Russian tales

[nightfisher]

Have you had any chance for viewing, Jules? Even if just a peek

No very little time at the eyepiece, i did view the moon at full phase using 2" 42mm eyepiece, that gave very sharp views, and on a second night i tried it under stars but conditions were far from ideal

[Qualia]

Thanks, Jules. I hope the weather picks up soon, so you can give the little gem a whirl.

[nightfisher]

Still no updates on this beautiful scope, i hope to have a trip over to marki`s in a week or so where we will have 2 125r`s set up together, this may well be a first in the uk as they are so very rare

[John]

Still no updates on this beautiful scope, i hope to have a trip over to marki`s in a week or so where we will have 2 125r`s set up together, this may well be a first in the uk as they are so very rare

That will be quite an event - be sure to get a photo or two

[Marki]

Will do John. Might try to get the AZEQ6 setup in dual mode for the occasion! Just hoping for some clear skies next weekend... .

[nightfisher]

Just revisiting this thread, myself and marki did get both 125r`s together on one night, if i remember correctly marki felt my old 125 gave at least as good views, and was only let down by the focuser.

I have new started to regret selling this rare and beautiful achromat scope as i now have the skytee and it would have worked well on this mount, but we do things for a reason, and i honestly found the 125r offered very little over the 100rs, which is a true accolade to the 100rs

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

Whats not to like about a TAL? Great find,after your long quest, Jules! It looks a Classic. Re a name.My wife has named my new TAL 100RS 'Vladimir'.Not particularly inventive-Though one translation of the 'mir' bit of the name is 'Cosmos' (according to that great oracle'wikipaedia'),so maybe appropriate after all.

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

Just noticed the original date(s) on this thread,-wake up properly before contributing MoA! I'd just told Mrs MoA that I'd thought of the name 'Uncle Joe',when she asked why,I replied that it was after Uncle Joe sTALin! She suggested that 'Uncle Joe Starlight' was more appropriate! Oh how we laughed!

[Blazar]

I love these Russian beauties....its such a shame they are no longer imported. Would have loved a TAL200A...Andy's original 2011 thread is linked below...Don't look if you love refractors....

YOU WILL WANT ONE....

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/125552-tal-8-refractor-pics/

[John]

I love these Russian beauties....its such a shame they are no longer imported. Would have loved a TAL200A...Andy's original 2011 thread is linked below...Don't look if you love refractors....

YOU WILL WANT ONE....

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/125552-tal-8-refractor-pics/

I think they only made one of those.

I did try a couple of the TAL 125mm Apolar refractors and reported on them a while back. A design with some potential I think but needed high levels of quality control in manufacture which seemed to elude TAL at that time unfortunately, from the examples I tried.

They seem to get the TAL 100's right though.

[Blazar]

Indeed...I would still think there was a market for TAL equipment. The american site TALteleoptics still sell the gear (including the brand new design barlows). I ordered some from there a while back...but alas, I would like more of the equipment. I fell for the TAL's. My very first post on SGL was how I was going to buy a SW200P on an HEQ5 etc....then I saw the white refractor, classic lines, and took me back to my childhood...its a proper looking telescope...simple pleasures eh...   

[Marki]

Just revisiting this thread, myself and marki did get both 125r`s together on one night, if i remember correctly marki felt my old 125 gave at least as good views, and was only let down by the focuser.

I have new started to regret selling this rare and beautiful achromat scope as i now have the skytee and it would have worked well on this mount, but we do things for a reason, and i honestly found the 125r offered very little over the 100rs, which is a true accolade to the 100rs

I'd almost forgotten that Jules. Yes, the older version you had was very good, although mine was still suffering from some spherical aberation at that time. The Crayford focusser arrangement on my newer version (same as on the newest 100rs's) was much better though. It would have been good to have tested them side by side now that mine has been tweaked and very much improved following the attentions of Es. If I recall correctly, they had different coatings too (similar to the older and newer 100s' that you posted about elsewhere). My gut feel is your older one might still have had the edge. I also think the 100rs I have is a better scope optically (for its aperture) than my 125r.