· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article    Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Forum Archives · Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Refractors Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | (show all) Planetarius member Reged: 04/17/08 Posts: 23 Loc: Karlsruhe, Germany Your most often used Refractor       #2369224 - 05/03/08 04:47 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The best scope is the one you use ! Probably all of us have once heard this statement. So let me ask, which of your refractors do you grab for the majority of nights and what is it, that makes you choose just this one? If you own just one, let us know if you picked the one which you think works best for you. Clear Skies, Volker Post Extras:       spaceydee Postmaster Reged: 04/16/04 Posts: 16328 Loc: Where the Kittens Are Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: Planetarius]       #2369277 - 05/03/08 05:21 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Lately my 94 Brandon. It is mostly because I've been playing with it, it's my "newest" refractor and not as large as the TAK. Honestly though I rarely grab a refractor without a reflector. That may change though once I get the 92SS. -------------------- Dee space-scientist student violinist Nexstar8i,SV80S,80/9D,FC100,94 Brandon,TMB92SS,GM8 8" f/7 Discovery,12.5" Portaball, PST Edited by spaceydee (05/03/08 05:22 PM) Post Extras:       Nick Lloyd He asked for it Reged: 10/24/06 Posts: 2187 Loc: cincinnati Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: spaceydee]       #2369281 - 05/03/08 05:23 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   7" Meade APO is my most often used refractor. However, a 9.25" SCT is my most often used telescope. -------------------- "The best scope is the one you use." -rcg Post Extras:       Paydirt sage Reged: 12/02/07 Posts: 343 Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: Nick Lloyd]       #2369294 - 05/03/08 05:31 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   my 80mm Post Extras:       Starlighter Post Laureate Reged: 08/03/07 Posts: 4820 Loc: Sunny California Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: Planetarius]       #2369295 - 05/03/08 05:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   My new SV102ED. Fantastic scope. My second most used is my Meade 80mm APO triplet. -------------------- Celestron C4-R 102mm achromat Celeston Nexstar 6SE SCT Meade 80mm APO Triplet Televue NP-101 Televue TV-85 Vixen A70Lf Vixen A80Mf William Optics 66mm Zenithstar Patriot Celestron CG4 EQ mount Orion Skyview Pro AZ mount Televue Gibraltar 5 Vixen Portamount Post Extras:       Pasquale Encrypted Reged: 10/12/05 Posts: 2222 Loc: Olympia, Washington Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: Nick Lloyd]       #2369300 - 05/03/08 05:35 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Lately, it's been the 4" SV on the Sphinx mount. It's so light, that I can easily lift the mounted scope and shoot out the back door and onto the deck. I can burn hours just looking at stuff with this setup... -------------------- Pasquale Go Seahawks! NexStar 9.25 GPS / SkyAlign Stellarvue SV102ED WO ZS80FD Anniversary WO ZS66ED Triplet Vixen Sphinx SXW Canon EOS XT/350D, Meade DSI, NexImager Post Extras:       John Wall III member Reged: 03/07/08 Posts: 73 Loc: Angleton, Texas USA Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: Planetarius]       #2369412 - 05/03/08 06:45 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The scope I have used the most is my Astro-Tech 80mm with a William Optic's Fluorite Doublet Lens Cell I installed, with an Astro-Tech 66mm Guide Scope on top. This is mounted on a Vixen GPD2 / Meade Autostar / Kevlar Belt Drive / Star GPS System that I put together. I have to carry everything outside, so this gives me excellent equipment with minimal setup time for imaging. --- I do need an observatory at this point! -------------------- Wishing you Clear Skies, JVWIII http://www.pbase.com/lightstuff Edited by John Wall III (05/03/08 07:53 PM) Post Extras:       mistyridge Carpal Tunnel Reged: 10/28/05 Posts: 2377 Loc: Loomis, CA ,14mi from SV headq... Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: John Wall III]       #2369471 - 05/03/08 07:16 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   My Mead 102ED plus a big Dob for those close up views. I think the Mead will be rpaced with a 5" APO this year. -------------------- Mike F Misty Ridge Observatory Stellarvue SV115T Stellarvue SV70ED Stellarvue Nighthawk SV F50 18" f/4.5 Teeter's, Swayze mirror 12.5" f/5 Astrosky, OWL mirror SV 15X70 Binos Mounts: DM-6,M-1,CG-5(ASGT) Post Extras:       Teal'c Indeed Reged: 08/02/05 Posts: 3856 Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: mistyridge]       #2369482 - 05/03/08 07:22 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   SV80S -------------------- ------------------ SV95T 95/650(LOMO) SV80S 80/480(LOMO) Matthias Wirth 80/600(LOMO) Celestron 120 XLT AP140.... Waiting......Waiting.... Etch-O-Sketch and an eraser. Although....the eraser dosn't work Post Extras:       Paul Milligan Pooh-Bah Reged: 03/03/06 Posts: 1241 Loc: 54°12.0' N; 4°25' W Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: Teal'c]       #2369512 - 05/03/08 07:38 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   My WO Megrez 80FD for guiding. My WO FLT110 [TEC] for looking through & imaging. Paul M.. -------------------- Tak Epsilon 160 / 16 Inch Custom Truss Dob WO FLT-110 [TEC] APO / WO Megrez 80FD APO EQ6 Pro / Canon Rebel XTi / QHY5 / GSTAR-EX ---------------------------------------------- http://www.eyetotheuniverse.com Post Extras:       ltha super member Reged: 11/22/05 Posts: 196 Loc: Long Beach, CA Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: Teal'c]       #2369516 - 05/03/08 07:40 PM Attachment (39 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Pentax 75mm EDHF. Easy to get out and excellent performance. Next in line of most used: TMB 175. Most used scope: Cave 8" F/8 on original mount. Edited by ltha (05/03/08 07:41 PM) Post Extras:       Sirius76 super member Reged: 05/11/07 Posts: 128 Loc: Chicago, Il Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: ltha]       #2369544 - 05/03/08 08:00 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   My most used refractor would be my TV-101, though that isn't my most used telescope. That crown belongs to a reflector. -------------------- Clear skies, Dragan Nikin Sirius76 Chgo Il Post Extras:       desertrefugee Pooh-Bah Reged: 08/06/07 Posts: 1341 Loc: Arizona Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: Planetarius]       #2369553 - 05/03/08 08:04 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Orion 120ST. It's my only refractor and will see especially heavy use this summer in and around Sagitarius! ! ! -------------------- "Illimitable ocean, without bound, Without dimension, where length, breadth, and height, And time, and place are lost." - Milton -Darrell N. Phoenix, AZ Post Extras:       Bonco Carpal Tunnel Reged: 04/17/06 Posts: 2409 Loc: Florida Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: desertrefugee]       #2369568 - 05/03/08 08:15 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   My original Genesis 4 inch f/5. Bill N. -------------------- RV6 Meade 2045 6 inch f/4 RFT R. Fagin Optics TV Genesis 2.4 inch Lafayette Equitorial 3 inch Polarex/Unitron Equitorial 10 inch Zhumell PST 40mm Solar scope 4 inch F/15 Antares 2.4 inch Unitron Equitorial Tasco 10K 80mm/1200mm Towa 339 Restored Post Extras:       mathteacher Carpal Tunnel Reged: 05/13/07 Posts: 2479 Loc: Oakland, CA Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: desertrefugee]       #2369570 - 05/03/08 08:18 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I'm having a blast imaging with the ST80! I know it's a cheap little achro with CA, but I'm having too much fun to worry about it. This little scope is just plain fun to use... it's compact and I love walking out the door with it! -------------------- Regards, Mr. Wang . . . . . . . Images and Gear. . . . . . . Let's Go Observing CR 150-HD - The Hammer, Vixen ED100sf - The Skipper, Orion ST80 - The Pug Join the International Dark Sky Association Post Extras:       werewolf6977 Lord High Smasher Reged: 12/15/03 Posts: 8693 Loc: