Would you or would you not ??.

[Steve55]

So many people love and not want to change telescope 8" reflector ,4" refractor Ect Ect. All things being equal we are talking average you and me amature astronomer here , well in my case well less than average haha, if you could, would you change that explorer 200p you rave about and say could not wish for a better scope  to say  a skyliner synscan 400p or the Orien version of the same thing whatever make. Would you change to that monster of a scope if possible. Just wondering how many being honest with themselves would actually say Nawwww , love my little scope. Oh and there is no bumming looks on other peoples Monster scopes either ;-) not getting away with that one . Me, yes i think would . From fuzz too ???? . 

[ronl]

I'm saving up for one of these at the moment http://www.firstlightoptics.com/clearance/hubble-cassegrain-reflector-telescope.html 

posting and packaging is a bit steep though.

[RikM]

If money were no object would I get rid of my 250PX? No, probably not. It is the perfect size for me for observing from home. Would I get an 18" f/4 Webster to take away on dark sky trips, yes... In a heartbeat. But that would be in addition to my 10" rather than to replace it.

[Roy Challen]

Well, let's just say that I had the spare cash to buy a really big scope, say 500mm aperture or above, then to make it anywhere near worthwhile I would have to move somewhere exceedingly dark. That place for me would be central southern Kazakhstan, so now the cost has risen dramatically. So with that scenario out of the question (for the time being), would I swap my 100mm s for an 8 or 10 inch newt? Nope! Would I add an 8 or 10" to my collection of refractors? Yeah why not! Can I afford to? No! Oh well, maybe later then!

[Steve55]

If money were no object would I get rid of my 250PX? No, probably not. It is the perfect size for me for observing from home. Would I get an 18" f/4 Webster to take away on dark sky trips, yes... In a heartbeat. But that would be in addition to my 10" rather than to replace it.

No i agree keep the smaller for that quick out back  chance we all like ..

[Steve55]

I'm saving up for one of these at the moment http://www.firstlightoptics.com/clearance/hubble-cassegrain-reflector-telescope.html 

posting and packaging is a bit steep though.

Could not get the link up on this Ronl

[swag72]

I can honestly say that I wouldn't change my FSQ85 even if I had loads of cash. For me, this is a dream scope. 

[DaveS]

Not bigger, no. Higher quality, yes. Something with three or more lenses from APM or Takahashi perhaps.

[ronl]

They must have removed it, it was the Hubble Space Telescope, they had it as a joke, I'm still

saving though !!.

[RikM]

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/clearance/hubble-cassegrain-reflector-telescope.html

Looks like it is still available but on back order

[Scott]

I'd swap any of my 'scopes in a heartbeat . Of course it would have to be a sensible upgrade......or not

[faulksy]

I'd swap any of my 'scopes in a heartbeat . Of course it would have to be a sensible upgrade......or not

your so tempted to buy a dob arnt you scott

[Scott]

your so tempted to buy a dob arnt you scott

ohI'd love a biggish dob mike, but it'd be an addittion, not a replacement . Where I live, it's always gonna be imaging 

[faulksy]

ohI'd love a biggish dob mike, but it'd be an addittion, not a replacement . Where I live, it's always gonna be imaging 

be nice when you come with us to dobfest though

[ronin]

I think that to go to a significantly bigger item you need the situation to be correct.

Say this based on the people that seem to have given up very soon after getting a 16" dobsonian. I assume that a size limit had been surpassed and the equipment was either just too much bother or sat somewhere not being used.

A big scope in anything resembling a town is likely to be a problem (lets face it most of us live in a town of some sort), you have a bigger scope to move out and back in if using a garden and you still have LP to contend with and also often restricted views. Transporting one in a car to somewhere dark brings another host of problems.

[swamp thing]

I certainly wouldn't want to change mine for a 400p I must admit.

[Luke]

For DSO observing I'd stay at 10 or 12 inches dob and for solar 100 to 120mm refractor. I find them optimal for my needs. Bigger is always tempting but these work for me and give me enough detail.

[ollypenrice]

My scopes are fine. I'm mostly involved in imaging and the progress needs to come from the cameras, not the optics. My scopes (Takahashi FSQ 106 and TEC140) can cover larger chips than currently exist and could also resolve onto smaller pixels that currently exist on large chips. So my optics are fine but the cameras are well and truly behind them at the moment.

When this changes - and it will - I probably won't be able to afford the upgrades!

Olly

[Mark at Beaufort]

I have sold 4 scopes in the past 6 months and I am happy with my present collection. An Orion VX8 for DSOs, an Astro Tech 102mm APO for Planets, Doubles Stars, Lunar and Solar White Light and a PST for Ha Solar work.

I had a very good 10" Dob but had to carry it 30 metres to the end of the garden - it sometimes became a pain - hence the swop to the Orion VX8. The quality of the VX8 mirror makes it nearly as good as the 10" Dob.

However, what I would love to use is a 12" or 14" Orion Dob - but  how much would I use it compared to the VX8.

[Stu]

I certainly agree that I would not sell the smaller scope as you will most likely always use it more.

I have a 10, 12 and 16" currently. The 16 only really comes out for star parties or dark sky trips. The 12 is a bit of a beast to carry down the garden in one go, so the 10" is the one which gets most use.

Don't ask me to choose between the two. At a dark site, the 16" wins every time, but I get more actual use out of the 10".

[niallk]

... I would/did!

At the start of the year I upgraded to a 15" (ok at 381mm it is still shy of the 400mm threshold mentioned...), and to be honest it has completely displaced my 250px. Now I love my 250px dearly, and I won't sell it they are grrrreat scopes, but the 15" is great to setup/takedown/use and view through on all targets so far. I chose it because I hoped it would be my every opportunity + portable scope - if I went after something significantly bigger I was afraid it would become a special occasion scope - not that I don't lust in my dreams after something like that!! I muttered wow when I saw M81 through it, and views of globs make me smile!

Here's a size comparison pic: setup/takedown overhead is not much more, and not a chore! More than worth the extra 3-4mins effort for the views! I do have to plan cool down time and charge batteries for secondary dew heater - that's the real downside...

[David Smith]

I'd swap my achromat for an ed but would not go any bigger on the dob. I would also like a small wide field scope at some point. The 10" dob is big enough without being too big to handle.