csrlice12
Postmaster
Reged: 05/22/12
Loc: Denver, CO
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: hottr6]
#5703483 - 02/27/13 01:00 PM
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Agree that my 10" Dob is actually easier to set up and be using then the 4" frac/EQ Mount.
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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
Reged: 06/16/04
Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: csrlice12]
#5704292 - 02/27/13 09:16 PM
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Agree that my 10" Dob is actually easier to set up and be using then the 4" frac/EQ Mount.
I think it depends on the scope. A short focal length 4 inch can be hauled out the door on an EQ mount in one piece. A long focal length 4 inch probably needs to be carried in two pieces.
Part of the difficulty is that a long focal length scope needs to have the tripod legs extended so that the eyepiece height at the zenith is workable. This can mean more time to setup.
Jon
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Scanning4Comets
Markus
Reged: 12/26/04
Loc: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5704764 - 02/28/13 05:59 AM
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I've had 6" reflectors, 8", 10", 12" and 12.5". I went back to a 10" F/4.7 because I can lay it down flat in the back seat perfectly when going away and it takes me 5 min to set up anywhere! Not bad on the back at all either!
IMO, a 10" F/4.7 is compact enough to set up easy, but has enough light gathering for some good stuff! 
Cheers,
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Mark Costello
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/08/05
Loc: Matthews, NC, USA
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5704879 - 02/28/13 08:34 AM
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Quote:
Quote:
Agree that my 10" Dob is actually easier to set up and be using then the 4" frac/EQ Mount.
I think it depends on the scope. A short focal length 4 inch can be hauled out the door on an EQ mount in one piece. A long focal length 4 inch probably needs to be carried in two pieces.
Part of the difficulty is that a long focal length scope needs to have the tripod legs extended so that the eyepiece height at the zenith is workable. This can mean more time to setup.
Jon
It also depends on the mount. I was willing to forgo motorized tracking. So I can have my 5" achro / EQ rig ready to go in 6 minutes (including all the eyepieces, chair, notebook, and red light). I probably could set up a 8"-10" Dob faster, but for me faster than 6 minutes is not much gain.
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pstarr
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/17/04
Loc: NE Ohio
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: JIMZ7]
#5704894 - 02/28/13 08:46 AM
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Back in the 60's a 6" reflector and 3" refractor was probably the average scope people would own,but now the sky is the limit it seems. My 10" Dob is getting to be average with star-gazers.
Jim 
Funny you should say the sky is the limit. It is the sky that most people view under that is making of us get larger scopes. In the 60's, the 6" f-8 reflector was the scope to have. Most backyards were dark and a scope this size showed a wealth of objects well. Now a 8 or 10" is required from light polluted backyards to see what the 6" used to showed in dark skies.
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stevew
Now I've done it
Reged: 03/03/06
Loc: British Columbia Canada
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: Eddgie]
#5715490 - 03/05/13 10:15 PM
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Ed, I didn't mean to stir anything up.
Now that I re-read my original post, I agree it's a little vague due to the unfortunate use of the word "popular"
I suppose we could split it into two questions.
1. When you go to a star party what size of aperture telescope is there the most of at the star party?
2. For those that own more than one telescope, what size aperture do you use most often?
There is no right and wrong answer, I was just hoping to have an interesting discussion.
Steve
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stevew
Now I've done it
Reged: 03/03/06
Loc: British Columbia Canada
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: stevew]
#5715516 - 03/05/13 10:30 PM
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At the star parties I have attended, I'd have to say that 10 inches seems to be very pop...., er... prevalent in Dobsonians.
As far as my most used aperture I would have to say that whenever I go to a star party I usually take my C11, or 16 inch Dobsonian
and my 5 inch refractor for wide field views.
However through out the year my C8 see's more light than any other scope I own due to the convenience of the small tube, small mount and decent aperture.
Steve
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sg6
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/14/10
Loc: Norfolk, UK.
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: stevew]
#5715919 - 03/06/13 07:51 AM
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At a local observing/public night 4 or 5 weeks ago just about everything was a 5 or 6 inch SCT/Mak.
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George Methvin
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/30/06
Loc: Central Texas
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: sg6]
#5716008 - 03/06/13 09:14 AM
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I have two scope a Meade 10 LX200 classic and a EON 120 ed refractor. When I go to a star party I almost always take my EON 120mm its a little easyer to haul around. Most of the the time at home I use my 10 sct. The star partys I go to most folks have 8 inch dobs and 8 inch SCT plus the clubs 12 SCT.
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Scott Beith
SRF
Reged: 11/26/03
Loc: Frederick, MD
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: Astrojensen]
#5716013 - 03/06/13 09:17 AM
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I see a lot of 4" apochromats, 6" maks, 8" SCTs, 10" solid-tube dobs and 12" truss dobs. And for good reason, I think. All are in a sweet spot for their respective types, both performance-wise, but also price.
Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark
I agree.
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Eddgie
Postmaster
Reged: 02/01/06
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: stevew]
#5716108 - 03/06/13 10:13 AM
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Well, I remember taking my C11 out to the local observing site during the Mars close approach. There were maybe 20 scopes set up, and the public had been invited.
Most of the scopes were small refractors under 6" and a couple of 10" dobs.
I had a constant line. People leaving that had looked though the other scopes and had come to the C11 would tell people that were arriving not to bother with the other scopes, and that waiting in line for the view through the C11 was worth it.
I had a line for all three hours. Even the refractor viewers were standing in line after they put their scopes away.
