Holy Grail Scope

[Sunshine]

Is there one particular scope which you would consider your holy grail scope? one which you do not have and may never get your hands on but it crosses your mind leaving you starry eyed every now and then. For me, I think it would be an FS128.

[Franklin]

Vixen Atlux 150ED and a dome to put it in🤞.

[EsseEstPercipi]

LX200 16" equatorially mounted in a dome. Maybe a LX600 16" in a dome, since it has starlock and stuff.

Edited February 23, 2023 by EsseEstPercipi
addition

[Mr Spock]

At least 24". I'm not into peepholes 

[Stu]

I’ll agree with the FS128 👍

[CraigT82]

Custom built newt for me… probably 12.5” f/6 with Zambuto mirrors, Aurora cell and CF tube. Oh and at least an EQ8 and an obsy to house it

[Sunshine]

17 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

At least 24". I'm not into peepholes 

It’s go big or go home with you, I guess 😆

[RobertI]

I’m not very well informed on top end scopes, but the Astrophysics Starfire 130 seems to have an almost mythical status and reputation for being unobtainable, and I have been well and truly seduced by it. I realise there may be better high end scopes out there, but it would be wonderful to own one. Does that make me shallow? 😆

[Sunshine]

3 minutes ago, RobertI said:

I’m not very well informed on top end scopes, but the Astrophysics Starfire 130 seems to have an almost mythical status and reputation for being unobtainable, and I have been well and truly seduced by it. I realise there may be better high end scopes out there, but it would be wonderful to own one. Does that make me shallow? 😆

The Starfire 130 is another holy grail scope for me, would be for anyone, I would feel just as shallow owning one but who cares, deep is for poets and philosophers.

[John]

A LZOS 130mm F/9.2 was one of mine. I bought one in 2016 🙂

A top class 4 inch refractor was another. I bought one of those in 2016 as well 🙂

I've never owned an Astro Physics scope. I do have one of their 2 inch Maxbright diagonals though 😁

 

 

 

[LukeSkywatcher]

Does such a scope even exist?. 

[dweller25]

My holy grail would have a 250mm aperture, be unobstructed, no more than 500mm long and weigh 5kgs maximum.

But it’s “out of stock” 😂

Edited February 24, 2023 by dweller25

[josefk]

you have just posted my holy grail scope @dweller25 and stated it much better than I. I was going to put it - 

...shows me at least 10th mag galaxies (i don't care if they are tiny smudges as long as a i can account for them), doesn't embarrass itself on quick looks at the planets, fits in a one handed carry Peli case and mounts on a video head or otherwise quite minimal mount...

if anybody knows that scope then answers on a postcard please!

[DaveS]

The GTC would be nice if it comes up S/H. Who wants a miserable 10 metre telescope when the 39 metre E-ELT comes on line😂

[garryblueboy]

AP 155 starfire 

[Elp]

1 hour ago, josefk said:

...shows me at least 10th mag galaxies (i don't care if they are tiny smudges as long as a i can account for them), doesn't embarrass itself on quick looks at the planets, fits in a one handed carry Peli case and mounts on a video head or otherwise quite minimal mount...

C6. Do I win a prize?

[Elp]

Think big scope... An obsession dob, or a planewave. Won't ever get either though.

[josefk]

9 minutes ago, Elp said:

C6. Do I win a prize?

i set myself up for that didn't i 🤣. i DO have a few other criteria that precludes a C6 i'm afraid ...seeing as this is "the holy grail".

[Grump Martian]

My own ED 102 F 7 refractor or an eight inch Dobbo. Both size and weight wise encourage frequent use. If a permanent location was available then the skies the limit.

Details regarding the picture below;

Telescope builder Mike Clements poses in front of the massive 70 inch wide mirror at the heart of his giant reflecting telescope. Credit: Steve Dodds

Edited February 24, 2023 by Grump Martian
Picture added

[Peter Drew]

I was fortunate to make my own series of "holy grails", large reflector, large refractor, large binoscope, and large observatory, but the "holiest" was my 150mm Ha solar telescope.  It took a few years of experiments to achieve but is now my most used telescope.   🙂 

[Sunshine]

8 hours ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Does such a scope even exist?. 

Sure, by holy grail I’m not implying it must be super high end, but it could be if that’s what one desires.  Super desirable yet extremely difficult to obtain is what I mean. They say the holy grail was made of wood, not gold.

Edited February 24, 2023 by Sunshine

[bish]

25" Obsession in a nice observatory somewhere with very  dark skies. I will need a good selection of ethos and nagler eps too.

Edited February 24, 2023 by bish

[wimvb]

4 hours ago, dweller25 said:

My holy grail would have a 250mm aperture, be unobstructed, no more than 500mm long and weigh 5kgs maximum.

But it’s “out of stock” 😂

An embroidery hoop meets your requirements.

[Sunshine]

12 minutes ago, bish said:

I will need a good selection of ethos and nagler eps too.

😆 Yes, as much a part of the scope as anything.

[andrew s]

For my interests this would do nicely 

Spectrograph on one side, photometry on the other.

Dream on.

Regards Andrew