Those Pretty Telescopes

[Sunshine]

How about we put aside specs like focal lengths, blazing fast optics and exotic glass but instead focus on esthetics. Sometimes telescopes can be underperformers but have esthetics going for them, yet some are stellar performers and not so pretty to look at. Through the years I have had a few telescopes and regardless of their optical prowess some have burnt themselves into my memory based on their appearance. One such scope is the 8” LX200 with it’s deep blue finish and impressive stance with those beefy fork arms, a scope which  looks impressive enough to be displayed in one’s home to ooh and awe visitors, a beautiful scope in my opinion. If my TSA-102 is a surgical instrument the LX200 is the battle tank which looks like it means business, I miss that scope more for it’s appearance than I do for it’s optical attributes if I dare say. Not that there is anything wrong with it’s performance but I happened to own it when I was so absorbed with work that I spent more time looking at it than through it. Are there any particular scopes which you find irresistible as merely objects of beauty? whether you had one or not, I would love to see!. 

Edited November 19, 2022 by Sunshine

[Steve Ward]

Only two spring to mind , The Great Wetherell Refractor and Moonraker Telescopes ... 😉

 

 

https://moonrakertelescopes.co.uk/index.html

Edited November 19, 2022 by Steve Ward

[Craney]

One similar to this  appeared on the forum a few weeks ago, and I had myself saying..... that is a good looking scope.

(picture from the web - credit to whoever took it !!)

Clean lines. No unnecessary fuss.   Almost art-deco in design.      Would not look out of place in a 1950's Sci-fi movie that is imagining what life in the 23rd century would look like.

The pedestal base does it for me....

[Nicola Fletcher]

I’ve never seen one nor observed through one, but I find the Planewave scopes to be just so amazing looking. Plus giant dobs - all of them!

I’m not sure I’d like these in my living room - I’ll stick with my utterly beautiful 3” Tak for that 😊

[RobertI]

I think the classic white Newtonians, epitomised by Meade’s ‘Research Grade’ newtionians, look amazing, especially on an equatorial mount and pedestal pillar. So good they were advertised by men in white coats! If you watch any Ed Ting video, you will see lots of mouth watering white Meade Newts in the background. Like classic cars, they are beautiful to own but a pain to use! 😆 My first ever scope decades ago was a 6” Newt just like this, happy memories….

Edited November 19, 2022 by RobertI

[Alan White]

This thread has truly set me thinking hard and I do have to say regardless of the thought of who cares, we use them in the darkness….
but do we? I Solar observe and also equipment observe too, so the kit does need to have a certain look.

That look for me is about simplicity and easy use, but I am a visual observer.

A classic look:

A newer classic look.

And last but not least a true classic:

Edited November 19, 2022 by Alan White
updated images

[L8-Nite]

Back in 1985 while working on a construction project at the Mt. Wilson Observitory, I had the opportunity to view through a Questar 7 one evening; and I said to myself, " someday ".  🤔

Fast forward 25 years, I had retired, and " someday  " had finally arrived.  🙂 

[DaveS]

If you want pretty

https://www.gardentelescopes.com/

[Mr Spock]

I think pure white refractors are kind cute. I love mine...

[Mandy D]

1 hour ago, Nicola Fletcher said:

I’ve never seen one nor observed through one, but I find the Planewave scopes to be just so amazing looking. Plus giant dobs - all of them!

I’m not sure I’d like these in my living room - I’ll stick with my utterly beautiful 3” Tak for that 😊

Now that's a telscope and a piece of art. It was what I had in mind when I read the OP. I'd definitely put one in my living room as a work of art. If only I had the money!

[Stu]

3 hours ago, Craney said:

One similar to this  appeared on the forum a few weeks ago, and I had myself saying..... that is a good looking scope.

(picture from the web - credit to whoever took it !!)

Clean lines. No unnecessary fuss.   Almost art-deco in design.      Would not look out of place in a 1950's Sci-fi movie that is imagining what life in the 23rd century would look like.

The pedestal base does it for me....

Here you go, I agree that they look really classic.

I do like my longer refractors too.

[niallk]

It's a 30+ year old design very much based on practicality and functionality, and parts readily available in a DIY shop (bar a couple of custom cast items), but to my eye, aesthetically beautiful too!

