This Takahashi TOA-130NS refractor optical tube has: • 130mm f/7.7 Ortho-Apochromat triplet optics with dual ED elements
• 2.7” rack and pinion focuser with 1.25” eyepiece adapter
• retractable dew shield
• 250mm of back focus for CCD and film imaging
• state-of-the-art optical performance, exceeding even fluorite scopes
• 5-year warranty
The Takahashi TOA-130 refractor provides exceptionally high optical
and mechanical quality for the serious observer who needs optics of
reasonable portability. The TOA-130 is exceptional for observing and
imaging within the solar system. Its images of subtle lunar and
planetary details are sharp, with realistic and highly saturated color.
They are free from chromatic aberration’s violet haze of spurious color,
thanks to the scope’s ED triplet optics. The latest antireflection
multicoatings and numerous knife-edge internal baffles assure the
maximum image contrast possible.
This 5.1” Takahashi has a large
aperture and diffraction-free images that make it surprisingly good for
much deep space observing, as well. Binary stars and globular star
clusters are particularly well-resolved and vivid, with the contrasting
colors of many binary systems showing nicely. The brighter nebulas and
galaxies stand out against a very dark sky background.
The
TOA-130’s f/7.7 focal ratio and 1000mm focal length is long enough,
using a Takahashi 2.8mm ED eyepiece to provide 357x, for high
magnification observations of the Moon and planets, yet it will also
produce a huge 2.5° field at 20x, using a 2” Takahashi 50mm eyepiece.
This Telescope’s Optical and Mechanical Systems . . .
- Apochromatic triplet ED refractor optics: 130mm
(5.1") aperture, 1000mm focal length, f/7.7 Ortho-Apochromatic triplet
lens using two FPL-53 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements flanking a
crown glass element for pinpoint stars and images that are free from
spurious color (chromatic aberration).
- Multicoated optics: Fully coated on all surfaces with multiple layers of antireflection materials for high light transmission and good contrast.
- Retractable dew shield: Slows
the formation of dew on the lens to extend your undisturbed observing
time. Also improves visual and photographic contrast by shielding the
lens from off-axis ambient light (the neighbor’s yard light, moonlight,
etc.) For transport, the retractable lens shade keeps the overall length
of the optical tube to a manageable 32” when it is retracted and the
visual extension tube removed.
- Rack and pinion focuser: 2.7”
focuser, with a 2” eyepiece/accessory holder that threads into the 2.7”
focuser drawtube. A 1.25” compression ring eyepiece/star diagonal
holder is also supplied. The non-marring soft nylon compression ring of
the 1.25” eyepiece holder won’t scratch the barrels of your accessories
or star diagonal, as ordinary thumbscrews can. Dual focusing knobs
provide precise image control with either hand. The large focus knobs
are easy to operate, even while wearing gloves or mittens in cold
weather.
The 2.7” focuser yields a 40mm image circle for
virtually unvignetted 35mm prime focus photography. For medium format
camera use, the TOA-130 is also available in a 4” focuser version
(#TOA-131) that provides a 92mm image circle. A large thumbscrew locks
the focuser tube in place without image shift at the correct
photographic focus.
A useful photographic accessory would be the
Takahashi #CAA102 camera angle adjuster, shown below. This attaches to
the 2.7” focuser drawtube in place of the 2” eyepiece holder. It allows
the photographic accessory train to be rotated to the most appropriate
angle to frame the object being photographed (a landscape format,
portrait, or any angle in between) without having to loosen the camera
adapter and perhaps lose the correct focus. Once the camera is oriented
correctly, a large knob on the side of the adjuster can be tightened to
hold the camera in place during the exposure. - Finderscope mounting point: No
finderscope is supplied, but a flat boss with two mounting bolt holes
is provided on the top of the focuser body for mounting an optional
finderscope. The Takahashi 7x50mm 6.2° field finder and bracket shown
below are recommended.
- Long back focus: Back
focus is a very good 250mm, allowing the stacking of a wide variety of
CCD cameras, color filter wheels, electric focusers, camera angle
adjusters, and film cameras.
- Optional photographic accessories: Three
accessories are available to provide a variety of image scales and sky
coverage: a field flattener, a focal reducer, and an extender. The field
flattener reduces the focal ratio slightly (to f/7.53) and gives
pinpoint stars to the very edges of the 40mm (2.3°) image circle for
virtually unvignetted 35mm images. The focal reducer effectively cuts
the focal length to 750mm and the focal ratio to f/5.76. The
photographic field is now 3.8°, spread over a 50mm image circle for
totally non-vignetted 35mm photography. A 1.6x extender (which can also
be used visually) effectively increases the focal length to 1600mm and
the focal ratio to f/12.3. The photographic field is 1.4° with this
extender in use. A variety of photographic coupling attachments and
eyepiece projection photography adapters are also available.
- Mounting rings: No
mounting rings are supplied for the 155mm diameter optical tube. Two
options are available. One is the Takahashi tube holder (#130TH) shown
below that is designed specifically for mounting the TOA-130 on a
Takahashi EM-200 or larger equatorial mount. The second option is a pair
of Parallax split mounting rings (#PFS152), also shown below, for
mounting on a non-Takahashi mount, such as a Losmandy G-11.
The
image above shows the scope with an optional 7 x 50mm finderscope. The
feature image below shows the rear cell of the scope as supplied,
without the optional finderscope.