Your perfect 2 scope setup

[Luna-tic]

My 'perfect pair' is my Edge HD 8" and my WO GT81. I can image at f/ ratios from F4.7 to f/5.9 to f/7 to f/10 and have varying fields of view depending on what I want to see. They are both compact, relatively lightweight, easy to carry, don't require a huge mount; the optics of both are great quality and easily share EP's between them.

[Space Hopper]

I get frowned upon by the missus by having 6 telescopes. (i must update my sig)

You have 16 !! ?

I'm impressed.

[25585]

3 hours ago, Simoncwr said:

Back on topic though n having really thought about it I would buy a SW120ED and a SW 300 flextube dob. Seems like a great do it all without breaking the bank for visual

It is a shame SW do not put their solid tube 300 on a dob mount. To buy one in the UK only OO UK or Orion US are available. 

As for a Heritage Flextube 150, there is a slot not filled. 

[John]

9 hours ago, 25585 said:

It is a shame SW do not put their solid tube 300 on a dob mount. To buy one in the UK only OO UK or Orion US are available. 

As for a Heritage Flextube 150, there is a slot not filled. 

Originally Skywatcher's 12" dob offering was the 12" solid tube. When the flextube design came in they dropped the solid tube version in the 12" aperture but ran both flextubes and solid tube versions in the 10" and 8" apertures.

I have fond memories of using someones 12" Skywatcher solid tube dobsonian at my 1st SGL star party and seeing spiral structure in M51 and my 1st supernova with it. I'm sure the flextube version would have shown the same views though, but the good old solid tube does bring back happy memories

Until recently you could get a new 12" solid tube GSO made dobsonian branded as "Revelation". They come up for sale quite frequently and can be good value. They are still available new under the Telescope Services branding from Germany but at quite a bit more cost than the Revelation ones used to be:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p1190_GSO-12-Zoll-f-5-Dobson-Teleskop-Deluxe-mit-verbesserter-Ausstattung.html

I don't want to take this thread off topic though - apologies to the OP

 

[25585]

12 hours ago, Tubby Bear said:

I get frowned upon by the missus by having 6 telescopes. (i must update my sig)

You have 16 !! ?

I'm impressed.

Being the only human in my house, my astro room for kit is a spare bedroom, although overflows when stuff brought downstairs. No empty spaces. Refractors usually upstairs, Dobs downstairs. My main 2 are the most accessible. Each has its own ep bag -

TV 500mm Genesis; 5mm for 100x, 10mm for 50x, 20mm for 25x and 50mm for 10x.

Or Tak 900mm ?; 9mm for 100x, 18mm for 50x, 35mm for 25x, 55mm for 16x.

Bresser Messier 10" F5 1270mm; 10mm for 127x, 13mm for 97x, 22mm for 58x, 48mm for 26x.

Or OO 10" VX10L F6 1600mm; 13mm for 123x, 22mm for 72x, 40mm for 40x, 50mm for 32x.

 

[ollypenrice]

Obviously this must mean which pair for imaging and which pair for visual? No reasonable person could expect one pair to do everything! ?

So, my DS imaging pair would a Tak FSQ106N Fluorite and a TEC180. (I'm nearly there with that pair, though my TEC's only a 140.)

And for visual, a drvien 20 inch F4 Obession and a TeleVue NP101 on a driven Alt Az.

Olly

[Alfian]

I am fortunate to already have a SW 100ED on a Giro mount and this not going anywhere soon, perhaps ever (famous last words) and it would be logical to pair it with a largish dob. An 8" (f6) Dob would do nicely but as we are dealing with "what if/maybe's" The Orion XT8g Goto flavour would be OK.

However, in reality logic doesn't always play fair and the way things are with me I would get more/better (?) use from a small lightweight grab 'n' go setup. With that in mind and without being too greedy, the TS 72mm f5.5 FPL-53 looks OK, although the SW 72ED looks the more likely, all on a good stable Altaz/photo tripod mount - Giro mini?. Not too much to ask for?

[Charic]

34 minutes ago, Alfian said:

An 8" (f6) Dob would do nicely

Skyliner is easily manageable and easy on eyepiece selection.
Bigger is better though when it comes to visual, but larger than 8" will bring issues to overcome, size, weight, cost, focal ratio, eyepiece selection for faster scope!

[avtaram]

My perfect two scope set up is a Tak FC-100dc on an AZgti mount and a 12" Dob.

