44 replies to this topic

[Lucullus]

Many amateurs change their telescope fleet some time in their hobby career.

Tell us as short as possible what the reason was for reselling your refractor. One explanation per resold refractor please.

Maybe an interesting graph might result when enough answers come in.

I can't make the beginning as I've not yet resold any of my three small refractors.

[sg6]

Could be interesting as from reading over time it seems refractor owners keep the things, it seems more reflector owners that sell and buy. Usually for aperture.

 

I am like you, 7 refracors and never sold one for any reason. I can always think of a reason for keeping  everyone of them. Yes I do need the 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 ones. A 10mm change seems fair. And even if the Tal is another at 100 it is a semi-classic so that has to stay.

 

If I had 2 identical then would have to keep them so I could compare them.

[Grounddweller]

—TV Ranger sold to fund a Pronto

—Pronto sold to fund an Oracle 3

– SW150 ( blue tube) and SW100ED sold to fund a TV102,Gibraltar Mount and 8 eyepiece package.

 

No regrets so far, no plans to change anytime soon.

[Allan Wade]

I sold my TV76. It was a nice scope, but specifically I didn’t like the field curvature. I am a dob observer primarily and like big telescopes, but I also really like good refractors. I reached the point though where I had too many small aperture refractors for the amount of observing I do with that class of scope, so the TV76 had to take one for the team.

[Jon Isaacs]

I've sold a few refractors.  I've given more away...  Some I remember selling:

 

- TeleVue Pronto.  I sold it because I bought a ED-80 and then found a very good deal on a William Optics 80mm Megrez II FD. That was around 2005. I loved the size and ergonomics of the Pronto but I did a lot of digiscoping and the CA would ruin photos on a regular basis. I sold the Pronto to Atilla Danko, Mr. Cleardarksky.com    I still have the WO Megrez II.

 

- ED-80  Optically very good scope, mechanically, kind of clunky and oversized. The Megrez II is very similar optically but much better mechanically and much more compact.

 

- William Optic 66SD. I bought this with the idea of using it for Digiscoping but that didn't really work out.  I ended up giving it to a disable CN member.  

 

- Astro-Tech AT-102ED.  I initially got the scope to review it for Astronomics in 2007, it was the very first AT-102ED. I loved it and ended buying it.  I had so much fun with it during the two years I had it, that I decided to upgrade and ended up with a used NP-101.  A friend was getting married so I gave the AT-102ED to the couple as a wedding gift.

 

- Orion 120mm Eon.  A very nice scope but I was feeling a bit guilty for having just spent $1250 on three used Ethos eyepieces and it wasn't getting a lot of use because it was competing with my 10 inch Dob and the Dob was the better planetary-double star scope so I sold it.  That was maybe 3 years ago. I got to missing it and realized I'd made a mistake so when someone here on CN who I knew mentioned he might be having one for sale, I bought, that was last year.   

Over the years I have owned a number achromats, countless ST-80s, countless 80mm F/11s from both Japan and China, 120mm F/8.3's, 100mm F/6's and F/5's, a couple of 102 mm F/10s.  And a variety of 60mm Achromats from Japan mostly, a few 76mm F/15s... I buy them on Craigslist when they're cheap and mostly end up giving them away.  Currently I have a 102mm F/5 Celestron.  These are more part of my hobby as a bargain hunter than as an observer.

 

In terms of reflectors, why people might buy and sell reflectors more often than refractors:

 

They're big, they can take up a lot of space.. 

 

, I keep scopes that I use.  My reflector line up is quite stable, the 12.5 inch Dob, 20 years, the 10 inch, 17 years, the 16 inch, 13 years.  The 13.1 inch I have for 7 years, the 22 inch a little more than 3 years.  

 

The two that I have parted ways with: 

 

- My 12.5 inch F/6 Meade RG. It was just too big to do anything with.  A wonderful scope but it weighed about 300 lbs.  When the 13.1 inch F/5.5 came along with a top quality EQ platform, the RG was out the door, I passed it along to a young CN member.

