New-to-me Takahashi FS-78 just arrived from Steve, sitting on my old DSV-1 recently re-purchased from Col, with my DeLite 11mm recently re-purchased from Matt.
After reading several reviews that say it's almost as big as a 4" scope I was pleasantly surprised by how small it is in the flesh. The photos make it look bigger than it is.
No excuses now not to be at Yass 24 Feb Nice portable setup
Very nice Morton .... ' dibs ' when your done with it.
Haha. No problem, Col!
Had some clear skies tonight and managed some excellent views of the crescent Moon & Venus while it was getting dark. Then I put it on the DSV-3 so I cud look at a few fuzzies and was very impressed by how well it picked things out of the light pollution, even a couple of mag 9 galaxies.
I love how compact and light it is. The DSV-3 doesn't even know it's there.
Saxon 8in F5
Carbon fiber tube by Klauss Helmerich
Home made focuser control using Arduino and a stepper motor
Bob Knobs
Polemaster
Qhy ccd camera, guidecam, FW and OAG
Home made control box.
Now that I have pretty much finished my dome I'll post a pic of the rig I am using.
QHY8L Saxon 100ed eq6 sw102 guide scope with ssag camera.monitor and laptop. The pic actually shows a450d camera but that's because I use that sometimes as well
Recently received my new Mewlon 180C from Claude and it's a beauty. The collimation is spot on, light weight, balances perfectly on my EM-11 and T-Rex mounts, no issues at all focusing with my Tak Twin View binoviewer and parfocal 5 EP turret. The weather hasn't been the best lately but managed to view Jupiter, Saturn and the moon and I can say that the images have been quite sharp right up to 200x which gives an acceptable image size. Cool down is great, no signs of turbulence after 20 minutes (from about 22C in the house to around 15C outside).
The Mewlon is mooted to be for visual planetary and lunar viewing which I am happy to do however milky way views were more than acceptable, the brighter stars just showing modest six diffraction spikes. I think the scope will complement my Tak refractors well owing to its greater light gathering power.
I have attached some pics of the Mewlon on my T-Rex mount and Tak's description of the 180C (Google translation from their site).
Just finished wrapping my FS-102 for the relocation to CBR... looked like a photon torpedo LOL
Thanks Lewis, hope all goes well relocating to the capital, it's a shame the skies won't be quite as good as when I left there in the early 1980's but the surrounds should be OK.
Nice scope Steve (though I would miss the old green colour scheme )
Thanks Matt, I think Tak might have mixed their left over grey paint with the green and this is the result. I must admit that the OTA looks a bit odd against my EM-11 mount but OK on the white T-Rex.
Thanks Lewis, hope all goes well relocating to the capital, it's a shame the skies won't be quite as good as when I left there in the early 1980's but the surrounds should be OK.
Nothing wong with the skies Steve, I can still see the Moon naked eye!!!
Thanks Matt, I think Tak might have mixed their left over grey paint with the green and this is the result. I must admit that the OTA looks a bit odd against my EM-11 mount but OK on the white T-Rex.
I've seen many Mewlons with this colouration - not sure it grabs me like the early machine blue-grey or the more common chalky green, but its still pleasant and not yak-tastic like some other brands (like the anodised gold of WO that just makes me think of a 1970's pimp!)
Nice portable setup 
