Takahashi TSA 120 arrived

[JeremyS]

On 31/03/2020 at 17:41, mikeDnight said:

but you do know that green finder bracket will drive you bonkers on the blue focuser

Well, the good news is that the clamshell tube holder, the 7 x 50 finder and it's baby blue holder arrived today. So here is the new colour scheme:

The only trouble is that it's not so easy to attach a carry handle...

I suppose I could simply go with the original black tube rings and carry handle:

But I do think the clamshell looks better.

[mikeDnight]

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

Well, the good news is that the clamshell tube holder, the 7 x 50 finder and it's baby blue holder arrived today. So here is the new colour scheme:

The only trouble is that it's not so easy to attach a carry handle...

I suppose I could simply go with the original black tube rings and carry handle:

But I do think the clamshell looks better.

Total Tak looks so much better, and that amazing tube clamp allows for easy rebalancing when needed. Loving that scope Jeremy. Each time I look at the pic's my heart rate noticeably increases. It's almost erotic! Almost!!

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

Total Tak looks so much better, and that amazing tube clamp allows for easy rebalancing when needed. Loving that scope Jeremy. Each time I look at the pic's my heart rate noticeably increases. It's almost erotic! Almost!!

I love it when you talk dirty, Mike

🙂

 

[JeremyS]

Just been trying to focus the new 7 x 50 finder on Venus. It was waaaay out of focus. Either it wasn't tested at the factory, slipped in transit or the tester has a weird prescription. Probably the latter 🙂

Note to self: probably easier to focus on a star which is a point source. But it's still light. But was able to see Venus's just-under-half phase clearly in the finder.

[Nakedgun]

5 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

Total Tak looks so much better, and that amazing tube clamp allows for easy rebalancing when needed. Loving that scope Jeremy. Each time I look at the pic's my heart rate noticeably increases. It's almost erotic! Almost!!

 

What do you mean "almost"?

[paulastro]

On 03/04/2020 at 19:49, JeremyS said:

I love it when you talk dirty, Mike

🙂

 

You shouldn't encourage him Jeremy, he will only get worse! 😏

[Dr Strange]

Go with the carry handle. It makes a big difference! Seriously! Try it without it then try it with it...

[Sunshine]

41 minutes ago, Dr Strange said:

Go with the carry handle. It makes a big difference! Seriously! Try it without it then try it with it...

I agree, i certainly would not swap out that carry handle, you will miss it.

Edited April 5, 2020 by Sunshine

[dweller25]

I changed from the clamshell to rings so I could add a carry handle - feels much safer when moving the scope onto the mount.

[Dr Strange]

Spot on David! I bought 3 handles from Explore Scientific USA for this very reason. I put them on all of my refractors. The Mewlon's have a built in handle via the finder stalk. I need to buy another though. Just with this <deleted> C-19 I am at a stand still on all ordering. They were $15 USD per handle so quite affordable. If you want to be a purist  you can get the Tak paint and paint the handles/rings. I have seen this done by others. I am too lazy.

[JeremyS]

On 31/03/2020 at 22:56, JeremyS said:

Having said that, it was used to store the Berlebach Planet tripod, so I'll have to get another bag.

The other bag arrived yesterday, so I now have matching bags for the Tak TSA 120 and the Berlebach tripod. Each back comes with a set of removable padding, so I removed it from the tripod bag (I figure the wooden tripod doesn't need it) and transferred to the scope bag.

[Cleetus]

Hope your new telescope gives you many years of starlight - it certainly looks the business! Can I just ask if you have had a chance to compare the 6x30 and 7x50 Tak finders? And, as you already had one of the best finders available, why did you decide to buy another one? Wouldn't it have been possible to use the 6x30 on your new telescope?

[JeremyS]

4 hours ago, Cleetus said:

Hope your new telescope gives you many years of starlight - it certainly looks the business! Can I just ask if you have had a chance to compare the 6x30 and 7x50 Tak finders? And, as you already had one of the best finders available, why did you decide to buy another one? Wouldn't it have been possible to use the 6x30 on your new telescope?