 

- The 25 inch F/5 Obsession.  Great scope but observing alone on a ladder 50 miles from the nearest hospital seemed risky as I approached 70 so replaced it with the 22inch F/4.4 Starspitter.  It's eyepiece is more than 2 feet lower so the ladder is much shorter.  I sold the Obsession.

 

With large reflectors like the 12.5 inch Meade and the Obsession, they require a lot of space, especially if they are not disassembled after every use.  One could store a whole lot of refractors in the space the Meade or the Obsession took up in the garage.  I was able to fit both the Obsession and the Starsplitter in the garage but I really didn't want to deal with that 10 foot eyepiece height of the Obsession and when I purchased the 22 inch, I made a deal with my wife that I would only keep one of them.

 

 

(There's actually 4 Dobs in the photo and one of the 2 ladders)

 

Jon

[Rick-T137]

I sold my ES ED-102 because it was my primary scope and I wanted more aperture, so I sold it to fund an 8" SCT plus a new set of eyepieces.

 

Rick

[Jeff Struve]

I reluctantly sold my 127mm f7.5 Explore Scientific Carbon Fibre Triplet to fund a purchase of an excellent condition  1989 AstroPhysics 152mm f9 Starfire and original 600 mount from the original owner. I did sell it on the condition that I get first crack at buying it back if the buyer decides to sell.

[bobhen]

After 16 years of ownership, I sold my wonderful University Optics 80 mm “Kit Scope” refractor for an increase in aperture. But it took 2 scopes to replace it: A 102 mm F-5 and 102 mm F-9.8 achromatic refractors.

 

After 17 years of ownership, I sold my wonderful Astro-Physics 155 F-7 apo triplet because of downsizing due to my advancing age. It also took 2 scopes to replace the AP 155: A Takahashi TSA 120 and a Mewlon 210.

 

When Takahashi announced the TSA 120, I sold my wonderful SV 105 F 6.2 with a great LZOS lens. I could get a TSA 120 with more aperture and not give up any portability. So I got the TSA 120 with more aperture and without having to get a new mount.

 

I sold a Celestron/Vixen 80 mm Fluorite refractor because “for me” I found that no matter how good the lens was, that 100 mm is “my minimum” happy place for planetary viewing with a refractor.

 

I sold a TV original Genesis F-5 refractor because with my light pollution I could not take full advantage of its wide field capability. That was probably a mistake, as it was a fine refractor. And now that I use an Image Intensifier (which cuts through light pollution) for my wide field observing, that scope would have definitely been put to good use.

 

Today I have 4 refractors that all serve a different purpose, each has a use and fits my conditions, portability requirements and observing style – for now.

 

Bob

 

Attached Thumbnails

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[doctordub]

I sold my refractors to purchase new refractors.

 

Sold:

Televue TV102 102/880

Coronado PST

Astro Telescope 152 F5.9 Achromat 152/900

Lunt LS60PTHa/B1200

Orion 80ST Achromat 80/400

 

Purchased:

Takahashi FS 152 NSV APO 152/1200

APM LOMO Super APO 80/480

TeleVue NP101 101/540

 

CS

Jonathan

[barbie]

I've since parted ways with my larger refractors due to age related health issues and now have my two Takahashi 76mm F8 and F12 apos and use them quite a bit for grab and go observing.

[rustynpp]

Sold my 70mm Lunt for a few reasons - mechanically it wasn't the best, I wanted a little more aperture/focal length for solar system and double star observing, and I felt a C80ED would tick all those boxes while riding on the same mount. Found one with a Moonlite focuser and I find it fits my needs perfectly.

 

I ALMOST sold my WO Zenithstar 103 after getting an Edge 8 SCT, but after a few months of using the SCT I found that I much prefer the 4" apo, so I will be selling the SCT instead. Glad I didn't get rid of the apo! Wish I had the space to keep both.

 

Pics of the survivors:

 

[Bill Barlow]

Years ago (~10) I owned a few 111-115mm triplets (AT, SV), but sold them to go smaller.  I seemed to prefer the views through an 8” SCT over these scopes. The past several years all of the refractors  I’ve owned have been in the 76-100mm range, and I don’t expect this to change.  These smaller sizes fit the more grab and go observing sessions which I prefer.  
 