About every two years, I do a star party for the neighborhood at my house. I put up a 6" APO, the EdgeHD 8" and the C14.
The line is always longest at the C14, but when other astronomers stop by (I invite locals that I know), they are often glued to the EdgeHD 8". Often these are people that have heard that SCTs are't very good, that go away shaking thier heads wondring how they could have been so wrong.
As for what I use the most, I own multiple scopes for multiple purposes.
If I want to scan the Milky Way, I use my 6" APO and only my 6" APO for 100% of that specific task.
If I want to look at Planets, I use my C14 and only my C14 for that specific task.
I pick the scope that is best suited to showing me the best view of the targets I select for that nights observing.
But becuase the vast majority of my deep sky observing is for Stellar clusters and planets, the C14 is my most used scope.
I use it for 95% of my observing.
Edited by Eddgie (03/06/13 10:19 AM)
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stevew
Now I've done it
Reged: 03/03/06
Loc: British Columbia Canada
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: Eddgie]
#5717371 - 03/06/13 10:03 PM
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It seems like the 18 inch and larger Dobsonians are not as common place as we would think.
At the major star party in my part of the world there are usually several 18 inch plus sized scopes, however 10 inches and smaller seems to be the more commonly used size.
I have a 16 but only pull it out a few times a year, as I can have an enjoyable evening with just about any size telescope. Of course when I bought it 20 years ago I used it almost exclusively for about 5 years.
I have friends that have been in this hobby for years and own 16 and 18 inch scopes, but they only come out to the summer star parties at dark locations. They never use their scopes through out the rest of the year, as they think it's a waste of time if they cant get to a truly dark site.
They also wouldn't even consider traveling to a dark sky location if there is a cloud within 500 miles.
To each his own I suppose.
Steve
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GeneT
Ely Kid
Reged: 11/07/08
Loc: South Texas
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: stevew]
#5717472 - 03/06/13 10:50 PM
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For me, the 12.5 inch Portaball is the perfect aperture. It is as portable as an 8 inch SCT, yet has twice the light gathering capability.
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JMW
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/11/07
Loc: Nevada
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: GeneT]
#5717535 - 03/06/13 11:49 PM
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Lust factor: bigger than what you currently have.
Old age factor: something you can still set up when your retired.
I have been hauling around our club's Obsession 20 inch F5 for about 4 years. If I ever buy a big dob, it will be a faster 16-18 inch version that can be used without a ladder. I don't like having to use a ramp to load the 20 inch into my SUV. I prefer a 2nd person such as my wife to help me lift it instead. I think a 16-18 inch scope will be easier to lift as we get older.
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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
Reged: 06/16/04
Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: JMW]
#5717781 - 03/07/13 06:31 AM
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Lust factor: bigger than what you currently have.
Old age factor: something you can still set up when your retired.
I have been hauling around our club's Obsession 20 inch F5 for about 4 years. If I ever buy a big dob, it will be a faster 16-18 inch version that can be used without a ladder. I don't like having to use a ramp to load the 20 inch into my SUV. I prefer a 2nd person such as my wife to help me lift it instead. I think a 16-18 inch scope will be easier to lift as we get older.
I have three larger Dobs, a 12.5 inch F/4.06, a 16 inch F/4.42 and a 25 inch F/5. The 25 inch lives out where the skies are dark and clear, I only have to take the cover off, roll it outside. The 16 inch, does not require a ladder, it's an easy setup, the mirror box is the heaviest single component and with the mirror installed, it weighs 45lbs.
Jon
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vct123
sage
Reged: 11/17/09
Loc: Staten Island, N.Y.
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5719020 - 03/07/13 06:34 PM
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Of the 60 plus scopes I have owned the most popular size is 8" by far, next is 4" and 10".
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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
Reged: 06/16/04
Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: vct123]
#5719203 - 03/07/13 07:57 PM
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Of the 60 plus scopes I have owned the most popular size is 8" by far, next is 4" and 10".
In can think of eight 8 inch scopes I have owned and only one 10 inch.
But the 10 inch is the most popular... because all but one of the 8 inchers have come and gone, the 10 incher has been here for more than 10 years and gets frequent eyepiece time.
Jon
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tecmage
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/13/10
Loc: Groton, CT
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5719396 - 03/07/13 09:25 PM
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I think 8 and 10" are the most popular Dob sizes. They are priced well. There are much bigger Dobs, but price and portability are issues for those bigger scopes. I get great views with my 8", and will probably get a 12" with a premium mirror one day.
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stevew
Now I've done it
Reged: 03/03/06
Loc: British Columbia Canada
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5719580 - 03/07/13 10:55 PM
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The 25 inch lives out where the skies are dark and clear, I only have to take the cover off, roll it outside.
Jon
That's a perfect way to use a 25 inch.
I'm sure if we could all do that there would be many more Goliath Dobsonians in use.
Steve
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stevew
Now I've done it
Reged: 03/03/06
Loc: British Columbia Canada
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Re: Most popular aperture
[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5719598 - 03/07/13 11:05 PM
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In can think of eight 8 inch scopes I have owned and only one 10 inch.
But the 10 inch is the most popular... because all but one of the 8 inchers have come and gone, the 10 incher has been here for more than 10 years and gets frequent eyepiece time.
Jon
My best friend has used a 10 inch F-4.5 for the last 20 years and loves it. He can stay seated all night long.
I've never owned a 10 inch but it's on my bucket list to make one some day. It's a great size aperture.
Steve
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