34 replies to this topic

[gjanke]

A bold statement I know, but after a weeks worth of viewing and reading reviews for the 90 II. I am on vacation and then surgery next week. I have a lot of time for observing and reading. I have come to the conclusion I got a lemon. A lemon in the fact that for all of the complaints I have read my doesn’t seem to suffer at all from the common observations reported over the years. So the previous owner ( thanks Paul) either took really good care of it ( which he did) or this scope was made on s Wednesday.

I was pretty sure I was passing this along after the planets this summer but I think I am going to keep it. I just need a better mount. I used the televue telepod and it did it’s job but the scope needs so more stability.

The likelihood I have the best one made is small so I am going to chalk it up to the fact that there are others out there but they are being kept secret.

I read Ed Tings review and just knowing the facts of the scope it’s hard for me to believe he got three bad ones in row. However his last mention of the scope leads me to believe the scopes he got were used and abused. For me his site has carried a lot of weight in my telescope selection for the past twenty years so if one observation is off...well that’s pretty good. That being said I believe the TAK sky 90 II got a bad wrap.

[samovu]

No, you don’t. I do! Lol.

 

With planets being my main backyard targets and my FS-78 not having enough light gathering power, my Sky 90 II is often my first choice for a quick view (with the extender-q that I believe was designed for it and the FSQ-106N). Plus, great for the overhead bins when traveling. No complaints and great lens figure. 

 

Cheers,

John

[Erik Bakker]

Glad you enjoy those marvelous Sky 90's!

[nicoledoula]

For everyone who wants a bad to the bone 90mm frac but can't find a used Sky90   https://www.astronom...a.html?___SID=U

[Tyson M]

Paul's was expensive, but in immaculate shape. Brand new looking and optical report plus under the stars. I was considering paying for it.

The small size, weight is really convenient. There's no free lunch, but with that extender q, you have more options.

Looking forward to some reports.

[peleuba]

A bold statement I know, but after a weeks worth of viewing and reading reviews for the 90 II. I am on vacation and then surgery next week. I have a lot of time for observing and reading. I have come to the conclusion I got a lemon. A lemon in the fact that for all of the complaints I have read my doesn’t seem to suffer at all from the common observations reported over the years. So the previous owner ( thanks Paul) either took really good care of it ( which he did) or this scope was made on s Wednesday.

 

 

In all seriousness its the best Sky90 I have ever seen.  Its in perfect collimation; Its color correction is better then is to be believed if reading the magazine articles and forum discussions; Its fit/finish is top notch;  On the bench its way better then its needs to be to deliver great views at F/5.6

 

I think you would have to dedicate a fair amount of time and purposely search around to find one better.

[Steve Allison]

peleuba-

 

If you ever find another of that quality please let me know.

[Kunama]

I believe that many of the bad reviews of the Sky90 on fori have been written by people who have never used or owned one.....

I have used three different Sky90s and all of them were fine.....

Edited by Kunama, 23 August 2019 - 03:45 PM.

[StarDust1]

I love my Sky-90II as well. It's small and light. I'm even thinking of selling my FS-102NSV which has perfect startest since I got my Sky90.

 

These days I use the Sky90 with AZ-GTi mount. Love this combination, goto works well and tracking makes live easier.

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[samovu]

I believe that many of the bad reviews of the Sky90 on fori have been written by people who have never used or owned one.....

I have used three different Sky90s and all of them were fine.....

0 

[starman876]

The Sky 90 I have is a wonderful scope.  DPAC showed fairly straight lines.  Rather good for such a fast scope.  Images through it are remarkable.  One of the better scopes in that focal length I have used.

[gezak22]

Yet another happy (although former) Tak Sky 90 II user here. I used it primarily for photography. But on one rare occasion not only was I doing visual, but seeing was cooperating as well, and together with a Baader ortho I got some razor sharp images of Jupiter.

 

A lovely scope if the user knows how to spend 5 minutes to collimate it.

Edited by gezak22, 23 August 2019 - 08:37 PM.

[Bill Barlow]

Does anyone use the Sky 90 with the extender “Q”?  I hear this really enhances the scopes performance by increasing the focal length and allowing higher magnifications of planets, the moon and double stars.

 

Bill

[samovu]

Bill, yes, almost exclusively but that because I don’t often get a chance to take it to dark skies where I can enjoy some wide field views. The small extender-q turns it into an 806mm f9 scope and I can’t notice any degradation due to the extra glass. Views are comparable to ones through my FS-102. 

 

That’s what I like about investing in well kept premium glass. Costs more but you know that if the views are possibly a wee bit lacking, it’s the seeing or some other parameter that’s working against you. That extra 10% (or 15 or 20 or whatever) makes a difference when you are pushing the limits, YMMV. 

