One Scope and One Scope only!

[Stu]

1 hour ago, markclaire50 said:

A Quark? ?? That is small! ?

Incase you hadn't seen them...

https://www.tringastro.co.uk/daystar-instruments-quark-hydrogen-alpha-eyepiece-chromosphere-version-13154-p.asp?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiryFrOLc4AIVkkPTCh21Bg50EAQYASABEgJGO_D_BwE

[John]

I seem to be the only person who would hang onto a largish scope

Actually I would probably hang onto my Tak FC-100DL as well - I would hide it in the 12 inch dobsonian when the scope inspectors called

[Size9Hex]

10 minutes ago, John said:

I seem to be the only person who would hang onto a largish scope

Actually I would probbaly hang onto my Tak FC-100DL as well - I would hide it in the 12 inch dobsonian when the scope inspectors called

While I love the view in my frac, I reckon I’d go for a large sensible sized dob too. It just pulls in so many more things than a smaller scope. Currently got a 10" in this role which might or might not change one day, but I think it’ll always boil down to what’s the largest sized dob I could quickly load into the car and drive somewhere dark.

[scarp15]

I would probably hang on to my 14" dob to for the same reasoning as John and Paul. It motivates me to go to dark sky locations and can unlock so much on a good transparent night. I just have a sense of expectation each time I use it that has not diminished. It is probably not future proof, but who cares, I am enjoying it now and hopefully for some time to come, my wife will probably celebrate its departure come that day though.  

[Stu]

19 minutes ago, John said:

I seem to be the only person who would hang onto a largish scope

Actually I would probbaly hang onto my Tak FC-100DL as well - I would hide it in the 12 inch dobsonian when the scope inspectors called

For me the main reason to keep a frac is that it is the one scope I know I would use regularly, and could definitely get under dark skies every now and then.

If I lived under a lovely dark sky then my choice may be different.

[JamesF]

Are binoculars allowed?

And if so, what if one half of the binoculars was much, much bigger than the other?  And perhaps had mirrors at the ends?

Or perhaps I'd just have to encourage the chickens to get into stargazing.  What better way could there be to check whether the sky is falling down?

James

[Paul73]

10” f4.5 Dob collapsible Dob. Small enough to travel and set up easily, big enough to catch the fuzzies, no slouch on the planets, wide enough to cover most targets.???

Paul

[R26 oldtimer]

On a more serious attempt to answer markclaire50's question, IMHO a 5-6" apo refractor or 6" F5 newtonian, given the right eyepieces and ccd sensors, will show you everything that an amature instrument is capable of.

So, I think I will hold on to my ed120.?

[Paz]

This is a difficult one. My heart says keep my VX14 for as long as I can handle it and then downsize to a 12" and then a 10" when I have to.

My head says a doublet apo somewhere from 100mm to 120mm.

[paulastro]

2 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

Against all the expected odds, it would be a 6" refractor for me! My 6" solar refractor. No brainer, it could also be used at night for small scope stuff.   ?

No surprise there then Peter ? 

[markclaire50]

1 hour ago, R26 oldtimer said:

On a more serious attempt to answer markclaire50's question, IMHO a 5-6" apo refractor or 6" F5 newtonian, given the right eyepieces and ccd sensors, will show you everything that an amature instrument is capable of.

So, I think I will hold on to my ed120.?

Interestingly you mentioned a 6" newt. I've wondered about their capabilities. 

[Chris]

Let me see. I would want something with refactor like views but decent light grasp...yep, I'd just have a C8 Edge. Annoyed that I'm selling mine. Why does stamp duty have to be so expensive!

I did nearly say 4" f/7 apo. That would also be a great only scope  

 

[markclaire50]

31 minutes ago, Lockie said:

Let me see. I would want something with refactor like views but decent light grasp...yep, I'd just have a C8 Edge. Annoyed that I'm selling mine. Why does stamp duty have to be so expensive!

I did nearly say 4" f/7 apo. That would also be a great only scope  

 

So, a C8 edge has refractor-like views? 

[GavStar]

I was struggling to choose between

my Baader 95mm refractor which would be airline portable, do planets and lunar and also work well with my NV for DSOs

OR

My Tak Epsilon 130d which is also airline portable, gives fantastic dso viewing with my NV and then if I want to look at planets or the moon or the sun I can just pop over to Stu’s to look through his Tak!! ?

Ok I’ll go for option 2 - more sociable...

[markclaire50]

26 minutes ago, GavStar said:

I was struggling to choose between

my Baader 95mm refractor which would be airline portable, do planets and lunar and also work well with my NV for DSOs

OR

My Tak Epsilon 130d which is also airline portable, gives fantastic dso viewing with my NV and then if I want to look at planets or the moon or the sun I can just pop over to Stu’s to look through his Tak!! ?

Ok I’ll go for option 2 - more sociable...

NV? ? 

[vlaiv]

1 minute ago, markclaire50 said:

NV? ? 

Night vision - night vision device used for augmented viewing at eyepiece

 

[RT65CB-SWL]

Tough one! ...I think i'll stick with my TeleVue Ranger. It is such a versatile instrument for a small 'scope.

I can use it during the day for white-light viewing of the Sun with my Lunt Herschel/Solar wedge.

[markclaire50]

9 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

Night vision - night vision device used for augmented viewing at eyepiece

 

Now, you have me very curious. ?

[vlaiv]

1 minute ago, markclaire50 said:

Now, you have me very curious. ?

These devices are quite expensive - it's the stuff that SpecOps wear at night. There are few members here that regularly use them and have posted various threads with both impressions, instructions and snapshots with mobile phones at eyepiece

I think that @GavStar should be able to provide much more detailed info on this.

[Chris]

6 hours ago, markclaire50 said:

So, a C8 edge has refractor-like views? 

As close as I've seen in terms of how the stars look, and completely flat across the field of view. The only thing you don't get is the field of view, but 2" eyepieces or the .7 reducer helps with this. 

So all in all I guess the C8 Edge gives you long focus refractor like views.

[Stu]

2 minutes ago, Lockie said:

So all in all I guess the C8 Edge gives you long focus refractor like views.

I would say yes on lower brightness stars, but not quite there on the brighter stars which for me were always just that bit more 'hairy' than a frac I guess due to cooling and the secondary obstruction.

The Edge optics are nice though, and although many say they are only useful for imaging, I think as Chris says, they flatten the field and give great visual results with lower power widefield eyepieces.

[GavStar]

6 hours ago, markclaire50 said:

Now, you have me very curious. ?

Mark

Some more info here:

http://televue.com/notamnomen/2019/02/27/night-vision-in-the-uk-seize-the-night/#more-4476

[estwing]

This one..

[Paul73]

Great picture. One of Danny’s?

[estwing]

No mate...Steves