Avtar

[JG777]

I have ended up with 4 scopes on the payroll, all get used for different things and different times. For longer nights out the Evolution 9.25 SCT is a fantastic piece of kit for hunting down DSO and feinter objects. The mid range scope on AYO II mount is a VX6 which is really easy to move to a dark site and cools pretty quickly, used for when time is a bit more pressing. Also 2 refractors an Equinox 80 which I use with a Lunt wedge or local travel and a more recently acquired TS72 mm F6 as a dedicated travel aircraft carry on scope. I'm really not sure which I would choose if I was allowed only 2 of those , each one has its strengths. 

[25585]

1 minute ago, JG777 said:

I have ended up with 4 scopes on the payroll, all get used for different things and different times. For longer nights out the Evolution 9.25 SCT is a fantastic piece of kit for hunting down DSO and feinter objects. The mid range scope on AYO II mount is a VX6 which is really easy to move to a dark site and cools pretty quickly, used for when time is a bit more pressing. Also 2 refractors an Equinox 80 which I use with a Lunt wedge or local travel and a more recently acquired TS72 mm F6 as a dedicated travel aircraft carry on scope. I'm really not sure which I would choose if I was allowed only 2 of those , each one has its strengths. 

Glad to know of someone else who owns an Equinox 80

[JG777]

2 hours ago, 25585 said:

Glad to know of someone else who owns an Equinox 80

One of Skywatchers more inspired moments for sure! Out of production now but it is a superb performer, used it on Jupiter about a week ago with a Baader zoom and got cracking views. 

[swamp thing]

Hmm! 
20" Dob..................and whatever scope my observing buddy has bought. 

Share and share alike as they say 

 

[estwing]

My 18" dob...and a finderscope eh steve...?

[Timebandit]

32 minutes ago, swamp thing said:

Hmm! 
20" Dob..................and whatever scope my observing buddy has bought. 

Share and share alike as they say 

 

 

11 minutes ago, estwing said:

My 18" dob...and a finderscope eh steve...?

 

I thought one of you Gents has a secret " Refractor "  stashed away somewhere? ? ?

 

[estwing]

Yes it's in my sig...that's why I can't use it!....

[niallk]

The Keck pair would do nicely...

I'm pretty content with my 50mm Lunt DS for solar Ha, and my 15" Obsession for everything else.

I do of course dream of bigger apertures in both ;) But mostly of clear dark skies, with fantastic transparency and seeing

[Highburymark]

For a city dweller, with no car and a bad back..... first: a light, mobile 4" refractor with first class optics for lunar, planetary and accessible dsos and white light solar.... and second: a decent solar ha scope. Only areas of astronomy we can compete with those lucky enough to enjoy dark skies. But despite increasing light pollution, it is still possible to enjoy this hobby wherever you live.

[Stu]

18 hours ago, 25585 said:

Being the only human in my house, my astro room for kit is a spare bedroom, although overflows when stuff brought downstairs. No empty spaces. Refractors usually upstairs, Dobs downstairs. My main 2 are the most accessible. Each has its own ep bag -

TV 500mm Genesis; 5mm for 100x, 10mm for 50x, 20mm for 25x and 50mm for 10x.

Or Tak 900mm ?; 9mm for 100x, 18mm for 50x, 35mm for 25x, 55mm for 16x.

Bresser Messier 10" F5 1270mm; 10mm for 127x, 13mm for 97x, 22mm for 58x, 48mm for 26x.

Or OO 10" VX10L F6 1600mm; 13mm for 123x, 22mm for 72x, 40mm for 40x, 50mm for 32x.

 

That’s a lot of scopes. Bring on these observing reports, would be good to hear about how you use them.

Looks like you are missing out on high power quite a lot. Can be very useful for a number of targets, planetary, lunar, doubles, Planetary Nebulae etc, worth looking into.

[RobertI]

It's almost easier to choose one scope than two! I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that the best all round scope for visual would be a 6" F8 newtonian; although it's not a massive aperture, it can outperform on nights of poorer seeing (the majority of nights in the UK?), is good for planetary and deep sky, and is portable enough to get used regularly. Couple that with a 80-100 mm F7 ish refractor for solar would be a nice combination. ?

[avtaram]

I agree about the 6" f8 Newt, it's an excellent scope especially for Lunar, planetary and double stars. I keep mine in the summer house mounted on a Altair Saber mount, really good for quick grab and go sessions.

Avtar

[Timebandit]

 

Agree. If you can only have one scope then the 8" Newt is the way to go , as its just such a great all rounder . And that's why I have one ?

But have a look through a quality refractor . And you do notice the difference that a refractor image can give a sharper and crisper views. And this is especially true on stars/doubles to where diff spikes can show.

The best two scope would be a quality newt and a quality frac ☺