MalcolmM

I too had a good session on the moon last night. I saw at least one easy craterlet in Plato and was convinced others were occasionally discernible. Hadley's Rill was very evident to the South of Hadley, but nothing to the North. At lower magnifications it appeared as a curved line. At higher magnifications I was sure I was able to see/sense the jagged turns. Strange how simple things can fascinate but I loved the sharp triangular shadow of what must be a large mountain at Promontorium Laplace. Like @mikeDnight, I spent a bit of time 'touring' the landscape. There was so much detail I really didn't know where to start or stop or go to next! I always mean to observe with more discipline but generally just get carried away! I was mostly using the 100DC + Maxbrights + 1.25 GPC + 7.5mm Tak LEs which must give about x125 but seemed higher. The big wow moment for me though was replacing the 7.5 LEs with Tak 12.5 Abbes. The decrease in magnification may have had something to do with it but wow! Never have I seen such contrast and sharpness. The moon was like an etching! Quite breathtaking. I agree with @Stu, the Maxbrights are excellent and a joy to use. @F15Rules, I took a couple of phone pics through the eyepiece last night. I was very pleased with them. Then I saw yours above. If you get a new phone, send me your old one 🙂 Great pic! Interestingly I also had the Mewlon out last night and even though I think it had properly cooled, the views were not as good as with the 100DC. Other times it has provided much better views; not sure if it was the atmospherics or eyepiece/binoviewer combinations. Malcolm

A curved ball! Does it have to be a refractor? And I fully understand if it does. I chose a Mewlon in order to get more photons. It's a stunning scope, but gotta admit it does not do pinpoint stars like a refractor. What it does have is portability and ease of use (thanks to the finder @JeremyS handle ) and definitely a step up in planetary/lunar detail from 100mm. The extra light gathering is also very obvious. It's also less of an outlay than a 5" refractor. But it's not a refractor 🙁 Malcolm

The above has pretty well covered everything that inspires me (the hunt, the understanding of what you are looking at, the beauty of an open cluster, the peacefulness, the understanding of the scale of what you are looking at, the jaw dropping views of the moon and gas giants). The only thing I'd add is that I get a real buzz at what one can see with something as low tech as a couple of bits of glass and no electronics and, hallelujah, no software. @mikeDnight's sketches inspire me. I'd love to have his talent, but I don't, but I still enjoy giving it a go occasionally. @Ratlet, your sketches are fabulous too, I would be very happy to produce something half as good! Malcolm

I love a list like this. Thanks for posting. I'll be checking all these out! Malcolm

I think if I were going again that's the one I would get. Malcolm

I have a UNI 8. It is rock solid. Not very high but if I want a bit of extra height I have a pillar I attach to it. What I really like about it is the ease with which I can carry it outside. When the legs are retracted (with the tray in place), it fits easily through doors. When outside, extending the legs is an easy 10 second job! If I were to buy again though I think I would be very tempted to get the taller version and do away with the pillar - assuming it retracted down to a similar small size Malcolm

Great report; really enjoyed reading it. Love the enthusiasm a Tak brings out Call me deranged but there is 'something' about a Tak ... they have a personality Malcolm

One is a thing of infinite beauty, the other is ... a clicklock Malcolm

Just goes to show! The trick for me very often was to completely loosen the right eyepiece and let it 'float'. Despite really liking the WO Binoviewers, I recently bought some Maxbrights. They 'fix' all the foibles of the WO and I have never had any issues merging with them. I think they are brilliant. As for eyepieces; I already had a number of pairs but I love binoviewing so much I've doubled up on my Tak Abbes. I'm looking for some light wider FOV ones now too. My partner groans every time the door bell goes and another package appears At least it's only eyepieces now and not telescopes Malcolm

Nah, it's definitely a crab claw Malcolm

Wow, what a fabulous scope. I'm drooling at the thought of it! I'm sure it'll be a pleasure to use, a pleasure to look at, a pleasure to own and that's all before looking through it Malcolm

I have had nothing extra to pay on delivery so far. The most expensive order included a Giro Ercole so was quite heavy, total cost just over £400. This was in June last year and no extra tax then. Last order was June this year for about £150ish, again, no extra duty on delivery. Delivery was pretty quick too I think, in the order of about a week. Malcolm

Fabulous! I especially like the wide field of Cassiopeia with all the star clusters. Brilliant! Malcolm

Like @JeremyS, I use Tak LEs and find them very good. Also 28mm Tak Erfles which I find very comfortable to use. Unfortunately the above are no longer in production 🙁 My general approach is to keep the eyepieces light! I have always found the magnification with Binoviewers to be more than one would expect given the respective focal lengths. Some say this is an effect of using two eyes. I think it also depends on where the GPC is placed. With my 100DC and Williams Optics Binoviewers, I have to place the 1.6 WO GPC onto the telescope side of the diagonal. I have always felt this seemed more like x2 and a bit rather than x1.6 I have recently got a pair of Maxbrights and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Much easier to use, a pleasure in fact and no merging issues. I know this is not really what your original post was about but the Maxbrights for me have transformed my binoviewing! And that's despite having really liked the WO ones in the first place. I should caveat all the above by admitting I have not yet tried binoviewing with the 76DCU Regardless, good luck! Malcolm

It sounds like you are sorted but for future reference, have you tried here? https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/index.php/cat/c136_Counterweights-Balance-Weights.html/page/2 I've got a number of items from them in the last year or so (including a Vixen counterweight) and found them very good. Malcolm

Congrats on the Tak. I'm sure you'll love it! I occasionally use a 100DC on a Vixen AP and 1kg on the end of the shaft nearly does the job. 2.8kg easily copes less than half way down the shaft so I would guess 6.4kg would be much more than you need. Malcolm

Here's what I have. You've a shorter light path to the prism. I can see the part number from your photo. That's another thing to buy! I'd like the option to use them natively. Thanks again! Had Mars at x280 this evening with the Mewlon. Very steady seeing and some nice detail on Mars. Very sharp, even at that magnification, which I've never been able to use before. Malcolm

Just to keep true to the thread ...

Thanks @HollyHound, that looks like you've attached a Baader part direct to the Mewlon which would explain the difference I think. I'll examine closer later, currently looking at Mars with the 100 and XW5 with music blasting , doesn't get much better Malcolm

How do you connect the Maxbrights to the Mewlon @HollyHound? I use Baader 2" clicklock + 2" to 1.25 " clicklock adapter to Baader prism. I have to use the 1.25 GPC to come to focus! I have not been able to use natively, though I have read somewhere that the GPC corrects for CA (though maybe not necessary at f12? Malcolm

Gotta say I had another jaw dropping moment with the Mewlon when I looked at M42. So much detail and so bright! Was not able to see E and F but I was looking through a lot of atmosphere, Orion being quite low. And congratulations @HollyHound, great photo of a great looking couple. Wishing you many happy years together! Malcolm

Fantastic! That's very impressive! Malcolm

Very nice indeed! Malcolm

I was out at a similar time this morning and took this with my phone through the eyepiece. I didn't notice the 'fox' at the time but I think I see what you mean, though I think I'm seeing a mole Malcolm

I have a couple and think they are excellent. I must admit to using them partly to keep everything Tak I think they are excellent optically, very light, short light path and I like the locking mechanism, though I try to avoid eyepieces with undercuts. Cons are they don't accept standard filters, don't accept WO GPC for binoviewing and they will not grip deep undercuts as has been mentioned. Malcolm