 

Cheers,

John

[chrisastro8]

I have a Sky 90 II and really love it.  Interesting the Tak Sky90 instruction manual states that on exceptional nights of seeing it's possible to reach 100x per inch. I am of course skeptical about that claim even being possible.

 

Equipped with an extender "Q" (1.6) I have used it on the planets at high powers (Takahashi LE eyepieces, e.g. 2.8mm, 3.6mm etc.) it performed very well on Jupiter and Saturn, and doubles but other than the double double which is far too easy, I forget which.  The seeing was very good but NOT 'exceptional'.

 

I found the best views for the conditions were around 45x per inch around (~160x), which is really good for a sweltering Summer night here in the Houston, TX area. 

I went up to 80x per inch (~285x) on the GRS but the resolution started to degrade due to seeing and/or optical limitations - not sure.  Collimation at ~285x is spot on.

 

 

 

It's a delightfully constructed, and beautifully made work of art.

These are great scopes, and congratulations to the OP for having the 'best', although ...... :-)

[Spacedout]

Totally agree.  I've got too many scopes, but cannot bring myself to sell mine.  The ease of transport and set up are hard to beat.  My first views of Jupiter and Saturn were with this gem, and so have a sentimental attachment to it as well.  Years ago when I was looking for my first scope, there were several Cloudynights articles on this scope by a Dave Novoselsky, which are all still available.  His enthusiasm for the Sky90 and Extender Q convinced me that it would be a good choice, and have never thought otherwise.  Certainly the views from my other scopes are better, but in terms of enjoyment derived as a visual user, I have to question the considerable extra cost.  Of course, I can't bring myself to sell any of the other scopes I've got.  

[Colin exraaf]

@StarDust1 ...... love that view you've got there ....beautiful ... oh yeah, nice Scope to ...!!

[Castor]

Hi gjanke,

 

Congratulations on your wonderful “Goldilocks” grab’n go scope and best luck on your upcoming surgery!

[Castor]

I love my Sky-90II as well. It's small and light. I'm even thinking of selling my FS-102NSV which has perfect startest since I got my Sky90.

 

These days I use the Sky90 with AZ-GTi mount. Love this combination, goto works well and tracking makes live easier.

Hi StarDust1,

 

Thanks for sharing that outstanding picture of your scope with the beautiful mountain panorama -what I’d give for a home with a view like that!  

Edited by Castor, 25 August 2019 - 10:07 PM.

[peleuba]

peleuba-

 

If you ever find another of that quality please let me know.

 

Hi Steve - will do.  They come up on the used market only occasionally. 

 

For those wanting something akin to the Sky90, take a look at the AT92.  I have personally tested 2 of them - both quite good.  I am using one on my bench as a collimator for an artificial star.

 

Did you ever get your DPAC setup going?  You will be able to evaluate a Sky90 (or any telescope) with it.  

Edited by peleuba, 27 August 2019 - 07:48 AM.

[StarDust1]

@Colin, Thank you!

@Castor, thank you! Yes, love this place as well, It’s in Austria. The name of the town is Saalfelden, one of my favorite places in Europe. I was there for holiday this August.

[Castor]

@Colin, Thank you!

@Castor, thank you! Yes, love this place as well, It’s in Austria. The name of the town is Saalfelden, one of my favorite places in Europe. I was there for holiday this August.

 

Thank you StarDust1 for elaborating on the dreamy place where you took that lovely picture!  

[chemisted]

It's nice to see a thread that highlights the Sky 90 in the positive terms it deserves.  Remember that the original has the same optical configuration as the Sky 90 II.  Mine will be 20 years old this November and the views have been nothing short of exquisite for that whole time.  Only recently did I add the Extender-Q for completeness as I can easily take the stock scope up to 200X.  Maybe I should claim to own the best (original) Sky 90 ever made?

[Simon Alderman]

I absolutely love my Sky90 (first edition). Fred tuned it as it made its way to me from the gentleman I purchased it from. That was 3 years ago and it’s still in perfect form. I’ve added the Extender Q and MEF3 (both stay on the scope). It’s so nice that I couldn’t justify keeping a brand new FC100DC or an FC76. I spent an enjoyable evening last night gazing at the Cygnus and Lyra area. Alberio was beautiful as the contrasting colors are so apparent in the scope. Very nice, very much a keeper!

[StarDust1]

I’m debating at the moment if the FS102NSV makes sense when having the Sky90. I love both scopes, but they do overlap in aperture a little. As of portability the sky90 is hands down the best option.