Show us your Tak

[Mr Spock]

Added an extension to the mount to bring it up to standing height. Now perfect 👍

[Nicola Fletcher]

I’ve recently added to my Tak family with my ultimate dream scope (the TSA120) and had the opportunity to get some nice photos last weekend at an outreach event. I had the TSA out on both Friday and Saturday night and set up the Mewlon 180C at the same time. Views through the TSA were absolutely jaw dropping. Friday night in particular was excellent, and using a Baader BBHS mirror diagonal in the TSA and a Baader 2” dielectric diagonal in the Mewlon, swapping a Baader zoom, 22 Nagler and 13 Ethos between them, my friend and I felt that the TSA gave nicer views of the double cluster, owl cluster, Andromeda galaxy and M103, but the wow moment of the evening was observing Saturn through the Mewlon. Again on Saturday night at the outreach event the Mewlon impressed everyone with its views of Saturn. I heard lots of people comment that ‘the view through that scope was the best’ - there were a lot of scopes set up at the event. I really love the Mewlon on planets and am looking forward to taking the TSA out over the winter to get to know it a lot better!

Edited September 4 by Nicola Fletcher

[HollyHound]

5 hours ago, Nicola Fletcher said:

I’ve recently added to my Tak family with my ultimate dream scope (the TSA120) and had the opportunity to get some nice photos last weekend at an outreach event. I had the TSA out on both Friday and Saturday night and set up the Mewlon 180C at the same time. Views through the TSA were absolutely jaw dropping. Friday night in particular was excellent, and using a Baader BBHS mirror diagonal in the TSA and a Baader 2” dielectric diagonal in the Mewlon, swapping a Baader zoom, 22 Nagler and 13 Ethos between them, my friend and I felt that the TSA gave nicer views of the double cluster, owl cluster, Andromeda galaxy and M103, but the wow moment of the evening was observing Saturn through the Mewlon. Again on Saturday night at the outreach event the Mewlon impressed everyone with its views of Saturn. I heard lots of people comment that ‘the view through that scope was the best’ - there were a lot of scopes set up at the event. I really love the Mewlon on planets and am looking forward to taking the TSA out over the winter to get to know it a lot better!

Amazing collection of scopes there @Nicola Fletcher 😀

I've (yet) to add the TSA120 to my Tak family, but with darkness approaching again, and more importantly more time becoming available, who knows 🤔

I agree, once the Mewlon 180C is cooled, the planetary and lunar views are sublime. I currently still run the Mewlon 180C and FC-100DZ side by side on an AZ100, which provides almost the perfect dual setup... refractor which is ready quite quickly and gives wonderful views of most things, and then as soon as the Mewlon cools, the planets/moon. I've also got that permanently setup with a MaxBright binoviewer (with two Hyperion zooms installed), to provide the most relaxed and comfortable viewing.

Enjoy your TSA120 and I'm sure it will bring many hours of wonderful viewing ⭐

[JeremyS]

 My goodness @Nicola Fletcher, that is quite a Tak collection.

Great to hear the success with the TSA and the Mewlons 👍🏻

[Highburymark]

9 hours ago, Nicola Fletcher said:

I’ve recently added to my Tak family with my ultimate dream scope (the TSA120) and had the opportunity to get some nice photos last weekend at an outreach event. I had the TSA out on both Friday and Saturday night and set up the Mewlon 180C at the same time. Views through the TSA were absolutely jaw dropping. Friday night in particular was excellent, and using a Baader BBHS mirror diagonal in the TSA and a Baader 2” dielectric diagonal in the Mewlon, swapping a Baader zoom, 22 Nagler and 13 Ethos between them, my friend and I felt that the TSA gave nicer views of the double cluster, owl cluster, Andromeda galaxy and M103, but the wow moment of the evening was observing Saturn through the Mewlon. Again on Saturday night at the outreach event the Mewlon impressed everyone with its views of Saturn. I heard lots of people comment that ‘the view through that scope was the best’ - there were a lot of scopes set up at the event. I really love the Mewlon on planets and am looking forward to taking the TSA out over the winter to get to know it a lot better!

Fantastic collection of scopes Nicola! I’ve yet to experience a Mewlon, but for a sub-5” scope, the TSA exceeds all my expectations. I previously had a C8 Edge, and on the planets, the TSA-120 resolves clearly greater detail. 

[bosun21]

OOPS ! I clicked on here by accident. I must leave immediately. Danger, danger ⚡💰💰.

