13075 replies to this topic

[Kitfox]

You called it right! West Virginia, about 30 miles from the Pennsylvania border. 

 

V/R

 

Terry

 

Love it!  A few years back, I spent a lot of time hanging upside down from a kayak in the Gauley and New Rivers there.  Now, I prefer your deck and an FSQ!!!

Edited by Kitfox, 01 April 2025 - 09:00 PM.

[TerryWood]

Love it!  A few years back, I spent a lot of time hanging upside down from a kayak in the Gauley and New Rivers there.  Now, I prefer your deck and an FSQ!!!

No complaints! I like the pace. Nobody seems to be in a rush. And the views are beautiful out here. This winter has been extra cloudy though. I hope to have cataract surgery in a couple of months, so I'm looking forward to better eyes soon! 

 

V/R

 

Terry

[Kitfox]

This is a Tak thread, but get the Zeiss lenses!!!  

[tachyon_john]

TNR sites all seem to be down tonight?

 

[Live_Steam_Mad]

It's so nice to see the sky again...the winter was nothing but clouds and bad seeing. I have a window of opportunity tonight before the rain comes back tomorrow. So, the 1999 FSQ-106 is set up and ready to go. I have Tak prism turret with the short adapter on there and it works great!

 

V/R

 

Terry

Is that an original double Fluorite FSQ-106, or the same with the sliding dewshield (FSQ-106N) ? I take it that it is not any kind of FSQ-106 ED where they got rid of the Fluorite? My friend has an original FSQ-106 and he had endless problems coming to focus with eyepieces and nearly always used a 1.6x Extender-Q, but it looks like you are using the scope without the Extender-Q and manage to get to focus? How do you find using your scope with eyepieces in general? Are there problems bringing eyepieces to focus? What is the length of the focuser travel ?

 

Regards.

[PatientObserver]

Is that an original double Fluorite FSQ-106, or the same with the sliding dewshield (FSQ-106N) ? I take it that it is not any kind of FSQ-106 ED where they got rid of the Fluorite? My friend has an original FSQ-106 and he had endless problems coming to focus with eyepieces and nearly always used a 1.6x Extender-Q, but it looks like you are using the scope without the Extender-Q and manage to get to focus? How do you find using your scope with eyepieces in general? Are there problems bringing eyepieces to focus? What is the length of the focuser travel ?

Regards.

I cannot answer your specific questions, as I do not own an FSQ106, but I find that the system charts solve most issues with acquiring focus with Takahashi scopes.

https://cdn.shopify....df?v=1657737288

[geekay]

I've finished putting together my Bortle 9 escape kit. I’ll be taking this with me as I leave my light-polluted home base for several dark(ish)-sky destinations this spring. Total weight (including the case) is 6.36 kilograms. The mount, carbon fiber tripod and a wide-field eyepiece will go into a backpack with a change of clothes and other overnight gear.
 

 

Edited by geekay, 02 April 2025 - 05:35 AM.

[25585]

I've finished putting together my Bortle 9 escape kit. I’ll be taking this with me as I leave my light-polluted home base for several dark(ish)-sky destinations this spring. Total weight (including the case) is 6.36 kilograms. The mount, carbon fiber tripod and a wide-field eyepiece will go into a backpack with a change of clothes and other overnight gear.
 

Neat & sweet! What mount?

[Erik Bakker]

It's so nice to see the sky again...the winter was nothing but clouds and bad seeing. I have a window of opportunity tonight before the rain comes back tomorrow. So, the 1999 FSQ-106 is set up and ready to go. I have Tak prism turret with the short adapter on there and it works great!

 

V/R

 

Terry

A beauty in beautiful scenery Terry!

[geekay]

Neat & sweet! What mount?

A Sky-Watcher Az Pronto. It's not too heavy and has worked fairly well. I'm interested in other, even more portable options, though. Do you have any recommendations?

[Eric Weder]

TNR sites all seem to be down tonight?

If by TNR you mean Texas Nautical Repair, then this morning the LSS site is fine. https://landseaskyco.com/

[bobhen]

You called it right! West Virginia, about 30 miles from the Pennsylvania border. 

 

V/R

 

Terry

I live in PA. You were right about the weather. Love your view.

 

Bob 

Edited by bobhen, 02 April 2025 - 08:37 AM.

[Live_Steam_Mad]

I cannot answer your specific questions, as I do not own an FSQ106, but I find that the system charts solve most issues with acquiring focus with Takahashi scopes.

https://cdn.shopify....df?v=1657737288

Thanks but that's the System Chart for a more modern version of the FSQ-106 with the double ED lenses and no Fluorite, unlike the original FSQ-106 that my friend has with the double Fluorite lenses. The FSQ-106ED scopes' optical design was changed from the original FSQ-106 design, and my understanding is that as a result the FSQ-106EDx can accomodate the back focus requirements of eyepieces considerably better than the original FSQ-106 design. The original design was more of an Astrograph, the rear lens is very close to the end of the focuser, and it won't come to focus with many eyepieces, so my friend complained about to me, and that put me off buying one, and part of the charm of the original one was that it was Fluorite, whether the benefit from CaF2 compared to the later ED was real or not didn't much matter for me, I just liked having "Fluorite" writing on the dew shield lol. I am very much a visual observer.

 

Best Regards.

[25585]

A Sky-Watcher Az Pronto. It's not too heavy and has worked fairly well. I'm interested in other, even more portable options, though. Do you have any recommendations?

An Omegon AZ Baby Mount is small and portable, or Berlebach Castor II, or a Sightron Japan.

