Takahashi FC100-DL on DSO

[AstroNash]

Hello all,

I hope you’re all well. I currently have a Tak FC100-DL, one of the first 100 made. It’s an incredible scope, I’ve been moping up amazing views of planets, especially Jupiter and Saturn recently.

I’m looking to turn my gaze to more deep sky objects and I was wondering if you had any advice on what to look for, eye pieces, how the scope might perform. I was quite surprised at the detail on the targets I’ve already observed, especially considering it is an F9. I have already looked at Andromeda, which for brief moments revealed dark dust track lanes, as well as the Orion Nebula which for briefly showed a pink hue as well as clear darker strands between the illuminated areas.

I have more or less a full suite of Tak LE eye pieces currently and under fairly dark (botrel 3/4) rural Norfolk skys.

I’m looking forward to hearing your favourite visual targets, eye pieces and what magnifications you’d recommend. 
 

AstroNash

 

[Franklin]

Messier objects for starters.

Tele-Vue Panoptic 24mm.

UHC and OIII filters.

I had a Tak FC100-DC for a while and the optics were up there with the best.

[BGazing]

Your Tak will be great on open clusters. M31, M42, M8 and M17 are also nice. Extended nebulae from dark sites with suitable filters...Rest of the fuzzies are more suitable to bigger aperture.

[NGC 1502]

I used to attend Kelling star party, between Holt and Sheringham.  One of my most memorable nights was viewing through a clubmates TeleVue NP101 with a 31mm Nagler. Under the dark transparent sky I was blown away by the views. I could hardly believe the fabulous view was given by a premium 4 inch scope.

So with your Tak FC-100 I would get a very low power wide field eyepiece. I’d also want a good nebula filter.

A top refractor is very versatile, very low power wide field, to high power planetary and double stars.

Enjoy your excellent scope under those excellent skies that Norfolk can offer👍
 

Ed.

[Space Hopper]

It sounds like you have an ideal set up, and more importantly, good dark sky's in which to enjoy it.

I'd get a couple of good widefields, maybe something in the 10-15mm range and something in the 25-35mm range and a Powermate.

I really enjoy looking at clusters ; things like M35 and M37 which are two of my favourites and use a 12.5mm widefield with and  without a 2x powermate.

[AstroNash]

2 hours ago, NGC 1502 said:

I used to attend Kelling star party, between Holt and Sheringham.  One of my most memorable nights was viewing through a clubmates TeleVue NP101 with a 31mm Nagler. Under the dark transparent sky I was blown away by the views. I could hardly believe the fabulous view was given by a premium 4 inch scope.

So with your Tak FC-100 I would get a very low power wide field eyepiece. I’d also want a good nebula filter.

A top refractor is very versatile, very low power wide field, to high power planetary and double stars.

Enjoy your excellent scope under those excellent skies that Norfolk can offer👍
 

Ed.

That’s great, thank you. Funnily enough I actually live in Sheringham, so I know Kelling very well. Maybe see you there one day!

Thank you for the advice!

[NGC 1502]

54 minutes ago, AstroNash said:

That’s great, thank you. Funnily enough I actually live in Sheringham, so I know Kelling very well. Maybe see you there one day!

Thank you for the advice!

I just love Sheringham.  I am not envious. I am VERY envious😊

[wookie1965]

Bright nebulas M57 and M27 for starters with a UHC or Oiii look really good. 

My 4" is not as premium as yours but I have had some excellent views through them. 

[Stu]

@AstroNash I guess my comment would be, use the scope for its strengths and don’t try to make it something it’s not. At f9/900mm focal length, it won’t give the widest field available from, say, an f6 ish scope so I would probably stick with 1.25” eyepieces and get something like a 24mm Panoptic as a low power. This would give a 1.8 degree field with a 2.6mm exit pupil which would be plenty for most open clusters, and then use higher powers up to say x150 which would suit the smaller planetary nebulae.

I have a Vixen FL102S which is similar spec and mainly use it for lunar or planetary, of the smaller/brighter DSOs.