My New TEC 140

[Retro Gear]

Hi Steve – I'm still looking at options for a new scope and the TEC 140 is on the radar at the moment. Also – the Mesu 200 is likely to be the mount I'm going to get following the advice from SGL members. So you may have the scope/mount combo I'm considering – going to follow any reports / reviews of your new gear. Congratulations - it looks a fantastic piece of kit – hope the skies clear for you so you can enjoy it - skies have been strangely clear here in Yorkshire past few nights – time to count my money again  – really like the look of the TEC.

Will

[Owmuchonomy]

On 8 April 2016 at 21:22, kirkster501 said:

Well you can buy a scopeguard case for an extra $490 at time of ordering the TEC   I'm going to get a custom one made.

Hi Steve. Any particular reason you purchased from the US rather than TS in Germany?

[Retro Gear]

Hi Steve - I was going to ask a similar question to that of Chris above - any reason not to purchase from Astrograph ?

Will

[stevepeverall]

Quote

Posted Wednesday at 09:02 · Report post

On ‎08‎/‎04‎/‎2016 at 21:22, kirkster501 said:

Well you can buy a scopeguard case for an extra $490 at time of ordering the TEC   I'm going to get a custom one made.

For my somewhat cheaper APM 140 F/7, I remained consistently mean and bought a cheap but fully functional case for around £60.  Trifibre sell these as drum cases.  The shop link for the case I bought is here: https://store.trifibre.co.uk/drum-hardware-case-39x12x12.html, but at the time of writing the site has a bad certificate so you may have a problem with the link.  The main site entry is here: http://www.trifibre.co.uk/index/.

Here's another option for about £75. They sell handles as accessories.

Thon Accessory Case 105x30x28 BK

http://www.thomann.de/gb/thon_zubehoercase_105_32_28_schwarz.htm

 

[Linda]

Congrats with the new scope. Just remember to turn is horizontal before closing the obsy roof. ;-)

[kirkster501]

Well, had two nights with the scope,  "visual" only so far.  The view of the moon with a Nagler 17mm is a sight to behold, utterly beautiful.  Jupiter though a 12mm Nagler was a peach also.

Yes, this was an expensive scope.  But I will have it for many years and I am delighted with it!

Just to add, this scope works perfectly on the NEQ6 - no problems whatsoever.

Next - some AP through it!  I will keep you informed!

 

[kirkster501]

On 20/04/2016 at 10:54, Owmuchonomy said:

Hi Steve. Any particular reason you purchased from the US rather than TS in Germany?

Hi, because they do not hold stock, as a retailer they join the [long] queue and you still have to pay the duties on top of the price quoted.  I dealt directly with TEC, Yuri Petrunin himself (the founder and CEO) - he is such a top bloke, there is NOTHING he does not know about telescopes.

[kirkster501]

Only used the scope for visual so far and it is absolutely magnificent.  The best views I have ever had of the moon are through this scope and a Nagler 12mm.  The moon was almost alive, I could reach out and touch it almost.

Jupiter was fabulous through a Radian 8mm.  Great disk and bands and the GRS clearly visible with swirls and banding.

I will get onto its imaging qualities in due course!

 

[Stu]

14 minutes ago, kirkster501 said:

Only used the scope for visual so far and it is absolutely magnificent.  The best views I have ever had of the moon are through this scope and a Nagler 12mm.  The moon was almost alive, I could reach out and touch it almost.

Jupiter was fabulous through a Radian 8mm.  Great disk and bands and the GRS clearly visible with swirls and banding.

I will get onto its imaging qualities in due course!

 

Sounds fabulous Steve, not jealous at all ?

Nice to see it being used for visual at least for the moment, must be quite an experience.

[kirkster501]

Just now, Stu said:

Sounds fabulous Steve, not jealous at all ?

Nice to see it being used for visual at least for the moment, must be quite an experience.

