How many scopes !!!

[niallk]

Wow

Just...

Wow!

:)

[Chris]

I'm still in shock from BigMakStutov's and Joves posts   In a good way

I'm down to 3 scopes now, but at one stage it was starting to get a bit out of control at 6.

Mind you, if I didn't have a wife and 3 kids I would most likely be filling the house to the brim with scopes, and I would likely be known locally as the crazy telescope man!

[Pig]

Peter,

Was 750mm at typo  If not I sure would love an invite to come check the views out

[Peter Drew]

Not a typo Shaun, it's a 750mm F4.1 Dobsonian. I built it in 1985 for Halley's Comet, at the time it was believed to be the largest Dob worldwide. Rebuilt as a truss tube design in the late 90's and installed in the Astronomy Centre main observatory in 2001. Replaced in 2004 with a Meade 16" LX200 and "mothballed" until recently, now in its own housing undergoing further mods and testing prior to realuminising.   

[Pig]

Most impressive Peter

[Stu]

Pictures Peter, we need pictures :-)

[JamesF]

I have a vague recollection of Peter posting some pictures a while back.  Perhaps that was a different scope.

Is it a mirror you made yourself Peter, or bought in?

James

[spaceboy]

Only the 7 for me.

[Peter Drew]

James.  Mirror purchased, my mirror making skills ran out at 8". 

[Donkeiller]

Just the 4 scopes.

Had and sold another 3.

[faulksy]

only 1 scope for me piggy, but have owned 5 others. this one does everything as gerry says

[Moonshane]

Here's my list:

Telescopes

Celestron OMNI XLT 120mm f8.3 refractor (sold)

Orion Optics UK 12” f5.3 dobsonian (sold)

Celestron OMNI XLT 150mm f5 newtonian (sold)

Orion Optics 6” f11 dobsonian on equatorial platform (planetary, moon and doubles)

Orion Optics 6” f6 newtonian (sold)

Orion Optics 16” f4 dobsonian (dark site scope)

Celestron OMNI XLT 102mm f10 refractor (sold)

Orion Optics UK 6” f5 newtonian (sold)

Suitcase Dobsonian based on OOUK 6” f5 (sold)

Orion Optics UK 12” f4 dobsonian (general scope - most used)

Konus 114mm f4.4 newtonian (sold)

Skywatcher 130mm f5 newtonian (sold)

Meade 8” f6 dobsonian (sold)

Celestron OMNI XLT 150mm f5 newtonian (sold)

Vixen 80mm F11  refractor (grab and go)

Tal 100mm f10 refractor (PST mod) (Ha solar)

Coronado PST (converted to PST mod above)

Skywatcher 120mm f5 refractor (white light solar and wide field).

[Uplooker]

Very enjoyable reading this thread. Here is my list:-

SW 150P (now mainly used for imaging)

SW ST80 (guidescope)

Celestron C8 XLT (planets)

Coronado PST

TAL 100RS (for PST Mod)

SW 300PDS OTA (Dob Build)

I have never sold a scope. I am considering selling the C8, but I probably won't, I like the fact that I can track planets when it is mounted on my NEQ6. I do enjoy the planetary views withthe 300PDS.

I have been thinking of getting a fast refractor for imaging as well as one for use with a Herschel wedge

Ian

[Moonshane]

Hi mate

You'd be welcome to try my 120mm f5 skywatcher with Lunt wedge for a bit if you like. It's excellent.

[mikeDnight]

Well I have to say I like you guys very much. You make me look nearly normal!

Since I started in astronomy back in 1980, I have been privelaged to own some lovely telescopes. The first one was a 60mm Astral refractor. An apprentice plumber at the time, I spent a snowy February walking from house to house repairing burst pipes, so that I could earn enough money to buy the scope which was in Dixon's window. It cost me £110. 00. Scopes were much harder to come by back then and relatively expensive compared to today.

Below is a list of the scopes that followed:

1983 a 4" F10 achromat made by a local optician. (Not too good as it showed plenty of red).

1984 a 6" F3 Schmidt Newtonian made by the same optician. (Not too good as it was astigmatic).

1985 a 102mm F13 Vixen achromat. (A truly stunning telescope!)

1985 a 150mm F4 Newtonian comet seeker. (Very nice!)

1987 a 4.5" F10 Schmidt cassegrain. (Not good!)

1999 a 120mm F8.3 achromatic Helios refractor. (Excellent!)

2000 a 150mm F8 achromatic Helios refractor. (Also excellent!)

2003 a Takahashi FS 128 F8.1 Fluorite apochromatic refractor.

2007 a Takahashi FS 152 F8 Fluorite apochromatic refractor.

2009 a Televue NP101

2009 a SW ED120 (Unbelievably good!)

2009 a SW ED 100. //

2010 a Equinox 120. //

2015 a Equinox 80. //

The eyepieces I currently use are 10mm, 7mm, 5mm and 3.5mm Pentax XWs

and for wide field viewing 31mm and 20mm Naglers.

I think its evident from the above listing that I have a refractor fettish.

