideration when deciding on the AZ75.

The best ever dark sky I saw (before I was really into astronomy unfortunately), was staying in a friends cabin in Geilo (on the edge of a glacier I recall 🤔), about 30 years ago.... no lights anywhere (nearest civilisation was miles and miles away)... I recall the sky being just littered with stars, probably more points of light than dark bits... wonderful 😀 I need to find such a place again 🤞

Looks like a lovely setup you have there, and hope you get loads of stunning views with it 🤞😀

5 hours ago, F15Rules said:

I look forward to your thoughts and First Light, Gary👍..

The 16.5 and 23 do look intriguing and are clearly aimed to appeal to users of other high end brands..I think the 23mm is potentially the most interesting, as I've always found that focal length range (20-25mm) a really good match for my 1040mm fl scope. I've not tried a Panoptic 24mm, but know they are revered by many, and my personal favourite in the past was my lovely Vixen LVW 22mm, which ousted my XW 20mm due to the XWs FC, and just on the Vixens' overall sharpness and contrast.

Nowadays I have an excellent Axiom LX 23mm 82 deg, so that would be a fascinating comparo with the incoming  XW 23mm 85 degree, with very similar specs. I bet the Axiom is a good deal heavier though, although it is easily "decloaked".

If you'd care to do a side by side comparison at some point, I'd be happy to loan you my Axiom for that purpose 😊.

Good luck,

Dave

I'll certainly provide a report when I've had the chance to do the side by side comparison.... will be later in December now of course, but fingers crossed we get some clear skies over Christmas (as I'm off work for over a week) 🤞

I'm also very likely to get the XW23, as I want to put that up against both my XW20 and Masuyama 26mm... ok, they're either side in terms of focal length, but it's a focal length area I'm also very interested in... I did have the Nagler 22mm until quite recently, so will be good to see how it compares to that (from memory) 👍 

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

Cliffhanger. Which is the best?

I'm on the cliff edge too 😁

5 minutes ago, markse68 said:

Great- we have a guinea pig  Looking forward to your findings, though it might mean redesigning my XW case

Mark

No worries… I’ll be putting this up against my XW14 and Masuyama 16, both of which do exhibit field curvature but have superb contrast and relaxing, comfortable views… if this new XW is as good as I hope, then these will likely be reserved for the “lightweight” set only 🤞

Apologies in advance if your case will need redesigning… mine too 🤣

6 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

I'm afraid the new ranges' sky high prices will exclude me, however good they are, and my experience with the XW30 put me off..

They’re certainly not cheap, but then neither are Nagler or Ethos… I’ve had all these, and whilst they’re lovely eyepieces, I much prefer the eye relief and ergonomics of my XWs 👍

Admittedly, the XW14, 20 and (less so) the 30, are let down a bit by field curvature, but they’re great in my Mewlon and I’m hoping the 16.5 and 23, will address even that FC issue 🤞

I can see a lovely set forming… 40, 23, 16.5 and then 10 downwards… although I would love to see some other focal lengths released later too, if these work out… 85 degrees is the max FoV for me now 😃

Many thanks for the updates… as you know, I’ve  placed an order for XW16.5 this morning and really looking forward to trying this new range out 😃

If it’s as good as I hope it will be, then the XW23 will be joining it very soon afterwards 🤞

28 minutes ago, UKRoman said:

In any case I’ve found a solution to my issues with the noise whilst doing visual work. I remembered I had some noise cancelling headphones sat in a cupboard that I haven’t used since my last airline flight (which was before Covid). It turns out the noise cancelling feature completely filters out the high pitched whining sound 👍 And as a bonus, they also keep my ears warm on cold nights 🔭😃👍

Great idea… I also have some over ear noise cancelling headphones… will give them a try and may even listen to some relaxing music whilst observing 🤔🤣

31 minutes ago, Trippelforge said:

Ya I think you probably just nailed home on how much the units vary. I wonder why they are so different? I just ordered one two days ago so I guess I will find out first hand. Luckily I only do AP so it won't be the end of the world. How long ago did you purchase yours? Just curious if Alex has improved it any. 

I bought mine used about a year ago, but not sure how old the kit was then... it's in excellent condition, but just noisy 😬

As you say, not the end of the world and the mount is lovely 😁

1 hour ago, powerlord said:

can't say I've ever noticed or been bothered by it. I mean, its outside.. at night. 5 feet away you can barely hear it.

 

stu

Mine is very audible at 5ft, and unfortunately, as I'm not imaging (visual only) then I'm much closer usually anyway 😬

As it happens, I'm going to get the motor drives for the AZ100 and use that primarily (or my iOptron AZ Mount Pro). Keep this for if I do decide to do any imaging 🤔

I still miss this beauty… something about that colour scheme, solid build and weight… just oozes… “weapon” 🤣

2 hours ago, Andy ES said:

Hi Hollyhound, congratulations on a great bit of kit. what eye pieces do you think you will use with these? 

Thanks 👍

I use my pair of Hyperion Zooms in my WO binoviewers, so likely go with those to start with.

Initially only plan to use these with the Mewlon, as I don’t think I need the GPC for that. However, I will also look to use them with the FC-100DZ at some point too 🤞