Refractors are special.

[Highburymark]

I’m a confirmed refractor man. Here are most of my refractors, past and present. Equinox 80ED, couple of Lunts, FC-100DC, TV85, TSA-120 and Tecnosky 60ED.

[John]

I missed this thread as well.

I'm in a conundrum over this to some extent. I've seen what large reflecting apertures can do in opening up the deep sky and I've really enjoyed being on the receiving end of that but refractors do seem to have a different hold on me and it's difficult at times to work out entirely why 

It may be because my first astro scope was a refractor, it may be the link with early astronomers, it maybe those grainy black & white pictures of the Victorian astronomers at the bottom end of a long telescope ( complete with top hat or deerstalker sometimes 😁) or it may be because Sir Patrick Moore was reportedly a big fan of refractors.

There are definite qualities to the views through a good refractor that have certainly contributed to my fascination with them - the lack of diffracting features in the optical path maybe ? The contrast for the relatively small aperture. The robust and unfussy nature of a well made refractor perhaps ? The consistent performance is a plus - a good refractor often seems to punch above it's aperture.

While I struggle to tie down why I feel like I do about the refractor, the evidence of my leanings is hard to refute. I've owned more refractors than reflecting scopes over the 40+ years I've been observing. When I visit forums I'm drawn inexorably to refractor discussion threads or sections. When looking through used astro equipment adverts (an unhealthy obsession I know 🙄) the refractor filter is the one that I use more than any other.

Perhaps I've given up trying to rationalise this now and I'm just rolling with it. All my scopes are currently refractors. 

I'm probably a hopeless case, but it's fun all the same 😁

Edited February 6 by John

[mikeDnight]

28 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

I’m a confirmed refractor man. Here are most of my refractors, past and present. Equinox 80ED, couple of Lunts, FC-100DC, TV85, TSA-120 and Tecnosky 60ED.

I particularly like the three More Blue tube rings on your TSA Mark. It will definitely stop any mid tube flop. 😅

[Sunshine]

11 minutes ago, John said:

Victorian astronomers at the bottom end of a long telescope ( complete with top hat or deerstalker

When I do my first outreach from my new home I will dress just like this fellow, I’ll include a top hat.

Edited February 6 by Sunshine

[mikeDnight]

For me its everything that John says above, plus they are so beautiful to look at as well as look through. I think the day of the beautiful reflector are long gone, and now remain largely in the classic/vintage realm. Also, the wonderful true stories from historical greats at the sharp end of a small refractor plays a part. Wasn't it Newman who told a young E. E. Barnard that the best thing he could do with his 5" equatorially mounted F15 would be to search for comets? Barnard did so and built a house out of the award money. It really shows the skill and determination of Barnard as much as it proves the ability of his refractor. 

I can imagine the comments if someone on SGL or CN suddenly decided to comet sweep using a 5" F15 refractor today. "Not possible!" "Not enough aperture!" "You can only sweep for comets using a rich field telescope!" "You can't sweep using an equatorial!" - and likely much more, all negative of course, and all completely wrong! And imagine the eyepieces that Barnard must have had available to him. Yet he succeeded despite any obstacle.

Edited February 7 by mikeDnight

[Alan White]

3 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Anyway, I’d like to see someone try licking a Newton mirror…..it’s refractors all the way 👍🏻

How wrong you can be Jeremy.......
I found this on Newt Lickers Anonymous!

 

 

In all seriousness, I am a Refractor man too as many know, first scope was an Achromat and many more since, but I do dabble with Newts as well, but the true wow factor comes from my Refractors.

At the minute I am pondering how to observe going forwards with an ongoing long term back issue that I have.

If I had the means, health and location I would have an observatory and a large refractor.


 

Edited February 6 by Alan White

[mikeDnight]

When starting out in astronomy I'd spend hours oggling the scope advertisements in Sky & Telescope, and would also longingly admire the telescopes of astronomers as shown in photographs in the books of the day. Although at the time I understood little about the various attributes of the different designs on show, it was the refractor that always seemed to grab at my heart strings. Back then, most refractors were terrifyingly long and terrifyingly expensive, but that added to their appeal. When I eventually managed to get my hands on a 4" F13 Vixen achromat I felt I'd got the scope of a lifetime. Even deep sky through that scope was really quite spectacular. I was definitely influenced by the choice of other observers and of course the hassle free nature of refractors compared to reflectors. Mirror coatings back then we're not what they are today!

Below are a few pic's with franc appeal that motivated me.

Amateur Telescope Making book 2. This is what I wanted, and in some ways still do.

Good old Patrick with his trusty 5" refractor looked like how I imagined a real astronomer to be, and a real telescope of course.

