My scopes over the last 36 years...

[dweller25]

1985 - Astro Systems (Bedford) 8.5" F/5 Newtonian - A brilliant first scope - should have kept it - sold
1988 - Beacon Hill 6" F/8 Newtonian - Hinds optics, very nice but kids came along so no time - sold
2007 - Celestron 102SLT refractor - not really good at anything - sold
2008 - Celestron C9.25 SCT - very disappointing - sold
2008 - TAL 125R - very nice but too much CA - regretfully sold
2008 - Skywatcher 127 Maksutov - a bit too small - sold
2008 - Skywatcher 8" F/6 Dobsonian - superb optics - should never have sold it - sold
2009 - Skywatcher 120ED refractor - pinched optics - returned
2009 - Takahashi TSA102 refractor - 4" perfection - KEEPER
2009 - Helios 6" F/8 refractor - too much CA - sold
2009 - Takahashi FS128 refractor - superb scope - KEEPER
2010 - Celestron C102ED refractor - excellent lightweight travel scope - should have kept it - sold
2010 - Skywatcher 180 Pro Maksutov - would not cool down - sold
2010 - Skywatcher 8" F/6 Dobsonian - disappointing optics - sold
2010 - Skywatcher 10" F/5 Dobsonian - superb optics but too heavy for my bad back - sold

2012 - Takahashi Mewlon 210 - this brand new scope was actually three years old! and had bad mirror shift - returned
2012 - Celestron C8 SCT - Nice optics but the OO 8" was better - sold
2012 - Orion Optics 8" F/6 Dobsonian 1/10th wave - superb optics - Awkward viewing angles affected bad back - sadly sold.
2013 - Intes Micro 715 Maksutov - Superb optics - views matched the FS128 - sold

2014 - Orion Optics OMC200 F/20 Maksutov - Carbon fibre beauty - would not cool down - sold

2014 - Lunt 60 H-Alpha solar scope - always at work when the Sun came out! - sold

2014 - Skymax 127 Maksutov - still a bit too small! - sold

2017 - Tal 100RS - New old stock - had a tilted lens cell and an out of true focuser - sold with full disclosure.

2018 - Celestron C6 - very light and good optics - close to but not better than my 4” APO - sold

2019 - TS 6” Classical Cassegrain - never dewed up - close to but not better than my 4” APO - sold

2020 - Takahashi FC100DZ - very lightweight 4” APO  - great for my bad back - KEEPER

 

My taste in scopes is changing as I get older....

Viewing from the rear suits my back.

Quick cooldown suits the highly variable Lancashire climate

I appreciate the views unobstructed, high optical quality optics provide.

My back likes lightweight scopes.

I am becoming a refractorholic 😂

Edited March 5, 2021 by dweller25

[Alkaid]

Great read, particularly amusing about having a model twice in some cases....it's hard to get off the merry-go-round!

I had a vision of you standing over the larger Maks, berating them for their slow cooling...

Cheers Steve

Edited March 4, 2021 by Alkaid

[Paul M]

Holy moly, you've had more scopes in a single year than I've had in a lifetime!

My own list starts in Late '76 with a Tascoesque 60mm refractor. Out on lone decades ago and lost track of it.

Early 80's was given a Tasco 3.5 Newtonian. Good for nothing. Also out on permanent loan.

Mid 80's go me a Fullerscopes 6.25" "Export" Newtonian on Mk3 mount. Great scope that lives up in Cumbria at our Getaway.

2013 Skywatcher 250PDS on NEQ6 Pro, my main scope still in regular use.

2020 a second hand Celestron 127 SLT Mak. Nice scope but dislike the mount. I'll keep it as a grab and go.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Paul M

[Carl Au]

I should show my wife this thread, I am far, far from alone in this scope swop madness. 

[JeremyS]

Fascinating. No surprises regarding those that you’ve kept!

[Carl Au]

Towa 335

Vixen 102 SP

Celestron 4 inch Short Tube from a Nexstar GoTo set up about an fl6.5 or fl7 

Tal 100R

SW 150P

Tal 100RS

SW 150PDS

OO 8VXL Newtonian

OO 10 inch Europa (black tube)

OO 10 inch dob the one before VX numbers

ED 100

ED 120

Altair Starwave 102 ED-R

I think that's the lot, but it seems like I've had more than that. A few years ago I went a little bonkers and sold everything, including all my nice green lettered eyepieces. I got sick of looking at the clouds and the thought of  all of the 'dead' money I had spent on gear, gear I almost never used was starting to look a bit silly I thought at the time. It was a couple of years before I regretted what I had done. I have fallen back in love with astronomy again, I have never enjoyed it more than I do today. There is something magical about refractors, as you can see most of my scopes have been them. I couldn't really afford my latest scope. By the time I bought a star diagonal, a finder and case it was getting on for £1,300. I won't be buying another scope, aperture fever can be cured it seems. After all these years I have chosen to return back to my roots, another 4 inch refractor, number 6. I hope I have learned my lession this time. 

