Deadlake

What's the largest telescope put on the Zero, seems to be around 100 mm is optimal? I'd imagine a TSA120 would be around the max weight of 7.5 kg, Vixen SD115S is around the max weight as well.

So APM will be the same price as Tak, say 8% duty... If I wait might as well get the TOA-130, however given the weather little motivation...

What is the import duty going to be from Germany and Japan in the new year?

Does one 100 mm Takahashi look like another, if they do you should be able to swap them with out notice, I hear it gets done, but probably not a good long term strategy . This guys has strategies for distributing them around friends houses, around 9.50 min mark...

Any ideas on difference in cool down between Baader prism and mirror diagonals? Mirrors in this case will be faster then the prism, but buy how much?

Welcome to the club...

This spreadsheet has an estimated field stop. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uriY-G3PT6K81bJYZV5pudGB9Ms9FSbOlKq6Cj3AOaM/edit?usp=sharing putting in a 795 mm focal length f7.7 and a 1020 mm focal length f 9.2 and its hard to get a field stop > 20 mm. The smaller aperture should be fine.

That’s why I was asking, how do I work out if I go for the 33 or 43 mm diagonal?

Imaging circle is the diameter of light coming out the back of the telescope (2"/44 mm), maybe someone will correct me? I presuming if you have a 2" focuser you should go for the larger prism otherwise you are dropping all those photons.... I'm visual and had to look up field stop. 😀

It's an aperture of 103 mm with a 44 mm imaging circle on the back.

OK for 2 inch eyepieces with field stops up to 35mm in diameter. This is really the deciding reason to select between the two sizes? The scope I have creates an imaging circle of 44 mm, the larger aperture prism of 43 mm could make use of this, i.e. not throwing away light?

I'd presume larger aperture is preferable, are the smaller aperture models with a smaller optical depth really just for binoviewing? The prism diagonal also look cheaper, I'd of thought it would of been the other way around as the prism diagonals are meant to deal with stray light better, but take longer to acclimate. See: https://www.baader-planetarium.com/en/downloads/dl/file/id/1617/product/1687/baader_star_diagonals_t_2_and_2.pdf page 23 models 2456117 vs 2456095

I have a TOE 4mm and the HR 3.4 mm. I've not had that many clear nights since getting the HR, but they are so close it will be hard to split them apart. Last observation was on Mars, however not the best seeing. The TOE you can buy, the Vixen you have to be lucky to get hold of, but is a lot better value given the price difference. By the way the TOE over the summer gave some amazing views of the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn, so had some high exceptions for the HR. Viewed with a SD103S. I'm near sighted, so no need of glasses at all.

Finally managed to use the mount for the first time. A bit dark but looking at Mars.

Out of interest did you get it, from TruTek Astro? That website has been down for some weeks, I wondered if they are still in business.

Looks a great scope and it’s repudiation goes before it. How will you choose between this and the 120 TSA, they are about the same size? I guess the DZ will cool down faster... Ps. What handle will you put on it?

Came with a star book 10. Which for visual is great as does not get in the way. Can use with a third party app via wifi. Did think about getting an Avalon reverse mount, but really dedicated to the AP not visual. Rainbow mounts are good, but does not have the payload capacity.

When we have the weather. Very quite in operation compared with other mounts even with Rowan belts drives added.

Recently acquired SXP2 mount, however in the last month I've not found a single clear night to use it on. How spoilt over the summer, when just about every night was good. Will take heavier, maybe a 130 mm APO would look good on it.

Waiting for the clouds to break, what else to do but take a picture... Vixen SD103S on a SXP2.

Look new special edition Vixen HR 3.4 mm released you can buy new. Unfortunately only joking, managed to find this last example in an online shop. Fresh from the box.

From the deepest bowels of an online retailer they managed to find one of these: Hopefully the 1.6, 2.4 will be back in stock soon, however last one of this type. I'll see how it compares with the TOE 4 mm, but that will be weeks away given the forecasts. Just lucky a random click on the retailers site and I saw this was in stock. 😀

The Baaders ones, reported by CN'ers you have to send back several times before you get a good one, however seeing the diffractions spikes could be down to individual owners. As mentioned in other threads:

This for example, usually Tak publish spot diagram for all of their respective add ons: Spot Diagram for FC-100DZ with FC-35 0.66X Reducer Would be interested to know how you get on with it. As far as the prism goes I was toying with the idea of a 90 degrees prism however after some research they tend to have diffraction spikes so will go with a similar one to you. Edit, given the figures above why am I asking 😀.

Tak states that the extender decreases the focus dot size, hence the mention. Since you are looking at planets are you using a 90 degrees erecting prism, cannot tell from the photo? Thanks