New Takahashi joins the fleet

[Chris]

Beautiful scope Jeremy, congratulations! That finder scope bracket will out live us all! 

[MalcolmM]

On 13/09/2022 at 17:04, JeremyS said:

Storage box arrived to allow the Mewlon to cool outside before observing 

Probably a stupid question @JeremyS but when leaving the Mewlon to cool, do you take the tube cover off? I had mine cooling outside in a box with it's tube cover on for about three hours last night before observing. It probably took about 45 minutes before it was performing better than the FS-60Q! It was just a bit blurry and lacking in contrast. I wasn't sure if this was tube currents or atmospheric effects.

The FS-60Q gave great views of Jupiter, the GRS instantly visible along with four cloud belts. Made me wonder how much better again a FOA-60Q would be

Malcolm

[HollyHound]

1 hour ago, MalcolmM said:

Probably a stupid question @JeremyS but when leaving the Mewlon to cool, do you take the tube cover off? I had mine cooling outside in a box with it's tube cover on for about three hours last night before observing. It probably took about 45 minutes before it was performing better than the FS-60Q! It was just a bit blurry and lacking in contrast. I wasn't sure if this was tube currents or atmospheric effects.

I usually point my Mewlon up slightly and take the tube cover off. I only elevate a few degrees above the horizon, so as to (hopefully) not get tons of particles down the tube (although this may not even be an issue). I've seen posts about using fans to blow down the tube and get the air moving to more rapidly cool it... this does make a lot of sense 🤔

My Mewlon takes anywhere from 45mins to an hour before I consider it "really" ready to use... it is not very usable until at least 30mins, but then once fully cooled the difference is very obvious indeed.

1 hour ago, MalcolmM said:

The FS-60Q gave great views of Jupiter, the GRS instantly visible along with four cloud belts. Made me wonder how much better again a FOA-60Q would be

The FOA-60Q is simply stunning on Jupiter, and fully usable quite quickly (15mins or so max). The optical purity does also increase contrast and helps markings (Jupiter, Mars, Moon etc) stand out very strongly 👍

[MalcolmM]

51 minutes ago, HollyHound said:

I usually point my Mewlon up slightly and take the tube cover off. I only elevate a few degrees above the horizon, so as to (hopefully) not get tons of particles down the tube (although this may not even be an issue). I've seen posts about using fans to blow down the tube and get the air moving to more rapidly cool it... this does make a lot of sense 🤔

My Mewlon takes anywhere from 45mins to an hour before I consider it "really" ready to use... it is not very usable until at least 30mins, but then once fully cooled the difference is very obvious indeed.

The FOA-60Q is simply stunning on Jupiter, and fully usable quite quickly (15mins or so max). The optical purity does also increase contrast and helps markings (Jupiter, Mars, Moon etc) stand out very strongly 👍

Thanks @HollyHound. I'd been hoping not to have to leave it open ended while cooling on the mount as I usually observe beside my bird table! I've already had one of my Taks 'bombed' on by a passing Goldfinch! Luckily it was small and on the tube only, so washed off very easily!

You're doing a great job on selling me the idea of an FOA60Q! And I'd been hoping for early retirement this year

Malcolm

[JeremyS]

Yes, I also leave the cover off and the tube pointed slightly up.

I plan to get a PC fan to accelerate matters too.

[JeremyS]

2 hours ago, MalcolmM said:

Thanks @HollyHound. I'd been hoping not to have to leave it open ended while cooling on the mount as I usually observe beside my bird table! I've already had one of my Taks 'bombed' on by a passing Goldfinch! Luckily it was small and on the tube only, so washed off very easily!

You're doing a great job on selling me the idea of an FOA60Q! And I'd been hoping for early retirement this year

Malcolm

This FOA 60Qs are wonderful 😊

[graham56]

due ever find when you have to many scopes ,the smallest get used  the most, this one not seen the light off day yet

[JeremyS]

29 minutes ago, graham56 said:

due ever find when you have to many scopes ,the smallest get used  the most, this one not seen the light off day yet

Fascinating markings on that Mewlon, Graham. Not seen one marked “Dall Kirkham” like that, not the markings on the finder.

Im sure there must be a story there. Do tell 👍🏻

[graham56]

jeremy  use to customize cars as a teenager ,all done by me for personal taste ill so you a picture off my stellarvue tbv 90 flourite

 use to blue stardust few marks on it so i had it powdercoated white and red with new decaling just my personal taste ,iam happy with them, and there all keepers ,now back to saturn with the foa 60 

[Highburymark]

Beautiful scope Jeremy. Guess you need a night of excellent seeing to really compare the planetary views with your TSA-120. Certainly I see more and crisper detail on Jupiter with my TSA than I ever did with an 8” SCT (C8 Edge), but if well collimated, surely the Mewlon 210 would win that contest.

[dweller25]

3 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

Beautiful scope Jeremy. Guess you need a night of excellent seeing to really compare the planetary views with your TSA-120. Certainly I see more and crisper detail on Jupiter with my TSA than I ever did with an 8” SCT (C8 Edge), but if well collimated, surely the Mewlon 210 would win that contest.

If I were a betting man I would give the edge to the 120 on planets and to the 210 on deepsky.

[JeremyS]

A comment about collimation (mainly so I can find it back myself when I need it again).

