Anyone wanting a TAL 100RS ??

[inksmithy]

That's actually a good question really.

From the research I did while choosing a scope, it seemed to me that all of the shops, FLO included, seem to put together packages which seem to only just match up.

For example, the SkyWatcher 150p might scrape by on an EQ3-2, but the accounts I've read seem to indicate that the longer tube length of the 150pl exceeds the capabilities of the scope.

I'm too much of a newbie to do it myself, but perhaps some of the more knowledgeable members could put together a list of the most common scopes and the recommended minimum useful mounts?

I know I would have found it useful.

Alan

[spaceboy]

As a rule of thumb, always go one mount up. In the interest of keeping prices competitive and available at respectable budget to the beginner who isn't yet sure astronomy is for them most scopes are sold on the bare minimum mount and tripod.

[spaceboy]

I take it your contemplating a refractor or MAK Adam

Maybe Spaceboy

I'm not making any hasty buys yet thats for sure, I have only got my head around the pros and cons of each to be honest. Although Maks and fracs are basically the same purpose visually. With certain benefits just brought about from their different designs.

All this talk of MAK's had me yearning for one again so managed to pick up one off eBay yesterday to put my mind a rest The clouds managed to break long enough for me to get out under the stars last night and I check out Saturn the Moon and M57. The reason why I sold my last MAK was the terrible cool down times and as planned it had me wondering yet again why I was back on the MAK firm. Despite slight fringing on the Moon and a turbulent Saturn the images were as sharp as I can remember them. I will have to figure out a better place to store it for the future so I avoid any side effects of a warm OTA but other than this it was great to know I have one at my disposal once more. As it was I couldn't find a better grab and go scope I decided to go for the 127 MAK again. My plan to over come the long cool down times when on the go is to keep the OTA in a cooler bag with a small block of wrapped ice. Fingers crossed this idea works out

[Ags]

Cooler bag? Pretty radical, but maybe an idea... I'm planning on a 150mm mak myself. I haven't really had cooldown issues so far with my 100mm mak though - I always give it a couple of hours outside to be sure.

[Ags]

But if you cool it below ambient you really will have dew problems.

[spaceboy]

But if you cool it below ambient you really will have dew problems.

This was my thinking behind the small wrapped block of ice. Not too much just enough that it's not like the tropics in the tube when I come to use it.

I haven't really had cooldown issues so far with my 100mm mak though - I always give it a couple of hours outside to be sure.

TWO hrs!! Sorry but your making want to go out and buy a Mobicool W35 Wheeled Coolbox just to be on the safe side

A lot can happen in a couple of hrs and I don't see any issue with helping the ambient temperature along a little. I've had the experience of two temperature extremes with my achromatic so I fully understand the importance of a properly cooled scope but I can't be doing with sitting around in a dark field twiddling my thumbs for 2 hrs, it scary enough as it is with all those night beasties running around

[Adz]

Interesting to read Space boy. Which mount did you get with it and how does it hold up?

I had a fantastic session last night, it put my mind at rest about buying another scope for now. Saturn and the moon were my main objects, with the moon so stunning it left me wondering whether I really needed to get another scope and would the expenditure result in a worthwhile image improvement...

Also what is fringing?

[spaceboy]

I have a couple of EQ5's so I only needed the OTA. I have a spare weight which will have to go on a diet to counter the OTA correctly but other than this the mount is more than capable.

Fringing is a thin often purple line that hugs the limb of bright objects. MAK's don't tend to suffer this as a they are well corrected but heat in the tube can cause it to become an issue on the moon. Achromatic refractors are notorious for Fringing/CA and although an ambient OTA will reduce it to some degree it will remain present on the moon and brighter planets. An apochromatic over comes this problem with better optics and multi coatings but this comes at a cost.

If you have any doubt about getting another scope then don't. The 200p is a good all round performer and will serve you well for many years. Most differences between scopes are often subtle and TBH regular visits to a dark site would be considered more beneficial than spending hundreds on various scopes under light polluted skies.

[AndyH]

I have been known to put a Mak in the fridge for a short while, in the winter, to help get the temperature a tad closer to outside, if even my cool room is not enough.

Andy.

[spaceboy]

Hmmm not so sure about that Andy. I would have imagined a warm OTA going in to an instantly cold environment like a fridge would have the optics opaque in no time. As Ags mentioned you could end up just as worse off with optics too cold causing dew problems. ARRGGH It's all coming back to me now why I sold my last MAK

Anyone want to swap a 127MAK for a ED120 ???

