Most Desirable Telescope

[Roy Challen]

Apologies if this is already a thread, but what is your most desirable telescope? Doesn't have to be the best, just the one you want the most.

For me, it has to be a Zeiss APQ 100mm, or a Telementor, or a Questar 90mm, or perhaps a Mag 1 Portaball, or other scope with a Zambutto mirror. In that order.

[Highburymark]

New Borg 125FL. All that aperture and under 4kg, if early reports are accurate. I’d happily trade in my perfect TSA-120 triplet for the Borg if CA is well controlled, purely because it’s nearly 3kg lighter. But the price is likely to be prohibitive. 

[Roy Challen]

5 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

New Borg 125FL. All that aperture and under 4kg, if early reports are accurate. I’d happily trade in my perfect TSA-120 triplet for the Borg if CA is well controlled, purely because it’s nearly 3kg lighter. But the price is likely to be prohibitive. 

Forgot about Borg. I had a 60mm achro from Borg some years ago, it was better than a 70ED Altair I had at the same time. But better than a Tak triplet?  And 3kg lighter. Hmm, that would be something!

[Peter Drew]

I now have all the telescopes I've ever wished for but the most desirable was my 150mm Ha solar telescope.      🙂

[mikeDnight]

Mine has to be my FS128 as shown in my current (April 2023) avatar.  I've loved all my scopes, perhaps with the exception of my NP101 IS, and I really love my FC100DZ,  but the FS128 will always hold a special place in my heart.

My favourite scope and the best mount I ever owned!

[John]

The one in my avatar - Sir Patrick Moore's Cooke 5 inch F/12 🙂

It's not available though so the closest I've got is my TMB/LZOS 5.1 inch F/9.2 triplet. 

I doubt that I will ever own a better scope, in terms of sheer optical quality.

 

 

[JeremyS]

Questar 7. Beautiful!

[The Lazy Astronomer]

As with anything, the most desirable telescope is the one I don't have 😁

[ONIKKINEN]

I have been feeling the need for speed lately which has manifested itself in a desire to get a 12'' f/3 carbon newtonian. Would cost an arm but maybe not all of a leg to make happen. Also this would be just about the largest and fastest possible scope that would still be viable for mobile use without an observatory.

Not that i have an arm or half a leg to spare for the costs at the moment but hey we are dreaming here 😉.

Or a RASA36, or an 8'' refractor, Takahashi CCA-250? I'll stop here or i will list every large aperture imaging scope ever made.

[dweller25]

The telescope I desire is a 6” F/6 fluorite APO that weighs 5kgs (including rings and finder)

But it would need to be made of unobtanium 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[mikeDnight]

3 hours ago, The Lazy Astronomer said:

As with anything, the most desirable telescope is the one I don't have 😁

And which "one" is it that you don't have? 

[Bigwings]

I just want the one that sees through the clouds that are on constant patrol in case I get my kit out. My 10" Newt and 6" Classical Cassegrain sharing the AZ EQ6 trolley mounted can be deployed in 5 mins but the clouds...... Fast little sods. 

🤔

[Space Hopper]

15 hours ago, dweller25 said:

The telescope I desire is a 6” F/6 fluorite APO that weighs 5kgs (including rings and finder)

But it would need to be made of unobtanium 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Maybe, but i'm not too far away there.....

(5.5" F7 Fluorite & only 9kg with rings finder AND plate)

[RT65CB-SWL]

On 30/04/2023 at 17:46, JeremyS said:

Questar 7. Beautiful!

I was going to say the same. That said, my ‘re-modded’ ETX105 is not far off from looking like Questar clone. I will add some images/photos of it soon with the ‘new’ tube rings, finderscope and RDF mountings, etc., have been attached.

Edited May 4, 2023 by RT65CB-SWL

[ollypenrice]

14 inch RASA. For the imager, it can do everything, widefield and high res., and do them at lightning speed.

Olly

[saac]

 

30 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

14 inch RASA. For the imager, it can do everything, widefield and high res., and do them at lightning speed.

Olly

That consoles me a little because it is well outside my price range; I've been trying over the past few months to get hold of a RASA 8 but I gave up in frustration.🥲 I've been following your comments Olly on the RASAs and I think they may be suited to the ever shortening weather windows that blight us now. Anyway, in the spirit of "love the one you're with" I'll nominate my recently acquired Esprit 120ED which replaces my trusty Equinox 80 ED.  It's yet to see first light, still sitting on my desk being fettled. When I built the observatory I placed the pier a little too forward from centre.  The 120 however is just a little too close to the door frame for comfort so I'm just about to start relocating the pier!  I'm at last operating it all remotely so I no longer need space for a desk. You get a telescope and the work never ends   

Jim 

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by saac

[Space Hopper]

49 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

14 inch RASA. For the imager, it can do everything, widefield and high res., and do them at lightning speed.

