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On 22/05/2018 at 14:26, Stub Mandrel said:

Nah.

They should be tak-tile.

Do you guys actually look through these Taks, or just play dress-up with them as an alternative to Action Man?

?

Oops, we're rumbled guys!!

Fair cop, Guv... we actually race around Kelling twice a year in the middle of the night in full camo gear pointing at our scopes and yelling " A tak A tak A tak"!!

:hiding::help::iamwithstupid:

Dave

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  • 2 weeks later...
5 minutes ago, 25585 said:

66 Equinox. More portable and lighter than the 80 Equinox. I have all 4 Equinox models now (AFAIK)!....

Very nice.

How does the Equinox 100 compare, in terms of optical performance, with the TAK FC-100DL ? (both the same spec I believe ?)

 

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2 hours ago, John said:

Very nice.

How does the Equinox 100 compare, in terms of optical performance, with the TAK FC-100DL ? (both the same spec I believe ?)

 

Both being 900mm F9. 

At lower magnification I could not see any constant difference but at higher say 100 to my max 150 or more, the difference is not so much CA as light transmission and possibly contrast I think, more noticeable across the FOV. 

For Jupiter, especially it's moons moving and surface shadow transit, the Tak has made it seem high definition, likewise separating moons from the planet's edge. I have given the Tax more use than its Equinox stable mate.

Using 10mm XW, 9mm Morpheus, 8mm LVW and 7mm XW for both scopes, I ended up using the parfocal Pentax pair most. Their TFOVs are close to the other 2.

Fitting my DL with Q 1.6x extender and the Equinox with an Altair 1.6x 2 inch Barlow, the Tak was literally clearer ahead. I have yet to try 2x Zeiss Barlow and ES 2x extender on both scopes. The diagonals I used were an Astro Physics  Maxbright on Equinox and TV Everbrite on Tak.

Lots more comparison fun ahead. ? 

astronomy_tools_fov (7).png

Edited by 25585
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19 minutes ago, 25585 said:

Both being 900mm F9. 

At lower magnification I could not see any constant difference but at higher say 100 to my max 150 or more, the difference is not so much CA as light transmission and possibly contrast I think, more noticeable across the FOV. 

For Jupiter, especially it's moons moving and surface shadow transit, the Tak has made it seem high definition, likewise separating moons from the planet's edge. I have given the Tax more use than its Equinox stable mate.

Using 10mm XW, 9mm Morpheus, 8mm LVW and 7mm XW for both scopes, I ended up using the parfocal Pentax pair most. Their TFOVs are close to the other 2.

Fitting my DL with Q 1.6x extender and the Equinox with an Altair 1.6x 2 inch Barlow, the Tak was literally clearer ahead. I have yet to try 2x Zeiss Barlow and ES 2x extender on both scopes. The diagonals I used were an Astro Physics  Maxbright on Equinox and TV Everbrite on Tak.

Lots more comparison fun ahead. ? 

astronomy_tools_fov (7).png

Good stuff Richard, should make for interesting comparisons as you get more experience with them.

Was this last night with the Io transit?

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The extender and Barlow only yesterday, in-between clouds and loads of aircraft (RAF 100 coming or going maybe). More time with gear than observing.  

The Skytee 2 is only good enough for 1x 100mm scope really, it gets top heavy. I put the Equinox one side as heavier and Tak counterweighted on top clamp. Both focusers worked well, the SW has a microfocuser as OE, which was useful. 

Comparing the two same FL 100mm refractors was interesting. Equinox is heavier, closer to its 120 mate than its DL rival. Deeper dew shield. No trouble with cooling for either.

Beyond 130x magnification hand guiding becomes tiring. Better with a dob as they seem more relaxing, but more focusing. 

Anyway Mars will be around for awhile I hope, that will test the red and contrast of SW and  Takahashi.  

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6 minutes ago, 25585 said:

The extender and Barlow only yesterday, in-between clouds and loads of aircraft (RAF 100 coming or going maybe). More time with gear than observing.  

The Skytee 2 is only good enough for 1x 100mm scope really, it gets top heavy. I put the Equinox one side as heavier and Tak counterweighted on top clamp. Both focusers worked well, the SW has a microfocuser as OE, which was useful. 

Comparing the two same FL 100mm refractors was interesting. Equinox is heavier, closer to its 120 mate than its DL rival. Deeper dew shield. No trouble with cooling for either.

Beyond 130x magnification hand guiding becomes tiring. Better with a dob as they seem more relaxing, but more focusing. 

Anyway Mars will be around for awhile I hope, that will test the red and contrast of SW and  Takahashi.  

Good to be out there with it anyway.

You need an Ercole, no issues with 2 decent sized scopes side by side.

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21 minutes ago, 25585 said:

Can the Ercole be fitted with a Losmany D clamp each side? 

Yes it can. Each arm is drilled with 2 M6 holes at 35mm centres. If the clamp has those holes (many do) it can be fitted to the Ercole. The only drawback is that you can't use the counterweight arm when a clamp is fitted, unless the clamp is drilled to allow the C/W arm to pass though, and I don't know any that are offhand. I guess a clamp could be custom drilled with a 20mm hole in the centre (needs to be very accurate) to allow the C/W bar to pass through and screw into the arm when you want to use C/W's.

I have both an Ercole and a Skytee II (again !) and it's interesting comparing, or re-comparing the 2 mounts. The Ercole is a much better finished mount, better looking (IMHO) and a smooth performer when well balanced. The Skytee II is more agricultural but the slow motion controls do have their uses at times and it is less sensitive to inbalance. Vibration dampening is similar between the mounts that I currently have. My previous comparisons (another Ercole mount) gave the Skytee II the edge in this with my largest refractor on board but the two examples that I'm currently comparing seem much more equal in this. Perhaps I've learned to balance and tune the Ercole better this time around ?

