Glorious Second Light FS128

[Sunshine]

This night I was hurrying to finish a list of errands my wife had left for me, as I left every shop I would gaze up into the sky and I would notice the half moon and what seemed to be a clear sky, my pace would quicken towards the car. When I arrived I set my scope out and allowed it to cool for a good 45 min from a balmy 23C to minus 1. My first target was the moon, inserting my 9mm morpheus revealed conditions not as clear as I had hoped but workable nonetheless. Luna looked as though it was behind a curtain of rising warm air, its features wavering and deforming but not as bad as I have seen on some other nights, there were moments when seeing would stabilize long enough for a glorious sight. One thing that struck me immediately was the contrast, a sharp, smack in the face contrast I had never seen. My 102 was contrasty but this scope separates itself and it did so unmistakably and immediately, the black around the moon was so black, a liquidy black which became even more evident along the terminator (a fav movie btw) with the 5mm XO during those moments where seeing steadied the contrast between sunlit regions and dark was absolutely stunning. No particular regions were studied, examined, targeted tonight, my eyes were overwhelmed by the crispness and sharpness during those fleeting moments of steadiness as I slowly swept along the terminator. Did I mention contrast? it was striking and I can’t seem to let it rest, dark regions were blacker than the black background on which these words are being typed, I can’t recall ever seeing such a pure black, before. When seeing did steady, lunar details would jump out, it seemed as though I could see the tiniest of rocks scattered about, cracks on sloping crater walls, what seemed like hairline fissures radiating from craters, it was marvelous!.

On to Jupiter! This same contrast caught my eye as I observed jupiter, fantastic contrast which made Jupiter almost appear as a 3D globe, during moments of clarity I was able to make out something I have rarely seen in my 102 and then again not to this degree, the detail within the NEB and SEB, usually these two features are bands, just that, bands. Tonight I was able to see them as the truly are, featurfull bands made of smaller features, each band displayed some smaller components, light and dark beige and gray stands, dots (what must be swirls) and tiny festoon features. Aside from the SEB and NEB, multiple other bands were visible, I counted 7 but much thinner than the main bands and Jupiters north pole (apparent north I know the image is flipped) displayed a dirty gray darkening as though Jupiter was capped with darker clouds, there was so much to see. This night was not among the better nights I have experienced in terms of seeing, but regardless, the FS128 left an indelible mark, it hinted as to it’s capabilities on those few and far apart nights of great seeing and I can’t wait. 
 

My TSA-102 will never be forgotten and if I could get it back in the future I will, because it is what it is, a fine instrument. though it seems the 128 will not leave me yearning for my 102, it has proven itself even under less than desirable conditions,  it left its mark. Regarding any color or anomalies about the scope, I could only see one particular thing and I can’t attribute it to the scope itself,  around the lunar limb I could see the thinnest sliver of what seemed like a yellow tinge but, it was only when the limb approached the outer edge of the field stop, as I moved the moon closer to center, the tinge would slowly disappear until there was no more color. Jupiter displayed nothing like this, it was clean but then again, Jupiter is almost always centered in the field stop, when viewing the moon with my morpheus ot almost fills the FOV and only then did I see the slightest, thinnest sliver of yellow which would go away if I moved the limb closer to center. By 11:00 it got cold! and seeing worsened to te point where I could no longer focus, it was a wrap.

Edited December 20, 2023 by Sunshine

[dweller25]

Great report 👍

Edited December 20, 2023 by dweller25

[dweller25]

5 hours ago, Sunshine said:

the FS128 left an indelible mark

Sounds about right 🙂👍

[F15Rules]

Good for you, Sunshine! The scope was clearly worth waiting for..👍

Dave

[josefk]

Very evocative - your joy is apparent (and contagious if only the damn clouds would clear here)!

[Franklin]

7 hours ago, Sunshine said:

 around the lunar limb I could see the thinnest sliver of what seemed like a yellow tinge but, it was only when the limb approached the outer edge of the field stop, as I moved the moon closer to center, the tinge would slowly disappear until there was no more color.

I've noticed this off-axis colour in my ED doublets and I think it's from the eyepiece/diagonal. 

[JeremyS]

So pleased the session with the FS 128 was a great success.

Sounds like all these chores mean that you are still in the doghouse for scratching the kitchen table. Hope you don’t need a hard hat

[Sunshine]

3 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Sounds like all these chores mean that you are still in the doghouse for scratching the kitchen table. Hope you don’t need a hard hat

She is clever, she used the gouged table as an excuse for a new table, she is sneaky about spending, i would almost call her an amateur astronomer 😅

Edited December 20, 2023 by Sunshine

[Sunshine]

In eight weeks I should have my TOA130 dew cap, I can put the existing one made of neutron star off to the side, i will use it when traveling with the scope.

[Highburymark]

Excellent report! Jupiter really benefits from that 4” to 5” jump, I agree. 

[Alan White]

Great to read this report, and most pleased you had a good report to make.
I expect a lot more fun lies ahead.
That 4 to 5 inches read to be a notable contrast boost on many refractors.

 

[Highburymark]

I saw a yellow tinge on the Moon the first night with my TSA-120. Disappeared the next time I observed. If you’re not seeing any colour when the lunar limb is centred, then it’s almost certainly eyepiece-induced. Sometimes prism diagonals can cause it too. But it’s clear from the rest of your report you’ve got a great telescope.

[Sunshine]

On 20/12/2023 at 04:58, JeremyS said:

So pleased the session with the FS 128 was a great success.

Sounds like all these chores mean that you are still in the doghouse for scratching the kitchen table. Hope you don’t need a hard hat

In fact, this image is me pinned down under the FS128 lens cap. Revisited this thread just now 😁

Edited January 18 by Sunshine