The Fluorite Floosies?

[Stu]

I thought I would do a few group pics of my somewhat extended family of fluorite scopes, now the 128 has joined the flock.

First up, the three amigos; FS-60Q, FC-76DC and FC-100DC. All with FeatherTouch focusers, a lightweight one on the Q. Despite the tube lengths, the Q is 600mm f/l vs 570mm for the 76DC.

 

Adding in the FS-128 shows the size comparison. 100mm f7.4 next to the 128mm f8.1

Now add in the Vixen FL102S at f8.8, which shows just how compact the FC-100DC is. They are identical optically in my experience, although the Vixen is a little easier to get to higher powers with its longer focal length. It actually makes the 128 look quite compact for its aperture.

And finally, a bit of an interloper here, and messing up the size increasing sequence, the f5 Televue Genesis. Only here by dint of its fluorite element in the rear doublet, it’s not in the same class as the others except for its lovely, flat widefield views which few scopes can match. It weighs alot more than the similarly sized FC-100DC and feels like it is built like a tank in comparison.


 

I must use the Genesis and Vixen more often, they are lovely scopes.

[Space Hopper]

I quite like that carpet. I'm after something like that for my bedroom.

 

[Space Hopper]

Seriously though : a delightful family of scopes you have there.

And the FC 100 is indeed remarkably small and compact.  I often ponder about one myself. Ideal for grab & go, and possibly my only chance of Tak ownership somewhere down the line.

The new FS-128 looks an excellent acquisition. 

I wonder how it compares sizewise with my own scope ?  My 140 measures 840 mm long / 150 mm wide (with the dew shield retracted) and only 8.2kg if you remove the rings & plate so its fairly compact as well.

[John]

Superb fleet of scopes there Stu. Rather like a "who's who" of the top refractors 👍

[RobertI]

Fascinating to see their relative sizes, and the standout is the compactness of the FC100. 

[Franklin]

They say pure Fluorite crystal is a rare thing, is this because @Stu has it all?

What an amazing collection of beautiful telescopes! Very, very nice!

Are you going to put a Feather Touch on the FS-128?

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Franklin said:

Are you going to put a Feather Touch on the FS-128?

Yes, but don’t tell anyone!! The Tak puristas will hang, draw and quarter me! 😱🤣

[MalcolmM]

4 hours ago, RobertI said:

Fascinating to see their relative sizes, and the standout is the compactness of the FC100. 

When I got a 100DC I thought it was huge! The standout for me is the 128. It must be enormous! I'd love to see one in the flesh!

Malcolm 

[Alan White]

Nice collection of fine Refractors @Stu, in fact, wow what a collection,
just how many clear and stable nights do you get in Somerset??

As to @MalcolmM, I would love to see one in the flesh.....will no doubt translate into look at what the Postman just delivered!
I will watch your 'unknown as yet' quest flourish.

Edited June 8, 2023 by Alan White

[Stu]

57 minutes ago, MalcolmM said:

When I got a 100DC I thought it was huge! The standout for me is the 128. It must be enormous! I'd love to see one in the flesh!

Malcolm 

The 128 is big, but it’s also fairly light at 7.5kg I think. It’s also quite well balanced so feels easy to handle. The LZOS 130mm for example is heavier at about 11kg and much more front heavy so feels more awkward.

The LZOS is very compact though, only a little longer than the FC100DC I’ll post a picture of those three together for comparison.

[Steve]

Quote

The Fluorite Floosies?

Nice title 😄

[John]

47 minutes ago, Stu said:

The 128 is big, but it’s also fairly light at 7.5kg I think. It’s also quite well balanced so feels easy to handle. The LZOS 130mm for example is heavier at about 11kg and much more front heavy so feels more awkward.

The LZOS is very compact though, only a little longer than the FC100DC I’ll post a picture of those three together for comparison.

