Do I need this?

[Sunshine]

This Tak diagonal looks great, but do I need it? my eyepieces are all 1.25 and I am using a TV everbrite at the moment. Either talk me out of this or encourage me to buy it 😄 on the positive side, I can get it for half retail. If I said the main reason for my liking it so much is the blue accent would go great with the blue on my FS128 would you think I’m being ridiculous? or just another amateur astronomer looking for any excuse for an accessory.

 

Edited February 13 by Sunshine

[dweller25]

Nothing to gain optically over the Everbright, except the Blue 🤣

But I wonder what Takahashi Jezzer thinks 🤔

Edited February 13 by dweller25

[JeremyS]

18 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

 Either talk me out of this or encourage me to buy it 😄 

Now there’s a challenge 😊

But in all seriousness, the TV Everbright is a lovely piece of kit. I have one.

I also enjoy my Tak 2-inch diagonal (half price, you say?). Especially the blue bit.

But I think I prefer the mechanics of my Baader BBHS twistlock 

[John]

This well known and detailed comparison of diagonals places the Takahashi 2 inch mirror more or less on par with the 1.25 inch Tele Vue Everbright so probably little or nothing to gain except for the facility to accept 2 inch eyepieces should to wish to do so at some point:

Mirror vs. Dielectric vs. Prism Diagonal Comparison - Articles - Articles - Articles - Cloudy Nights

[Sunshine]

Good to know, I’d rather spend on something more beneficial than a blue circle, I can paint a blue dot on my TV for a lot less 😅

[DirkSteele]

When I want to keep the weight down and only use 1.25" I use the Tele Vue Everbright.  It is excellent.

To be honest, there is little to differentiate between all the high quality mirror diagonals.  Apart from one.  And that is the Baader BBHS mirror diagonal.  Its not dielectric and I have done side by side comparisons against numerous other high quality mirror diagonals and found colours a touch more vibrant and arguably with slightly less scatter around bright objects.  But it is not a night and day difference (though the the GRS on Jupiter difference in a 4" scope did surprise me).

Edited February 13 by DirkSteele
typo

[mikeDnight]

43 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Good to know, I’d rather spend on something more beneficial than a blue circle, I can paint a blue dot on my TV for a lot less 😅

NO!!!  You definitely need the Tak 2" diagonal and forget all this Televue nonsense. 😁

The Tak diagonal isn't this mediocre dielectric rubbish that thins towards the edge of the mirror; the Tak 2" is a beautiful  10th wave aluminium coated beauty. And it's a chunk! That beautiful Tak badge is worth the price alone, and as long as you don't let anyone but yourself look through it, you'll perpetuate the Mystery. 

I had one with my FS152 and loved it!

 

 

Edited February 13 by mikeDnight

[Sunshine]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

NO!!!  You definitely need the Tak 2" diagonal and forget all this Televue nonsense. 😁

The Tak diagonal isn't this mediocre dielectric rubbish that thins towards the edge of the mirror; the Tak 2" is a beautiful  10th wave aluminium coated beauty. And it's a chunk! That beautiful Tak badge is worth the price alone, and as long as you don't let anyone but yourself look through it, you'll perpetuate the Mystery. 

I had one with my FS152 and loved it!

 

 

Why the long extension before the diagonal, did you use bino viewers on the 128? 

[JeremyS]

Not sure, but I think you might find all that Tak blue a bit much, @Sunshine

🤔

Edited February 14 by JeremyS

[JeremyS]

But now you’ve moved on your TSA, you won’t have to worry about Tak blue and green clashes like I do.

[dweller25]

20 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

But now you’ve moved on your TSA, you won’t have to worry about Tak blue and green clashes like I do.

How can you live with that blue circle ? 😱🤣

[mikeDnight]

16 hours ago, Sunshine said:

Why the long extension before the diagonal, did you use bino viewers on the 128? 

I never used a binoviewer on the scope in the pic. It was a FS152 and the pic was taken around 2007, a couple of years before my introduction to binoviewer's. I'd probably expect to remove the 2" extension on the FS152 if I had a binoviewer back then.

I regularly use binoviewers on both my FS128 and FC100DZ. 

FS128 with Binoviewer.