The Mewlon arrived a tiny smidgen out of collimation. The Mewlon has a reputation for being difficult to collimate. It isn’t. I searched for instructions and found the most useful in a 2010 CN posting by Larloch, post 11 here: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/283204-mewlon-210-finally-arrived/

The diagram is simple to follow (blue means loosen screw on secondary, red tighten). I use Polaris to collimate and an 8mm EP (x300) which shows the diffraction rings to perfection (don’t forget to centre Polaris in the field after each TINY adjustment):

Edited November 13, 2022 by JeremyS

[JeremyS]

[HollyHound]

5 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

A comment about collimation (mainly so I can find it back myself when I need it again).

The Mewlon arrived a tiny smidgen out of collimation. The Mewlon has a reputation for being difficult to collimate. It isn’t. I searched for instructions and found the most useful in a 2010 CN posting by Larloch, post 11 here: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/283204-mewlon-210-finally-arrived/

The diagram is simple to follow (blue means loosen screw on secondary, red tighten). I use Polaris to collimate and an 8mm EP (x300) which shows the diffraction rings to perfection):

Thanks, this is very useful indeed 👍

Reminds me I need to check the collimation of my M180... I did check it when I first got it, and seemed fine, but worth another good look 🤔

[JeremyS]

15 minutes ago, HollyHound said:

Thanks, this is very useful indeed 👍

Reminds me I need to check the collimation of my M180... I did check it when I first got it, and seemed fine, but worth another good look 🤔

Several people have commented that it’s best to collimate straight through as the diagonal can introduce collimation error if it is not itself collimated. I experimented with and without my Baader T2 BBHS diagonal and there was no difference (apart from the image being oriented differently, of course)

Edited November 13, 2022 by JeremyS

[dweller25]

6 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Several people have commented that it’s best to collimate straight through as the diagonal can introduce collimation error if it is not itself collimated. I experimented with and without my Baader T2 BBHS diagonal and there was not difference (apart from the image being oriented differently, of course)

Yup 👍

[Fedele]

I take advantage of this post. Does anyone have both 180c and 210 and can you tell me something concrete about the differences?
I need the opinion of those who have both thanks

[Stardust1]

On 19/11/2022 at 11:57, Fedele said:

I take advantage of this post. Does anyone have both 180c and 210 and can you tell me something concrete about the differences?
I need the opinion of those who have both thanks

I've had both, the 180 and 210. But not at the same time. If you don't mind the bigger size of the 210, I would definitely go with the 210. Globular clusters and the Moon was impressive in the 210. Bigger aperture never hurts in the field. I have an excellent C8 Edge sample which holds me back of getting another 210.

 

If you want absolute portability then the 180 is an excellent scope. Here a photo of the Mewlon 180 next to the TEC-140ED. And the last one, Mewlon 180, TEC-140 and FS-102NSV.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Stardust1

[Fedele]

I'm in the same condition as you too. After a Mewlon 180c, I found an excellent C8EdegeHD which is giving me a lot of satisfaction. I was evaluating the return to the180c (but I found that the C8 in imaging offers more) or the 210. 
So according to you having a good c8EdgeHd is not convenient to invest in a 180c or 210

 

Comparison of Mewlon 180, 210, 250 and 300. the same hand of a great professional.
I can therefore say that the difference between 210 and 180c is substantial.
(image credits Twitter @JLucDauvergne)

[Stardust1]

My previews comments was regarding visual only. Online there are images taken with C9, C11 or C14 (or dobsons) that are comparable to above. If planetary imaging was my thing, I would get a Celestron or a dobson, less expensive, but still capable.

 

On Astrobin I came across this picture, taken with a 12" and a 16" big dobsons, though less expensive then a Mewlon 180:  https://www.astrobin.com/ep094e/

And this picture, taken with a 12" dobson, costing around £1000 pounds: https://www.astrobin.com/z81r2h/

 

For general imaging I think the Celestron C8 Edge makes more sense then the Mewlon 180 or 210. Out of the box the C8 Edge has flat field, and with the reducer you get to F/7, it's a full stop faster. If planetary imaging is what you are after, yeah, the Mewlon 210 would have advantage over C8 or Mewlon 180. I haven't used the C8 Edge for imaging, though I have the reducer for it. I love visual, it's relaxing, it's fascinating to see the objects with your own eyes. When I image with my FSQ85, I don't look up, I'm starring in to a laptop screen.  

Past summer we had a few excellent nights. I was surprised by the performance of the C8 Edge. I had the C8 next to FS-102NSV, and I was at the eyepiece looking at Jupiter longer in the C8 then the FS-102. The FS-102 has text book star test that I can see on either side. The C8 Edge, at least the sample that I have, has really good optics. Now in the winter, the C8 has disadvantage compared to the FS102, due to cooling. I'm planning to insulate the C8, I know it will help with cooling, how much, will see.  

Having said all of this, the Tak look and feel, the blue or green color, one can't blame itself for getting a Tak instead of a Celestron. The Mewlon (or any Tak refractor) on a Tak mount, EM-11 or EM-200 looks just amazing in the living room 😀

Edited November 21, 2022 by Stardust1

[Arne]

Here is my 210 paired with a TS80/500 apo on an iOptron AMZP under the roll off roof. On a concrete pier, always ready for action.

[HollyHound]

On 27/06/2023 at 22:34, Arne said:

Here is my 210 paired with a TS80/500 apo on an iOptron AMZP under the roll off roof. On a concrete pier, always ready for action.

Brilliant setup 🙂

The AZMP is a great mount and very capable for dual scope use 👍