Olly

I saw one at the IAS or PAS the year they were introduced.

Simply an enormous bit of kit, the size of a small oil drum. I've never seen the like since.

Cost aside, i would expect the mount to be the real investment here, and possibly double the price of the instrument itself.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Space Hopper

[jetstream]

I have a few of my most desireable scopes, including the TSA120 and 24" dob. For some unknown reason my most desired scope now is a TEC 160 that has oil spacing.

[ollypenrice]

41 minutes ago, Space Hopper said:

I saw one at the IAS or PAS the year they were introduced.

Simply an enormous bit of kit, the size of a small oil drum. I've never seen the like since.

Cost aside, i would expect the mount to be the real investment here, and possibly double the price of the instrument itself.

I have a Mesu 200 which easily carries a 14 inch catadioptric. (I have one on it at the moment.)  I think an EQ8 would also do it.

Olly

[Gonariu]

By a few months now my desirable telescope would be the Vixen 90/1300 (or its analogue by Kenko); a couple of years ago I bought the Vixen 102-M which, mounted on an EQ5, I used to see Mars. I've never set eyes on pure apochromats or EDs, and maybe from a certain point of view it's better, so I'm not tempted to buy one also because I've remained at the level of "curious about the sky" and nothing more; I really like seeing the Sun visually and making a sketch of it observing with an old achromatic 80/400, the Konus Vista (if you can call an optic you already have "desirable").

[Telescope40]

22 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

Mine has to be my FS128 as shown in my current (April 2023) avatar.  I've loved all my scopes, perhaps with the exception of my NP101 IS, and I really love my FC100DZ,  but the FS128 will always hold a special place in my heart.

My favourite scope and the best mount I ever owned!

Mike. A quick diversion from the thread topic. Can I ask what mount you’re using  in the photos??
Regard’s.  John 

[dweller25]

2 hours ago, jetstream said:

I have a few of my most desireable scopes, including the TSA120 and 24" dob. For some unknown reason my most desired scope now is a TEC 160 that has oil spacing.

How well does oil spacing work in your chilly climate Jerry ?

[Clarkey]

Definitely large RASA for me. Just need the speed as there seem to be so few imaging  opportunities these days.

Maybe I'll still be able to persuade the better half to retire abroad where clear skies are not a dream...

[RT65CB-SWL]

4 hours ago, saac said:

 

That consoles me a little because it is well outside my price range; I've been trying over the past few months to get hold of a RASA 8 but I gave up in frustration.🥲 I've been following your comments Olly on the RASAs and I think they may be suited to the ever shortening weather windows that blight us now. Anyway, in the spirit of "love the one you're with" I'll nominate my recently acquired Esprit 120ED which replaces my trusty Equinox 80 ED.  It's yet to see first light, still sitting on my desk being fettled. When I built the observatory I placed the pier a little too forward from centre.  The 120 however is just a little too close to the door frame for comfort so I'm just about to start relocating the pier!  I'm at last operating it all remotely so I no longer need space for a desk. You get a telescope and the work never ends   

Jim 

 

I think you’re going to need a better mount. That one only does azimuth! 😜

[RT65CB-SWL]

On 01/05/2023 at 13:09, saac said:

 

That consoles me a little because it is well outside my price range; I've been trying over the past few months to get hold of a RASA 8 but I gave up in frustration.🥲 I've been following your comments Olly on the RASAs and I think they may be suited to the ever shortening weather windows that blight us now. Anyway, in the spirit of "love the one you're with" I'll nominate my recently acquired Esprit 120ED which replaces my trusty Equinox 80 ED.  It's yet to see first light, still sitting on my desk being fettled. When I built the observatory I placed the pier a little too forward from centre.  The 120 however is just a little too close to the door frame for comfort so I'm just about to start relocating the pier!  I'm at last operating it all remotely so I no longer need space for a desk. You get a telescope and the work never ends   

Jim 

 

I think you’re going to need a bigger or better mount. That one only does azimuth! 😜

Edited May 4, 2023 by RT65CB-SWL