Holy Grail Scope

[CraigT82]

5 minutes ago, andrew s said:

For my interests this would do nicely 

Spectrograph on one side, photometry on the other.

Dream on.

Regards Andrew 

I see there is an integrated adaptive optics module that can be purchased as an add on to the PW1000 system too. Would be a rude not to.

https://planewave.com/commercial-pre-integrated-adaptive-optics/

[Sunshine]

3 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

I see there is an integrated adaptive optics module that can be purchased as an add on to the PW1000 system too. Would be a rude not to.

https://planewave.com/commercial-pre-integrated-adaptive-optics/

Incredible, I had no idea it was even remotely possible at the consumer level (by that I mean anything but major observatories) I wonder if I can add that to my 8” dobsonian! 😆

[IB20]

A Mewlon 300 and a 152mm Lunt Ha scope with largest blocking filter. Nice and cheap!

[Highburymark]

A TeleVue 4” refractor with double stacked Solarscope 100mm Ha filters. The ultimate solar scope.

Can’t complain too much though - it was a dream to acquire the smaller 70mm pair for a TV85 when I discovered, to my surprise, that they were actually cheaper than the Lunt 80 here in the UK.

[jetstream]

8 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

it was a dream to acquire the smaller 70mm pair for a TV85

Thats an awesome set up!!

[andrew s]

33 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

I see there is an integrated adaptive optics module that can be purchased as an add on to the PW1000 system too. Would be a rude not to.

https://planewave.com/commercial-pre-integrated-adaptive-optics/

I love that the video has a cheap ASI camera rather than an up market 40k sCMOS camera.

[jetstream]

A Tak binoscope.

Either a pair of TSA120's or TOA130's. In addition, I always wondered if a pair of Solarscope DS etalons on each would work for Ha. If they did the views would be mind blowing.

[Froeng]

29 minutes ago, IB20 said:

A Mewlon 300 and a 152mm Lunt Ha scope with largest blocking filter. Nice and cheap!

I would also vote for the Mewlon 300 on a Tak EM-400 Temma3 mount, or even a Takahashi C-400 Cassegrain. They would all be fine. If only the skies were darker!

Edited February 24, 2023 by Froeng

[CraigT82]

18 minutes ago, andrew s said:

I love that the video has a cheap ASI camera rather than an up market 40k sCMOS camera.

I thought the same thing. Actually I’ve seen quite a few images recently of professional and high end amateur/educational observatories containing tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of scope and mount and sure enough there is a bright red ZWO camera right there at the business end…. A good advert for ZWO perhaps?! Or maybe they’ve spent so much on the big ticket stuff they have to go budget on the smaller items?! 

[Mr Spock]

1 hour ago, andrew s said:

For my interests this would do nicely 

Now that's more like it! 

[Space Hopper]

I only ever really wanted one scope when i was looking at a premium refractor 15-20 years ago : the Tec140.

A high price, for a  well regarded scope as you'd expect but not ridiculously so, and no multi year waiting list back then.

And with alot of saving and selling i was lucky enough to make it a reality just over 4 years ago. I was the first UK owner of the newer Fluorite model,

and i'm not sure if there's been anyone else since ?

 

At times i hankered after a Questar or Russian Mak, or a Teeter / Obsession Dob, but i've laid that idea to rest now, mainly because of my UK

location with its light pollution and generally poor local seeing. I'm a refractor guy at heart ! 😀 They work best for me, and are never too fussy.

 

I fancy another smaller refractor some day : something unusual. I've already owned a LZOS 105 but sold that. Maybe a Baader TC95 or a AP Stowaway 92 or Tak FC100

I'll be putting my name down for the upcoming AP 110 F6 when it is ready, so you never know, my name could be pulled out of the hat.

Can i afford it....? Not really, no. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sunshine]

8 minutes ago, Space Hopper said:

I fancy another smaller refractor some day : something unusual. I've already owned a LZOS 105 but sold that.

What could be wrong with the LZOS105 that would make you sell it? I think you had a holy grail smaller refractor and let it go.

