What is wrong with Takahashi ?

[mikeDnight]

9 hours ago, F15Rules said:

..so that you're not tempted to sell your FS128 David??😈😂

But joking apart, could such a doublet really be noticeably better than the FS128?🤔

I know mine isn't going anywhere, for any other scope!🤗😊

Dave

I doubt a hypothetical 130 DZ would have any meaningful advantage visually over a FS128. You're wise never to let your 128 go Dave, but if ever it would like to come on its holidays I wouldn't charge it for bed & board. 

[Deadlake]

29 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

I paid £3,850.00 for my FS128 in 2003

That’s around £6500 in today’s money, I guess hard sell in triplet world of today?

[Andrew_B]

59 minutes ago, Deadlake said:

That’s around £6500 in today’s money, I guess hard sell in triplet world of today?

Tak doublets have a pretty devoted following and a 5" fluorite doublet would probably sell in reasonable numbers, not least because just about everything else available at the high end in that aperture range are triplets, quadruplets, and whatever else aimed at the imager. Astrophotography drives most of the market but there's still a decent number of visual observers or people who do both and enjoy the convenience of a fast-cooling and lightweight scope.

I've just had a look at an old Tak advert from 1990 and the FC-125S was selling for £5,400 back then which is the equivalent of over £12,500 today. Even high end astro gear is far cheaper than it used to be.

[jock1958]

12 hours ago, John said:

Well said @Stu

The scope that has given, and continues to give, me the most from the hobby is my least expensive and probably the most compromised as well !

 

 

Could that be your 12” dob per chance? 🤔😉

[Deadlake]

6 hours ago, Andrew_B said:

I've just had a look at an old Tak advert from 1990 and the FC-125S was selling for £5,400 back then which is the equivalent of over £12,500 today. Even high end astro gear is far cheaper than it used to be.

Modern day equivalent is $5900
https://www.agemaoptics.com/telescopes/agema-sd-130/

Comes with a report, the scopes are actually delivered but have caused so much bad weather no one has had a clear night to form an opinion. 😃

[Stu]

13 hours ago, John said:

Well said @Stu

The scope that has given, and continues to give, me the most from the hobby is my least expensive and probably the most compromised as well !

 

 

Very true John. I’m guessing the 12”?

I’ve had a lot of great results with my 8” f8 which cost me £200 for the OTA and probably a net £150 for the dob mount. Quite a specialist scope with many compromises but great optically.

Even my little Heritage 150p has humbled the FL102S on a couple of occasions, particularly on Zeta Herc.

But, we must like the fancy schmancy apos because we still buy them!! 🤪🤣

[Stu]

9 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I doubt a hypothetical 130 DZ would have any meaningful advantage visually over a FS128. You're wise never to let your 128 go Dave, but if ever it would like to come on its holidays I wouldn't charge it for bed & board. 

I’d be quite happy with an FS128 or a 130DZ, likely very similar results and the 128 is a bit of a legend isn’t it!

[Skyline]

19 hours ago, John said:

Tak have made quite nice newts 

Looks like a MT Series, possibly a 6", wouldn't mind having one of those.

[Adam J]

20 hours ago, vlaiv said:

Maybe because it will be outperformed by this:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150pl-ota.html

😈

Yes but its not as pretty to look at.  

[Highburymark]

As a relative newcomer to higher end optics, certainly compared with many on this thread (I bought my first semi-apo about 7 years ago), one of the things that’s really impressed me about many of the older telescopes discussed on forums is how they remain absolutely competitive optically with modern equivalents. Seems like much of the progress has been in other areas, like reducing bulk, but it’s good to know that  most top performing optics bought 15-20 years ago hold up very well against today’s scopes. The annoying thing is why we have to reach an age when our backs and eyesight are packing up to afford more expensive kit.
 

[John]

5 hours ago, Highburymark said:

..... The annoying thing is why we have to reach an age when our backs and eyesight are packing up to afford more expensive kit.
 

Ain't that the truth

I could probably afford a Lotus Esprit or similar exotic car now but I doubt that I could get in and out of the thing !

 

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by John

[F15Rules]

10 hours ago, Stu said:

... and the 128 is a bit of a legend isn’t it!

