Show us your mini scope

[F15Rules]

I've just this morning taken delivery of this beautiful little Carton Japan 60mm F11.8 refractor 😊.

Like many of us, I grew up with 60mm class scopes as a first "proper" telescope. I was 14 or 15 when I had my first scope, a 60mm Prinz F15 from Dixon's camera store.

Nowadays most of us have much bigger scopes, but as the recent flurry of activity (and sales) of Zeiss Telementors demonstrates, there is still an affection and demand for these little instruments. I myself owned a Telementor until about a year ago, and had some wonderful views through it.

All this made me think how nice it would be to see some other "mini scopes" and hear what people have seen through them and how they use them.

I suppose I should define what I consider a "mini" or "small" scope, so let's say scopes up to 70mm aperture, of any type, any focal length, on any mount.

I will post up my thoughts on this new little Carton once the wretched clouds clear, but I'll start a new thread for that..

For this thread, please show us yours, if necessary get up in the loft, in the shed or garage, or show us your brand new 60mm Tak - all are welcome!😊🤘.

Thanks 

Dave

Edited December 8, 2020 by F15Rules

[JeremyS]

That's not a mini scope Dave @F15Rules. It's positively huge!

This is:

Pocket Borg 25 mm (the clue is in the name 🙂 )

Edited February 4, 2021 by JeremyS

[JeremyS]

And since you mention the Tak 60

[JeremyS]

The there's the Omegon Mini Mak 60:

[John]

I don't have this now but it was a nice 70mm frac setup:

I do still have this one though. My first telescope - 1960's Tasco 60mm F/13.3:

[Tiny Clanger]

23 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

The there's the Omegon Mini Mak 60:

That mini mak is cute, is it useful as a tiny travel telescope ?

Think I'll have soup for lunch ... the power of advertising ...

 

[DirkSteele]

+1 for the baby Takahashi (in both its f/5.9 and f/10 versions).  From a dark site, it is amazing what you can see with 2.4" aperture.  It is the portability I love.  You really can take them anywhere, and hence allows astronomy when you otherwise might miss out.

 

The FS-60 on the beach on Benguerra Island in Mozambique.

The FS-60Q in the desert in Namibia.

[mark81]

I don't suppose many would consider the ST80 a 'mini' scope, but you can pick the whole thing up in one hand and carry star maps and red torch in the other.... The trouble begins when you have to open a door....

[AdeKing]

2 hours ago, JeremyS said:

And since you mention the Tak 60

Well, nobody could accuse you of under-mounting @JeremyS.

2 hours ago, JeremyS said:

That's not a mini scope Dave @F15Rules. It's positively huge!

This is:

Mini Borg 25 mm (the clue is in the name 🙂 )

OMG that positively eyepiece dwarfs the OTA@JeremyS

[Nakedgun]

3 hours ago, JeremyS said:

That's not a mini scope Dave @F15Rules. It's positively huge!

This is:

Mini Borg 25 mm (the clue is in the name 🙂 )

 

 

Hooray, for the world famous Pocket Borg!

 

 

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Nakedgun said:

Hooray, for the world famous Pocket Borg!

Even though it would fit, one placed that I've never put the Pocket Borg is my pocket. Too full of dust, old mints and hankies 🙂

 

Edited December 8, 2020 by JeremyS

[F15Rules]

4 hours ago, JeremyS said:

And since you mention the Tak 60

Dunno about a Mini Scope Jeremy, that looks more like a "Mini Counterweight".. - so small I can't even see it!!😂😂😂

Dave

[F15Rules]

40 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Even thought it would fit, one placed that I've never put the Pocket Borg is my pocket. Too full of dust, old mints and hankies 🙂

 

..and don't even MENTION underpants!!

Dave

[Nakedgun]

When my telescope collection is looked at in toto, it is clear I have an affection for small aperture instruments in spite of owning an 18" reflector, recently sold, which have been acquired over the last quarter-century (I entered this hobby comparatively late in life).

My current abode has seen a noticeable reduction in sky quality over the three decades I've been here (do populations ever decline?), so these little guys reveal fewer objects as time passes. Nevertheless, I still do enjoy their use from the backyard and always bring one along when observing from a dark-sky location with a larger scope.

