219 replies to this topic

[MemoAstronomy]

Hello folks, i have an actualization with a moon photo with my Takahashi FC50.

I put an adapter, it converts from 0.965" to 1.25" and then the camera ZWO ASI178MM.

It works very well. and have a great optic for a telescope of 1973.

 

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[JamesMStephens]

Spent three days in Lancaster County, PA, October 3-6 with the 60mm Telescope Club viewing the night sky with my 50mm, sharing views, and admiring their 60mm ‘scopes.  Of course, there were a few views through some 8” telescopes.

 

 I traveled the farthest (from Missouri) and had the smallest telescope!

 

 I also brought my Herschel wedge and showed several people a vintage view of the Sun!

Is there a thread for this meeting?

 

Jim

[Sirius Black]

Jim,

Not to my knowledge. I think it was arranged through the York County Astronomy Club. I was there at the invitation of the 60mm Telescope Club, an online group through groups.io. The administrator got permission to piggyback at a YCAC event.

[kasprowy]

Is there a thread for this meeting?

 

Jim

I believe it is this. I've been a lurking member for a while now. Wish I was closer to the event, I would have attended.

 

https://groups.io/g/...mmTelescopeClub

 

https://groups.io/g/...b/message/26958

Edited by kasprowy, 08 November 2024 - 10:45 AM.

[Terra Nova]

I used to be part of that back when it was a Yahoo group, (and I had so many 60s that I couldn’t count ‘em all on my hands!). Times have changes.

[Buckaroo2]

How much are the fc-50's going for? I want one.

[Sirius Black]

Posts: 78
Joined: 09 Jan 2023
Loc: Washington state, USA
Posted Today, 02:49 AM
How much are the fc-50's going for? I want one.

 

Rather difficult to come up with a price.  Like anything else, there can be several governing factors.

 

I think 3 years ago when I bought mine, it was listed for $750, but that was the tube alone, no finder, diagonal, or clamshell for mounting.  All of those certainly added to the price.

 

A few months ago, I purchased another one for a friend.   With taxes charged by auction sites now, it was a little over $900.  This one came with a mounting accommodation.

 

I have read or seen on FC-50 reviews that you can plan on paying $1000?
 

A lot will depend on how clear the optics are, the overall appearance, how many accessories come with the tube, and how “proud” the telescope seller is.

 

this opinion and $1.10 will get you a cup of coffee at McDonald’s.

[Buckaroo2]

Thanks

[Weisswurst Josef]

Paid about $750,- for mine some years ago. Including value added tax and customs.

With clamshell but without finder and finder bracket. A grey one it was.

 

Look out patiently for one showing up.

They appear from time to time.

Edited by Weisswurst Josef, 19 November 2024 - 02:42 PM.

[kasprowy]

You can get a brand new FS60CB for $780 now with Tak's sale.

[Defenderslideguitar]

Here is  a nice   tak  fc 50  right here in the classifieds

 

 

 

https://www.cloudyni...takahashi-fc50/

[Buckaroo2]

Here is  a nice   tak  fc 50  right here in the classifieds

 

 

 

https://www.cloudyni...takahashi-fc50/

I missed it. That would have made my tenth Tak I have bought..........This year.

[Sirius Black]

 

My “travel” telescope helping out with an astronomy event in Ocotlán, Jalisco, México.

 

Pictured is la Presidenta (the mayor) of Ocotlán.  It was the most well attended event I’ve been a part of, with an estimated over 1000 attendees!

 

 

I’m including a picture of me (on the right), with my FC-50 “hermano”, Guillermo, who brought his FC-50 Tak also, along with several other telescopes and friends and family members to oversee them.

[MemoAstronomy]

What a great night!

