Show us your Tak

[Nakedgun]

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This isn't one of those "scopes only" threads, is it?

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[Stu]

My two baby Taks, FS-60Q and FC-76DCU, trying to be discrete in the corner of the lounge so Mrs Stu doesn’t object. Successful so far….

[Captain Scarlet]

On 08/02/2023 at 00:17, Ibbo! said:

2 Taks in action this afternoon

 

 

I’ve heard of “off-axis guiding” (TBH I don’t know _exactly_ what it means). But that image seems to be taking the concept to an extreme? 🙂

[Ibbo!]

1 hour ago, Captain Scarlet said:

I’ve heard of “off-axis guiding” (TBH I don’t know _exactly_ what it means). But that image seems to be taking the concept to an extreme? 🙂

The 2 Taks in question are the FS60, which was doing solar imaging at the time with the hershel wedge and the NJP mount is the other.

 

The larger scope is a Toscano 200mm RC which had its guide replaced with the FS and is pointing the "wrong way" so as to ensure it did not point at the sun.

 

[Stu]

With sincere apologies for the unashamed, attention seeking ‘Look at me’ post!

Can you tell that;

a) It’s cloudy

b) Mrs Stu is away

c) I’m bored 🤪

Thought this might give an easy way of comparing the three scopes. The AZ75 handles them with ease and the balance is good. Look forward to giving it a go!

Left to right in the first image:

FC100DC ; FC-76DCU ; FS-60Q

[IB20]

7 minutes ago, Stu said:

With sincere apologies for the unashamed, attention seeking ‘Look at me’ post!

Can you tell that;

a) It’s cloudy

b) Mrs Stu is away

c) I’m bored 🤪

Thought this might give an easy way of comparing the three scopes. The AZ75 handles them with ease and the balance is good. Look forward to giving it a go!

Left to right in the first image:

FC100DC ; FC-76DCU ; FS-60Q

100DC v 76Q please! 🤣

[Franklin]

6 minutes ago, Stu said:

The AZ75 handles them with ease and the balance is good. Look forward to giving it a go!

Left to right in the first image:

FC100DC ; FC-76DCU ; FS-60Q

Amazing set up Stu, very fitting for your profile avatar, a scope for each eye.

[Stu]

8 minutes ago, Franklin said:

a scope for each eye.

Actually I’m wondering if I need another eye with a finder each side as well? 🤪

[mikeDnight]

25 minutes ago, Stu said:

With sincere apologies for the unashamed, attention seeking ‘Look at me’ post!

Can you tell that;

a) It’s cloudy

b) Mrs Stu is away

c) I’m bored 🤪

Thought this might give an easy way of comparing the three scopes. The AZ75 handles them with ease and the balance is good. Look forward to giving it a go!

Left to right in the first image:

FC100DC ; FC-76DCU ; FS-60Q

A knee bucklingly gorgeous set-up Stu. But the non-Tak rightangle finder is a slightly different shade of white. 

And now we know where all the feathertouch disappeared to!

Edited March 9, 2023 by mikeDnight

[Ibbo!]

Found a pic of the FS 102 plus friends on the NJP in other words loaded for bear.

 

 

[Stu]

1 hour ago, IB20 said:

100DC v 76Q please! 🤣

Little bit of tube unscrewing and swapping needed for that, can do though. 

[Sunshine]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

With sincere apologies for the unashamed, attention seeking ‘Look at me’ post!

Can you tell that;

a) It’s cloudy

b) Mrs Stu is away

c) I’m bored 🤪

Thought this might give an easy way of comparing the three scopes. The AZ75 handles them with ease and the balance is good. Look forward to giving it a go!

Left to right in the first image:

FC100DC ; FC-76DCU ; FS-60Q

It's like looking at the stars in Orion's belt! just as pretty and blue, too!

[Sunshine]

I'm embarrassed, my tak is showing again! 

Edited March 10, 2023 by Sunshine

[mikeDnight]

11 hours ago, IB20 said:

100DC v 76Q please! 🤣

 Back in April 2017 Roger Vine and paulastro paid me a visit. Roger wanted to check out my FC100DC, and brought with him his 76, while Paul brought his FC100DL to the party. (Pic's below).

