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I've noticed on different websites that tell what's in the sky for the month say that the object is view able in binoculars or small or large telescopes. I was wondering what size is a small telescope or a large telescope? What size would my Orion XT8 be? or even my 10x32 binoculars? Thanks!

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Skill counts for a huge amount. Experienced observers like Sue French and Steve O'Meara have seen things in their 4-inch scopes that elude me in my 12-inch. And I routinely see things in my 3-inch refractor that would challenge newbies with 8-inch scopes.

So I often prefer to be vague, and use term like "big" and "small." When I use them, I think of 4 inches and less as being small, and 12 inches and more as being big. Where that leaves 5 to 11 inches is up to you.

As for binoculars, when used without qualification that means normal, hand-holdable binoculars. Your 10x32s definitely qualify.

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I agree... small, medium and large are guidelines, there are other factors that are equally important, the skill of the observer as well as the conditions, the darkness of the sky, the steadiness of the sky. These are big factors.

I agree with Tony's rating system but add "very large" to include very large scopes.... Where the boundary's lie, it is vague but I know my 25 inch F/5 is a vary large scope because it is very large... Circular logic. And I know my 12.5 inch and 16 inch are large scopes because people looking at them certainly think they are large.

Medium and small are more difficult to define but I think of up to about 4 inches as small, up to about 6 inches as smaller though refractors tend to confuse the rankings.

Jon

Edited by Jon Isaacs (01/08/13 07:34 AM)

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I find it curious that large tends to be qualified into very large in such discussions, but that never seems to happen with small telescopes.

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a 12.5" Newtonian was considered a giant telescope but by today's standards, thanks to Mr. Dobson, it's not very large at all.

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Wait. What? That big scope is clearly two feet taller than you. How in the world do you use the spotting scope when it's mounted so near the front lens???

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The scope is mounted in "rotating rings" so the observer can position the eyepiece and the finder for comfortable viewing. But for most objects, this is definitely a "ladder scope." Before John Dobson, this is what a 12.5 inch Newtonian looked like. In the previous photo, the scope on the right has the same aperture but is much easier to use, it's a Dobsonian. There are advantages to large scopes on equatorial mounts but transporting them is not one of them.

Jon

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That’s a wholesome scope but I would wear slippers

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