FC100DZ with 1.6X extender-Q and binoviewer.

[mikeDnight]

6 hours ago, JeremyS said:

But now you’ve moved on your TSA, you won’t have to worry about Tak blue and green clashes like I do.

Repulsive!!!  That Tak diagonal with its blue badge looks rediculous with that green of your TSA. I think Tak should make a green version of that badge specifically for the TSA. And add a further hundred pounds to the price. TSA owners would pay it happily I'm sure! 

I'll buy your blue badged diagonal off you cheap Jeremy, if you like?  I'm only thinking of your street cred'!

[Sunshine]

15 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

I'm only thinking of your street cred'!

He has to sell it, now.

[Telescope40]

4 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I never used a binoviewer on the scope in the pic. It was a FS152 and the pic was taken around 2007, a couple of years before my introduction to binoviewer's. I'd probably expect to remove the 2" extension on the FS152 if I had a binoviewer back then.

I regularly use binoviewers on both my FS128 and FC100DZ. 

FS128 with Binoviewer.

FC100DZ with 1.6X extender-Q and binoviewer.

Hello @mikeDnighta d with apologies for the thread diversion. 
Somewhat intrigued by your photos of the binoviewers and FS128. The scope tube being used “inverted” and the BV’s sat off to one side. Personal preference??  Keep the Finderscope out of reach of your bonce ?? 
I tend to look directly down the scope using the “traditional viewing pose”. Each to your own, obviously 👍
 

John 

[mikeDnight]

1 hour ago, Telescope40 said:

Hello @mikeDnighta d with apologies for the thread diversion. 
Somewhat intrigued by your photos of the binoviewers and FS128. The scope tube being used “inverted” and the BV’s sat off to one side. Personal preference??  Keep the Finderscope out of reach of your bonce ?? 
I tend to look directly down the scope using the “traditional viewing pose”. Each to your own, obviously 👍
 

John 

 Hi John,

 When my scopes are on an equatorial mount, I situate the finder directly opposite the counterweight arm. That way the finder never finds itself under the tube where it can't be reached comfortably.

 As for the angle of the binoviewer, In my observatory I'll often observe from a seated position using a hydraulic swivel chair, so I angle the viewer for comfort, the angle of which changes as the position of the scope alters. Observing from a comfortable position helps me concentrate on whatever I'm looking at. I can also nod-off at the eyepiece without falling over.😴😴

[Telescope40]

14 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

 Hi John,

 When my scopes are on an equatorial mount, I situate the finder directly opposite the counterweight arm. That way the finder never finds itself under the tube where it can't be reached comfortably.

 As for the angle of the binoviewer, In my observatory I'll often observe from a seated position using a hydraulic swivel chair, so I angle the viewer for comfort, the angle of which changes as the position of the scope alters. Observing from a comfortable position helps me concentrate on whatever I'm looking at. I can also nod-off at the eyepiece without falling over.😴😴

Hello Mike. Appreciate your explanation and I quite agree with every word.  I've got to the point where being comfortable while observing lies just behind the sky condtions.

I got myself a Nadira observing chair a couple of years back and can reliably confirm it transformed my sessions. Think it was well worth the expense and upgraded my viewing experience rather more than a couple of the black and green eyepieces that everyone raves about.   

Regards    John 

[JeremyS]

15 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

  I'll often observe from a seated position using a hydraulic swivel chair, so I angle the viewer for comfort, the angle of which changes as the position of the scope alters. Observing from a comfortable position helps me concentrate .😴😴

[mikeDnight]

You've been spying on my set-up Jeremy! And I must admit the similarity between Wallace and myself is uncanny, even down to the silly grin and dress sense!!

Edited February 15 by mikeDnight

[Swoop1]

On 13/02/2024 at 21:17, Sunshine said:

 If I said the main reason for my liking it so much is the blue accent would go great with the blue on my FS128 would you think I’m being ridiculous? or just another amateur astronomer looking for any excuse for an accessory.

Many people are precious about colour on all sorts of things- "I can't buy a blue bike cos I'm and Arsenal Fane/ red bike cos I'm a Chelsea fan" etc.

Why should you not be an 'astrotart' about this?