360 replies to this topic

[CHASLX200]

My days have really slowed down but there are still many scopes i would love to try out. Top on my list is another shot at a fork mounted C14 with freaky sharp optics. Mine was a total dud when i bought it in 1996.  So what is on your wish list to buy guys and gals?

[barbie]

None! I'm through collecting and paying high shipping costs!! I'm extremely happy with my vintage 80mm f15 Japanese refractor from the early 1970's so unless something unfortunate befalls this very fine scope, I won't be buying anything else!!

[mikeDnight]

I would dearly love to own a 4" F15 Unitron with weight driven clock drive. That would be my dream scope, but its a dream that's unlikely to come true, as even if one miraculously appeared on the market, I'd not be able to afford to buy it and have it shipped to the UK. I'll just have to be content at looking longfully at old photographs.

The pic of John Mallas with his Unitron fuelled my love of 4" refractors, a love that hasn't lessened in 42 years of observing.

Edited by mikeDnight, 23 December 2021 - 08:27 AM.

[Richard O'Neill]

Well, I would like to have a 5" Tinsley Mak.

 

https://www.cloudyni...k/#entry1593231

[apfever]

None.  I can pick lifers from what I have. The rest can supply all my tinker fun between here and.

That's the way it is but things change. I might get a curiosity but nothing particular now. I've worked through enough gauntlet challenges for happiness.

[PawPaw]

This one is available and I am tempted.......So I continue to wish.  Goto 6".

 

Don

 

 

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[Eric P]

At the top of the wish list a Nikon 10cm setup with all the trimmings.

[Ben H]

Oh, but there's just so many..

* Fecker Celestar 6

* Cave 18" Cassegrain
* Alvan Clark 10" refractor
* Celestron C22
* Meade LX200 16" 
* Lightspeed Newtonian 16"
* Meade DS-16
* Meade 12.5" Research Grade Newtonian
* Meade LXD-750 + 7" APO
* Meade 7" Maksutov
* Boller & Chivens 16" Cassegrain
* Tinsley 12" Cassegrain
* Byers Series I, II, III, & IV Mounts
* Heavy Duty Schaefer Mount

* Others that will come to me later

[oldmanastro]

I already have my dream classic scope, Sears model 6336, but the classic that I would like to at least see personally and look through is the Unitron 4" pedestal mounted model with mechanical clock drive. I always liked that model since I first saw it in the Unitron brochures 50 years ago. As stated before, this was the model used by John Mallas to do his famous sky survey part of which is published in the Messier Album book. It's an impressive telescope.

[lattitrail]

I hope to buy the following in the next year or two:

 

-Borg 55FL F3.6

-Takahashi FSQ-106EDX4

 

I'm dreaming of buying the following sometime in the next alternate reality or two:

 

-Planewave PW2000

[mikeDnight]

This one is available and I am tempted.......So I continue to wish.  Goto 6".

 

Don

I wish you hadnt shown me that! 

[Terra Nova]

I often still think of owning one of these three:

1. Unitron 150 (I had the 152 and the mount was too much for me.)
2. 4” 1940s Tinsley fork-mounted achromat.
3. 4” 1920s B&L fork-mounted achromat.

And no more full on restorations for me, it would need to be in good shape. That doesn’t mean I’m actively looking. I’m not, but right time, right place, right price and I would find it hard to resist. Otherwise, I’m quite content with the dozen I have.

Edited by Terra Nova, 23 December 2021 - 04:30 PM.

[Exnihilo]

I could go for a 3-inch Royal Astro, or maybe a Questar.

Edited by Exnihilo, 23 December 2021 - 11:03 AM.

[PawPaw]

I wish you hadnt shown me that! 

Notice that it has a Meridian  (Nihon Seiko) 4" for the guide scope.

Edited by PawPaw, 23 December 2021 - 07:20 PM.

[deSitter]

105mm Meade model 447 - the ultimate classic. Better than a Unitron! Or - Royal Astro 10" reflector. Then I could die happy, go "north", and see for myself.

 

Pretty happy with my few classics though. Universe has been kind to me.

 

-drl

Edited by deSitter, 23 December 2021 - 12:36 PM.

[Terra Nova]

I could go for a 3-inch Royal Astro, or maybe a Questar.

Everyone should own a Questar once! They are beautiful little scopes, wonders in mechanical workmanship, and wonderful optics to go along with it. The thing I find most about Questars is that people either use them all the time or use them very little. My brother for instance has a huge telescope collection including two four inch Unitrons (165 and 150) a 3 or 4? inch Goto, several Pentax apos, an 8” Trekkerscope, and the best SCT I’ve ever looked thru (a black C9.25 from the early 90s), a Quantum 4 and a Quantum 6, and yes a Questar. Of all of that and more, his Questar is his most used scope, followed by the C9.25. Myself on the other hand had a beautiful Questar for five years and used it five times. I just love my refractors! So everyone deserves to own a Questar at least once. It might just be your most used scope, or like me, you may seldom use it and decide it’s too much money invested in an astro-ornament. I sold mine and got back every penny I had invested in it. That’s the deal with a used Questar. If you take care of it, you can most always sell it for what you paid for it.