Bill

[Jeff Lee]

I've only owned 2 refractors. I sold my ST80 and for almost the same price got a C5 to be my grab and go EAA setup. I also sold the ST80 because I got a .8 reducer for my ES 102 triplet and it was just so much better. Won't be selling my 102 as it was the perfect match for my C8 on the dual scope AZ-EQ 5 for EAA. Oh, I gave away the 60mm to a family that came with my SLT with a light tripod (EQ1/2 I think) because the really wanted to look at the moon:).

[Doug Culbertson]

I’ve bought and sold a lot of telescopes in general over the years but, for some reason, the refractors are always the first to go. Reasons for selling were usually to either put the money into something else (not necessarily astronomy gear) or out of boredom after an extended period of not getting out to observe. 
 

Right now I’m pretty happy with my current refractors, but my weather for the last couple of years has been awful so something will probably be sold in the next few months. Probably one of my dobs this time. 

[Tyson M]

I like to try various fine equipment.

[25585]

Tell you if I ever sell any. My home market, and weather, makes selling scopes hard. UK Astro Buy & Sell is testament to that!

[Lucullus]

I sold my refractors to purchase new refractors.

 

Sold:

Televue TV102 102/880

Coronado PST

Astro Telescope 152 F5.9 Achromat 152/900

Lunt LS60PTHa/B1200

Orion 80ST Achromat 80/400

 

Purchased:

Takahashi FS 152 NSV APO 152/1200

APM LOMO Super APO 80/480

TeleVue NP101 101/540

 

CS

Jonathan

Did you resell them to get larger aperture/downsize your fleet/finance another telescope/meet some specific other observing or photography needs?
 

[Lucullus]

Sold my 70mm Lunt for a few reasons - mechanically it wasn't the best, I wanted a little more aperture/focal length for solar system and double star observing, and I felt a C80ED would tick all those boxes while riding on the same mount. Found one with a Moonlite focuser and I find it fits my needs perfectly.

 

I ALMOST sold my WO Zenithstar 103 after getting an Edge 8 SCT, but after a few months of using the SCT I found that I much prefer the 4" apo, so I will be selling the SCT instead. Glad I didn't get rid of the apo! Wish I had the space to keep both.

 

Pics of the survivors:

 

1 (CN).jpg

8 (CN small).jpg

So it's lack of space or "under-usage" that makes you get rid of the SCT 8?

[rustynpp]

So it's lack of space or "under-usage" that makes you get rid of the SCT 8?

Both. My astro stuff is stored in a small vacation home that I share with my extended family and I simply don't have the storage space to keep both. I can temporarily hold one in my Manhattan apartment, which I've been doing with the 4", but then I don't have access to it under dark skies, and my partner (understandably) gets grouchy about an unused telescope taking up valuable floor space. Finances are a consideration as well.

 

If I could keep both, I would (who wouldn't?). But most times when I'm out with the SCT I find myself wishing I had the apo instead. I think the fact that I use it on a manual alt-az mount is part of the problem too. Turns out that starhopping is much more difficult at 2000mm focal length than at 710mm - who knew!

[John Gauvreau]

Like many others here, I only sold scopes to replace them with a better fit for me.

After enjoying it for many years my Orion ED80 went after I had my Megrez 90 for about 6 months; nothing wrong with the ED80 but it wasn’t being used any more (yes, you could clearly see the difference when using them).

Same with my Eon120.  Once my AP130GT came along (a used scope that crossed my path) I sold the Eon120 to a friend.  It was a great scope and I know it went to a good home.  Everybody wins.

[russell23]

Any refractor I have sold was simply because I needed the money for other things.  Were it not for that I could have found a reason to keep all of them.  Most recently I sold 80mm f/7 and 61mm f/5.9 APO's because I found the max aperture/portability I was looking for with my 102mm f/7 APO's with sliding dew shield.

[Eric H]

I've sold some in the pursuit of perfection. Always trying to see if the grass is greener. 

