aa5te
Genial Procrastinator
Reged: 08/30/08
Posts: 388
Loc: Clinton, TN
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So, what do you use it for and when? I've got a Sears 80mm f/15 that is superb in the daytime compared to all of my scopes except for my 10" dob, but my 10" dob beats it in all aspects at night (using the same eyepieces). I'm not trying to start a flame war here, I'm just curious as to what objects/uses you guys use your classics for.
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Binos: Apogee 25x100 / Burgess Optical 25x100 / Pentax 20x60 PCF WP / Tasco InFocus 10x50
Tripods: Sunpak PlatinumPlus Ultra 7500TM / Quickset Samson
Refractors: Meade DS-2102AT-TC 102mm f/7.8; Sears Discoverer 3 (4454) 80mm f/15; Jason 313 Discoverer 60mm f/15.2
Reflectors (Dob): Hardin Optical DSH10 10" f/5
EP's: Zoom: Zhumell 8-24mm & Circle K 7.5-22.5mm 0.965"; 9-52mm Plössls; Zhumell 2x barlow
Kodak Z760; Orion SteadyPix camera mount
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jayscheuerle
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/16/06
Posts: 4034
Loc: S. Philadelphia, PA
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My 8" f/5 Edmund Red Tube Fork Mount is my only scope with tracking, so it's nice for higher powered lunar/planetary viewing. I had it out last night for the first time in years. Man, that thing can stop cars...
It's a giant pain to set up and the balance is not where I'd like it to be yet, but since I've added Wilcox rings to it, it's been a blast to use. - j
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Walk purposely with a concerned expression.
The Green Goblin - 12" of dobsonian excellence!
The PortaBowl-a $100 4.5" f/8 ball-scope YOU can build!
Eero2-a 6" f/5 ball-scope you probably can't. 
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Lew Chilton
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/20/05
Posts: 984
Loc: SoCal
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I mostly use my classic scopes to prevent my wife from parking her car in the garage! 
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I don't get no respect, but my scopes do! 
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1961 Swift 60mm model 839 (2); 2003 TV-102/GM-8; 1959 8" f/6 Treckerscope; 1959 8" f/7.4 Murray Scope; 1959 Fecker Celestar-4; 1978 4" Edmund Astroscan; c. 1986 4-inch Celestron-Vixen SP-C102; c. 1950 20X60 Saturn spotting scope; 1963 7X50 Nippon Kogaku binoculars; Unitron #114 alt-az mount (Swifty-tron)
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oldtimer
sage
Reged: 11/13/08
Posts: 295
Loc: NW Illinois
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DUH......Observing
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Da Bear
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/21/06
Posts: 589
Loc: Kali-Forn-Ya
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During the winter I remove the objective and place the open tube in the garden. When used as rain gauge, the tube collects water, which can then be emptied and measured by removing the Celestron X- Cel eyepiece.
Da Bear
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Telescopes are instruments of hope and faith. Hope that a better, clearer and brighter universe can be observed. Faith that we can bring these discoveries back to our small planet and create positive changes for all of it's inhabitants.
Edited by Da Bear (07/02/09 01:54 PM)
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JamesE
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/22/07
Posts: 1074
Loc: Westbank, BC, Canada
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I just used my 76mm Tasco (10TE) last night to look at the moon, Lyra, Albireo, M13. I especially liked it on the moon. Lots of contrast. Easy to set up for a quick 10 minute peak. I have it set up that when I view things at Zenith, I can lay down on my grass and look through the EP in a nice relaxed manner. It is very enjoyable.
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James
(Thanks to Attilla for the Clear Sky charts)
Current Projects : Tasco 15TEA - 3 inch pier mounted planetary scope
Priorities : Wife, Kids
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rathbaster
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/21/08
Posts: 523
Loc: East Bridgewater, MA
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I use my Tasco 10TE a lot on The Moon and Planets. I've been experimenting with it on DSOs.
My old 6" Newt is considered a classic by some and I've used that on everything over the last 20 years. Its still my biggest scope.
-Joe
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Bridgewater State College Observatory
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desertrefugee
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 08/06/07
Posts: 1188
Loc: Arizona
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For planets, Moon and double stars, I reach for a classic refractor - usually the 10TE or the 80/1200 Circle T. Also, quite frequently, I'll use a 60mm - and even the 50mm for quick lunar work.
And I don't reach for them just because they're classic, I reach for them because they're the best tools for the job currently in my arsenal.
(But, it's cool that they do happen to be anywhere from two to five decades old).
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"Illimitable ocean, without bound, Without dimension, where length, breadth, and height, And time, and place are lost." - Milton
-Darrell
Reflectors - 76 to 254mm (f4.9 to f9.2)
Refractors - 50 to 120mm (f5 to f16.7)
Binoculars - 6x15 to 22x100
N. Phoenix, AZ
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Preston Smith
Military Observer
Reged: 04/24/05
Posts: 3370
Loc: Eureka, Pa
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Quote:
I mostly use my classic scopes to prevent my wife from parking her car in the garage!