[JeremyS]

1 minute ago, bosun21 said:

OOPS ! I clicked on here by accident. I must leave immediately. Danger, danger ⚡💰💰.

Think of it this way: you will save money in the long run. 
I had many telescopes over a period of decades until I encountered a Tak 😊

[Stephenstargazer]

7 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

OOPS ! I clicked on here by accident. I must leave immediately. Danger, danger ⚡💰💰.

What have you to lose? Except the kids inheritance, your credit rating and your house. 👹

[bosun21]

1 minute ago, JeremyS said:

Think of it this way: you will save money in the long run. 
I had many telescopes over a period of decades until I encountered a Tak 😊

Yes I would be a lot better off had i taken the plunge many telescopes ago. I have more or less come to the decision that my next scope purchase will indeed be either a Tak or a LZOS. My love of the planets is placing a 210 Mewlon top of the list. Then again I like the DZ. Oh god I'm already lost 🙄.

[Nicola Fletcher]

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

Think of it this way: you will save money in the long run. 
I had many telescopes over a period of decades until I encountered a Tak 😊

Very good point Jeremy!

[Nicola Fletcher]

6 hours ago, HollyHound said:

I agree, once the Mewlon 180C is cooled, the planetary and lunar views are sublime. I currently still run the Mewlon 180C and FC-100DZ side by side on an AZ100

I agree, they are a fantastic pair and perfect when double mounted. Comparing the TSA120 and Mewlon was very interesting - I think they would also be very complementary together.. 

 

2 hours ago, Highburymark said:

I previously had a C8 Edge, and on the planets, the TSA-120 resolves clearly greater detail. 

That’s really interesting. At that outreach event that I go to every year, there’s a chap who brings a C9.25. Last year I had an amazing view of Jupiter and the GRS through it, and this year I didn’t see Saturn but I did see Neptune through it which didn’t really allow a comparison but was a very pleasing view. I have a bit of a hankering for that scope, but I don’t think I’d trade it for my Mewlon, even with its smaller aperture. I love the portability and ease of use of the Mewlon.

Edited September 4 by Nicola Fletcher

[MalcolmM]

@Nicola Fletcher great pics of a fabulous set of scopes. The use of the words 'jaw dropping' regarding your TSA-120 is going to niggle away at me 🙂 

Malcolm 

 

[HollyHound]

14 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Think of it this way: you will save money in the long run. 

Umm, except you will be seduced into getting another Tak, then another... we both know where this ends @JeremyS 🤣

Still, there could be worse ways to spend money 😀

[Alan White]

14 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Think of it this way: you will save money in the long run. 
I had many telescopes over a period of decades until I encountered a Tak 😊

And you still have many telescopes I believe, just many of them are now Takahashi for some odd reason.

[Sergey]

Two brothers.

 

 

Edited September 9 by Sergey

[Sergey]

The FOA.

[Sergey]

Another picture of my FOA.

[JeremyS]

Recently arrived Tak FC 76DCU piggybacked on the C11

[JeremyS]

FC 76DCU ready for solar 

[MalcolmM]

Some double star observing in Cygnus. Spent ages trying to split Delta Cygni with my FOA60Q and couldn't understand why I was seeing no indication of the companion at all. It was only the next morning I realised I had got the magnitude of the companion mixed up with the separation in my crib sheet!

Forever learning and making silly mistakes

Malcolm 

[JeremyS]

Lovely video by Dave Trott looking at the original Tak TS80 scopes from the early 1970s, mentioning how Tak took on Nikon and Goto

 

[josefk]

The stage was well set last night to also get after a few doubles in Cygnus - i was unbelievably well organised and "ready to go". Unfortunately cloud rolled in more than 2-hours earlier than forecast and that was the end of that. 15-mins to load the car, 15-mins drive to site, and 15-mins to set-up followed by just 45-mins of observing. i can guarantee if i took a little scope out it would have been clear till 3am.

[JeremyS]

I’d not seen these little Tak Teegul 60 scopes before. Their lines look so sleek. Not sure about the green colour on the Newton version tho 🫣

 

[josefk]

i learnt a pile in that first video about the TS-80 @JeremyS - thanks.

[Roy Challen]

I have the TS90 mount, a little beefier, and has motor drive for RA. I'd love that pier or the long tripod.

It might be a little overkill for an FS60, but it's certainly stable even in strong winds 😄

Edited September 18 by Roy Challen