Owning up !!

[John]

Anyone else glimpsing furtively from time to time at that lovely looking Istar 150mm F/8 refractor that has gone onto UK Astro Buy & Sell today ?

I know I am ! 🙄

(I can't really do anything other than look just now though 😌)

I've no connection to the advert of course.

 

Edited August 8, 2023 by John

[RobertI]

All major astro purchases start with “just a look”! 😆 Good luck resisting the temptation. 

[JeremyS]

I wasn’t until you mentioned it, John.

But looking at the weight, I think of my back 😳

[F15Rules]

John, 

Write out 100 times..

"Been there, done that, got the T shirt, been there, done that, got the T shirt.."

Dave 😁

[John]

32 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I wasn’t until you mentioned it, John.

But looking at the weight, I think of my back 😳

My back is not that good either , come to think of it 🤔

@F15Rules / Dave has hit the nail on the head, as usual - refractor aperture fever gets rapidly bad for the wallet and the physical well being 😌

If only the darn things didn't look so good 😬

[nightfisher]

Nice scope but not for me, wallet, back, and mount and storage, im just happy with my little skymax 127 for the odd time i get to indulge

[Franklin]

and also an APM 6" ED refractor.

[paulastro]

I had one of these for a while some years ago.  It was good, but I mostly remember how heavy it was, I swear, it's for ever etched into my memory.  The tube tube walls were so thick I'm sure if you'd driven a car over it the tube wouldn't have squished.  And no, I never actually got round to putting this to the test 🙂.

[GTom]

Mind you it is an Achromat, for that f8 is a bit fast. The f15 would be great for planetary.

[John]

34 minutes ago, GTom said:

Mind you it is an Achromat, for that f8 is a bit fast. The f15 would be great for planetary.

I believe that the Istar R35 objectives handle CA as well as a conventional achromat with a focal ratio 35% slower so it should be the equivalent of an F/10.8 conventional achromat.

This is what Istar claim - I've not tested one personally.

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by John

[Mr Spock]

Nice scope 👍I keep looking at the APM 152 on sale. However I've no way to mount it and mounting options would take me back to the reasons I sold my last mount and downsized!

I'm sticking with the 12" Dob and the 4" Tak. Seems like the best combination for me.

[moggi1964]

Here's a picture of a customer 152 setup from back in 2009. And then a picture of one mounted as a 'guide scope' on the beast. If I recall, the beast sold to a chap in South Korea. I hope he had a good back 😀

[DirkSteele]

I can resist everything, except temptation…

 

And holy cow, that beast is the temptation!

[Deadlake]

46 minutes ago, DirkSteele said:

I can resist everything, except temptation…

 

And holy cow, that beast is the temptation!

Does it fit in the back of a taxi?

[Mr Spock]

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it"

[DirkSteele]

3 hours ago, moggi1964 said:

Here's a picture of a customer 152 setup from back in 2009. And then a picture of one mounted as a 'guide scope' on the beast. If I recall, the beast sold to a chap in South Korea. I hope he had a good back 😀

I recalled there was a Beast (though looking a the pic, I would say smaller than your one so let’s call it Beast Jr) at AstroFest about 10 years ago. Though I think there was some smoke and mirrors (should that be smoke and lenses?) going on as I do not believe the actual objective was installed.

[Deadlake]

1 hour ago, DirkSteele said:

I recalled there was a Beast (though looking a the pic, I would say smaller than your one so let’s call it Beast Jr) at AstroFest about 10 years ago. Though I think there was some smoke and mirrors (should that be smoke and lenses?) going on as I do not believe the actual objective was installed.

When was the last time you bought a scope? 

Maybe all those scopes that would of been yours can be pooled into one last one..

[DirkSteele]

17 minutes ago, Deadlake said:

When was the last time you bought a scope? 

Maybe all those scopes that would of been yours can be pooled into one last one..

2018. And you will get me in trouble with the CFO!

Would love to observe through one and if I thought I had somewhere to mount it permanently with skies that would allow it’s full potential to shine through….

[John]

29 minutes ago, DirkSteele said:

....somewhere to mount it permanently ......

That was what I realised after I purchased my 150mm F/12 Istar refractor. Scopes like that need to be permanently mounted in an observatory.

Still, it was fun finding out ....... 🙂

[Space Hopper]

6 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it"

Michael.....and you should know this 

After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.  😉