 
I take mine apart and get them powder coated cool colors..... 
Then they look really great and at the same time I get all my purist classic scope friends all fired up that they are no longer white... 
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Preston
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Isaiah 40:26
SV115T,NHII,SV70,SV50 and Tele Vue Ranger
Vintage Refractors: Asahi-Pentax, Edmund Scientific, Tasco, Unitron
60mm Telescope Club
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Patricko
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/30/07
Posts: 1501
Loc: SE New Mexico USA
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I use mine for all objects in the night sky and really enjoy it. I has a 60/1000mm lens made by Carton.
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Clear skies,
Patrick
INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY ASSOCIATION
60MM TELESCOPE CLUB!
"You can always have better, but will you ever be happy with what you have?" - Me, myself, and I
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rmollise
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/06/07
Posts: 4491
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Quote:
So, what do you use it for and when?
My Pal Junior? I occasionally observe with her these days; she really is a good little scope. Mostly? She sits in the livin' room, and I'll walk over once in a while and pat her tube, savoring the memories of the observing runs of 40 years ago when it was all so new and wonderful (it is still wonderful today, but nothing can really ever duplicate the joy of those first faltering steps out into the cosmos).
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Uncle Rod
Rod's New Book:
Choosing and Using a New CAT
Available now!
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dfell
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/25/05
Posts: 568
Loc: Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada
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My Towa 339 makes a great white light solar scope with a baader white light filter, usually tandem it with the PST on the EQ6 for solar imaging.
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www.spacealberta.com
12" collapsible Dob
25" Round Table Platform
Ethos 13mm
original TV smoothside plossls
80mm f/15 Towa Refractor
PST
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mikey cee
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/18/07
Posts: 3496
Loc: bellevue ne.
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I use this one to fawn over!  Mike
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7x35 and 10x50 sears tower binocs, 3" f/10 edmunds reflector, 2.4" f/11.7 manon refractor, 6" f/8 jaegers refractor, "The 8 Ball" 8" f/13.3 brandt refractor, 3" f/15.8 sans&streiffe refractor, 3.1" f/15 selsi refractor(towa 339), 2.4" f/15 sears refractor, selsi 30x30mm spyglass, criterion 5-draw 25x45x75x spyglass(1957), 4.25" f/14.8 tasco 20te.
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actionhac
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/09/08
Posts: 713
Loc: WA
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I use my classic scopes for all my amateur astronomy, we understand each other.
I especially like the classic refractors for high mag. viewing. It is very difficult to get my modern short fl refractors to high X without adding more glass and using expensive ep's.
I also have a strong dislike to plastic on scientific instruments.
Robert
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refractory
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/05/05
Posts: 1226
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I use mine to search for extrasolar planets, which has become much easier now that my eyesight is starting to go. You wouldn't believe how many things I've seen circling other stars!
Jess Tauber
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mustgobigger
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/12/07
Posts: 2348
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nice collection lew,
looks like my garage only less cluttered.
hey mike ill trade you a 4" unitron for that tasco
so you dont have to fawn over it so much.
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1971 12.5" Cave Astrola
Meade 880 Deluxe
Unitron's 114,128,140,142,150,152,155,160
4" Jaegertron
4.5" A.E f/14 Refractor
4" f/15 Edmund's Refractor
Brandon 94mm F/7
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Doug76
Postmaster
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 5494
Loc: SE Louisiana, future Texan
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Quote:
DUH......Observing
Yeah, as in everything!
And it's almost always these two, when I go the classic route...
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Robert Provin
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/14/06
Posts: 690
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Quote:
I mostly use my classic scopes to prevent my wife from parking her car in the garage!
Good one Lew!
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Happy-Idiot
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/06/06
Posts: 2703
Loc: 3rd Rock
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Post deleted by Happy-Idiot
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Brian
A small scope that gets used often is a better investment than a big scope that stays in the closet.
Unitrons, you spend more time looking at them than you do through them.
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woodsman
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/12/08
Posts: 1051
Loc: Colorado Springs, CO
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What can you expect? Look at the license plates. Arkansas! I lived there, and that doesn't surprise me! Rich
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artisticwoods
C-14 Orange Tube, C-8, C-5, C-90 Astro Model, C8 Schmidt Camera 8" f1.5, C5.5 Schmidt Camera f1.65, SPI 42mm f/19 Refractor, Sears 90mm f/15.56 Ref, Sears 80mm f/15 Ref, Swift 77mm f/13 Model 831, Scope 60mm f/11.7, Sears 50mm f/12
Unitron Model 140 75mm/1200mm, Unitron model 128 60mm/900mm
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