Edited March 4, 2021 by Carl Au

[Robindonne]

Funny how you remember the reason for selling items back to 35 years ago.  And do you think there is chance some scopes were rated good or bad compared to another scope you’ve owned at that time?   Like the 2008 sw 8” vs mak127 and the 2010 sw 8” vs mak180.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Robindonne

[Carl Au]

I think it is very telling how many of us start with a small scope, get bigger and bigger ones before returning to the smallier scopes you started off with again. I definately won't be buying anymore dobs, especially because of diffraction spikes. I have never understood why CA is the devils curse, but diffraction spikes (which really are the devils curse) never rate a mention. Personally I believe that looking for aberations, or at least the obsession which comes with them is a form of mental illness,  it kills any enjoyment you previously had from your gear, it short it becomes all you see. 

Edited March 4, 2021 by Carl Au

[dweller25]

18 minutes ago, Robindonne said:

Funny how you remember the reason for selling items back to 35 years ago.  And do you think there is chance some scopes were rated good or bad compared to another scope you’ve owned at that time?   Like the 2008 sw 8” vs mak127 and the 2010 sw 8” vs mak180.

I think the only scopes that I sold due to a better or equal alternative were :

OO 8L 1/10th wave v C8

FS128 v IM715

4” APO v C6 and CC6

[dweller25]

6 minutes ago, Carl Au said:

I think it is very telling how many of us start with a small scope, get bigger and bigger ones before returning to the smallier scopes you started off with again. 

Yup, it’s called getting old and wise 😂

Edited March 4, 2021 by dweller25

[Mark at Beaufort]

David that is an interesting list of the various scope you have own and sold and the reasons for doing so.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Impressive list. Mine is quite a bit shorter over the last 42 years:

1979: Home-made 6" F/8 Newtonian (Real planet killer)

1993: Rebuild of the 6" F/8 (new octagonal wooden tube, better flocking, baffles added, better focuser) - sold in 1995 to finance GP-C8

1995: GP-C8 -still with me

2011: APM 80 mm F/6 triplet - still with me

2013: LS35THa donated to outreach programme of Kapteyn Astronomical Institute in 2015

2014: ST-80 guide scope bought - still with me

2015: Coronado SolarMax-II 60 mm - still with in my office, for the odd H-alpha session at work

2017: EQ3-2 mount added to arsenal - still with me

2019: GP-DX mount added to arsenal - still with me

2020: Meade SN-6 6" F/5 Schmidt-Newton. Awesome wide-field visual and imaging scope, not going anywhere soon

 

Only the GP-C8 and APM 80 mm were bought new, as were the mirrors etc for the 6" F/8 Newt

 

 

[dweller25]

8 minutes ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

Impressive list. Mine is quite a bit shorter over the last 42 years:

1979: Home-made 6" F/8 Newtonian (Real planet killer)

1993: Rebuild of the 6" F/8 (new octagonal wooden tube, better flocking, baffles added, better focuser) - sold in 1995 to finance GP-C8

1995: GP-C8 -still with me

2011: APM 80 mm F/6 triplet - still with me

2013: LS35THa donated to outreach programme of Kapteyn Astronomical Institute in 2015

2014: ST-80 guide scope bought - still with me

2015: Coronado SolarMax-II 60 mm - still with in my office, for the odd H-alpha session at work

2017: EQ3-2 mount added to arsenal - still with me

2019: GP-DX mount added to arsenal - still with me

2020: Meade SN-6 6" F/5 Schmidt-Newton. Awesome wide-field visual and imaging scope, not going anywhere soon

 

Only the GP-C8 and APM 80 mm were bought new, as were the mirrors etc for the 6" F/8 Newt

 

 

A Mewlon 180 or C8 keep calling to me.......😁

Edited March 4, 2021 by dweller25

[jetstream]

6 minutes ago, dweller25 said:

A Mewlon 180

Me too.

