A message for small scope owners.............

[Pig]

It is very very addictive though

[baggywrinkle]

Well done mate for offering help and encouragement

[John]

It is very very addictive though

Thats the challenge I suppose - its so easy to keep throwing money into the hobby without actually moving the observing capability forward very much. 

There is also the risk that newcomers to the hobby and those on tight budgets start to feel that the hobby requires large amounts of expenditure in order to progress which is totally not the case, at least for the side of the hobby that I practice. 

There are a number of folks on this forum using quite modest equipment who's observing skills and abilities make me blush   

[Naemeth]

Thats the challenge I suppose - its so easy to keep throwing money into the hobby without actually moving the observing capability forward very much. 

There is also the risk that newcomers to the hobby and those on tight budgets start to feel that the hobby requires large amounts of expenditure in order to progress which is totally not the case, at least for the side of the hobby that I practice. 

There are a number of folks on this forum using quite modest equipment who's observing skills and abilities make me blush   

Totally agree with you there John. I've got a lot of the kit, and the knowledge is improving slowly. The most useful things I ever bought were the S&T Pocket Atlas and Head Torch, when you have a map you start really being able to find things rather than just stabbing in the dark as it were.

[faulksy]

all of you have agreed with ed so by that I think if you would of been in eds shoes you all would of done the same thing, so when I meet up with you lot over time I no you will all welcome me, what a lovely bunch you are and that's why I love sgl and this community

[garethmob]

iv seen more in my binoclors than i ever have in a scope on a dark site!   and their 9X 42 lol

althrough with that asside,   iv looked through at some things with my megrez (72mm) and with a much bigger scope and i do find i saw more clarity with the smaller, even if it was father away!

[Wyvern]

Yep, nice one Ed.

And lets face it, how many times have we seen "large" scopes for sale on fleabay with the seller moaning " I don't know how to use it".  Shouldn't have bought the damn thing in the first place then should we?  

[nightfisher]

I've got a massive 63mm scope that's a killer on doubles...

Great scope, i have a vwery similar size frac 

I could not agree more and good for you Ed for being encouraging. I was of the generation that started in the hobby with a 60mm refractor and managed to get a lot of thrills from that. My first decade of more serious observing was with scopes no larger than 4" in aperture.

In truth I doubt that most of us (me included !) get anywhere near the full potential of our gear before giving in to the urge to upgrade   

Top post John, and a lot nearer the truth than a good few people would admit to, i would be the first to admit to moving onto larger scopes before getting full use out of old one

[Peter Drew]

My scopes range from 40mm-760mm, the 40mm probably gets most use (PST).