mausf
member
Reged: 11/02/09
Posts: 21
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Hi all,
A local guy is offering an Odyssey 1 13.1 for 500, what do you guys think? Should I replace my Orion Classic 10 inch for the 13.1, I use the dob mostly when I go to the dark site and public viewings.
Thanks.
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Meade 90mm Mark (used for solar viewing and travel scope)
127 Meade achromatic
XT10 Classic Orion dob
Edited by mausf (11/04/09 12:34 PM)
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Darren Drake
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/02
Posts: 1294
Loc: Illinois
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The overall optical quality and construction are bottom of the barrel with the Coulters. You might be dissapointed if you sold one to buy the other. Stay with the Orion.
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Astronomy educator/Sidewalk astronomer
Owner of Astronomy Delight franchise
18 inch f4.42 Dob on eq platform w ST120 f/5 finder
12 inch Zhumell Dob modified by Brian Reed on eq platform
8 inch f/8 eq planetkiller
William Optics red 10th Anniversary 80mm FD
PST
24lb eyepiece box
Cernan Space Center astronomer
Member of Northwest Suburban Astronomers
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rocco13
Got Milk?
Reged: 07/29/06
Posts: 2655
Loc: Phoenix, Arizona
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Agreed. I had the 10.1" version and optically it was so-so at best, but the thing weighed a ton and had awful motion stickage.
Keep your $500 and save it toward a used 12.5" (or bigger) Discovery or similar scope.
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Rocco
Zhumell Z12
Super C8 (1984 vintage)
Celestron 102 f/5
and a cheap pair of binoculars
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mausf
member
Reged: 11/02/09
Posts: 21
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Thank you, I thought I read something like that somewhere else. I am very happy with the Orion it seems to have a good mirror and overall performs well; I would hate regretting selling it to get something that might not be as good. I guess that is why the price is kinda low for a 13inch scope.
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Meade 90mm Mark (used for solar viewing and travel scope)
127 Meade achromatic
XT10 Classic Orion dob
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Lard Greystoke
sage
Reged: 07/27/08
Posts: 377
Loc: Ohio
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The 13.1 might be an okay deal, but you would want to test it personally. Some Coulters were better than others (I suspect mine was on the low end). Also, owners sometimes make upgrades to improve the quality substantially. However I would hesitate about buying without hands-on experience.
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Lard Greystoke
10" Odyssey Compact
"With Tantor, the elephant, he made friends. How? Ask me not."
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mausf
member
Reged: 11/02/09
Posts: 21
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Hi Lard,
I use a Ronchi grating tester to evaluate my scopes, I was thinking to use that when I check the scope (beside my collimation tools), but now I feel that I better save the money as others mentioned, now I feel skeptical and 500 now seems too much for the scope.
tool that I use:
http://www.agenaastro.com/JSP-EasyTester-133-LPI-Ronchi-Grating-Tester-p/palc-js-et.htm
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Meade 90mm Mark (used for solar viewing and travel scope)
127 Meade achromatic
XT10 Classic Orion dob
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gtown1
member
Reged: 11/07/08
Posts: 69
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I also had a Coulter 13.1 Dob and it had poor optics. If you want to upgrade to a larger mirror size, I would like to pass on a thought given me years ago by Peter Schmitka, the former owner of Mag 1, who produced the excellent Porta Ball telescopes. I was thinking of going up from a 12 inch to a 14 inch telescope. He said, when you move up, move up to a mirror size that will double the light gathering capability of your current telescope. He said going from a 12 to a 14 inch would not produce a dramatic increase of the apparent image at the eyepiece. So in my case, I would move up from a 12 to an 18 inch telescope for a dramatic increase of views at the eyepiece. You have a good telescope, and I would recommend that you keep it, and upgrade to at least a 15 or 18 inch telescope. That is why I moved up to an 18 inch Obsession Ultra Compact. I am also keeping my 12.5 inch Porta Ball as a great grab and go telescope. When one day you move up, you might keep your current 10 inch. You would have a grab and go telescope and a larger one for some great dark sky viewing. Here is a web site where you can plug in some numbers to see how you double the size of the light gathering of a mirror. Remember to use the radius.
http://www.calculateme.com/cArea/AreaOfCircle.htm
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Happy owner of an Obsession, 18 inch Ultra Compact and a Mag 1, 12.5 inch Porta Ball.
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CaptainTruss
member
Reged: 07/10/06
Posts: 69
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I've seen better mirrors from the 10.1" Odysseys than the 13.1". Just to give you an example, one had such bad optics that jupiter looked like a deformed egg. Wow! UGLY! Although, coulter is a hit and miss company. You can get an exeptional mirror and the next looks like a bird took a dump on your eyepiece. I was lucky enough to test and buy a 10.1" coulter. The optics are top class, for a Coulter, and now lives as a truss scope rather than the sonotube. It's a great performer and couldn't be any happier with it.