[Lucullus]

 

I've sold a few refractors.  I've given more away...  Some I remember selling:

 

- TeleVue Pronto.  I sold it because I bought a ED-80 and then found a very good deal on a William Optics 80mm Megrez II FD. That was around 2005. I loved the size and ergonomics of the Pronto but I did a lot of digiscoping and the CA would ruin photos on a regular basis. I sold the Pronto to Atilla Danko, Mr. Cleardarksky.com    I still have the WO Megrez II.

 

- ED-80  Optically very good scope, mechanically, kind of clunky and oversized. The Megrez II is very similar optically but much better mechanically and much more compact.

 

- William Optic 66SD. I bought this with the idea of using it for Digiscoping but that didn't really work out.  I ended up giving it to a disable CN member.  

 

- Astro-Tech AT-102ED.  I initially got the scope to review it for Astronomics in 2007, it was the very first AT-102ED. I loved it and ended buying it.  I had so much fun with it during the two years I had it, that I decided to upgrade and ended up with a used NP-101.  A friend was getting married so I gave the AT-102ED to the couple as a wedding gift.

 

- Orion 120mm Eon.  A very nice scope but I was feeling a bit guilty for having just spent $1250 on three used Ethos eyepieces and it wasn't getting a lot of use because it was competing with my 10 inch Dob and the Dob was the better planetary-double star scope so I sold it.  That was maybe 3 years ago. I got to missing it and realized I'd made a mistake so when someone here on CN who I knew mentioned he might be having one for sale, I bought, that was last year.   

Over the years I have owned a number achromats, countless ST-80s, countless 80mm F/11s from both Japan and China, 120mm F/8.3's, 100mm F/6's and F/5's, a couple of 102 mm F/10s.  And a variety of 60mm Achromats from Japan mostly, a few 76mm F/15s... I buy them on Craigslist when they're cheap and mostly end up giving them away.  Currently I have a 102mm F/5 Celestron.  These are more part of my hobby as a bargain hunter than as an observer.

 

In terms of reflectors, why people might buy and sell reflectors more often than refractors:

 

They're big, they can take up a lot of space.. 

 

, I keep scopes that I use.  My reflector line up is quite stable, the 12.5 inch Dob, 20 years, the 10 inch, 17 years, the 16 inch, 13 years.  The 13.1 inch I have for 7 years, the 22 inch a little more than 3 years.  

 

The two that I have parted ways with: 

 

- My 12.5 inch F/6 Meade RG. It was just too big to do anything with.  A wonderful scope but it weighed about 300 lbs.  When the 13.1 inch F/5.5 came along with a top quality EQ platform, the RG was out the door, I passed it along to a young CN member.

 

- The 25 inch F/5 Obsession.  Great scope but observing alone on a ladder 50 miles from the nearest hospital seemed risky as I approached 70 so replaced it with the 22inch F/4.4 Starspitter.  It's eyepiece is more than 2 feet lower so the ladder is much shorter.  I sold the Obsession.

 

With large reflectors like the 12.5 inch Meade and the Obsession, they require a lot of space, especially if they are not disassembled after every use.  One could store a whole lot of refractors in the space the Meade or the Obsession took up in the garage.  I was able to fit both the Obsession and the Starsplitter in the garage but I really didn't want to deal with that 10 foot eyepiece height of the Obsession and when I purchased the 22 inch, I made a deal with my wife that I would only keep one of them.

 

 

 

(There's actually 4 Dobs in the photo and one of the 2 ladders)

 

Jon

 

So the reason for giving away the many achromats aquired as a bargain hunter would be for something like educational/charity, would you agree?

 

I've opened a similar thread for reflectors...

Which Dobsons are shown in the image? The two large ones are the 25" and 22" before you sold the 25"?
 

[Jond105]

1st 100ED, sold to upgrade for aperture

2nd 100ED, sold to upgrade to a 120ED

120ED, sold for extra Christmas money

3rd 100ED, sold because I didn’t mind the mak

St-80, sold because I wasn’t as huge of a fan of it

90mm Astroview, sold because wife didn’t want it anymore 

120 f/8.3 achro, gave one to my dad, 2nd one sold because I had gotten a 120ED

[Doug Culbertson]

Happy Birthday!