[Space Hopper]

Well @Sunshine I traded it for the Vixen mount i have in exchange. I plan to get more into imaging as i approach retirement.

Both nice items so everyones a winner. And i still have the TEC.

 

[Sunshine]

21 minutes ago, Space Hopper said:

And i still have the TEC.

You can't ask for more than a TEC, a wonderful instrument.

[Highburymark]

3 hours ago, jetstream said:

A Tak binoscope.

Either a pair of TSA120's or TOA130's. In addition, I always wondered if a pair of Solarscope DS etalons on each would work for Ha. If they did the views would be mind blowing.

Ha ha - brilliant idea Gerry. 4x DS100s on a TOA binoscope. Fact that you don’t really need apo colour correction for hydrogen alpha is a mere irrelevance. In export markets, where Solarscope prices are around double those of the UK, that would be some outlay. 

[mikeDnight]

If I could turn back time I'd never have let go of my FS128. Although it may not be everyones starryeyed dream scope, but it was the perfect scope for me. I let temptation get to me and part exchanged it for a glirious FS152. I know it sounds silly, but the FS128 was the sweet spot for my kind of observing both in size and performance. 

I'm not short; the pier was tall!

 

Edited February 24, 2023 by mikeDnight

[jetstream]

54 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

Ha ha - brilliant idea Gerry. 4x DS100s on a TOA binoscope. Fact that you don’t really need apo colour correction for hydrogen alpha is a mere irrelevance. In export markets, where Solarscope prices are around double those of the UK, that would be some outlay. 

Yeah, I dont think its happening anytime soon lol

I would love solarscope etalons to hang off my TSA120, but man are they expensive. They are the very best IMHO.

Maybe I'll settle for a TSA120 binoscope

Then there is the optical perfection ie spot sizes of the TOA130... geez I wish I hadnt seen these or heard the reports from the big Tak users...

[jetstream]

3 hours ago, Space Hopper said:

AP Stowaway 92

👍👍👍

[Alan White]

31 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

I'm not short; the pier was tall!

 

I am sure you are not short Mike,
I just assumed your were on your knees in worship of the FS128!
 

[paulastro]

1 hour ago, jetstream said:

Yeah, I dont think its happening anytime soon lol

I would love solarscope etalons to hang off my TSA120, but man are they expensive. They are the very best IMHO.

Maybe I'll settle for a TSA120 binoscope

Then there is the optical perfection ie spot sizes of the TOA130... geez I wish I hadnt seen these or heard the reports from the big Tak users...

Yes, it's just such a shame that most of us in the UK rarely get sub-arcsecond seeing to get the best out of them 😊.

[F15Rules]

On 23/02/2023 at 18:34, Sunshine said:

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.

I consider myself very blessed, and very content..

So much so that I no longer own any other scopes. "Trinity" has been with me  now for almost 6 years and is 24 years old.

Her objective makes me smile every time I look at it, as well as through it..😉😁.

Dave

 

[jetstream]

While getting superb views out of my little 90mm SV on the sun just now, I came in to warm up and am reflecting on a conversation with A-P this morning.

Can I change my grail scope?

I'm leaning toward an A-P currently-subject to change of course

[Sunshine]

49 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

I consider myself very blessed, and very content..

So much so that I no longer own any other scopes. "Trinity" has been with me  now for almost 6 years and is 24 years old.

Her objective makes me smile every time I look at it, as well as through it..😉😁.

Dave

 

That’s it right there, my holy grail scope, stop doing this to me, these images are torture 😆

[ArnieVXR]

A refractor on a wobbly, inappropriately small mount. Not unlike the 60mm scope I used to look at Venus in the 70s. Only a shade bigger.

[Sunshine]

12 minutes ago, ArnieVXR said:

A refractor on a wobbly, inappropriately small mount. Not unlike the 60mm scope I used to look at Venus in the 70s. Only a shade bigger.

Omg it’s huge! it must shake like a tuning fork on that pillar, is that a TeleVue Gibraltar? 

Edited February 24, 2023 by Sunshine