MalcolmM

2 hours ago, OK Apricot said:

grab and go is a more important factor here

A 3" APO would seem to be a good contender here. My 4" refractor (f7.4) is light but it is the length that makes it a little unweildy. I can take the 3" through doors on the tripod. I don't do that with the 4"

I may suffer Takitis but I acknowledge that there are many APOs at a fraction of the price that get universally great reviews.

Good luck and I genuinely feel a grab and go refractor will complement a big light bucket!

Malcolm

One further thought @OK Apricot, you mention grab-and-go. For me, a 4" is just about grab and go! And I have one of the lighter 4" refractors I think. Whereas my 3" is a very easy grab and go. So ease of grab and go against that extra aperture and definition might be worth considering.

Malcolm

For £700 I'd go for a Takahashi FS60CB. You then have upgrade options of 76mm objective or the extender Q. But I must confess to being obsessed with all things Takahashi

Malcolm

4" refractor is hard to beat for the reasons stated above. Ironically I use a 60mm scope as my grab and go and my 4" as my main scope! It's all relative 60mm can be carried out/anywhere with 2 fingers! 4" is still easy (but more awkward than the 60mm) and probably would seem light as a feather compared to your 200mm. Personally I would go for a 2.5 or 3 inch refractor on the basis of it being so easy to take out on a whim when you don't want to drag the light bucket out!

Malcolm

The whole setup is a thing of beauty!

Malcolm

Great photos!

5 hours ago, Stu said:

Ha images with smartphones aren’t easy Malcolm. Don’t forget I had a 102mm aperture scope, so a lot more mag and brightness to play with. Not sure which phone you have, is it an iPhone or Android? I use an app called ProCam 8 on my iPhone which gives great control of ISO, shutter speed and focus.

It's a very old Moto (Android). I would upgrade if I hadn't given FLO so much of my money in the last 12 months

Malcolm

Stole a quick 10 minutes from work to see what the sun was doing today. No sign for me of the original prom of this thread but some interesting ones on the opposite limb including one that looked like it was in the middle of space, totally detached from the sun itself! Attached a rough sketch. Also pic for @Stu  got the phone centered and the adaptor centered but no amount of playing with the exposure settings brought out the dim proms . Even more impressed at your pics!

Malcolm

I got 15 minutes on Venus this morning, maybe 10 degrees above the horizon. There is something lovely seeing the small crescent even though it was boiling slightly through the atmosphere. Slight yellowing on the bottom half of the limb - atmospheric aberration? No cloud detail at all to my inexperienced eye. I'm not sure what conditions and what size of scope would be needed to see cloud detail? I was using a Tak FC100DC. But regardless, a lovely way to start the day!

Malcolm

Great report. I'm a refractor man but I'm always struck by the enthusiasm of Dob owners (and your enthusiasm is bursting off the page!) and must admit to a touch of envy every time I read their reports and try to imagine the views with so much light gathering power!

I'm sure you will have many wow moments with that scope!

Malcolm

I got 15 minutes on Venus this morning and had the tripod extended higher than normal. The scope was taking a good 3 to 4 seconds to stop vibrating after focusing. I was at a magnification of 100. A light vertical tap on the  diagonal settled much more quickly, but a horizontal tap was 3 to 4 seconds. Just wondering what other people's experience is?

I'm using an FC100DC on a Giro Ercole on an Innorel RT90C with 3 of the 4 sections extended (scope itself is 51 inches off the ground). Pic attached.

Thanks,

Malcolm

I love these two scopes dual mounted

This was last year when I woke at 2 in the morning, couldn't get back to sleep, saw the stars through the toilet window and thought why not?

Malcolm

Great video clip @Ibbo!

2 hours ago, Stu said:

Stick with it and hopefully you will get there with it 👍

I fear I may have misaligned the smartphone adapter

The problem today was trying to persuade my phone to use the correct exposure settings to bring out the prom! That coupled with dashing indoors trying to find the adaptor and the pressure of the approaching rain clouds

Malcolm

Those are great photos @Stu. I tried with the Smartphone holder you pointed me towards but by the time I had it all centered and ready to shoot the clouds had appeared and the next shower was starting!