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Are you a serious deep sky observer?
http://www.avertedvision.net
14.5" F/6 Truss
10" F/4.5 Truss
120mm F/8.3 Refractor
4.5" Dobsonian
ETX-70
50mm Galieoscopes
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mausf
member
Reged: 11/02/09
Posts: 21
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"and the next looks like a bird took a dump on your eyepiece."
That is so funny....I am sure I don't want that...
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Meade 90mm Mark (used for solar viewing and travel scope)
127 Meade achromatic
XT10 Classic Orion dob
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mausf
member
Reged: 11/02/09
Posts: 21
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The seller responded to my email, he says that the scope has a sliding tube focuser. Do you think that 500 is a fair price? the aperture is tempting....
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Meade 90mm Mark (used for solar viewing and travel scope)
127 Meade achromatic
XT10 Classic Orion dob
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mausf
member
Reged: 11/02/09
Posts: 21
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OK, I may be able to get a 6" Optical Craftsmen with fresh coating and fan, what you guys think?
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Meade 90mm Mark (used for solar viewing and travel scope)
127 Meade achromatic
XT10 Classic Orion dob
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tim53
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/17/04
Posts: 1459
Loc: Highland Park, CA
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Is this the one that's been on amart for a month or so?
I have an OC 8" mirror that is excellent, but others on here have said that there's have been not so good. Check out the discussion on Greg's 10" OC mirror over in the classics forum. That mirror must not have been properly annealed before it was figured.
I would think that the 6" would be a decent buy (if a little on the expensive side, last time I checked) if you could take a look through it before you buy. Or maybe see some planetary images taken with it.
The 6" was on the lighter Pacific Instruments 1" shaft mount, similar to the one my 8" was mounted on. It should hold a 6" okay, though. But it's pretty comparable to a Criterion RV-6, and should probably be priced accordingly.
best,
-Tim.
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"We`re just waiting looking skyward as the days come down.
Someone promised there`d be answers, if we stayed around."
-Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, "The Romance of the Telescope"
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mausf
member
Reged: 11/02/09
Posts: 21
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Hi Tim, yes, this is a AM sale, not sure how long has been posted, the seller is willing to sell me just the OTA and rings, if I get the scope I will be using it on a CG5, not sure if I can use those rings on the CG5. According to seller it has new coatings. I haven't get a price yet.
Thanks.
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Meade 90mm Mark (used for solar viewing and travel scope)
127 Meade achromatic
XT10 Classic Orion dob
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gtown1
member
Reged: 11/07/08
Posts: 69
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If you have a good 10 inch Dob, why do you want to buy a 6 inch Optical Craftsman? It won't be a great deal more portable and you are taking a large decrease in light gathering capability.
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Happy owner of an Obsession, 18 inch Ultra Compact and a Mag 1, 12.5 inch Porta Ball.
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mausf
member
Reged: 11/02/09
Posts: 21
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I wasn't clear, I am not planning to replace the 10 inch with the 6 reflector, actually I am planning to replace the AR5 refractor with the 6, for what I understand the 6 reflector is built for planet viewing...or I am mistaken? I am thinking that the 6 might give better planets views than the 10 since the 6 has longer focal.
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Meade 90mm Mark (used for solar viewing and travel scope)
127 Meade achromatic
XT10 Classic Orion dob
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tim53
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/17/04
Posts: 1459
Loc: Highland Park, CA
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A 6" Newt is also "hyperapochromatic". It will outperform a 6" Achro if the mirrors are good.
-Tim.
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"We`re just waiting looking skyward as the days come down.
Someone promised there`d be answers, if we stayed around."
-Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, "The Romance of the Telescope"
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mausf
member
Reged: 11/02/09
Posts: 21
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Well, you guys probably will hate me but I decided to get a 102ED refractor from a CN member, initially I was going to get one from AM but the seller had problems contacting me so decided to sell it to somebody else, I was asking opinions about the 102ED at the refractor forum when I was trying to get the 102ED, one CN member found out that I missed the sale so offered me his 102ED, so I am getting it from him.
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Meade 90mm Mark (used for solar viewing and travel scope)
127 Meade achromatic
XT10 Classic Orion dob
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rocco13
Got Milk?
Reged: 07/29/06
Posts: 2655
Loc: Phoenix, Arizona
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What??? You keep going smaller and smaller!!!
Looked at a 13.1"...then a 6"... and you end up with a 4"!
(Just giving you a hard time!  Enjoy your new scope!
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Rocco
Zhumell Z12
Super C8 (1984 vintage)
Celestron 102 f/5
and a cheap pair of binoculars
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mausf
member
Reged: 11/02/09
Posts: 21
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I know...I know....next is a 80mm...
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Meade 90mm Mark (used for solar viewing and travel scope)
127 Meade achromatic
XT10 Classic Orion dob
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tim53
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/17/04
Posts: 1459
Loc: Highland Park, CA
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Quote:
I know...I know....next is a 80mm...
What I like to refer to as a "pi inch telescope"!
-Tim. 
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"We`re just waiting looking skyward as the days come down.
Someone promised there`d be answers, if we stayed around."
-Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, "The Romance of the Telescope"
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