My LZOS 130 F/9.2 weighs 9.4kg so I guess the difference would be thicker glass in the F/6 and the Kruppax tube on my F/9.2 

(sorry, off topic)

The FS-128 is really quite light for a true 5 inch F/8 🙂

[Stu]

10 minutes ago, John said:

My LZOS 130 F/9.2 weighs 9.4kg so I guess the difference would be thicker glass in the F/6 and the Kruppax tube on my F/9.2 

(sorry, off topic)

The FS-128 is really quite light for a true 5 inch F/8 🙂

I’ve not weighed mine yet John, I was going off the Scopeviews info.  As you say, I guess your objective is heavier but tube a bit lighter, with overall an increase over the doublet 128. I’m guessing yours is longer than mine (snigger snigger)? Interesting how much heavier my LZOS f6 is, I assume the thicker, more heavily curved lenses plus standard tube are the reasons for that.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Alan White said:

just how many clear and stable nights do you get in Somerset??

As ever, not enough Alan although we’ve had a run of clear nights for a few weeks now which I’ve enjoyed. Had quite a few sessions with the 128 on the Moon and Venus plus some doubles and brighter DSOs. Need to stay up too late to catch anything these days though 😴

[Nakedgun]

~

Fluorite doublets - I love 'em. 

I've owned seven telescopes, currently sitting at five, and if I'm allowed to include my Kowa fluorite spotters, as well, that makes 10 (Highlanders count as two, don't they?).

No family portrait available at this time.

[Highburymark]

Very, very nice. Worth highlighting that the FC-100DC is missing its green section ahead of the focuser, so is 3” longer than pictured. Great option for binoviewing though, as that section is easily unscrewed. 

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Highburymark said:

Very, very nice. Worth highlighting that the FC-100DC is missing its green section ahead of the focuser, so is 3” longer than pictured. Great option for binoviewing though, as that section is easily unscrewed. 

Very true Mark. I always have bags of inwards focus with the 100, unlike the others. Last night I needed an extension as I was using a single eyepiece and couldn’t reach focus without. With the 60Q I couldn’t reach focus using the de-filtered Herschel Wedge and binoviewers for example, but it’s easy with the 100

[DirkSteele]

I have just shorted out my laptop keyboard by drooling on it.

 

The FC-10O is quite the revelation seeing how compact it is. It is amazing how refactors seem to scale up quite quickly as the aperture increases. But the weight of the 128 means it is pretty much grab and go despite the size.

[Stu]

15 minutes ago, DirkSteele said:

But the weight of the 128 means it is pretty much grab and go despite the size.

I’m certainly finding that I’m using it a lot due to the weight and quick cool down. Just need to be careful to avoid banging the ends on things or trying to turn round in corridors when carrying it 🤪

[Zermelo]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

need to be careful to avoid banging the ends on things or trying to turn round in corridors when carrying it

[Stu]

55 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

Exactly!! 🤣🤣

[Stu]

The scariest part of this post is that these are just the fluorite scopes! I have five or six more refractors around and about somewhere! 😱😱

[Telescope40]

39 minutes ago, Stu said:

The scariest part of this post is that these are just the fluorite scopes! I have five or six more refractors around and about somewhere! 😱😱

Stu. Go on. Set out a full list please. Sure it will be interesting reading for us all. I’ll sit in the corner looking smug as I “only” have my FS128 these days 😂😂

John 

[Zermelo]

2 minutes ago, Telescope40 said:

Set out a full list please.

... or describe the deltas from this list:

 

 

[Stu]

13 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

... or describe the deltas from this list:

 

 

Actually that makes life easy, thanks!

Now updated 👍

The Light Thimble and Peashooters

TAL Alkor 65mm f7.7

Zeiss Telementor 63mm f13.3

Takahashi FS-60Q f10

Takahashi FC-76DC f7.5

Skywatcher ST80 f5

The Four Inch Fleet

Televue Genesis f5

Takahashi FC100DC f7.4

Vixen FL102S f8.8

The Frac pack

Celestron Omni 120 XLT f8.3

Takahashi FS-128 f8.1

APM LZOS 130mm f6

Meet the Dobs

Orion Optics 8” f8 1/10th wave

12” f4.8 Truss Dobsonian (project!) (still!)

16” f4.2 Truss Dobsonian

The Sun Worshippers

Vixen 102mm f10 PST Mod

150mm f10 PST Mod project - aka The Beast

😱😱

Some definitely need to go!! But which ones 🤪🤪