[PatientObserver]

Thanks but that's the System Chart for a more modern version of the FSQ-106 with the double ED lenses and no Fluorite, unlike the original FSQ-106 that my friend has with the double Fluorite lenses. The FSQ-106ED scopes' optical design was changed from the original FSQ-106 design, and my understanding is that as a result the FSQ-106EDx can accomodate the back focus requirements of eyepieces considerably better than the original FSQ-106 design. The original design was more of an Astrograph, the rear lens is very close to the end of the focuser, and it won't come to focus with many eyepieces, so my friend complained about to me, and that put me off buying one, and part of the charm of the original one was that it was Fluorite, whether the benefit from CaF2 compared to the later ED was real or not didn't much matter for me, I just liked having "Fluorite" writing on the dew shield lol. I am very much a visual observer.

Best Regards.

There is a system chart in the manual on page 12.

https://manualzz.com...ion-manual?p=11

Note: This was from a web search. I am not familiar with the site.

Edited by PatientObserver, 02 April 2025 - 12:21 PM.

[TerryWood]

Is that an original double Fluorite FSQ-106, or the same with the sliding dewshield (FSQ-106N) ? I take it that it is not any kind of FSQ-106 ED where they got rid of the Fluorite? My friend has an original FSQ-106 and he had endless problems coming to focus with eyepieces and nearly always used a 1.6x Extender-Q, but it looks like you are using the scope without the Extender-Q and manage to get to focus? How do you find using your scope with eyepieces in general? Are there problems bringing eyepieces to focus? What is the length of the focuser travel ?

 

Regards.

Yes, it's the first version of the FSQ-106 with the double fluorite lenses. I had PreciseParts.com make me an adapter that screws into the front of the Tak 2" mirror diagonal and Turret prism diagonal in place of the nosepiece. It allows much more focus range. With the Turret diagonal in this configuration, pretty much everything will come into focus. With the 2" Tak mirror diagonal, I've found that I'm still limited to an upper end of 30mm, and that's also dependent upon which 2" eyepiece you use (a 30mm 2" Brandon will come to focus). For example, a 17mm Ethos might come to focus, but a 21mm Ethos will not. I've used the 13mm (41x), 10mm (53x), and 8mm (66x) Ethos eyepieces with no problem. To me, the 10mm Ethos (53x) provided the nicest views. For example, the Orion Nebula, the Pleiades, and various star clusters each fit within the FOV and the magnification seemed just right. For a full range of powers low to high, the Turrent is handy. I think I may get another adapter made that I can pair with my 2" Zeiss Astro-Amici prism diagonal. That should allow most 2" eyepieces (low and high powers) to come to focus. Or, you can use the 1.6x Extender with 2" adapter (from Tak) and you'll be all set. The C2X coupled to the 1.25" prism diagonal also works really well. I hope this is making sense.

 

V/R

 

Terry

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Edited by TerryWood, 02 April 2025 - 12:41 PM.

[TerryWood]

I live in PA. You were right about the weather. Love your view.

 

Bob 

Thanks Bob (and everybody)! More clouds today...very windy too. Maybe even some light snow next week. It was 80 degrees this past weekend, lol.

 

V/R

 

Terry

Edited by TerryWood, 02 April 2025 - 12:48 PM.

[TerryWood]

This is a Tak thread, but get the Zeiss lenses!!!  

I had to check...Zeiss does make interocular lenses for cataracts...good stuff!!

 

V/R

 

Terry

[Phil Cowell]

I've finished putting together my Bortle 9 escape kit. I’ll be taking this with me as I leave my light-polluted home base for several dark(ish)-sky destinations this spring. Total weight (including the case) is 6.36 kilograms. The mount, carbon fiber tripod and a wide-field eyepiece will go into a backpack with a change of clothes and other overnight gear.
 

Thats a cool bug out bag

[Cometeer]

A Sky-Watcher Az Pronto. It's not too heavy and has worked fairly well. I'm interested in other, even more portable options, though. Do you have any recommendations?

I’ve tried a few mounts with an FS-60. My all time favorite is the Hitch Hiker, which happens to be incredibly hard to find. It’s the only alt-az mount, apart from the AZ100, that I don’t miss slow motion controls on.

For easier to attain mounts, I would second the Sightron SJ-M (which is also overkill for a scope this size/weight) or the DSV-M (sold with slow motion controls or without). On mounts without slow motion, having a handle makes all the difference, so ball heads are out for me. Small fluid heads are lackluster and large ones are just bulky.

[PatientObserver]

A Sky-Watcher Az Pronto. It's not too heavy and has worked fairly well. I'm interested in other, even more portable options, though. Do you have any recommendations?

I use a Super Mount S-Mini for my FOA-60Q. The saddle that it ships with supports Y-Axis balancing. The controls are smooth and the balance allows one to not have to over tighten the clutches.

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[25585]

Here is a very nice FSQ-106 fluorite   https://ensoptical.c...roduct_id=14981

[PatientObserver]

Does anyone know why they switched from florite with the FSQ-106 scopes?

Edited by PatientObserver, 02 April 2025 - 06:52 PM.

[EricCCD]

Does anyone know why they switched from florite with the FSQ-106 scopes?

My understanding (and I could be mistaken) is that manufacturing ED lenses back then was less polluting than manufacturing fluorite. Processes may have improved since fluorite lenses are back.

 

I do know that this was the case for Borg switching the glass type of the  76ED for the 77ED. 

Edited by EricCCD, 02 April 2025 - 07:14 PM.

[Phil Cowell]

Here is a very nice FSQ-106 fluorite   https://ensoptical.c...roduct_id=14981

They are great scopes.