Then there's the awesome Richard Baum, historian, author, & visual observer, who's equally awesome planetary sketches fuelled my enthusiasm both for sketching, and for being a patient and careful observer. 

 

 

 

Edited February 7 by mikeDnight

[dweller25]

There is nothing like a good refractor…

 

Or two…🙂

 

Or three…😁

 

Or four…😆

 

 

[Sunshine]

Only two here, my FS128 and this little guy, its a cutie! 😍 

Edited February 6 by Sunshine

[Naughty Neal]

Only the other week the 1952 Sound Barrier film was screened  again , in  a couple of clips Nigel Patrick and Ralph Richardson are seen viewing thru an enormously large mounted frac on an equally impessive  tall pier.

[Sunshine]

1 hour ago, dweller25 said:

There is nothing like a good refractor…

 

Or two…🙂

 

Or three…😁

 

Or four…😆

 

 

Looking over your fracs more closely I can’t help but ask, doesn’t the TSA 120 make the FC100 and TSA102 redundant? or do you have specific uses for all? I wouldn’t dare ask @JeremyS this question 😅

Edited February 6 by Sunshine

[JeremyS]

I’ve gone all dizzy looking at these refractors. 
Time to contribute some pics of my own

see what I did there? 🤣🤣🤣

Edited February 6 by JeremyS

[andrew s]

@JeremyS your a very naughty boy. Regards Andrew 

[Saganite]

So I will do the same Jeremy, except I will show just the refractor love of my life. A  shame I couldn't put a dome round Andromeda 5" f15.......😍

Edited February 6 by Saganite

[Sunshine]

13 minutes ago, Saganite said:

So I will do the same Jeremy, except I will show just the refractor love of my life. A  shame I couldn't put a dome round Andromeda..😍

Oh wow that is beautiful! does local law require a flashing red aircraft beacon on the dew shield?

Edited February 6 by Sunshine

[Sunshine]

18 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I’ve gone all dizzy looking at these refractors. 
Time to contribute some pics of my own

see what I did there? 🤣🤣🤣

Love the Mewlon, looks so great, even though it has mirrors it still screams Tak.

[CCD-Freak]

It possible to have too much of a good thing ??? 8^P

Six !!!.....Count them !!!! SIX TEC 180  (^8

 

Edited February 6 by CCD-Freak

[Sunshine]

3 minutes ago, CCD-Freak said:

It possible to have too much of a good thing ??? 8^P

Six !!!.....Count them !!!! SIX TEC 180  (^8

 

What in god’s name!?

[CCD-Freak]

My understanding was that it was being used for an exoplanet search project.

[Alan White]

I think @JeremyS must have only shown one half of his Tak collection, 
That or else he has far more to add yet 😉

Those six Tec 180 made me have a similar reaction to @Sunshine

Andromeda could have had a dome Steve, but it would be outsized for uk planing no doubt and not count as a temporary building.

And so far thank goodness no one has started posting finders as an entry.......,ooops that has done it now.

[JOC]

10 hours ago, Saganite said:

A  shame I couldn't put a dome round Andromeda 5" f15.......😍

It almost seems a shame to have such a nice scope in such an obviously built up area!

[JOC]

9 hours ago, CCD-Freak said:

SIX TEC 180  (^8

Is that just so they can take more frames per minute or so they can 'see' more of the sky.  I asked a question once if a wider aperture 'typically a Dob' 'sees' more of the sky than a smaller aperture refractor does and IIRC feelings were divided.

[Mr Spock]

I see TEC have brought out a 200mm f11 flourite refractor  Planetary observers form an orderly queue...

[JOC]

Even I have a refractor - just a tiny one with it's own fold into itself mini tripod.  I tried it once with a larger tripod and pointed it at Saturn and must admit was blown away by how good a view I got of the planet with such a small telescope.  It was then that it dawned on me that the apparent size of what you see through the EP is more governed by the EP size you are using than it is by the aperture of the scope (hence the question I asked mentioned above).  OK I do 'get' that you can push a bit more magnification through a larger aperture, but it isn't excessively more and after my experience with the mini scope and saturn I gave up on the notion that aperture fever was important.  There seems to be a maximum magnification that is useful in the UK anyway and unless you are chasing distant grey 'fuzzies' - which I wasn't I soon determined that I'd never need more than the 8" Dob, and really could probably have a lot of fun if I just used the baby Vixen a bit more often on a tripod that meant I could comfortably stand at it to view (which I got for it - see pics). 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 7 by JOC

[Space Hopper]

5 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

I see TEC have brought out a 200mm f11 flourite refractor  Planetary observers form an orderly queue...

Yes, and also a 160mm model (F/11) if you can't run to the 200.

But its yellow..........😳