Edited November 19, 2022 by niallk

[josefk]

27 minutes ago, niallk said:

It's a 30+ year old design very much based on practicality and functionality, and parts readily available in a DIY shop (bar a couple of custom cast items), but to my eye, aesthetically beautiful too!

To my eye too!. Absolutely gorgeous.

[markse68]

I want one of these just for its looks- mount and all

Mark

[Sunshine]

3 hours ago, markse68 said:

I want one of these just for its looks- mount and all

Mark

my eyes struggle with reading the decals but this just screams Tak, I have no idea what model this is but I agree it looks really nice!

[Ratlet]

4 hours ago, niallk said:

It's a 30+ year old design very much based on practicality and functionality, and parts readily available in a DIY shop (bar a couple of custom cast items), but to my eye, aesthetically beautiful too!

This is winning for me.  Got a very cassette punk aesthetic to it (think steam punk, but 1980s rather than 1880's).

Very elegantly designed but also brutally efficient.  Marvelous.

 

[Ratlet]

3 hours ago, markse68 said:

I want one of these just for its looks- mount and all

Mark

I'm probably going to get banned for this, but I've always thought Taks looked cheap.  Not a fan of the colour scheme, although I do love the mewlon.  It looks like something from Battlestar Galactica.

[Zermelo]

36 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

I'm probably going to get banned for this, but I've always thought Taks looked cheap.  Not a fan of the colour scheme, although I do love the mewlon.  It looks like something from Battlestar Galactica.

Thank you, Ratlet!
I've been sitting on similar, guilty thoughts since I first saw a Tak, but I didn't want to be the first to risk the ire of Tak owners. Perhaps the start of an "Astro confessions" thread?
I think my cheap, white Bresser achro looks much better than those weird Tak colours, but there's no accounting for taste.

I don't think we can be banned entirely for our heterodoxy, but it might constitute a sin bin offence.

[markse68]

1 hour ago, Ratlet said:

I'm probably going to get banned for this, but I've always thought Taks looked cheap.  Not a fan of the colour scheme, although I do love the mewlon.  It looks like something from Battlestar Galactica.

Haha 😳 that’ll go down well! but bravely honest! I’m no Tak fan boy in general (mainly cos i can’t afford one  ) but they’re bought for looking through mainly i think. I do like the look though- it’s not just slung together and there’s a retro futuristic thing going on that appeals. I just like this one as it goes really well as a combo with the mount- to my eyes anyway

1 hour ago, Sunshine said:

my eyes struggle with reading the decals but this just screams Tak, I have no idea what model this is but I agree it looks really nice!

it’s a Teegul- i think it was really meant as a spotting scope but they were short lived i think, probably not great optically but visually interesting I think this is a 150 but they did a 60 and 100 which look nice too 

Mark

[Andy ES]

6 hours ago, L8-Nite said:

Back in 1985 while working on a construction project at the Mt. Wilson Observitory, I had the opportunity to view through a Questar 7 one evening; and I said to myself, " someday ".  🤔

Fast forward 25 years, I had retired, and " someday  " had finally arrived.  🙂 

Fantastic, does it come with a shiny silver jump suit to wear when using it?.😂

[Alan White]

1 minute ago, Andy ES said:

Fantastic, does it come with a shiny silver jump suit to wear when using it?.😂

I had a similar thought myself, then thought 'of course he does'!

That was moments before I had Tak thoughts - only one Tak owner thinks the scope is 'Pretty' 

 

[cajen2]

57 minutes ago, Alan White said:

I had a similar thought myself, then thought 'of course he does'!

That was moments before I had Tak thoughts - only one Tak owner thinks the scope is 'Pretty' 

 

Oh, now you've done it - every Tak owner on here will post pics and it'll become another "I've got a Tak" thread....😄

[dobbyisbest]

Don’t own one, but New Moon Telescopes’ dobs look like they were forged in heaven, particularly this one: https://www.newmoontelescopes.com/shop/p/16

I can only dream.

[Sunshine]

45 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

Oh, now you've done it - every Tak owner on here will post pics and it'll become another "I've got a Tak" thread....😄

We promise that won’t happen, not the thread I intended.

[MalcolmM]

3 hours ago, Ratlet said:

but I've always thought Taks looked cheap

Sacrilege! I've a Tak in every room just to look at. My partner even clobbered me once for looking lasciviously at the one in the bedroom (60CB)

Malcolm