Show off your custom/detailed scope.

[Naemeth]

Colour is certainly up to the individual. I like all white, some white, and no white, and any combination of the three

My homebuilt 10" iDob is white tube on back mount.

Turns out Apple make scopes !

I quite like the white and black look, I'd certainly rather that (or any other colour for that matter) than pink.

[emadmoussa]

I do like a wood finish 

Despite my preference for the white with black trim finish, I have owned quite a lot of odd coloured scopes in my time in the hobby 

A lot of refractors too ! 

Aha, the Istar is mounted now...

[MrFinster]

well since you mentioned them!

here's my 6"f11 dob mounted on a home made equatorial platform. I have flocked the whole tube, added a little fan, some 'Shane's knobs' for the primary end (the secondary is too small for thumbscrews), a counterweight, made a tensioning clamp, some little 1kg weights on the feet for more stability (it's a tall and spindly affair with the centre of gravity too high for my liking), changed the focuser, made a solar filter, made a dew shield, added a telrad and right angle correct image finder. I have also mown the grass since the photo but that's just maintenance

then there's my most recent acquisition, my 12" f4 dob. I bought this as an OTA only and made my own dob base for this. added a Telrad base, made a dew shield, an aperture mask (giving me 85mm f16, and a 110mm f12 dobfractors), and added a 4" telrad riser. I plan to eventually flock certain parts of the tube (possibly all of it) and add a fan. I am also part way through making a suitcase truss dob system. so it all (bar the trusses) fits into a box about 500mm cubed). It has some green........ This is now my most used scope.

finally, my pride and joy (albeit least used currently). It's a 16" f4 dob and I also made the base for this, the cell, flocked the whole tube, added telrad and RACI finder, fan, Shane's knobs all round, different focuser, aperture mask (giving 100mm f18, 130mm f14 and 170mm f11 dobfractors). This is a joy to use at dark sites and in the winter I use it more from home especially at weekends as it has more chance to reach equilibrium.

There is just something a little preposterous in a comedic way about those larger dobs, they remind me of the cannon used in a human cannonball act.

That being said, If I get the spare cash at some point, I will be looking at owning an 18 inch dob.

[Moonshane]

how very dare you !    actually......fair point, well made.

[JamesF]

Could be a bare aluminium  tube for all I care.  I buy them to look through, not at

James

[John]

I do tend to agree with James. When it's dark and I'm at the eyepiece, the scope could be skybluepink for all I care   

Aha, the Istar is mounted now...

Thats just a temporary arrangement for star testing. I'm looking for something even sturdier now   

[John]

how very dare you !    actually......fair point, well made.

Is this one of yours Shane ?   

[Moonshane]

Is this one of yours Shane ?   

no, but mmmmm.....that gives me an idea

[A McEwan]

I've done a bit of customising. This 8" f6 Dob started off grey and ended up Peugeot Blaze Yellow metallic! Later on it got a blue Moonlite focuser too!

And this Helios 150mm f8 achro started off black...

Ant

[nightfisher]

Here is my contribution to the Keep scopes white" cause, got to have a shot of the TAL 100rs, and the indoor shot is the Antares 105 f15

[JamesF]

I wonder if scopes are traditionally white because they should radiate heat rather than absorbing it?

James

[Naemeth]

I wonder if scopes are traditionally white because they should radiate heat rather than absorbing it?

James

Indeed, it also makes them easier to see in the dark

[JamesF]

Indeed, it also makes them easier to see in the dark

True, but painting them dayglo pink would probably achieve that, too

James

[Naemeth]

True, but painting them dayglo pink would probably achieve that, too

James

True, but who wants to look at a pink scope in the daytime, or when it's cloudy?

[John]

I wonder if scopes are traditionally white because they should radiate heat rather than absorbing it?

James

I was wondering that James but I could not find any particular evidence of it one way or the other. It's worth investigating further though. 

[AlexB67]

It would be a factor for sure, but how much or significant I've no idea in amateur sized dobs.  I wonder, it would be more of a factor in solar day viewing with the tube expanding more if black and therefore more susceptible to temperature changes.   Interestingly I don't know if there is any substance in it, nor could I find anything on it, but radio telescope dishes are very large and usually white and I suspect it has something to do with that.