[nightfisher]

i own a 140 mak and cooldown is no issue for me as i keep in in the cellar, so when i fetch it up is sort of needs to warm slightly

[inksmithy]

You guys are making me nervous now - I was under the impression that cooldown took between 30 and 60 minutes.

Alan

[nightfisher]

You guys are making me nervous now - I was under the impression that cooldown took between 30 and 60 minutes.

Alan

usually coodown would be about 30-60 mins, my omc140 takes a bit longer than skymax range

[spaceboy]

You guys are making me nervous now - I was under the impression that cooldown took between 30 and 60 minutes.

Alan

If you keep it in the home and your thermostat is sat at 18' you can expect a real long wait under winter skies before you get any respectable images out of a 5" Skymax.

[Stardust]

I've had some of my best views of Jupiter with my TAL100RS, so glad I bought one.

[inksmithy]

Ahh, fair enough. I don't keep it in the home, but I keep it in my shed, which acts as my office as well.

Only heated if I'm in there and if I know I'm going out with the scope I can pop it outside without fear of it being seen or pinched.

Cheers guys.

Alan

[Ags]

I find the mak is great for backyard observing - I put it out before dinner and it is ready to go after! It might be more of an issue if I took it to a dark site regularly, which I don't.

[spaceboy]

I've had some of my best views of Jupiter with my TAL100RS, so glad I bought one.

Out of interest how do you feel it compares to your 127 MAK and dam you got some kit SD Take it you don't have a wife

[Stardust]

Well that's a tough one, they are different beasts. I am a refractor fan but was very surprised when I first tried the 90mm MAk, a small inexpensive scope that's worth having. Then the 127 came along and then I got an Orion 1/6th OMC140 to upgrade it. After a lot of side by side testing the OMC was sold on. It was slightly better on the Moon but no better on Jupiter and a dimmer. As much as I wanted to keep it I didn't feel it was worth the extra cost so kept the Skymax 127.

The 127 is so compact and fairly light, I can pop it on the Portamount for some quick views and doesn't take up any room in the car for holidays.

This can't be done with the TAL but it is the more versatile of the two, being a shorter FL, but takes high power really well. If I had to sell one, I'd keep the TAL.

I had it at Kelling last year and people who looked through were impressed. One chap was very picky and said about the CA, where his mate said "yes, but your scope cost 4 or 5 times as much as this one, I'm going to buy a TAL"

I bought it on recommendation and it really does perform above its price point.

There is minimal CA but I don't notice it. I'll have to get them both out together on Friday if it's clear.

It has taken a few years to get my equipment together, a few scopes have come and gone but I'm happy with the ones I have now. The TAL is the only one I've bought new, secondhand makes your money go further and I have a very understanding wife.

[Adz]

Anyone want to swap a 127MAK for a ED120 ???

I like your thinking and I second that question. Surely there must be too people willing to throw away their ed120's?

[Ags]

Thanks for the comparison stardust. Those OMCs often come up for sale at sharp reductions on the retail price, but they don't seem to sell very quickly.

I hope the SkyMax 150 I've got lined up for christmas will show a real jump in performance over my current mak... :-)

[spaceboy]

Do some research before you jump into the SM 150 Ags. I came across some mention of image shift on this particular model.

[Ags]

Yes there are some reports of image shift - I think it is a problem with larger catadiatropics in general. If needed I can always attach a crayford or helical focuser.

[Stardust]

Got to admit that I was dissapointed with the OMC, don't get me wrong it is a good scope but don't expect it to "blow the SM127 out of the water" as people say. It just isn't the massive improvement that you'd expect for the the price difference. It did have the edge but the 127 was just so much better value.

I agonised for a few months doing tests and didn't really want to admit the OMC should go, but it did in the end. I bought that secondhand, was a lovely mint scope with matching 8x50 purple finder and bag, I even lost money on that. I'd hate to have bought one new, then tried to sell it.

I'd have no hesitation in have a gander at the 150, they are good scopes.

A Maknewt is well worth looking at too, but that's another story.

[Ags]

A Maknewt is well worth looking at too, but that's another story.

I know - I was just looking at a comparison of the CO between a mak-newt and mak-cass and the difference is phenomenal. But I think I will stick with a plain mak.