 

 

 

50mm f/10.

[Pancho61]

mini scope collection some items was sold for new stuff.  Love this models.

From left to right:

Vixen Planet 80S frist model

Vixen Halley 70S

Meade

Vixen 60S

Pentax J60c

Edited December 8, 2020 by Pancho61

[Barry-W-Fenner]

Are mini dobs welcome to the party! 😁

I am seriously considering purchasing a small refractor when suppliers have them back in  stock. I would like something grab and go to take advantage of the few observing windows in offer.

[F15Rules]

How cute, Barry!!🤗😊..

Of course they are welcome..a d don't worry, I won't "dob" you in to the Mods!!😂😂.

That's a lovely little scope..how does it hold collimation? I bet the secondary is fun to adjust!?

Have you considered a small used refractor for grab n go?- they do come up quite often and don't always cost that much at all..

Thanks for sharing mini dob👍

Dave

[F15Rules]

7 hours ago, Pancho61 said:

mini scope collection some items was sold for new stuff.  Love this models.

From left to right:

Vixen Planet 80S frist model

Vixen Halley 70S

Meade

Vixen 60S

Pentax J60c

That's a great collection, Pancho!👍🤘😊.

How did you find all if those? I love the little table tripods.. and they could also make great finderscopes on a larger scope too!

Thanks for showing us your collection!

Dave

[Barry-W-Fenner]

36 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

How cute, Barry!!🤗😊..

Of course they are welcome..a d don't worry, I won't "dob" you in to the Mods!!😂😂.

That's a lovely little scope..how does it hold collimation? I bet the secondary is fun to adjust!?

Have you considered a small used refractor for grab n go?- they do come up quite often and don't always cost that much at all..

Thanks for sharing mini dob👍

Dave

Hi Dave,

if buy "fun" you mean "not fun" then you are correct - The secondary is a bit of a pain to adjust. I have recently purchased a concenter which I have used on the bigger dobs. I will be having a tweak up on the mini dob with it maybe at the weekend. 

I would definitely consider a refractor from the used market. Ideally I would like something around the 100mm mark with tripod. Something like a 102ST with AZ3 

 

[RobertI]

Nice thread! I have a couple which fit the bill. My William Optics Zenithstar 66SD - very useful on a tripod for quick grab and go, but also good for birdwatching. And the Altair Astro 60mm guidescope, which when fitted with a 21mm Hyperion gives a view of nearly 6 degrees, exit pupil of nearly 6 mm and is a true “richest field” telescope. Incredibly light weight too. In fact I must get it out again! 😁

Edited December 9, 2020 by RobertI

[rl]

A poor thing but mine own..an OO right angle finder.

Can we have a thread for the silliest OTA- eyepiece combo? Can anyone match a 30mm ES 100 to a 60mm OG?

[Chinapig]

Please excuse the mugshot (something to send the grandchildren!), but here’s my delightful Tak FS-60C, with Herschel Wedge in place, enjoying the recent sunspot activity.

I’m truly amazed by the quality and versatility of this little scope.  It’s become my most-used and favourite scope, whether in F6 mode as here, or at F10 with the extender in place.  The detail it could pull out of the sunspots and their surroundings was most impressive.  And it rides so sweetly on the Scopetech Mount Zero.  Solar, lunar, open star clusters, wide-field views - it’s a joy.

 

 

[mikeyj1]

Here's my WO61, been in my backpack to Australia and back, great little scope  for visual and imaging 

 

[RT65CB-SWL]

I posted these earlier in the year, in another section of SGL, whilst I was on furlough...

  
 

...and "yes!" It does work. 😜

[Nyctimene]

My "Blue Penguin", a Skywatcher Infinity 76/300. Bought it used for 15€, added a 15x eyepiece for 10€, gutted the 30x eyepiece to remove it's "erectile (dys-) function", mounted a Rigel Quikfinder and got a nice and capable RFT with a parabolic primary mirror. 3° resp. 1.5° TFoV, easy and comfortable to handle. Posted some observations on here with it during the last four years, including some "pyjama sessions" from indoors. A real fun scope.

Still in search for the 50x (6mmf) eyepiece sold with it in earlier editions...

Stephan

Edited December 9, 2020 by Nyctimene
Picture added