[Jay_Reynolds_Freeman]

I recently obtained a Teegul-60. (For the cognoscenti: It is not a Teegul Newton.) That type has been well-described, both in this thread and on the Internet, so I won't go into detail about it here, but I will report on future use. It has had first light (for me), but in poor conditions, so I don't have much to say yet, except that I am impressed with its elegant mechanical design, portability and speed of setup. I bought it as a grab-and-go telescope, so the latter two qualities matter a lot.

 

Clear sky ...
 

[Sirius Black]

Thanks Dave Trott

 

https://youtu.be/DuD...jeJsDXZFlJSLZwD

[Dave Trott]

Glad you like the video!

[PawPaw]

Another wonderful and informative video presented by Dave.   

 

Thank you Dave!

[Sirius Black]

 

The solid utility of a small telescope!

 

This little FC-50 mounted on a Takahashi Teegul TG-S mount and tripod is a real solid performer for such a tiny package.  As you can see from the pictures, it sized right for the kids, but the adults don’t mind making accommodations to see!  Last winter I used a tracking mount which I thought I would sorely miss, but this worked remarkably well.  Having to adjust the view every few minutes gave me a chance to interact with the audience.  I had several coming back for repeat views and had more than one person tell me my little telescope had the best view of all the telescopes!  I was using the 12.5mm ortho to yield 32X.  That eyepiece is by far my most used eyepiece for public events.

 

These pictures are from the latest “Moon and Planet” event that my “FC-50 brother”, Guillermo, invited me to in his home city of Poncitlán, Jalisco, Mexico.  Here in Mexico, the cities really know how to plan out these events!

 

The gentleman that is kneeling to look through the telescope was Jonathan, the live saxophone player that was wondering through the crowd of an estimated 500, playing through a sound system for the crowd’s enjoyment while looking through several telescopes set up in a row.  They also had refreshments for everyone and a ceremony at the beginning with the president (mayor) of Poncitlán to introduce those of us contributing our telescopes and time.

 

 The picture with the telescope and certificates shows the certificates I’ve been given from the cities of Jamay, Ocotlán, and Poncitlán over the past two winters!

[Jay_Reynolds_Freeman]

I did some observing with a Teegul 60 (60 mm f/8.3 doublet) this evening, chasing down a few Messier objects in a Bortle 4 or 5 sky. Here is a link to an excellent video by Dave Trott, to show you what the telescope is like, in case you haven't met one. (Dave describes two different kinds of Teegul 60; mine is like the white one.)

 

There are a lot of reasons to like this little telescope: If you say "Takahashi" over and over again real fast, it sounds like a steam locomotive, and who could fail to be charmed by an optical tube assembly that could double as a king-sized avant-garde Thermos bottle? Besides, the Teegul 60 is an exceptional grab-and-go telescope for short viewing sessions: The streamlined optical tube assembly slides into the mounting ring with no extra loosening to deal with an over-size rim of the fixture at the focusing end, or with a dew shield bigger in diameter than the tube itself. The tripod does not require a tray table or other central fixture to stabilize it -- just extend the legs and tighten the extension clamps, and you are good to go. The finder position is held by setscrews, so you don't have to line it up every time you use the instrument. The slow motions are full 360-degree worm gears, so you don't have to back and fill when you run out of travel, and the clutches engage smoothly enough that you can transition from hand-pushing to slow motions without readjusting them. The result is the quickest setup of any mounted telescope that I have ever used, and great ease of operation thereafter.

 

My main program this evening was with another classic, and I shall report on it separately, but I brought the Teegul along because I have been doing a Messier survey with it and wanted to log a few objects that were getting difficult to see in evening twilight. Using a 12 mm Brandon for a magnification of 42, I was pleased to detect M77 at an elevation of only about 20 degrees, and M74, M31, M32 and M110 when slightly lower. Not bad for Bortle 4, though these targets were setting in an area away from light domes. The Teegul fits in a small carrying case, and will no doubt accompany me on future observing runs. Meanwhile, where is my engineer's cap? Woo woo woooooo ...

 

 

Clear sky ...