Show us your Vixen Scope or mount

[Franklin]

17 minutes ago, Roy Challen said:

Really? I have a Polaris, those weights don't look like mine.

@900SL was meaning the Vixen Advanced Polaris mount Roy.

[Roy Challen]

5 minutes ago, Franklin said:

@900SL was meaning the Vixen Advanced Polaris mount Roy.

Ah, fair enough😀, I'm obviously not advanced!

Edited April 29, 2022 by Roy Challen

[Telescope40]

On 24/04/2022 at 15:43, Franklin said:

SP FL102S f/8.8. Don't really know much about the history on this one, other than it originated from the French market (Perl Vixen). Oh, and it knocks the socks off my achros.

 

From the Wigan area per chance ?? 
Enjoy.  John 

[900SL]

2 hours ago, Roy Challen said:

Really? I have a Polaris, those weights don't look like mine.

Autocorrect.. polarie, the small tracker. I used the 1kg cwts on my Fornax LT2

[Franklin]

7 hours ago, Telescope40 said:

From the Wigan area per chance ?? 

That is correct. Have you been following me?🤣

[F15Rules]

On 24/04/2022 at 15:43, Franklin said:

SP FL102S f/8.8. Don't really know much about the history on this one, other than it originated from the French market (Perl Vixen). Oh, and it knocks the socks off my achros.

 

Wonderful, Beautiful, Amazing, Superb, Delightful, Droolworthy, etc etc..

More details, pics, first light asap etc etc please!!😊👍😎

Dave

[Telescope40]

4 hours ago, Franklin said:

That is correct. Have you been following me?🤣

I had a visit to the seller back in October. I bought a very nice Vixen GP mount and tripod, with drives, from him. Your scope was in his kitchen. I believe my mount may have carried your OTA at some point. Not surprised the Tak has gone forward.  I am now heading for the cupboard under the stairs after those last few words.  

Regards   John 

[Franklin]

23 minutes ago, Telescope40 said:

I bought a very nice Vixen GP mount and tripod, with drives, from him.

Yes, Tom mentioned about selling a GPDX with a Sky sensor I think. Very nice!

[Stu]

@Franklin, have you managed a first light yet?

[Franklin]

26 minutes ago, Stu said:

@Franklin, have you managed a first light yet

Daytime views of the scenery on my horizon are amazing. Crystal clear, zero CA and focus snap, very, very impressed. Using a Baader T2 prism diagonal and a TV 24Pan I would say it's easily the best optic I've ever looked through. Had it out last night for a quick look. The skies were very hazy and not truly dark but the stars were tight pinpoints that snapped into focus. Took in a few doubles around Leo and Virgo and this scope handles magnification very well. Tried out my new to me SSW3.5 for over 250x and the image did not soften or lose definition. I'm really waiting on the gas giants and mars, I've got a feeling it's going to be pretty good on those targets.

[RT65CB-SWL]

An interesting review of the Vixen Sphinx SXW mount, by Ed Ting on YouTube... 

 

Apologies in advance if anyone thinks it is in the wrong section.

[MalcolmM]

I feel this setup is so beautiful it could be displayed in an art gallery

Malcolm

[JeremyS]

26 minutes ago, MalcolmM said:

I feel this setup is so beautiful it could be displayed in an art gallery

Malcolm

That’s stunning Malcolm.

Mind those BB spikes don’t scratch your lovely wood floor, though 

[MalcolmM]

18 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

That’s stunning Malcolm.

Mind those BB spikes don’t scratch your lovely wood floor, though 

Unfortunately it's not a nice wooden floor! Cheap laminate! I've better things to spend my money on

I've actually got a set of rubber feet for the BB but find the spikes great outside so just leave them on.

Malcolm

[Stu]

6 minutes ago, MalcolmM said:

I've actually got a set of rubber feet for the BB but find the spikes great outside so just leave them on.

Malcolm

I agree, spikes are much better and reduce vibration vs the rubber ones I find, particularly when well dug into the grass.

[JeremyS]

4 hours ago, Stu said:

I agree, spikes are much better and reduce vibration vs the rubber ones I find, particularly when well dug into the grass.

Good for scarifying the lawn too 🤣

[Sunshine]

5 hours ago, MalcolmM said:

I feel this setup is so beautiful it could be displayed in an art gallery

Malcolm

This is a beautiful looking setup! the tripod, mount, and that runway model of a scope are just a match for each other. Though the small counterweight catches my attention, is it enough? my eyes are telling me it is small.

[F15Rules]

8 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Good for scarifying the lawn too 🤣

Hmm...you'd be using real "grab n go" observing for that to work, that's for sure..😊

Dave

[F15Rules]

5 hours ago, MalcolmM said:

I feel this setup is so beautiful it could be displayed in an art gallery

Malcolm

 Certainly is, Malcolm..

I'm intrigued by the collar ring on the scope..(I prefer Tak collar rings to ordinary twin rings) - is that original to the scope? I've not seen that kind of slanted/offset "stem" before. It reminds me a bit of a finderscope stem.

How does that attach to the Vixen mount?..looks as if it might be bolted to a short dovetail?

Lovely setup👍

Dave

[MalcolmM]

2 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

This is a beautiful looking setup! the tripod, mount, and that runway model of a scope are just a match for each other. Though the small counterweight catches my attention, is it enough? my eyes are telling me it is small.

It's virtually at the end of the bar but it just balances. The manual says 2.2kg and the 76Q is about 2.1 so the clam shell and eyepiece put it just over.

[MalcolmM]

2 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

 Certainly is, Malcolm..

I'm intrigued by the collar ring on the scope..(I prefer Tak collar rings to ordinary twin rings) - is that original to the scope? I've not seen that kind of slanted/offset "stem" before. It reminds me a bit of a finderscope stem.

How does that attach to the Vixen mount?..looks as if it might be bolted to a short dovetail?

Lovely setup👍

Dave

It's really for the 60CB but it holds the 76Q fine and yes, it's attached to a short dovetail bar. That clamshell and small dovetail are really for grab 'n' go and travelling with the 60CB but for now do the job on the bigger incantation

Malcolm

 

 

[Deadlake]

6 hours ago, Philip R said:

An interesting review of the Vixen Sphinx SXW mount, by Ed Ting on YouTube... 

 

Apologies in advance if anyone thinks it is in the wrong section.

It's a shame the Starbook 10 was not reviewed, it resolves many of the issues with the original star book. 

That being said in reality an iPad has replaced the need for the Starbook, however it's not replaced the dedicated control pad it has which is great for glove based usage.

[Stu]

17 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

 Certainly is, Malcolm..

I'm intrigued by the collar ring on the scope..(I prefer Tak collar rings to ordinary twin rings) - is that original to the scope? I've not seen that kind of slanted/offset "stem" before. It reminds me a bit of a finderscope stem.

How does that attach to the Vixen mount?..looks as if it might be bolted to a short dovetail?

Lovely setup👍

Dave

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/tube-rings/takahashi-tka20420-tube-cradle-for-fs60cb.html

Just in case you get tempted…. 😉

[JeremyS]

I find the narrow Tak clamshells especially suitable for air travel with the FC 76DCU as they are a bit lighter and more compact.

Here installed on my FS 60Q

[IB20]

 

7 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I find the narrow Tak clamshells especially suitable for air travel with the FC 76DCU as they are a bit lighter and more compact.

Here installed on my FS 60Q

That extender looks ace on the 60. I thought about getting it for the 76 but by some reports it doesn’t change a lot. It would also make a lot of my eyepieces redundant and add 40cm on the FL which makes the scope a lot more unwieldy. Happy to keep the Starbase for the longer F ratio.