Last night I got my first chance to look through Takahashi's new TOA-
150. This telescope is every bit as impressive as its Japanese
designers told us it would be. I did a star test on Deneb as it was
easier to point to than Vega from our front yard -- we have some
pretty tall pines. The Airy disk was textbook at 314X using a Vixen
Lanthanum 3.5mm SuperWide eyepiece. Deneb's diffraction image,
inside and outside of focus, was perfect and showed no trace of
astigmatism or spherical aberration. The slightly blue color of the
disk did not change at all when passing through focus. On this
point, it reminded me of a star test with my old 8in. f/7.3
Newtonian -- minus the diffraction from secondary vanes. Seeing
conditions were moderately good so two diffraction rings were
visible in focus with the second ring being very faint. Having used
Takahashi's FS-152 and FCT-150, I can say that the TOA-150 is better
corrected than its predecessors.
The next object I centered in the telescope was M13 in Hercules. It
was easily located in the LE-50 at 22X even though I didn't have a
finder on the TOA and was using a manual Tak. 160P equatorial
mount. Stars were pinpoints out to the edge with all three
eyepeices I employed: the Takahashi LE-50mm(22X), Tele-Vue 12mm
Type II Nagler(92X) & the aforementioned 3.5mm Lanthanum SWA(314X).
The views of this globular at 314X were amazingly crisp. The stars
looked like specks of diamond dust scattered across black velvet.
My only complaints were regarding the streetlight some 50ft. away
and that I wasn't out in West Texas. This telescope would be the
perfect companion under a dark sky. Perhaps I will get a chance to
view Mars with it later.
The TOA-150 is not a lightweight telescope, but at 42lbs., it is not
difficult for one person to set up. Because the of the retractable
dew shield, it is actually much easier to haul around than the FS-
152. The tube itself is only 32lbs.; however, one must use the
included 10lb. accessory ring to balance the weight of the
objective. The focuser is the same 4in. model as found on the FSQ-
106 and comes standard with Takahashi's Micro-Edge 10:1 fine-focus.
I used a VernonScope 2in. 1/20-wave quartz diagonal which works well
with the 72mm extension tube included with the optical tube
assembly.
If any of you are on the waiting list for a TOA-150, you will not be
disappointed when it arrives. Takahashi has once again established
a benchmark telescope for the 6in. refractor class.
---Darrin
150. This telescope is every bit as impressive as its Japanese
designers told us it would be. I did a star test on Deneb as it was
easier to point to than Vega from our front yard -- we have some
pretty tall pines. The Airy disk was textbook at 314X using a Vixen
Lanthanum 3.5mm SuperWide eyepiece. Deneb's diffraction image,
inside and outside of focus, was perfect and showed no trace of
astigmatism or spherical aberration. The slightly blue color of the
disk did not change at all when passing through focus. On this
point, it reminded me of a star test with my old 8in. f/7.3
Newtonian -- minus the diffraction from secondary vanes. Seeing
conditions were moderately good so two diffraction rings were
visible in focus with the second ring being very faint. Having used
Takahashi's FS-152 and FCT-150, I can say that the TOA-150 is better
corrected than its predecessors.
The next object I centered in the telescope was M13 in Hercules. It
was easily located in the LE-50 at 22X even though I didn't have a
finder on the TOA and was using a manual Tak. 160P equatorial
mount. Stars were pinpoints out to the edge with all three
eyepeices I employed: the Takahashi LE-50mm(22X), Tele-Vue 12mm
Type II Nagler(92X) & the aforementioned 3.5mm Lanthanum SWA(314X).
The views of this globular at 314X were amazingly crisp. The stars
looked like specks of diamond dust scattered across black velvet.
My only complaints were regarding the streetlight some 50ft. away
and that I wasn't out in West Texas. This telescope would be the
perfect companion under a dark sky. Perhaps I will get a chance to
view Mars with it later.
The TOA-150 is not a lightweight telescope, but at 42lbs., it is not
difficult for one person to set up. Because the of the retractable
dew shield, it is actually much easier to haul around than the FS-
152. The tube itself is only 32lbs.; however, one must use the
included 10lb. accessory ring to balance the weight of the
objective. The focuser is the same 4in. model as found on the FSQ-
106 and comes standard with Takahashi's Micro-Edge 10:1 fine-focus.
I used a VernonScope 2in. 1/20-wave quartz diagonal which works well
with the 72mm extension tube included with the optical tube
assembly.
If any of you are on the waiting list for a TOA-150, you will not be
disappointed when it arrives. Takahashi has once again established
a benchmark telescope for the 6in. refractor class.
---Darrin