 The night was unusually steady and so the seeing was quite simply perfection. Roger asked if I often get seeing as good as this, so I told him "Yes, all the time!" Sorry Rog!  The spring moon was high and around first quarter and so displayed a terrific terminator, while Jupiter rising later in the evening put on a stunning display too.

 We all spent a long time with each telescope, and I can honestly say that the views of the Moon and Jupiter through the 76mm were an absolute joy, revealing intricate belt detail in Jupiter's equatorial belts.  Moving to the 100mm DC, the views were significantly more detailed due to the extra brightness and resolution, but both were tack or TAK sharp and you could tell these scopes were both seriously high end optically. For me however, the real star of the show on that evening had to be the FC100DL which was situated at the bottom of my garden, away from the DC, and the 76. We'd started our observing session around 5.30pm I think, and all scopes performed great, but around 10pm the seeing suddenly deteriorated through the DC. At the time I couldn't account for the drop in definition on Jupiter as there didn't appear to be any image shimmer or other obvious cause. So I turned to the DL to complete a sketch of Jupiter that has to be one of the most detailed I've seen through any scope. It was only on the following day that I realised what the potential problem had been with my DC. It had been looking directly over a neighbours chimney.  Anyhow, as it turned out, as the evening progressed the 76 was abandoned in favour of the two FC100's. There was nothing at all wrong with the smaller scope, it was just that the DC & DL had better resolution.

 

Jupiter as seen through the FC100DL. 

Edited March 10, 2023 by mikeDnight

[IB20]

9 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

 Back in April 2017 Roger Vine and paulastro paid me a visit. Roger wanted to check out my FC100DC, and brought with him his 76, while Paul brought his FC100DL to the party. (Pic's below).

 The night was unusually steady and so the seeing was quite simply perfection. Roger asked if I often get seeing as good as this, so I told him "Yes, all the time!" Sorry Rog!  The spring moon was high and around first quarter and so displayed a terrific terminator, while Jupiter rising later in the evening put on a stunning display too.

 We all spent a long time with each telescope, and I can honestly say that the views of the Moon and Jupiter through the 76mm were an absolute joy, revealing intricate belt detail in Jupiter's equatorial belts.  Moving to the 100mm DC, the views were significantly more detailed due to the extra brightness and resolution, but both were tack or TAK sharp and you could tell these scopes were both seriously high end optically. For me however, the real star of the show on that evening had to be the FC100DL which was situated at the bottom of my garden, away the DC, and the 76. We'd started our observing session around 5.30pm I think, and all scopes performed great, but around 10pm the seeing suddenly deteriorated through the DC. At the time I couldn't account for the drop in definition on Jupiter as there didn't appear to be any image shimmer or other obvious cause. So I turned to the DL to complete a sketch of Jupiter that has to be one of the most detailed I've seen through any scope. It was only on the following day that I realised what the potential problem had been with my DC. It had been looking directly over a neighbours chimney.  Anyhow, as it turned out, as the evening progressed the 76 was abandoned in favour of the two FC100's. There was nothing at all wrong with the smaller scope, it was just that the DC & DL had better resolution.

 

Fantastic anecdote Mike, I have read all of Roger’s reviews as he has looked through some seriously nice scopes. It’s probably not what I wanted to hear though! 
The 100DL sounds like my dream scope, it’s the one that grabs my attention the most, especially with my love of planetary viewing. Sadly they must be rarer than rocking horse poo on the 2nd hand market. 

It’s always periods of inclement weather that get me dreaming of “bigger and better” kit. I mustn’t forget what a wonderful scope I currently have, there’s a chance it might clear tonight so hopefully I get a chance to remind myself.

Don’t suppose it would hurt to start saving either though…

[JeremyS]

50 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

  and paulastro paid 

Does that happen often, Mike?

[Alan White]

@Stu that multiple scope set up looks stunning on the AZ75, very nice looking.

Out of curiosity, I note none of the Taks have OEM focusers fitted.....
Is that because you have a Feathertouch fetish or a refelction on the OEM focuser?