Thanks for the heads up on this. Just managed a quick look between showers in a Lunt 50 with 7.5mm Tak LE. Here's my quick sketch  Interesting to see it changing shape over the observations.

1 hour ago, malc-c said:

Well done on getting results using what most would say is not really the ideal combination of equipment.   With regards to the last line, that's the nub.  Most of those seeking recommendations base their expectations on the images seen in books and on forums but don't have the  budget to achieve those results which are often taken with equipment costing four figures, but expect to get those results without a lot of effort for £300 or so.

Accepted

Malcolm

From my perspective, I think you have to be careful to avoid a one size fits all recommendation. There are so many input variables such as budget and so many output variables such as what quality of the final image you are after and how much time and effort you are willing to invest. I can only give my perspective (which many would probably classify as not really AP) which was an unguided alt/az mount, SW strartravel 102, an unmodified DSLR using 1 second subs and DSS and Gimp. I was really pleased and amazed at my results, though they were pathetic compared to images posted in this forum. But my point is, it worked for me! 

The important thing is that recommendations need to reflect the reality and the expectations of the questioner.

Malcolm

I used to have this setup. 

If I remember correctly there is a small dovetail attached directly to the OTA with a couple of small nuts and bolts.

You could do this yourself if you removed the focuser module. When I put an upgraded focuser on (which was much heavier) I had to move the dovetail to the rear of the OTA so that the scope would balance properly. That involved removing the focuser module, drilling a couple of holes and moving the dovetail.

The only sticking point I can think of might be the 'built on' dovetail may have had a curved surface so that it mated snugly with the tube.

Malcolm

I also have the WO Binoviewers. 

Sometimes I can merge the 2 images without trying and sometimes I just can't seem to no matter what I do!

I found the more I used them the easier it was to merge the images however, I have not been able to figure out why!

When I was having trouble I played with the IPD, rotated the eyepieces and tried to relax into it all and often this worked.

When it all comes together the views are fantastic in my experience so if I were you, having achieved focus, I would try persevering with a little more faffing around before writing them off.

Good Luck!

Malcolm

52 minutes ago, HollyHound said:

iOptron AZ Mount Pro is

That's the mount I would (will ) be pairing them on

Malcolm

55 minutes ago, Stu said:

The suggestion of a watertight storage box to place it outside long before needing it

Yip, that sounds like a good idea thanks!

24 minutes ago, Cleetus said:

Not needing a dew strap for the Mewlon might be a small thing to some

Before I was introduced to Takahashi (thanks to many on this forum) I was considering a C6 but the thought of dew straps and/or shields ruining the look of the scope let alone the need for power or doubling the length of an otherwise short OTA ... I'm with you

Malcolm

1 hour ago, Cleetus said:

Is there any particular reason why you would go for the Tak rather than, say, an 8" Edge HD? More aperture for similar price.

I have to admit to a severe case of Takitis!

So it's a Tak or nothing!

And I know that is not exactly rational thinking but I have hugely enjoyed not only using my Takahashi scopes but also owning them

A number of people have commented on the Mewlon giving very 'refractor' like views and as a refractor man I like the sound of this  

@Stu Roger Vine says in his review he thinks Tak use an oversize mirror in the section about lack of distortion at the field edge. To quote "I believe Tak may use an outsized mirror to help"

I'm convinced now the Mewlon will give me great views, I'm just a little concerned that I'll have very few nights where conditions will allow it to out-perform the 100DC. And the cool down time bothers me a bit as many of my observing sessions only last an hour or so, so I would need more preparation for my sessions than I currently allow!

So no decisions yet!

Thanks for all your interest,

Malcolm

Thanks @HollyHound, I had actually read your report before, but enjoyed reading it again. I'm finding it very difficult to come up with a reason for not getting one

Your dual setup looks great!

Malcolm