Show us your Frac

[Sunshine]

I don't have a nice Frac, i want a nice frac, jealous of you all!!

[John]

55 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

I don't have a nice Frac, i want a nice frac, jealous of you all!!

Your Lunt LS60 is a nice frac !

[Sunshine]

Yes true haha you got me there, but i meant for night, i really daydream about a 120 Tak or something along those lines lol, a single tear rolls down my eye lol.

[John]

1 hour ago, Sunshine said:

Yes true haha you got me there, but i meant for night, i really daydream about a 120 Tak or something along those lines lol, a single tear rolls down my eye lol.

Your Skywatcher Mak Cass 150 will be doing a pretty good impression of a 120mm apochromat so you are probably not missing much to be honest

[Sunshine]

I trust you know exactly what you're talking about, looks like you have a mountains worth of experience, also, i have read up on a great many reviews on this and other forms by those who have the 150 and every one of them can't say enough good 

about em. like any scope they do have their flaws of course but what scope doesn't! some have even put them head to head with fine fracs costing many times more and in every case the 150 Mak held its own very well.

been waiting two weeks now for my Mak, should be here soon, i can't wait to stick an eyepiece in it (given a couple hours cool down) of course!

[GavStar]

Christmas came early for me today so I decided to do a family picture.

left to right: televue tv60, Lunt LS60 double stack, televue tv85, takahashi FC100DF, Astro-physics 130GTX and then finally TEC 160FL

[Chris]

Now you're just showing off, Gav  Wonderful selection of scopes! I'm sure I speak for all when I say I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the TEC160FL!

[Ricochet]

I think it says something that it took a second look to notice there was a Tak in the middle....

and a third look to notice there was text above listing the scopes.

[rl]

SGL have not seen fit to offer an "react" emoticon for envy...

[Peter Drew]

16 hours ago, rl said:

SGL have not seen fit to offer an "react" emoticon for envy...

No need, why do you think that Taks are in green? 

[iPeace]

Stanley and Bjorn together on some old mount I had standing around.

[Rainmaker]

My Takahashi TSA120 F7.5 Triplet Super APO & Friend, now permanently joined at the hip ! ....  The " Bi-Tak 120 "

Edited December 5, 2017 by Rainmaker

[John]

Pure class Matt

That do you mount it / them on ?

[Rainmaker]

4 minutes ago, John said:

Pure class Matt

That do you mount it / them on ?

Thanks John,

This is the current setup though it will change a little once I build a top-mount for the AZ-EQ6.  The binoculars weigh in at a svelte 15.5Kg so for field use another 5kg c/w is used to partner the 10.5Kg one in the photo..

The tripod is the Takahashi Em400 tripod rated at 450Kg !!!!

Edited December 5, 2017 by Rainmaker

[Chris]

Matt, your setup is giving me palpitations, I think I need a lay down! 

[Telescope40]

Woah !! ???

[AdeKing]

Wow!!

[dobbie]

 my head is in a spin my feet wont touch the ground ... oh back to work John. 

[Stu]

That really is a dream setup Matt! Amazing.

[Rainmaker]

Thanks guys, I am hoping to get some 'First Light' later this week, it has been raining since I bought the second TSA and the tripod !!!!

For anyone interested, the project worked out well and quickly thanks to Mr Tatsuro Matsumoto of EMS-Matsumoto who built the EMS-ULS system for me in a few days, and 

Range from Shanghai, China, who designed and made the cradle and adapters to hold everything together.  The cradle is a work of art and includes a 'D' series dovetail built into the bottom of it.

It weighs even less than expected (2180grams).  The total weight of the Bi-Tak is 15.5Kg + eyepiece weight. So actually lighter than my TOA130NFB.

The beautiful EMS-ULS units have helicoid adjusters that allow for fast and easy IPD adjustment.  The EMS unit on the right side TSA has collimation adjusters built into it which allow image merging on the go.

[Moonshane]

Sold two scopes to buy this

 

[Chris]

39 minutes ago, Rainmaker said:

I am hoping to get some 'First Light' later this week

Please let us know how that goes  

 

39 minutes ago, Rainmaker said:

For anyone interested, the project worked out well and quickly thanks to Mr Tatsuro Matsumoto of EMS-Matsumoto who built the EMS-ULS system for me in a few days

 

41 minutes ago, Rainmaker said:

The beautiful EMS-ULS units have helicoid adjusters that allow for fast and easy IPD adjustment.  The EMS unit on the right side TSA has collimation adjusters built into it which allow image merging on the go.

I'll hold my hand up, I was quietly wondering about IPD and collimation, plus what the system was, cheers  

[Chris]

On 01/12/2017 at 19:49, iPeace said:

Stanley and Bjorn together on some old mount I had standing around.

Is this another new piece of kit?   I've seen these online and they do look like a dream AZ mount. How does your new Bjorn stack up against Stanley so far?

[iPeace]

15 minutes ago, Lockie said:

Is this another new piece of kit?   I've seen these online and they do look like a dream AZ mount.

I've had it for a while now:

It seems (feels) like I've had it longer than this, I can't imagine being without it.

17 minutes ago, Lockie said:

How does your new Bjorn stack up against Stanley so far?

I've only done one brief side by side comparison with the exact same magnifications (identical diagonals, both with Nagler Zooms). It was lunar only and not the steadiest of nights. The TV-85 has the edge - easy to say "aperture wins" or to praise Al Nagler for knowing his stuff - but the 71FL comes close enough for when Stanley's weight is prohibitive. In fact, instead of replacing Stanley, Bjorn will travel with me instead of Moose the TV-60 (not that Moose is going anywhere, the TV-60 is like a Nagler Zoom - far too handy to pass on, happily living wherever there's space). Already thinking ahead to a Borg 90mm fluorite objective (supposedly just screws on in place of the 71mm objective) which should make the comparison even more interesting...

 

[Chris]

lol yep, there is always something to want to buy, and there is something to be said for compact handy optics. I've just hit the button on some Helios Lightwing 8x42 ED HR bins, or in terms of this thread - 2 x ED42 scopes  That's my Xmas pressie sorted!