Er...yes, I'd have to agree Stu!😆

Dave

[JeremyS]

I’m feeling pretty proud of myself: I’ve resisted responding to this thread. Too busy using my TSA120 on Jupiter.

Oh wait a mo……

🤣

[jetstream]

On 14/09/2021 at 10:25, dweller25 said:

I am getting to the point of having a trolley made to support the FS128 plus mount so I can just wheel it around….

Is the back issue stable or other David?

Is a permanent set up possible for you?

[jetstream]

8 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I’m feeling pretty proud of myself: I’ve resisted responding to this thread. Too busy using my TSA120 on Jupiter.

Oh wait a mo……

🤣

Just imagine what an Agema could do with those 2 lenses an inch apart straightening out the photons

[dweller25]

42 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I’m feeling pretty proud of myself: I’ve resisted responding to this thread. Too busy using my TSA120 on Jupiter.

Oh wait a mo……

🤣

Hey up - This thread is about 5” Refractors not 4” plus a bit 🤣🤣

Edited September 15, 2021 by dweller25

[dweller25]

39 minutes ago, jetstream said:

Is the back issue stable or other David?

Is a permanent set up possible for you?

A permanent setup is planned when we move house, hopefully within the next two years….

Edited September 15, 2021 by dweller25

[F15Rules]

30 minutes ago, dweller25 said:

Hey up - This thread is about 5” Refractors not 4” plus a bit 🤣🤣

Well, to be fair, Jeremy's scope is actually a 4.742" refractor...only 5.6% less light gathering than the FS128🤪😋..

..or 7.3% less than a 130mm😁😂

Dave

PS.. to meet David's target weight of 6.5kg, Takahashi would of course have to abandon any thoughts of putting a handle on any new 130mm fluorite scope, meaning that Jeremy wouldn't be interested in one anyway!

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by F15Rules

[dweller25]

4 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

Well, to be fair, Jeremy's scope is actually a 4.742" refractor...only 5.6% less light gathering than the FS128🤪😋..

..or 7.3% less than a 130mm😁😂

Dave

5.6% LESS LIGHT 😱😱😱 !!! Poor Jeremy does not know what he’s missing 😂

Actually and seriously, If I could only have one scope it would be the TSA120 👍

[JeremyS]

8 minutes ago, dweller25 said:

5.6% LESS LIGHT 😱😱😱 !!! Poor Jeremy does not know what he’s missing 😂

Actually and seriously, If I could only have one scope it would be the TSA120 👍

Don’t worry guys, I’ve got my 2.4 inch Tak out now. F15 rules alright 😊

[Deadlake]

Oh man! Best nights seeing in months, I can see multiple belts on Jupiter (using a 5” of course) and you guys are talking about scopes you cannot buy or undersized APO’s. 😀

look up! 

Edited September 16, 2021 by Deadlake

[F15Rules]

Typically, I'm not at home and it's very clear tonight..went for a meal, came out afterwards to see a glorious sky, Jupe and Saturn very bright and lots of stars, despite the waxing 🌙..

Meanwhile my FS128, "Trinity", is snugly cocooned in her new Oklop padded bag, away from any prying photons!😱🥴

Dave

[John]

It's cleared a bit here and the Jovian and Saturnian detail is showing really well with my non-exotic ED120 tonight

I'm seeing 7 belts, the two polar zones, GRS in the SEB hollow, suggestions of white patches / ovals in the southern hemisphere of the planet. Brown's, tans, creams and salmon pink. Nice stuff !

 

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by John

[Deadlake]

Managed to get in the American Nebula as well, before the clouds starting coming in. 
@John the 4mm TOE gave some great detail on Jupiter tonight, if you ever get around to getting one. 😀

[John]

25 minutes ago, Deadlake said:

Managed to get in the American Nebula as well, before the clouds starting coming in. 
@John the 4mm TOE gave some great detail on Jupiter tonight, if you ever get around to getting one. 😀

Glad you had a good session !

I found the Pentax XW 5mm superb on Jupiter tonight with the ED120

Nice barges coming around the disk on the N edge of the NEB towards the end of the session plus a couple of festoons of the S edge of the same belt as well.

No sign of any lasting marking from this impact though:

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/383156-jupiter-impact-flash-discovery-20210913-223930ut/?tab=comments#comment-4139636