Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinG53
Hi Peter,
I am thinking of buying a TOA 130 NS from AEC. Can you give me any comments on the scope that would help me make up my mind. It is a big purchase. I am interested in visual observing of the planets, moon etc and would like to try deep sky imaging as my skills improve. Also what mount are you using for the scope. Any comments on the EM-200 Temma-2 mount would be appreciated by any in the forum. Are you happy with the scope?
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Hello Martin,
The TOA130 is a very nice scope indeed, I don't know how it compares to many of the current alternatives as I have not strayed far from the green focusers in the last 5 years. I use mine only for visual and though I have only had this one for a couple of weeks, it is the second I have owned.
I have owned most of the Tak refractors over the past 5 years except the TOA150 and in the end it came down to TSA120 and TOA130. Both are exceptionally good visual scopes (I know nil of imaging). The TOA is heavy once you add the tube rings, dovetail, finder, diagonal etc, but still manageable.
I have never had any collimation issues but then I have never bumped them into anything (touch wood). Binoviewing with the TOA is a real visual treat as Allan Wade will attest. I have only had mine to 200X but there was plenty left I feel. My new 3.5mm XW will be tested this weekend (285x).
I use mine on the Alt Azimuth mount T-Rex by Kokusai Kohki with the Nexus DSC by AstroDevices, for me this is the perfect setup. With the Televue Binovues and the Baader 1.25X GPC fitted into a Zeiss T2 prism the system works well.