An interesting few hours with a Tak FS128

[F15Rules]

Well, I went back outside with the Vixen ED103s, which had dried out and defogged nicely in the hour I was back inside thawing out. Within 15 minutes the images had improved significantly, to the point that I felt that the Trap image I was getting was much better than earlier in the evening - and better than I got last night with the Tak.

The Batwings and the Cone in M42 were very evident in the Vixen, with lovely contrast between the blackness of empty space and the wisps of nebulosity which snake across the whole field.

In fact the images had cleaned up so much compared to the early part of the evening, that I couldn't resist putting the Tak back on the mount..I reasoned that if the Vixen was performing so nicely, then so should the Tak?

So I dismounted the Vixen, mounted the Tak up, and turned again to the Trap, with the Pentax XL 10.5mm. Wow, immediately I saw both E and F stars with direct vision - remember I'd only suspected E in the Vixen.

The image of M42 in the Pentax zoom was just lovely, right through the whole magnification range of 8-24mm (x43 - x130). I saw again both E and F at 8mm (x130), nice and distinct.

The nebula in the 10.5 and 7mm XLs was significantly brighter than in the Vixen, and more swirls and eddy type features were visible, as well as stars which were glimpsed in the Vixen being more prominently seen with direct vision.

I also got a nice Alnilam split with the 7mm XL, and an easy split of Rigel at 104x with the 10.5mm XL.

Finally, I revisited the double sword handle cluster with the LVW 22mm, and also the 10.5XL. Myriads of tiny stellar points on a black background.

So what did I conclude over the past 2 days?

1. That the Tak is the scope that I hoped it would be.

2. That the atmospherics where I live now have not been kind so far (still not getting much above x200). This may or may not be just the Jetstream (I hope so).

3. The Vixen ED103s acquits itself well versus the Tak in sharpness and contrast. Its great to have both scopes fitted with Tak clamshells, so they can both ride on the EM2 mount, enabling quick comparisons. Clearly the extra inch of aperture makes a big difference, and I do suspect that when/if the conditions do settle much more, the Tak will start to pull away from the ED103s.. and so it should..

It would be fascinating to put the Vixen head to head with one of the 100mm FCs or and FS102.

Finally, it has been so nice to have two back to back nights totalling almost 4 hours observing - more it seems than in the past couple of months!

Clear skies?

Dave

[John]

This has been a very interesting thread to read / follow. Thanks for sharing Dave

The observing conditions in this country can be a great leveller and it's just so easy to start to suspect the instrument even if it has a great reputation and has performed admirably previously

I'm sure both the FS128 and the ED103SWT are really good performers and right up there with the best in their respective apertures.

If the seeing is mediocre, or worse, then the smaller aperture seems to be hit less than the larger one. I think thats to be expected.

You have a couple of great refractors Dave - the stuff of dreams when I (and probably youself) started out in the hobby

 

 

 

[F15Rules]

Thanks John☺.

I think you are right, and I definitely think the Vixen seemed a bit less affected by the atmospherics than the Tak. Perhaps a bit like sometimes seems to be the case with big Dobs or SCTs being "beaten" by much smaller refractors on some nights, as they seem to cope with poor conditions better?

I'll be following the Jetstream with interest in the coming months, but I suspect it will make sense for me to reach for the Vixen first, more often, if the weather is looking "mucky".

Dave