TSA102 2nd & subsequent lights

After many more times out with the scope, under a variety of seeing conditions, I feel like I have a better grasp on the performance of my new TSA102.

I had the TSA102 side by side with the SV105 several times. Did Jupiter first and felt that seeing hasn't been good enough to tell a definitive difference. What surprised me was the star test. Vega focused down to a smaller, tighter airy disk in the Tak. Tak was at 226x and SV105 was at 232x. I think what's happening here is that at f6, the SV105 was showing that its more susceptible to seeing whereas at f8, the Tak isn't as affected. Maybe tomorrow night I'll pull out the venerable FCT100...

Two times I had the TSA102 side by side with the TEC6MC. On the night of excellent seeing, there were no surprises as the TEC6 showed more detail on Jupiter with more brightness. Tonight's bad (maybe even horrible) seeing makes an excellent case for 4" apos. If one was to just take this one night, one would have to say that the TSA102 "wiped the floor" with the TEC6. But it wouldn't be wise to take one night's result and generalize would it? A 30% c.o. doesn't like bad seeing very much. So, on bad nights the TSA102 will be better but on good nights the TEC6 will be better. On a side note - I don't remember seeing being this bad ever...

So tonight I also went ahead used Vega to try and force my TSA102 to show chromatic abberation. I knew it wasn't going to show any at 226x so how bout bumping it up to 291x? I've read where people say their scopes show "no color in or out of focus." Well, the only apos I ever owned that I can say that about are the TOA130 and the NP101; I can't say that about the long list of apos I have either owned or still currently own. Would the TSA102 be added to that list? Using my shortest f/l eyepiece (2.8 LE) yielding 291x, the TSA102 showed no false color in focus on Vega. Using averted vision to check out the glow/scatter around the star, it was the same color. So defocus to five rings inside and look for the signs of purple - none. Defocus five rings outside and look for signs of green/yellow - none. Do it again, super careful to look for any signs of false color. Again - none. The TSA102 shows no false color, in or out of focus.

I was right in my initial assessment, this is a special one. Takahashi got it right.

Wow, Evan, fantastic review.

I'd love to hear a comparison between the TSA 102 and your FCT100. I am still suspicious about the performance difference between FPL53 and Fluorite.

How does your TOA130 compare to the TSA102 (apart from the obvious aperture difference)?

I enjoyed that review.

Greg.

Evan,

My experience with my new TSA-102 mimicks your exactly. I am very happy to find the same incredible contrast as other Tak scopes and have stayed up all night viewing the Souther Summer Milky Way from the M8/M20 and the the Eagle all the way to the North American nebula. I also had an NP101 and while I found it to be exceptional and color free, I believe I much prefer the TSA, but mostly for reasons of personal preference. I especially like that it performs well on the Teegul modified alt az mount. The combination of TSA102 and Teegul has to be one of the best possible 4" APO grab and go setups around.

I am also fortunate to have taken delivery of a new TOA-130 yesterday. I didn't sleep all night once I set it up at a nearby site relatively free of artificial light and with a skies at about mag 5.5. I thought my former FS128 was spectacular, but the TOA-130 is easily the best scope I have viewed through in its size class. Like most Tak scopes that I have owned or used, the contrast is almost startling at first. I watched Jupiter for hours last night and M57 was big and bright. I cannot wait to get it to an even darker site, but of course we are expecting rain tonight through the weekend.

Having had the TSA-102 and TOA-130 side by side all night last night, I can say that to my eyes the views are remarkably similar in terms of contrast and image quality (especially Jupiter). The TOA takes a bit longer to cool down, of course (about 45 minutes as opposed to about 30 min for the TSA) in our warm and muggy Memphis climate. You could definitely tell the difference in the two looking at deep sky, last night notably with M57. The Ring looked like a faint smoke ring in the TSA-102, but was easily visible with direct vision. In the TOA, you kept thinking with just a bit of luck, you might see the central star. Of course, you couldn't, but the view was so clear, I got this sense that the TOA could possibly do the impossible.

With a UHC filter, the NA was trivial with either scope and the Veil was truly breathtaking especially the Witches' Broom.