Keeping two scopes?

[Manok101]

I've said in a couple of previous posts, that I intend on saving up for a 10" scope later in the year, my question no that would be should I give away or sell my first scope or keep, I did just purchase it so I feel a little weird about giving or selling it, and wanted to know if there was an advantage on having a 4.5 inch, and a 10 inch?

[pvaz]

The 10" is quite big and heavy. If the 4.5 inch is portable enough to take with you on trips, or if you live in a flat and carrying the 10" everyday is troublesome, then you may want to keep the 4.5" for quick sessions and as a travel scope.

If that's not the case then there is no real advantage as the 10" will surpass the 4.5" in any target, except maybe some very wide ones, like the Pleiads. For those you need widefield and a long scope won't allow you to frame the entire object on the FoV.

For large wide-field and as a travel setup, I use 15x70 binos + monopod/tripod.

[Aussie]

Hey, that all depends on what type of scopes you have, one may be better at doing certain things compared to the other. Or the 10" might be better at doing everything, which is probably likely. I own a 4" refractor and a 6" reflector, the refractor in my opinion is better at looking at the moon and the planets due to higher magnification and the reflector is better at looking at DSO's due to the larger aperture.

More then likely since it is a huge difference compared to my 2" you will find the 10" to be better at everything, give it a shot and compare. If you do decide to sell you will be able to put the money towards the new scope, or some nice accessory's

[Talitha]

I know how you feel. Since getting the 16"Dob, my other scopes haven't been touched. No, let me correct myself.. i used the 120ST for a few hours one night to get some sketches done for my 2011 articles. Other than that, none of the scopes have been used. And i feel weird inside whenever i think of getting rid of them... too many good memories. Yeah, it's silly to be so sentimental about telescopes, but that's me.

Do you feel any attachment to the 4.5"? If so, maybe you could wait till you get the 10" and then see how you feel about things. If you're not attached to it and you don't think you'd use it much, maybe you could sell it to help fund the 10".

[Beulah]

Keep, keep, keep!

You can never have too many scopes and it's handy when others want to come observing with you.

[Manok101]

The 10" is quite big and heavy. If the 4.5 inch is portable enough to take with you on trips, or if you live in a flat and carrying the 10" everyday is troublesome, then you may want to keep the 4.5" for quick sessions and as a travel scope.

If that's not the case then there is no real advantage as the 10" will surpass the 4.5" in any target, except maybe some very wide ones, like the Pleiads. For those you need widefield and a long scope won't allow you to frame the entire object on the FoV.

For large wide-field and as a travel setup, I use 15x70 binos + monopod/tripod.

I think I will keep it, if anything I can use it to determine if the atmosphere is worth breaking out the 10

[Bizibilder]

The moment you dispose of it you will desperately need it for a task where no other scope would do!!

[Capricorn]

Agrees with Beulah:

Keep, keep, keep!

You can never have too many scopes and it's handy when others want to come observing with you.

Have 3, debating a 4th, then maybe a 5th.

Do the scopes fight?

If not then no problems.

[bcfcciderhead]

In the 3 months i been into this i now have 2, started with SW 130P on EQ2 mount, that is now on a goto, and i not long bought a SW 200P Dob.

Will keep the 2 the goto is helping me learn the night sky and my son likes that one now its simple to use, but i just hate the thought of it going and like said before great to take on hols due to the size

[Moonshane]

For large wide-field and as a travel setup, I use 15x70 binos + monopod/tripod.

I'm with Paulo on this. I have two dobs - one better for moon and planets, doubles too (they are DSOs after all!) and the other excels at fainter DSOs. BUT if I want a much wider field than the 1.4 degrees these give me then I use the 15x70s to get 4 degrees. the Pleiades is simply stunning in the bins.

in answer to your question though, many people have two scopes or more and if you don't need to sell it to fund the purchase of the 10" then keep it and see how it goes. you can always sell later if it's never used (I predict this will be the case).

my own philosophy is unless something is rare or difficult to replace you should sell it if it's never used. you can always buy another one in the future if needed.

[Astro_Baby]

I have a whole raft of scopes - the one I regret selling is the Syywatcher 130PM because she was such a pretty scope and so adequate for almosy any task as well as ebing lightweight enough to take anywhere.

I didnt really want to sell my Nexstar 4SE but I needed the cash for other things.

In your shoes I'd keep both at least until you are certain your new scope will do everything the old one can AND gets used enough to replace the old one.

[callisto]

I regret getting rid of my 120mm frac

[Moonshane]

I regret getting rid of my 120mm frac

hey! just save for a bit and get another - plenty come up used if you hang on