Show us your travel kit

[Moonshane]

I have a caravan and space is at a premium so I bought this little Meade 80mm triplet apo for this purpose.  Since paid more for the focuser and rings but what can I say, it's worth it.

In the box is squeezed a Lunt wedge and filters,  solar and two optical finders, a 2" diagonal,  Oiii and UHC filters plus 24mm, 15mm Panoptics plus Barlow element and a Nagler 6-3mm zoom.  Along with my Giro iii this gives me a few options for quick sessions.  Let's see other solutions :0)

 

 

 

 

[Highburymark]

Nice one Shane. Can I express my support for the concept of this thread, but delay my full response until after 'Astrofest' this weekend, when final additions may be made to my travel kit.

[Paul73]

Good thread. I have a quietly stacked case for the family camping trips. Picture on the way when I get back down south tomorrow evening.

Paul

[Moonshane]

All my kit stows under one of the sofas on the van so happy days :0)

[John]

Nice compact kit there Shane

The odd thing is, apart from when I'm coming to the SGL Star parties, I don't take astro kit when I'm on holiday, apart from birding binoculars

Perhaps I need a break from the hobby from time to time, or at least my other half does !

 

 

 

 

[RobertI]

Nice compact solution. I put together the solution shown here, which lives in my boot, together with my tripod mount and gets used more than the big scopes for visual. Very pleased with it and is also ready to carry on to a plane.

[Stu]

5 hours ago, RobertI said:

Nice compact solution. I put together the solution shown here, which lives in my boot, together with my tripod mount and gets used more than the big scopes for visual. Very pleased with it and is also ready to carry on to a plane.

Very nice Robert, might have to invest in one of those!

EDIT Just measured my Tak FC-100D and with the dewshield and focuser removed it is 47cm long! would fit in there to head abroad with me!

[avtaram]

My travel kit : Mak 90, Plossls - 32, 25, 17, 10, 9, 7.5 , Photo tripod.

[Davey-T]

Haven't got a picture but everything in my sig' except the SCT and Celestron refractor, just keep piling it in the camper

Dave

[cs1cjc]

My set up: https://stargazerslounge.com/uploads/monthly_10_2011/post-22550-133877686183.jpg

is still similar to what I describe in this thread: https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/122515-aircraft-cabin-baggage-compatible-astronomy/

[Moonshane]

Very nice! I doubt I will be taking mine overseas much for the same reasons as John.

 

[Peter Drew]

Don't blame you Shane, it looks like an assasins kit, security would have a field day.  

[Moonshane]

Well the scope is a rich field killer :0)

[nightfisher]

My travel set up is the TS 80 f7.5 refractor on the AZ4 mount and a little wooden box with a few plossl`s, very simple but effective, i hope to go to Usha gap at Muker maybe at easter and this will be tagging along, VERY dark slies there, might see if i can do some pics at weekend

[DRT]

This was my travel kit for SGL-X...

 

[avtaram]

My other travel kit for holidays in the UK is the ZS 71 ed with Hyperion 24mm and Baader Zoom 8-24 mounted on the Skywatcher AZ goto.

The 90 Mak in my previous post I use when going abroad.

Avtar

[cs1cjc]

9 hours ago, Moonshane said:

Very nice! I doubt I will be taking mine overseas much for the same reasons as John.

 

I have never had a problem on a dozen or so trips. I have only been asked twice about it.  On one occasion I was asked was it was and were satisfied with telescope, on the other occasion a security man wanted my observing list...

[LukeSkywatcher]

I gave up bringing astro gear on holiday with me because it doesnt get used. At most now all id take is a set of 10x50 bins.

[RobertI]

On 4 February 2016 at 09:57, Stu said:

Very nice Robert, might have to invest in one of those!

EDIT Just measured my Tak FC-100D and with the dewshield and focuser removed it is 47cm long! would fit in there to head abroad with me!

Let  us know if you get one Stu and how you get on. Obviously your Tak will be a bit wider than my 72mm frac but all the compartments are squashy so should fit in fine.

[Stu]

2 minutes ago, RobertI said:

Let  us know if you get one Stu and how you get on. Obviously your Tak will be a bit wider than my 72mm frac but all the compartments are squashy so should fit in fine.

Will do. My Burgess Optical 91mm will definitely fit no problem. BTW I was looking at the 500, which is a bit bigger.

[mikeDnight]

I have little desire to travel abroad anymore, and so as my travel kit I've got this easy to transport set up.

Mike

[DeepSkyMan]

My old travel kit:

[DeepSkyMan]

My new travel kit :-)

[Highburymark]

For travel abroad I'm using an 80mm Equinox (with photo tripod and mini giro - pictured), with 2 eyepieces (Leica zoom, Panoptic 24mm from pictured case) and Baader VIP Barlow, which gives range of 20x to 111x. If conditions are particularly promising, I can add the Nagler 3-6mm, which pushes magnification up to 166x. 

In terms of simplicity as a travel scope, the Meade ETX 105 takes some beating. Meade ripped off Questar's 50-year old design with the ETX, but it's still the easiest and most flexible format for grab and go. Whole scope and accessories pack into cabin baggage on aircraft. Just need a zoom and the nearest table top. 105's optics still unbeatable for lunar and planetary. Just as long as you're not expecting to study diffuse nebulae.

[DRT]

That's a fantastic set-up for holiday time, Mark - very nice