Oh and I see why you have multiple scopes, one for each eye as per your avatar.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Alan White said:

@Stu that multiple scope set up looks stunning on the AZ75, very nice looking.

Out of curiosity, I note none of the Taks have OEM focusers fitted.....
Is that because you have a Feathertouch fetish or a refelction on the OEM focuser?

Oh and I see why you have multiple scopes, one for each eye as per your avatar.

Hi Alan,

I think I can probably blame @DirkSteele for my FT fetish, and also for the little Tak obsession too. I pretty much copied his setup which is shown on his website, links to each of the scopes can be found here:

http://alpha-lyrae.co.uk/my-equipment/
 

I didn’t even know FT did a lightweight focuser until I read that, so I had to have one for the FS-60C of course 🤪.

I just never really got on with the standard Tak focuser, at least the ones on the smaller scopes so replaced them all as soon as I could. My only regret was selling my FC100DC focuser with the serial number plate attached! 😱😱 If anyone know where that is, having the plate back would be wonderful.

Because I do a lot of high power solar observing, plus lunar and planetary of course, I find the dual speed focusing so nice to use, and it allows me to really nail the focus point so that’s the main reason I use them.

[mikeDnight]

3 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Does that happen often, Mike?

It must have been a misprint Jeremy. Paul's wallet would need some delicate surgery to open it without it turning to dust.

[mikeDnight]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

My only regret was selling my FC100DC focuser with the serial number plate attached! 😱😱 If anyone know where that is, having the plate back would be wonderful

May be you could post a request on UK astro buy sell Stu. You never know if someone will know where it is and return it to you. Is the serial number written on your receipt or on the little certificate that came with the scope? It may be possible to have it professionally engraved onto your feathertouch.

Edited March 10, 2023 by mikeDnight

[JeremyS]

50 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

May be you could post a request on UK astro buy sell Stu. You never know if someone will know where it is and return it to you. Is the serial number written on your receipt or on the little certificate that came with the scope? It may be possible to have it professionally engraved onto your feathertouch.

Good idea Mike. I’ve been contemplating getting a Tak tattoo. Maybe I could include my Tak serial numbers alongside 🤔

Edited March 10, 2023 by JeremyS

[IB20]

5 hours ago, IB20 said:

It’s always periods of inclement weather that get me dreaming of “bigger and better” kit. I mustn’t forget what a wonderful scope I currently have, there’s a chance it might clear tonight so hopefully I get a chance to remind myself.

Memory refreshed!

[Alan White]

49 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Good idea Mike. I’ve been contemplating getting a Tak tattoo. Maybe I could include my Tak serial numbers alongside 🤔

Only problem is Jeremy where do you get that volume of information inked?

🤣🤣🤣 

[mikeDnight]

6 hours ago, IB20 said:

Fantastic anecdote Mike, I have read all of Roger’s reviews as he has looked through some seriously nice scopes. It’s probably not what I wanted to hear though! 
The 100DL sounds like my dream scope, it’s the one that grabs my attention the most, especially with my love of planetary viewing. Sadly they must be rarer than rocking horse poo on the 2nd hand market. 

It’s always periods of inclement weather that get me dreaming of “bigger and better” kit. I mustn’t forget what a wonderful scope I currently have, there’s a chance it might clear tonight so hopefully I get a chance to remind myself.

Don’t suppose it would hurt to start saving either though…

  The DL is a terrific scope without a doubt. When the two runs of DL's were first released into the astro community, they floated around for a while with some being bought and resold until somehow they disappear into the ether. Eventually they seem to settle into the hands of those who really love them and so become, as you say, "rarer than rocking horse poo".

 Occasionally you might find one come up for sale on AB&S or Astromart but they normally go fast. Saving now is a good idea, as you can guarantee one will come up for sale when you're least expecting it. 

Edited March 10, 2023 by mikeDnight

[mikeDnight]

Here's a pic of an unsavoury looking character (paulastro) with that 'I've got a DL' smugness in his smile. Only he hasn't got it now, so begging or bribery won't help.

h