I hope you're taking good care of my FS102 Poppy !!!
I have just the mount for it too, just finished repainting the counterweights which were the only blemish on an otherwise near new condition EM10 USD3.
Thanks Flash,
My new T-Rex also arrived from Barry of Kokusai Kohki, Japan, today resplendent in its Takahashi Green livery....
The T-Rex is such a smooth mount, I had almost forgotten how good it is.
Here is a preview on the Tak EM10 tripod ......
The custom paintwork is a perfect match for Takahashi scopes !!!!
Thanks Flash,
My new T-Rex also arrived from Barry of Kokusai Kohki, Japan, today resplendent in its Takahashi Green livery....
The T-Rex is such a smooth mount, I had almost forgotten how good it is.
Here is a preview on the Tak EM10 tripod ......
The custom paintwork is a perfect match for Takahashi scopes !!!!
Now I will probably get in trouble with my visual observing buddies, but here is my imaging setup as I have put it together over the past 2 months.
Orion Sirius G Mount
SW ED80 Pro Gold Tube (modified with carbon graphite lookalike wrapping!)
Orion ST80 Guidescope
Canon 760D Camera
Orion Star Shoot Pro Autoguider
A little 11" Toshiba Laptop
PHD2 and Backyard EOS
A few other bits and pieces and a little friend under the lemon tree.
I've never seen a TOA130 in the flesh, and my immediate impression was how imposing and beautiful it looks, as nice as any refractor I've seen. Photos don't do it justice.
So I got it home yesterday as the last piece of my all new setup. I've been slowly buying parts over the last couple of months while I waited to collect the telescope. I went for an AP MaxBright diagonal and a really nice BT Tech dovetail plate that's machined to accept the Tak clamshell. I bought a DM6 to mount it on, and a Losmandy FHD tripod with a 12" extension. Finally a Nexus DSC and TV Starbeam sit on top of the DM6.
A few thoughts about the setup. I don't find the scope overly heavy, contrary to what is often written. It's all a matter of perspective I guess, but all dressed to go with clamshell, dovetail plate, diagonal and the counter weight it comes in at 14kg. My 12" Orion OTA weighs 24kg, and I carry that around no problem, so by comparison the TOA130 is of little effort.
But, the tripod/mount is a different story. It weighs 27kg, which is starting to feel on the heavy side, because it is a lot more awkward to carry. This is my first foray into larger refractors, and I can see how the mount is what becomes a hassle as the size increases, rather than the OTA. Anyway, I should be good for at least another 20 years, but when I turn into an old geezer I might have to get a wheel kit to move it around.
First light was this afternoon after I took the photos. I put my Baader solar wedge in the scope and did a bit of solar observing. I was amazed at how much more detail I could see compared to my NP101, lifetime best views of the sun straight up, so that was pretty nice. I'm not much of a solar observer, so I have my fingers crossed it stays clear for tonight and I can get down to business.
I spent a long time weighing up choices along the lines of the TSA120, FS128 and TEC140. So far I am extremely happy with my decision, but time under the stars will tell.
Thanks Dunk. I'll probably take it to SPSP next year. If you're going you can have a session with it then.
First light tonight is going well. The sky here is great, no cloud and pretty good seeing. I'm looking forward to observing Jupiter in a couple of hours when it rises.
I've never seen a TOA130 in the flesh, and my immediate impression was how imposing and beautiful it looks, as nice as any refractor I've seen. Photos don't do it justice.
So I got it home yesterday as the last piece of my all new setup. I've been slowly buying parts over the last couple of months while I waited to collect the telescope. I went for an AP MaxBright diagonal and a really nice BT Tech dovetail plate that's machined to accept the Tak clamshell. I bought a DM6 to mount it on, and a Losmandy FHD tripod with a 12" extension. Finally a Nexus DSC and TV Starbeam sit on top of the DM6.
A few thoughts about the setup. I don't find the scope overly heavy, contrary to what is often written. It's all a matter of perspective I guess, but all dressed to go with clamshell, dovetail plate, diagonal and the counter weight it comes in at 14kg. My 12" Orion OTA weighs 24kg, and I carry that around no problem, so by comparison the TOA130 is of little effort.
But, the tripod/mount is a different story. It weighs 27kg, which is starting to feel on the heavy side, because it is a lot more awkward to carry. This is my first foray into larger refractors, and I can see how the mount is what becomes a hassle as the size increases, rather than the OTA. Anyway, I should be good for at least another 20 years, but when I turn into an old geezer I might have to get a wheel kit to move it around.
First light was this afternoon after I took the photos. I put my Baader solar wedge in the scope and did a bit of solar observing. I was amazed at how much more detail I could see compared to my NP101, lifetime best views of the sun straight up, so that was pretty nice. I'm not much of a solar observer, so I have my fingers crossed it stays clear for tonight and I can get down to business.
I spent a long time weighing up choices along the lines of the TSA120, FS128 and TEC140. So far I am extremely happy with my decision, but time under the stars will tell.
Hi All,
I would like to show you my Travelscope kit based on a Borg ED89 F/6.7. It's very light & portable with the entire setup weighing only ~7 kg.
The kit includes: Borg OTA with helical focuser & padded bag; 2" WO durabright diag; Gitzo 2541 tripod; Desert Sky DSV-M alt/az mount; Baader Skysurfer V rdf; & 2 x eps (2" Baader 8-24 mm zoom & 1.25" Edmund RKE 28 mm).
Importantly, I love the optical quality of the objective and with no offence intended to the white tube traditionalists, I'm also rather fond of the Black Borg appearance.
Thanks to the many posts on this forum that informed my decisions on each & every component.
Regards, J.
Managed a first light image tonight with a 10 minute NGC2070, dslr, guided and with a Baader MCC and happy as a pig in blah,blah,blah.
Admittedly , not all that sure what I am going to do with it but looking forward to finding out. Either way it's destined for the dark site and am already enjoying the views.
well after a very long wait about 4mths and then 3 weeks stuck in customs my Tak FC-100DL is here.
The Black 6x30 finder bracket is still stuck at customs , so im using a black 7x50 finder bracket and the Kokusai Kohki EF-508 finder scope for now.
well after a very long wait about 4mths and then 3 weeks stuck in customs my Tak FC-100DL is here.
The Black 6x30 finder bracket is still stuck at customs , so im using a black 7x50 finder bracket and the Kokusai Kohki EF-508 finder scope for now.
cheers
Nice one Ian !!! That should perform like your previous FL102S. Look forward to your thoughts, I have been considering placing an order for one of these as well to put on the EM10 USD-3.