They are both excellent finders, but, as always aperture, wins. I use a 6 x 30 on the Tak FS60 and FC 76 DCU and a 7 x 50 on the FS102 and TSA 120.

Both are fine for finding brighter objects, but the 50 mm wins for fainter ones.

[BGazing]

@JeremyS congratulations! You sourced it through@FLO but I do not see it listed...so they ordered it on the side for you?

Is that Az-EQ5 you put it on? If yes, how do you rate that mount?

[JeremyS]

Just now, BGazing said:

Is that Az-EQ5 you put it on? If yes, how do you rate that mount?

No, it's an AZ EQ6. The 5 wouldn't support such a heavy and long scope.

The Tak TSA 120 is on FLO's site.

[BGazing]

2 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

No, it's an AZ EQ6. The 5 wouldn't support such a heavy and long scope.

The Tak TSA 120 is on FLO's site.

Thanks...I see it now, bizarre that it is not available from the drop down menu, or I am not seeing it...

[Telescope40]

On 31/03/2020 at 17:04, JeremyS said:

Thanks to our friends at @FLO, I can now introduce you to Tessa, the Takahashi TSA 120. She was delivered this afternoon and weighed in at 5.7 kg. She's 28-inches tall.

Her Tak tube ring and 7 x 50 finder will arrive another time, so she's kitted out with temporary tube rings and a Tak 7 x 50 finder from another scope.

Hello Jeremy. 
Great scope. One day I might get my grubby mitts on one. Very nice set up. 
 

Fir now. May I ask. Is that a SW AZ EQ5 GT MOUNT ?? 
If so, Im really interested in the saddle I can see on the mount. 
Geoptik maybe looking at the colour.  Did the saddle directly fit the mount or maybe a compatible puck was needed for the saddle to work. 
Thanks. John 

[Telescope40]

Whoops. Sorry. Didn’t check for last post. 
 John 

[JeremyS]

2 minutes ago, Telescope40 said:

Fir now. May I ask. Is that a SW AZ EQ5 GT MOUNT ?? 
If so, Im really interested in the saddle I can see on the mount. 
Geoptik maybe looking at the colour.  Did the saddle directly fit the mount or maybe a compatible puck was needed for the saddle to work. 
Thanks. John 

No, it's an AZ EQ6, John. The 5 wouldn't support such a heavy and long scope.

Yes, it's a Geoptik saddle and uses a special puck.

[Dantooine]

On 31/03/2020 at 17:07, JeremyS said:

I thought the best deserved at least half decent diagonal, so I can use 2-inch eyepieces as well as 1.25-inches.

@FLO came up trumps with the Baader BBHS mirror diagonal

That’s really nice. Would it take ethos in 2 inch mode without the 1.25 barrel hitting the mirror or would it need some sort of spacer between the diagonal and the click lock ?

[JeremyS]

58 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

That’s really nice. Would it take ethos in 2 inch mode without the 1.25 barrel hitting the mirror or would it need some sort of spacer between the diagonal and the click lock ?

I’m afraid I can’t answer that. All my 2-inch eyepieces work but none has a 1.25-inch barrel

[John]

I've just measured my Ethos 13mm. It would need a 45mm clearance to fully insert the 2 inch and 1.25" barrel sections without contacting anything below. More if you had a 1.25" filter fitted of course.

I think the Baader 2 inch - T2 adapter has a depth of around 30mm so, yes, a T2 spacer would be needed. Baader do those in a number of lengths I believe.

 

[Sunshine]

Well, when is the first light report coming? the suspense is killing me! the TSA120 is my dream scope, i will have it one day.

Edited June 24, 2020 by Sunshine

[andrew s]

There is also the issue of not vignetting the light path.

Regards Andrew 

[johnturley]

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

I’m afraid I can’t answer that. All my 2-inch eyepieces work but none has a 1.25-inch barrel

I've never seen the point of dual 2in/1.25in barrels, the eyepiece ends up being a lot bigger and heavier than it need be.

John