I hope that feedback on the Ercole vs Skytee II is some help :smiley:

 

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Thanks John. The Ercole only needs to hold my 100 and 120 Equinoxes at most so not too extreme. I hope it's metal is harder than a Skytee's puck. 

For a counterbalance weight shaft, if a dovetail bar could be used with a shaft central and perpendicular, then it would only need to be clamped in, the necessary weight fitted, and no need for removing or adapting  a clamp. Obviously a tough clamp such as ADM, and one with 2 or 3 locking plates. 

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15 minutes ago, 25585 said:

Thanks John. The Ercole only needs to hold my 100 and 120 Equinoxes at most so not too extreme. I hope it's metal is harder than a Skytee's puck. 

For a counterbalance weight shaft, if a dovetail bar could be used with a shaft central and perpendicular, then it would only need to be clamped in, the necessary weight fitted, and no need for removing or adapting  a clamp. Obviously a tough clamp such as ADM, and one with 2 or 3 locking plates. 

The alloy that the Ercole is machined from does seem much better quality than the metal that the Skytee II is made from. With a 25mm steel axis running through the centre of both pucks the design seems immensely strong to me.

You can get a C/W bar fitted to a Skywatcher/Vixen compatible dovetail bar here:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p3898_TS-Optics-Counterweight-Shaft-with-Dovetail-Plate---Balancing.html

I've not seen one with a Losmandy compatible bar but there might be one somewhere or that could be made up ?

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

New addition of a new (to me) Altair Astro 66ED-R ‘frac seen here on my 6/8SE GoTo mount, next to (dare I say it in this thread?) my C8 on my new AVX Mount tonight before clouds scuppers play. (I’ll await the pitchforks and mob turning up for dating to mention anything other than a ‘frac in this thread! ;) )

565E7CAD-591F-4E64-9FAA-08508CF11290.thumb.jpeg.db9945be3cb467b71c4d7b93a9a3ca9a.jpeg5FAA4C08-29A1-4A87-BD5F-AC6CBDF3980B.thumb.jpeg.a3c8fcbc8afe76c0b2346a199781f152.jpeg710A08CB-9A5E-46D1-82F4-CE75263BCA15.thumb.jpeg.0c6e516e0bdda83ba987591302405880.jpeg

 

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4 hours ago, Anderscn said:

Hi,

Here my Istar 150-12 on Ayomaster ll and Berlebach Planet.

Best Regards,

Anders

 

7FC3D4B8-80F3-4C31-8DA0-76BB40BF6C86.jpeg

41FB4F10-33AB-4C52-922A-58775F2A630F.jpeg

B9BE0C7A-027C-463B-B675-26E79E9A4BCF.jpeg

That is absolutely beautiful!! I'm so jealous, I have always wanted that Istar. Perfect mount for it too. 

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2 hours ago, Tyson M said:

That is absolutely beautiful!! I'm so jealous, I have always wanted that Istar. Perfect mount for it too. 

Thank you. I was a bit concerned about CA when I bought it secondhand two years ago. But it seems not to bother me at the magnifications doable here in my area. 

I really love those 1’st generation black finished Istar scopes. I would also like to try the 150-15 and 204-9 - I think this mount can handle them. Too bad they don’t make these scopes any more.

BR,

Anders

Edited by Anderscn
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1 hour ago, John said:

I used to own an Istar 6" F/12 achromat. Tough scope to mount if you wanted to keep it mobile (like I did) but a very impressive instrument all the same.

 

istar6f12eq6.jpg

John, I suspect it actually is the very same scope. Judging from the lens number I recall from your thread.

BR,

Anders

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ive gone from one extreme to another. After finding that i might have difficulties taking my Tak as carry on (too heavy) purchased this as an open box.

Here with a Manfrotto tripod with ball head...not recommended, and I could have packed my Vamo mount, but this was a very lightweight piece of kit..

Still to fathom out how to fix a finder scope to this too, so delighted to find my targets with this rig! Shared the views with some fellow hotel guests...my "dark patch" above the beach was where they congregated to share a beer and chat until late into the night...fortunately their English was better than my Romanian!

Chris

IMG_2451.JPG

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41 minutes ago, Cjg said:

ive gone from one extreme to another. After finding that i might have difficulties taking my Tak as carry on (too heavy) purchased this as an open box.

Here with a Manfrotto tripod with ball head...not recommended, and I could have packed my Vamo mount, but this was a very lightweight piece of kit..

Still to fathom out how to fix a finder scope to this too, so delighted to find my targets with this rig! Shared the views with some fellow hotel guests...my "dark patch" above the beach was where they congregated to share a beer and chat until late into the night...fortunately their English was better than my Romanian!

Chris

IMG_2451.JPG

See my thread I started a few days back over just the same issue with a finderscope as you. :) 

 

 

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Im noticing a common theme here on this thread. Most people have a refrac with an aperture of less than 90mm. Do you think this is because even small aperture Fracs are just so good or is it because as the aperture increases,so does the price. 

*or is it because as the aperture increases,so does the price*. 

Not strictly true. My 1st frac was a 90mm Celestron on EQ mount. I think it cost me just shy of 400 euros (they saw me coming). My latest Frac is a Bresser ar102xs and cost me about 250 euros.

I must admit that i think Fracs are the best looking scopes.

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