TAL125R - First Impressions

[John]

I'm glad it's sorted at last Mark 

Can't be many of these in the country I reckon.

[AndyH]

Very pleasing news Mark.

Hope to hear over the coming weeks, months, etc, how you're getting along with it, now that it's working as it should.

Andy.

[dweller25]

Hopefully you are sorted out now Mark, the Tal 125R is a very nice scope. I did regret selling mine for quite a while......

[F15Rules]

Seen that photo a few times David  ...you sold it to Dave Gibbons, Dave sold it to me, I sold it to....well, I ain't telling as he still has it and promised me faithfully first refusal if he ever resold it! (That was 3 years ago and counting!).

...would make a fab finder for the D&G F15 though!!   :grin:  

Mark, am so glad you got the lens looked at...let's hope it will now give of it's best. A great combination of sensibile size and good aperture...

Dave

[philj]

Excellent news Mark, glad its sorted

[dweller25]

Hopefully you are sorted out now Mark, the Tal 125R is a very nice scope. I did regret selling mine for quite a while......

Yes Dave sold it to Dave who sold it to ...... Dave   LOL

It was a nice scope which I missed but have since replaced it with something 3mm bigger

[F15Rules]

Hi Mark. Have you had a chance to give the 125r a proper "2nd light" yet??

[Marki]

Hi Dave

I stuck the scope out early yesterday and was able to get about 30 minutes in with a well-cooled tube before bedtime (had an early start this morning, so had to cut the session short). Seeing steadyish, but poor transparency. I had a minor electrical issue with the mount so manual mode only - loosed off the clutches and just old school pushed the thing - I'd forgotten to charge the power tank (old schoolboy error!).

Anyway, some very satisfactory results. Aimed at Vega and popped in a 6.3 tal plossl for 178x. Now, previously the image at this sort of power would be "soft", with a lot of light throw, especially spread to the south-east of the star. Colour control was very poor. Inside an out of focus, the diffraction rings would be deformed, and again slanted to the south-east.

Last night however, I had pretty much perfect diffraction rings, either side of focus. The image was tight and sharp in focus, and focussing was much easier to achieve, with a good "snap to focus", and much easier to hold. I thought colour much better controlled now. I let the star drift to the edge of the field and there was some slight deformation in the image in the last 10% of the field, right at the disc edge. This took the form of a slight elongation of the star. Not sure if this is partly ep related though - will need to do some comparisons to check. Didn't really notice it in my 20mm widefield TS, but then I wasn't looking for it.

Moved on to the double double. Lovely clear split of both pairs at the same mgnification, and again tight, not soft. Next, Albireo - a simply gorgeous pairig of a warm amber primary and cool blue secondary. Depsite the sky being pretty hazy, not fully dark and pink with the glow over York, I had quick look for M57, and found it - a feint but distinct gray ring; lovely . M13 looked pretty good too, but the increasingly hazy seeing diminished its full glory.

In conclusion, the work that Es Reid has done on the scope has transformed its performance. It now provides lovely and tight views at high magnifications. Colour is much better controlled than previously, and definition is good and sharp across the field (possibly except the outer edge). I really look forward to some decent crisp autumn nights and possibly a visit to a dark site too, now I'm able to really enjoy the full potential of this telescope.

No clear nights forecast here until Thursday now - can't wait! I'm one happy astronomer - I think this one is a keeper!

[Marki]

Hehe - not sure given the length of time I've had this scope that the thread title is at all relevant anymore

[nightfisher]

Marki, this sounds very promising, and you got a good short session, sounds like big sister is cured of her afflictions, im really pleased for you

[sloz1664]

Hi Mark,

Really pleased it's performing well, so glad you are going to keep it.

cheers

Steve

[F15Rules]

HI Mark

That's great news and I'm really pleased for you..  

I've had lens adjustments done by Es Reid and he seems to me to be very particular and fastidious when he adjusts/respaces a lens, so you should be confident now that you have optimum alignment of your objective.

Without meaning to speak against your eyepiece, I always found the Tal 6.3mm to be a very average performer at best, with lousy eye relief.. unlike the 25mm, which is an absolute peach, I disliked every 6.3mm Tal I ever looked through and didn't keep them. My point is, if that ep gave you such good views, it bodes well for the scope's future performance.

Do you have any Circle T's of 6-9mm that you can try on the scope? Knowing that they are good eyepieces that would really tell you how well the scope is now performing...in good conditions of course. But it sounds really promising and it will be great if the scope is now giving of her best for you.

More viewing reports asap please!  

all the best

Dave

[nightfisher]

Have to agree with Dave, a 6mm circle t ortho or BGO will beat the tal plossl by a fair chunk