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If you're allowed one telescope...

emadmoussa

By emadmoussa
in The Astro Lounge

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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I have a 16" f4, a 12" f4 and a 6" f11 and am determined to keep them all! that said, if I had to choose just one I think it would be my 12" f4. this has become my most used scope at home as it's so quick and easy to set up, provides excellent views and a little wider field than my other scopes.

there's no doubt that my 6" f11 is the better double star scope and that the 16" f4 is the best scope I have when at star parties etc or when planning a major garden session but the 12" gets most use.

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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As I have said before, I would mount the 80mm as super finder/guider on my C8 and call it a single set-up :D. The C8 is used more than any other scope, but I just love the wide-field views through the 80mm.

One of the main reasons I prefer my fracs to the SCT is the wide field...Plus I always found refractors to provide sharper images especially for DSOs.

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JamesF

JamesF

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Well, on the grounds that it is perhaps the closest I could get to an all-round scope I'd probably go for something like a 200PDS on a NEQ6. It will do wide field views obviously, but it has enough focal length for planetary viewing. It works as a wide field imaging scope, but the focal length is just about sufficient to push it for a planetary imager. And with a white light filter it would be suitable for solar too. I might have to have an 80ED as a finder though :)

James

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JamesF

JamesF

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Your right leg, I like. I like your right leg. A lovely leg for the role. That's what I said when I saw you come in. I said, "A lovely leg for the role". I've got nothing against your right leg. The trouble is - neither have you.

James

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Qualia

Qualia

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I've got 2 scopes and for night time viewing there's nothing the 4" frac can do that the 10" can't do better.

The 10" takes no time to cool down, collimation is a breeze, there's no messing about with having to lug around some kind of tripod-mount system as well as the scope, it's easy to set up, packs up into a simple box shape, its rugged and weight wise is about as heavy as the 4" + its mounting system. Moreover, it's a visual comfort to use over the frac which too often puts one into extremely uncomfortable viewing positions.

Visually the newt blows away the poor little pee-shooter on every front be it on doubles, planets, galaxies, nebulae, clusters, what have you. Even where one may have thought the frac gives sharper 'pin-point' stars, more contrast on planets or what have you, is simply not true. The newt not only performs equally as well but on planets, for example, just walks all over the frac.

The only thing the frac does better is observing the sun with a Herschel wedge which is a little cheeky comparison 'cos you can't use one on a newt anyway.

I love the frac. I love the way it looks but that's not really the point. Looking through it, whether in the city or out in the desert-lands, it simply doesn't stand a chance.

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Macavity

Macavity

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As I have said before, I would mount the 80mm as super finder/guider on my C8 and call it a single set-up.

Once has an Orion RACI 9X50 finder strapped on top of a MAK90 with roughly the same thought in mind. :p

Perhaps the modern equivalent of Sir Patrick's (slow-ish? achromatic?) "Three Inch Refractor" - The MAK102? Have had both a MAK90 and a MAK127, so maybe a MAK102 on an Giro-Mini for my ultimate dotage... :D

Of course, when I coax my TS/GSO F4 Newt into doing everything (anything?) well... ;) <ducking>

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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I think there's a psychological element involved in liking a certain scope over others...I had 2 Newtonians and currently own a C11, I still think refractors produce richer images for DSOs. Then again, I never had a reflector larger than 8", so a 10" might make a difference.

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Marki

Marki

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Hehe - pitting a cheapo (albeit excellent in its class) 4" 'frac against one of Shane's finest 10" masterpieces is a little unfair :), however the point is noted!

As others have said, its probably what you use most!

In which case I'll stick with my 10x50 bins :confused: !

I only have 'fracs now (got rid of my 8" SCT) covering 80mm through to 150mm, but If forced I'd probably keep my Skylight 100mm f13 - beautiful to look and and look through. Or my tal125r - as much for the emotional investment in it as anything else (although the gain in aperture is nice). Haven't had my istar 150mm long enough to get attached to it or to get a feel for how good it is.

I'm really glad I don't currently have to make such a decision!

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Carbon Brush

Carbon Brush

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A different take from me.

Sell a scope only if it's strengths and use are significantly covered by others in your collection.

Or if you don't make use of it for a good reason.

Temporary or resolvable situations are not good reasons to sell.

If you had (for example) two fracs of similar aperture and similar FL, there would be a good argument for selling one.

If you had to carry the C11 down 3 flights of stairs with no prospect of easier storage, that is another good reason.

My scope sales have always been based on overlap or lack of use. Even then, should I have kept the.....insert names of scopes previously sold.......

The idea of not having viewing choices fills me with dread.

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LeeB

LeeB

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Like moonshane I have a few scopes, the problem for me in choosing one is mine are from different stables, The dob for ease and when I'm feeling like a hunt, the goto for the faints and when the sky wont play ball. So I'm going to sit on the fence, and say the answer which scope may be different on each day you ask....

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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Temporary or resolvable situations are not good reasons to sell.

this is a great point actually. it explains why I hope to never sell my scopes or my eyepieces as I'd always sell other things first.

my 16" f4 when masked off thrashes my 6" f11 on planets and doubles and obviously when umasked beats it on everything although I'd never use it on the sun which I use my 6" for. the 12" is not best at anything, just best for convenience and compromise.

all that said, if I needed to ever sell due to dire financial reasons, a 6" f5 on a home made dob base and a set of TV plossls would be perfectly acceptable to me!

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jason.p

jason.p

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I've only been at this for a relatively short time, but seem to have accumulated four scopes. post-23638-13788312747_thumb.jpg

I love the TAL and would never part with it, but I will be favouring one of the two Skywatchers for a while. The Jessops reflector will probably not get much use:o

Sent from my GT-P5110 using Tapatalk 2

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