Deadlake

There is also this thread here as well:

Introducing the new mount. RST-135E This is also next gen, and now has encoders. Note, encoders would need to be fitted to the RST-300 to be competitive with the Avalon.

You need to define other fracs 😀, and how dark the skies are for the scope being used, some targets might be off the menu...

Comes down to framing size between fsq-85 and 106. A fsq-106 second hand is the same price as fsq-85, however remember accessories a well.

Some of the HR’s are still available new too, they are the bottom four on @mikeDnight picture. However @John might want them too? @John did you make up you mind HR or TOE or both? 😀

The ScopeTech is a great mount and only 1.7 kg. If I was to buy a tripod again I’d go with a carbon one to keep the weight down. The 4 mm TOE gives amazing silky high resolution views of the moon. As far as planetary EP’s you can actually buy they are in a class of its own. There are other premium planetary EP’s but no longer made.

It’s Gerry @jetstream who has all the EP’s, which is the original question.

Depends if you are getting a 60 or 100 mm next. 😁

That’s just under the price of the scope: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/takahashi-extenders/tak_tka00595.html

I thought you where after a Mewlon 180? 🤣 Seriously there must be so many threads on Baader BBHS prisms versus mirror. I would suggest given the aperture of the scope that the prism might work best as Reduces scatter, good for viewing planets. Shorter light path for bino's. The mirror shines for looking at DSO's, does not block infrared spectrum for NV usage or best used in fast scopes (less then F7) as will not add a frequency shift.

My backyard is around 20.67 SQM, to go to a dark site is around 45 minutes drive which gives me 21.3, anymore is hours away in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 at relatives house however that’s proper dark at 21.8 SQM. Given the level of light pollution I count my self as quite lucky.

By the way here is a unicorn, a certain zeiss EP. https://astromart.com/classifieds/astromart-classifieds/eyepieces/show/zeiss-docter-125mm-90-degree-uwf-2-case

DSO's, aperture 76 mm. Presume you are thinking about travelling as you will need all the light you can get?

The Apollo 11 are a little smaller and more expensive. Yeah, the eye cap is a little silly on the 12.5 HW. I'd take the Doctor (good for a Bino use), if I could get one, you selling Gerry. 😀

It is the field stop of the EP, not the size of the scope that governs which diagonal to use. I have a SD103S which is light weight, however to use wide field EP's a 2" BBHS is the way to go. An Ethos 21 is not a lightweight EP for instance. 🤣 The T2 Baader is good for Bino's as it has a short light path, so having both is not a waste, you may have to get one anyway Dan has a great spread sheet over at CN (pinned to the top of the eyepiece section) which can be used to calculate the field stops, that way you know if you are covered. The sheet is also good to show the eye relief of EP's you are looking at.

I'd also take a look at the APM EP's as well, since I know some people (above) use these more then the Ethos equivalents and they are very good value even after the price rises: e.g. a APM HDC - XWA 20 mm 100° Eyepiece The Ethos weigh more and stay tucked up so they do not get damaged. A Nikon 12.5 HW would also be a good choice as well, as a Doctor EP's are hard to source. With regards to the Baader diagonal, what sort of fields stop did you need to cover (How wide are the EP's you are going to use?). The Baader T2 goes up to 33 mm aperture, so if you are going with a wide EP you will need to step up to the 2" diagonal. The prism will give you less scatter, the mirror will cool down quicker and be better for faster scopes. Best to plan for the future now on the diagonal or end up like me with both a T2 prism and a 2" BBHS. You also may want a zoom, I'd wait for this one to be reviewed as people have high hopes for it: https://www.apm-telescopes.de/en/hot-products/new-apm-super-zoom-eyepiece-7.7-mm-15.4-mm-1.25-connector.html Ps. Did someone say this is going to cost more then your scope. 😀

Seems to be off if I don't set the compass to true north or maybe metal in mount confusing the phone...

Just an update. Used this now and can get out of the doors and aligned in 10 minutes when using PS align pro and the phone cradle. For better results set the phone magnetic to true north in the compass settings.

How does the XWA compare with 21E in your TSA120?

The APM XWA are close to the Ethos line, but they do not have the QA process then. Just send them back?

When was the last time you used the 21E then? 😀

Its including a copy of the sky which is not cheap and the Anderson pole power supplies as well. 40 amp input as well so quite a lot of power. How much that all costs I don't know, but its never cheap for a dedicated appliance like this.

Agree, if you have the dealer in-between you and the manufacture then these scopes are good value.

Surprised about APM, you could try rupert@astrograph.net. He usual get backs. But the extra speed of the fsq-106 might be better for you, against the extra aperture as you've stated.

I went with a LZOS 130mm/F6. This is for use with NV, where the aim is to get as close to F2 as possible. Televue makes a NV compressor that will get this scope to around 2.3. The only other option would of been a FSQ-130, which are no longer made and double the new price of the LZOS second hand. I did ask about compressors but that’s a hit on focus point and also expensive if you go Takahashi. The LZOS deals with temperature better, the only issue I can see is availablity on the 2nd hand market. I chose 130 mm as multi use due to the framing it will provide. I’ll end up get a 16” dob as well in the future, different light grasp and framing. if you are happy with the image size you will get with fsq-106 and it’s the ED type then what’s not to like, for visual you can drop in a Q extender, (they apparently work in AP130GTX as well, so might try one in the LZOS).