Indeed Stu, it is wonderful.  For sure, I had to swallow hard when forking out that sort of money - six grand nigh on - but I'm in a position where I earn good money at the moment and I don't have a wife or GF to answer to currently.  So this was my chance to acquire something that I hope to treasure for the rest of my life.  I have not read a bad word about any of the TEC refractors.  I would have loved the TEC 180 or even the 200 but they are silly money!

 

[ollypenrice]

2 minutes ago, Stu said:

Sounds fabulous Steve, not jealous at all ?

Nice to see it being used for visual at least for the moment, must be quite an experience.

It begs to be used for visual. Of course, I have it screwed down, most of the time, for imaging but I love to observe with it visually. I don't try to use it on targets where it lacks the necessary aperture, I use it on targets where it has enough aperture and that good refractor magic.

Olly

[Stu]

Good for you I say, it's something you will treasure for life so it's money well spent as far as I'm concerned.

I think the 140 is probably the one to have. As well as silly money, the mounting requirements and general hassle go up pretty quickly with the larger scopes too. Sure they are lovely but I can see myself wanting anything more than a 150mm frac in future, possibly even a 140 ?

[ajk]

Great scope.

Regarding the price, it's only 4 times the price of the handbag I bought my wife for Christmas. 

Regarding the "GF vacant" position, keep it that way, "high fashion" is more expensive than astronomy 

[Stu]

21 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

It begs to be used for visual. Of course, I have it screwed down, most of the time, for imaging but I love to observe with it visually. I don't try to use it on targets where it lacks the necessary aperture, I use it on targets where it has enough aperture and that good refractor magic.

Olly

One question Olly. If you focal reduce these scopes are they still useable for visual? There is an appeal in having a wider view but I imagine you can run into problems with back focus etc?

[ollypenrice]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

One question Olly. If you focal reduce these scopes are they still useable for visual? There is an appeal in having a wider view but I imagine you can run into problems with back focus etc?

I don't know. I do know someone who's tried the Riccardi reducer photographically and I gather it works if the stars aren't too bright. I have the TEC flattener which is not a reducer and that's magnificent for full frame cameras. However, in visual use I pop in a 26mm Nagler which gives a glorious result. A 21 Ethos might be the thing. As a pensioner I'll never know!

Olly

[kirkster501]

On 20/04/2016 at 09:02, cs1cjc said:

For my somewhat cheaper APM 140 F/7, I remained consistently mean and bought a cheap but fully functional case for around £60.  Trifibre sell these as drum cases.  The shop link for the case I bought is here: https://store.trifibre.co.uk/drum-hardware-case-39x12x12.html, but at the time of writing the site has a bad certificate so you may have a problem with the link.  The main site entry is here: http://www.trifibre.co.uk/index/.

Chris, do you have to pack those cases internally yourself to protect the scope inside the box?

[kirkster501]

12 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

I don't know. I do know someone who's tried the Riccardi reducer photographically and I gather it works if the stars aren't too bright. I have the TEC flattener which is not a reducer and that's magnificent for full frame cameras. However, in visual use I pop in a 26mm Nagler which gives a glorious result. A 21 Ethos might be the thing. As a pensioner I'll never know!

Olly

I totally agree.  The TEC is a fabulous visual scope.  I was exploring the Apennine region of the moon last week with the Nagler 12mm and it was wonderful.

[cs1cjc]

On 01/05/2016 at 10:50, kirkster501 said:

Chris, do you have to pack those cases internally yourself to protect the scope inside the box?

The packing that the scope came in just fitted inside the case, which was a very pleasant surprise!

[kirkster501]

I also wanted to add the TEC 140 works fine on the NEQ6.  I have it with a guidescope and ATIK460+FW and it tracks perfectly.  Still going for a MESU but the fact that it works well on the NEQ6 has lessened the urgency to get the MESU.  I'll get my tax return in and paid for before phoning Bernard at MA to join the MESU queue!