Mike :-)

[Peter Drew]

If anyone is interested in a description of my 30" log on to the Astronomy Centre website and select "Instrument special feature".     

[Stu]

If anyone is interested in a description of my 30" log on to the Astronomy Centre website and select "Instrument special feature".

Thanks Peter [emoji3]

[John]

As folks are enjoying reading this thread here is my "list of shame" going back to 1982

The ones marked ** are still with me:

** Tasco 12TE 60mm F/13.3 refractor on alt-azimuth mount
Astro Systems 6” F/6 newtonian on Fullerscopes MkII equatorial mount
Bresser Uranus 102mm F/9.8 refractor on Vixen SP mount with Skysensor GOTO
TAL 100RT 100mm F/10 refractor on TAL equatorial mount
Celestron Nexstar 5 125mm F/10 schmidt-cassegrain on Nexstar GOTO alt-az mount
Konus 200mm F/5 newtonian on DIY dobsonian mount
Skywatcher ED100 100mm ED F/9 refractor on Skywatcher EQ5 mount
Helios Evostar 150mm F/8 refractor on EQ5 equatorial mount
Orion (USA) ED80 80mm ED F/7.5 refractor
Celestron C8 plus 8” F/10 schmidt-cassegrain on RA driven fork mount
Konus ST80 80mm F/5 refractor
Skywatcher Skyliner 250PX 250mm F/4.7 dobsonian
Skywatcher Skyliner 200P 200mm F/5.9 dobsonian
Skywatcher 127mm F/11.7 maksutov-cassegrain on SupaTrak alt-azimuth mount
Meade Lightbridge 12 305mm F/5 truss tube dobsonian
William Optics Megrez 90mm F/6.9 ED refractor on Skywatcher AZ-3 mount
TAL 2 6” F/8 Newtonian, unmounted optical tube
Bresser 127L 127mm F/9.4 refractor on Celestron CG mount
Celestron C5+ 125mm F/10 schmidt-cassegrain on Skywatcher AZ-3 mount
Meade AR6 152mm F/8 refractor on Skywatcher SkyTee II mount
Konus KonusSky 150mm F/8 refractor on Ambermille Alt-Azimuth mount
Helios Startravel 102mm F/5 achromatic refractor on AZ-3 alt-az mount
** Vixen ED102SS 102mm F/6.5 ED refractor on Ambermille Alt-Azimuth mount
Orion Optics Europa Deluxe 250mm F/4.8 newtonian on Ambermille Alt-Azimuth
Intes MN61 / Orion Argonaut 150mm F/5.9 maksutov-newtonian
Skywatcher Evostar 150mm F/8 refractor
** Skywatcher ED120 Pro 120mm F/7.5 ED refractor on Giro II alt-azimuth mount
Skywatcher Evostar 150mm F/8 refractor
Meade AR5 LXD75 F/9.4 achromat refractor on CG5 mount
Celestron Nexstar 8SE F/10 schmidt-cassegrain on GOTO alt-az mount
Skywatcher Skymax 180 Pro F/15 maksutov-cassegrain on HEQ5 mount
Celestron C8N GT F/5 newtonian on CG5 GOTO mount
** Orion Optics SPX 300mm F/5.3 newtonian on Shane Farrell dobsonian mount
** Istar Perseus AT-150-12 150mm F/12 achromat refractor

 

[Pig]

I have done a quick count of telescopes mentioned so far and it came to around about 240, a pretty decent sum given the 29 posters   Imagine the number of eyepieces ........if you can  There are probably less stars visible from earth !!!,............. maybe I should start a thread on it

[L8-Nite]

How many ?  Before I retired, there had been three scopes since the mid 1960s. I now have five, which is two too many.

I've been contemplating about selling a Mak & a Refractor, then get a Dob to round things out.     

[Uplooker]

Hi mate

You'd be welcome to try my 120mm f5 skywatcher with Lunt wedge for a bit if you like. It's excellent.

Hi Shane,

Thank you very much for the kind offer.

Ian

[ghostdance]

This thread reminds me of something......   

(not my collections by the way, tho I have more brushes than scopes! )

[DRT]

No comment. I'll just be accused of being a bad influence  

When nothing could be further from the truth 

 

Steve, I spent less than 24 hours in your company and then bought a 12" Dob. You are no angel

My scope buying has gone like this...

Skywatcher Heritage 130P Dob - now sold

Skywatcher Skyliner 200P Dob - now sold

Celestron CPC1100

Skywatcher Evostar 120 - now sold

Skywatcher Flextube 300P Dob

Celestron Omni 150 Newt

Celestron Travelscope 80

Celestron C6 SCT

Lunt LS50THa

Skywatcher StarTravel 102

...and I've just posted a wanted ad for a big Newt.

...and really want a BIG Dob.

[swamp thing]

Steve, I spent less than 24 hours in your company and then bought a 12" Dob. You are no angel  

. ...and really want a BIG Dob. 

It was cloudy too

I feel my work here is done

[stevend]

In the biking world (and believe me there are similarities with telescopes) the correct formula for the number of scopes you need is n+1

where n<d-2.

n = number of scopes you have, d=number of scopes that result in a divorce.