Edited by Terra Nova, 23 December 2021 - 07:22 PM.

[sarastro]

I'm pretty content with what I have, but....

 

1. I've been looking for a 50mm f/10 SkyRover or equivalent.

2. A 3 inch by Royal Astro or equivalent would be nice

[Bomber Bob]

Okay, it makes no sense, and is border-line insane given that I have a near-perfect Tak FC-100, but...

 

Carton CST-100KX F13:   https://www.cloudyni...-2#entry6230624

 

I just wanna look through one -- that might break the fevre dream...

[ccwemyss]

I'm pretty happy with what I have. If the Edmund 4" hadn't come along and then the matching mount at Stellafane, I would have thought seriously about a Unitron 152. But having seen how big one is, I think the Edmund is a better choice for taking into school. Sometimes the telescope gods know better than you do. The only thing I can think of that might be tempting is the f12 Pentax 100ED, with the drive. But they are very rare, so I expect that I will just work out a drive for my 85, which is still a wonderful and very manageable scope. 

 

I really need to thin the loaner set this year. With smaller classes rising, I don't need as many of the Shrine-Manons, and could pare back the 114s, and maybe some of the 60mm equatorials too. 

 

Chip W. 

[Terra Nova]

I'm pretty happy with what I have. If the Edmund 4" hadn't come along and then the matching mount at Stellafane, I would have thought seriously about a Unitron 152. But having seen how big one is, I think the Edmund is a better choice for taking into school. Sometimes the telescope gods know better than you do. The only thing I can think of that might be tempting is the f12 Pentax 100ED, with the drive. But they are very rare, so I expect that I will just work out a drive for my 85, which is still a wonderful and very manageable scope. 

 

I really need to thin the loaner set this year. With smaller classes rising, I don't need as many of the Shrine-Manons, and could pare back the 114s, and maybe some of the 60mm equatorials too. 

 

Chip W. 

I enjoyed my Edmund 4” F15 on its Edmund mount more than my Unitron 152 regardless of the Edmunds much cruder mechanical construction, It was so much easier for me to set up and take down. I would rate them thusly:

 

                            Edmund              Unitron 152

 

Mechanicals:            1/2X                       2X

 

Optics:                        1X                       1X

 

Ease of use:                 2X                    1/2X

[deSitter]

Everyone should own a Questar once! They are beautiful little scopes, wonders in mechanical workmanship, and wonderful optics to go along with it. The thing I find most about Questars is that people either use them all the time or use them very little. My brother for instance has a huge telescope collection including two four inch Unitrons, a 3 or four inch (Goto), several Pentax apos, an 8” Trekkerscope, and the best SCT (a black C9.25 from the early 90s), and yes a Questar. Of all of that and more, his Questar is his most used scope, followed by the C9.25. Myself on the other hand had a beautiful Questar for five years and used it five times. I just love my refractors! So everyone deserves one at least once. It might just be your most used scope, or like me, you may seldom use it and decide it’s too much money invested in an astro-ornament. I sold mine and got back every penny I had invested in it. That’s the deal with a used Questar. If you take care of it, you can most always sell it for what you paid for it.

Did your brother get the astro-bug from Sis?

 

-drl

[Paul Sweeney]

I only want one of each, please!

I am always on the lookout for interesting scopes at reasonable prices. High on my list are a Telementor, a Vixen FL102 and or a Vixen 102M. If I win the lottery I would get a Zeiss APQ130. Fat chance of that happening, though...

Edited by Paul Sweeney, 23 December 2021 - 01:38 PM.

[Matty S]

I would love to find a mint Pentax 100 f/12 Achromat, full kit. I think that would be the be-all, end-all for my collecting aspirations. The 100mm Nikon mentioned above would be good as well, but that Pentax is my true dream scope.

[ltha]

I wish you hadnt shown me that! 

Beautiful scope! Good thing it is not listed on CN or I’d have to consider breaking my “I’m done buying telescopes” vow….

[Kasmos]

I enjoyed my Edmund 4” F15 on its Edmund mount more than my Unitron 152 regardless of the Edmunds much cruder mechanical construction, It was so much easier for me to set up and take down. I would rate them thusly:

 

                            Edmund              Unitron 152

 

Mechanicals:            1/2X                       2X

 

Optics:                        1X                       1X

 

Ease of use:                 2X                    1/2X

I was going to say, for those who want a Unitron 4" but either they can't afford or they aren't available there are other options. And if they desire the Unitron gadgety (is that a word?) looks, customize it to your tastes. I've seen this done on some other scopes in this forum.