What would you do?

[wulfrunian]

A few years ago I bought myself a Solarview 50. It was a bit of an indulgence - it was before I downsized my job - I'm not a serious solar observer, but I have enjoyed using it. However it's occurred to me that now that I've got my dob, and am toying with the idea of higher-end eyepieces for it, I *could* look to sell the solarview to fund some pretty nice eyepieces.

Not sure - it's a "nice to have" and I'd be sorry to see it go, but on the other hand the eyepieces would probably get more use. Don't think I'm going to rush into a decision on this one, just wondered what people would do??

[Merlin66]

Personally, I'd keep the Solarview 50. It's a great piece of equipment and the solar cycle looks like it's changing - there will be more and more activity in the future. You'll kick yourself down the track if you sell it now.

My 2c

[yesyes]

Depending on where you live, you'll most likely have a better chance of seeing the sun than the stars at the moment...

I've been waiting for clear skies for weeks now in the south of England.

Probably depends on how much you'd get for the scope. If it's just a few tens of pounds, I'd probably keep it. If it's more and you don't use it, sell it.

[yesyes]

Oi! They are over £3000? Is that right?

In that case I'd sell it if I didn't use it much and get some real good accessories for the main scope.

[wulfrunian]

Er yes that's the price new, as I said it was a bit of an indulgence

[Peter Drew]

Might be worth selling it, buying a PST to keep an eye on the solar activity and spend the change on some eyepieces.

[yesyes]

That should buy you a few nice Ethos EPs

[pvaz]

I would sell, buy a cheaper solar scope and some nice EPs.

I can't see me having a solar scope that expensive unless I looked at the sun everyday or was working as a professional studying solar activity.

[wulfrunian]

Hmm, depends what I'd get for it second hand - "a few" ethos's might be optimistic

[A McEwan]

If it was me I'd sell, buy a Lunt 60 and spend the rest on some carefully picked high-end eyepieces. Nice situation to be in...

[wulfrunian]

Thanks for the replies, some good points made for me to think about. Must confess I hadn't looked at alternative solar scopes like the Coronado to switch to. I've not heard of the Lunt 60 though - just googled it, and not sure if it's available this side of the pond?

[Phil Fargaze]

The best thing I done for my dob was to splash out on a nagler and a meade 5000 uwa.

[wulfrunian]

Do you mean a 2" low power Nagler? Must confess I'd never really come across these big 2" beasts before buying the dob and being on this forum; my initial thoughts were that you'd only use them for looking at wide star clusters, but from the way everyone raves about them, they're obviously rather more than that

[hunterknox]

Are people going to be genuinely interested in a second hand solarscope for more than the price of a newer, larger aperture lunt? Seems to me that solarscope are going to have to lower their prices or offer something more to stay afloat in the lunt era.

[Phil Fargaze]

I use a 20mm 2" nagler, which is great for clusters and galaxies and nebula.

[Merlin66]

HunterKnox,

Unfortunately like other telescopes there are good ones then there are excellent ones; difficult to compare a Solarview to a LunT!!!

[chuenmanc]

I've not heard of the Lunt 60 though - just googled it, and not sure if it's available this side of the pond?

Richard Best can get hold of them - I think he may even be the UK importer:

Tele Solar lunt