[Deadlake]

11 minutes ago, jetstream said:

Me too.

The Mewlon 210 is attractive, however hard working out worth over a C9 or C11 (comparable price).

[SamAndrew]

I wasn't born when you guys were buying your first scopes 😆 but I think the length of my list is pretty impressive over the last 10 years

Interestingly I sold my Skywatcher 180 Mak for the same reason. Haven't owned a Tak yet, will get there eventually. As I'm mostly an imager I haven't even looked through my Esprit 100 or Altair 130. Must try them visually before I let either of those go.

Edited March 4, 2021 by SamAndrew

[jetstream]

56 minutes ago, Deadlake said:

The Mewlon 210 is attractive, however hard working out worth over a C9 or C11 (comparable price).

Check out the true, not advertised central obstructions between them. Then maybe check out some generic MTF's based on average SCT and Mewlon specs...

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Deadlake said:

The Mewlon 210 is attractive, however hard working out worth over a C9 or C11 (comparable price).

I have same dilemma. I have a very nice C9.25 but wonder how a Mewlon 210 would compare. Considering the C9.25 is mainly for deep sky, it probably has an advantage 

[JeremyS]

2 hours ago, dweller25 said:

Yup, it’s called getting old and wise 😂

I’ve mastered the former, but have some way to go with the latter 😬

[jetstream]

Off topic but kind of relating as my new upcoming Mewlon will be a "past scope" as soon as I use it?😉

I think central obstruction can be handled in processing but when combined with aberrations composed of who knows what challenges may present? A "good" SCT should handily compete with a Mewlon if you can cool it to the same degree. Of course the Mewlon will have higher transmission, but is this an issue?

I cant wait until the Mew 180 is back on the shelves.

[KP82]

Very impressive. Are the only scopes you have left now Tak APOs?

I didn't get my first scope until 1998, a Tasco 60mm f/15. Used it throughout school and uni. Then I got busy with new jobs, starting a family and my newborn, so I didn't touch any scopes until 3 years ago. Contrary to many who get started (or get back in) with a 6" or 8" dob or SCT, I went for a 4" APO. Since then I've been building up my current collection of gears.

[Deadlake]

4 hours ago, JeremyS said:

I have same dilemma. I have a very nice C9.25 but wonder how a Mewlon 210 would compare. Considering the C9.25 is mainly for deep sky, it probably has an advantage 

We could just ask John Bobben on Do I need a Mewton 210, yes!, he has both after all, I think the Mewlon is sharper. If I  was using the scope as just a light bucket, then the C11 would be ok, however for planets when seeing allows a larger aperture the Mewlon takes the lead. The Mewlon is not dew prone as the C9.25 or C11, however some loss of aperture which makes tricky decision.  

Edited March 4, 2021 by Deadlake

[JeremyS]

2 hours ago, Deadlake said:

We could just ask John Bobben on Do I need a Mewton 210, yes!, he has both after all, I think the Mewlon is sharper. If I  was using the scope as just a light bucket, then the C11 would be ok, however for planets when seeing allows a larger aperture the Mewlon takes the lead. The Mewlon is not dew prone as the C9.95 or C11, however some loss of aperture which makes tricky decision.  

Wow I scanned 572 posts in that CN thread. It wasn’t particularly frothy, though .

I even saw our own @dweller25 in there.

But I saw no compelling arguments in favour of the M210 cf a C9.25

Edited March 4, 2021 by JeremyS

[Deadlake]

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

Wow I scanned 572 posts in that CN thread. It wasn’t particularly frothy, though .

I even saw our own @dweller25 in there.

But I saw no compelling arguments in favour of the M210 cf a C9.25

The points I took away where:

1. The Mewlon was sharper over the SCT's by owners of both.
2. The TSA120 was competitive unless you has a night of exceptional seeing.
3. Mewlon better at not dewing, then a SCT.
4. Unsure which was harder to collimate, the SCT of Mewlon. 
5. Mirror shift, both SCT and a Mewlon seem to get sent back.

With point 2 how much bigger do you need to go to get some benefit or all seeing/temperature delta related?

PS: Mewlon is green, matching colour scheme.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Deadlake

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Collimation of an SCT is rarely needed if ever. I took a shot o Jupiter and moons in about 2015, and it showed albedo spots on Ganymede, twenty years and many travels after I bought it, and I had never touched collimation in all that time. I checked it every session, but always found it to be fine.