Hanover, Ohio Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: mathteacher]       #2369601 - 05/03/08 08:34 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   My most used refractor? Havta be the Beast. Most used scope? Sorry, Scott B., but's it my 6" Dob. Setup is so easy! -------------------- Pete 6" Apogee/LXD55 Starhopper 6" Dob Spaceprobe 130EQ Black C8 OTA WO Zenith Star 66 Patriot Edition Sun Pak Pro 7500 Platinum Edition 8X42 Bushnell H2O Porro 7X35 Tasco 10X50 Nikon Actions (Type 7) 15X70 Skymasters Dell Inspiron Dual Core 531s "Science without Religion is lame, Religion without Science is blind" A.Einstein. Post Extras:       jrcrilly Refractor wienie no more Reged: 04/30/03 Posts: 25882 Loc: NE Ohio Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: werewolf6977]       #2369612 - 05/03/08 08:39 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   FSQ-106N. Pretty much eliminated all the other refractors around here (though I hope to also put a lot of hours on the Coronado Maxscope 60!). -------------------- John C Urban Observatory A&M/Astreya 76mm F/6 APO Meade 80mm F/6 APO TMB/LOMO 80mm F/7.5 APO Meade 152ED, 178ED F/9 "APO" Meade 12" SCT Teeter 20" F/3.8 truss Newt w/ServoCat NJP, LXD700, CGE, GPDX/SS2KPC ST-10XME, DSI Pro Post Extras:       Doug D. Carpal Tunnel Reged: 08/23/05 Posts: 2058 Loc: Virginia Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: jrcrilly]       #2369681 - 05/03/08 09:21 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   As of the past couple of months it has to be my Traveler on Tak Teegul with Gitzo CF tripod. I love this combination - even if it wasn't my best performing portable scope (which it is), it is so easy to get it out the door and set up. The optical quality, the mechanics, the smoothness of the mount and the stability of the set-up, all manages to put a smile on my face every time -------------------- Hooville Post Extras:       Patricko Carpal Tunnel Reged: 01/30/07 Posts: 1831 Loc: SE New Mexico USA Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: Planetarius]       #2369712 - 05/03/08 09:41 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Well, my only refractor that I use has only seen light (with me)3 times as of this post. I am a visual observer. I like binary stars, planetary nebula, emission/reflection nebula, M & NGC open clusters, viewing the brighter planets, watching Luna, and finding bright galaxies. My refractor is a WO ZS 80ED II. I got the scope from a nice individual on A-mart for a very reasonable price with the Losmandy rings. The scope came with the case too. It's still very new to me, but I feel that it is everything that I wanted. My ST80 I sold was also very good for how it was manufactured. The wide FOV, dual-speed focuser, nice build quality and well figured FPL-51 lens make this scope my favorite to drag out. I like not having to mess with a finder. I am the type of observer that wants to have a quick simple setup to enjoy the night sky with. I feel this telescope does everything I want. M44 looked amazing last night with a 32mm plossl and 19mm SA 65 degree eyepieces. NGC 6530 & M8 also rocked w/ a 18mm ortho. NGC 6231 still fills my mind vividly. I did a first light report on this scope under "thoughts on used WO ZS 80EDII" on this forum if anyone is interested. Patrick -------------------- Clear skies, Patrick Telescope: Swift 838 50mm f/14 Bincoulars: 10x50mm Simmons 11x56mm GOs Eyepieces: 32mm to 6mm INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY ASSOCIATION "You don't need equipment to view the night sky, just motivation." - Me, myself, and I Post Extras:       John Kocijanski Carpal Tunnel Reged: 08/22/03 Posts: 1706 Re: Your most often used Refractor [Re: Planetarius]       #2369717 - 05/03/08 09:45 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Lately my C102 sees more use than my AT1010. -------------------- Deep Space Observer 10 * SPC-8 * C102 HD f/10 * XT 4.5 * Orion/Moonlite 80ED * PST * Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | (show all) Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 33 registered and 31 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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