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If you could pick just three?

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#76 rcwolpert

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Posted 18 November 2024 - 09:27 AM

Selling telescopes? If I may quote Nancy Reagan "Just say no"

lol.gif



#77 Terra Nova

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Posted 18 November 2024 - 10:17 AM

Selling telescopes? If I may quote Nancy Reagan "Just say no"

I guess there ultimately comes a point in most of our lives when we say to ourselves, Enough is enough! ;)


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#78 AllanDystrup

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Posted 18 November 2024 - 10:32 AM

Thank you, Terra! smile.gif 

As for: 
“I don’t think that there’s one scope for all seasons, and I do believe that a modicum of variety adds some spice to life.”

    

-- then, yes, I can in principle agree on that, but my point here is, that the VARIETY can come from (as in my case) choosing ONE excellent, medium aperture, medium focal length refractor with the quality build of optics, tube and mount to be configured seamlessly and securely with a multitude of well chosen frontend as well as backend ACESSORIES (adapters/ filters/ barlows/ telecentrics/ diagonals/ eyepieces/ etc.s…) so that the one scope may serve very well indeed in multiple roles as both solar system (sun, lunar, planetary) and DSO (rich field, nebulae, galaxies).

 

     Check out some of my observations with the 100/640 APQ of for instance solar chromosphere (+Quark & Solar Spectrum etalons), lunar selenology (+FFC @ 4x Barlow), open clusters and emission nebulae (rich field +night vision & smartphone) here: https://qualitycode....tion-log-pages/

 

     But OK, granted, more aperture and focal length could yield better resolution on DSOs and faster optics could offer a wider rich-field experience, -- but the setup I have chosen is "good enough" for the observation projects I like to do, and I prefer my grab-&-go single scope "observatory" approach to a stable of three (more) more telescopes. Which is clearly a personal choice influenced by my observing conditions as well as astronomy interests, so not a statement of what is right or wrong in this field...

 

     -- Allan 


Edited by AllanDystrup, 18 November 2024 - 10:33 AM.

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#79 Terra Nova

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Posted 18 November 2024 - 11:11 AM

Thank you, Terra! smile.gif 

As for: 
“I don’t think that there’s one scope for all seasons, and I do believe that a modicum of variety adds some spice to life.”

    

-- then, yes, I can in principle agree on that, but my point here is, that the VARIETY can come from (as in my case) choosing ONE excellent, medium aperture, medium focal length refractor with the quality build of optics, tube and mount to be configured seamlessly and securely with a multitude of well chosen frontend as well as backend ACESSORIES (adapters/ filters/ barlows/ telecentrics/ diagonals/ eyepieces/ etc.s…) so that the one scope may serve very well indeed in multiple roles as both solar system (sun, lunar, planetary) and DSO (rich field, nebulae, galaxies).

 

     Check out some of my observations with the 100/640 APQ of for instance solar chromosphere (+Quark & Solar Spectrum etalons), lunar selenology (+FFC @ 4x Barlow), open clusters and emission nebulae (rich field +night vision & smartphone) here: https://qualitycode....tion-log-pages/

 

     But OK, granted, more aperture and focal length could yield better resolution on DSOs and faster optics could offer a wider rich-field experience, -- but the setup I have chosen is "good enough" for the observation projects I like to do, and I prefer my grab-&-go single scope "observatory" approach to a stable of three (more) more telescopes. Which is clearly a personal choice influenced by my observing conditions as well as astronomy interests, so not a statement of what is right or wrong in this field...

 

     -- Allan 

I totally get it Allen. I’ve often said that a 4” refractor is a perfect one size fits all telescope. I feel that way about my Vixen ED102SS. And I would also rather spend time observing with my telescope, than observing my telescopes. But given my living situation in a multi-story building, in a location with rapidly changing weather, I need options. Everything has to be carried; either out to my east-facing balcony, or down the hall to the elevator and either up to the west (south and north) facing rooftop patio, or down to the parking garage to my vehicle to go elsewhere. If I had to, I could do without two of what I have left, the 80mm F5 RFT that I made and the 60mm Mayflower that I started out with. But I have strong emotional attachments to them and they take up little space in the closet, and I do use them. Anyway, it’s down to eight, my condo has plenty of storage space (all of my telescopes and related equipment fit in one big walk-in closet), and I do use them all, at various times, in various places, and for various things. Still, there was a significant period of my life when I actually had just one telescope and used it happily, but I also had a full-time job, a family, less time to observe, and less disposable income. Could I go back to that? Of course. But I have no necessity to at this point in my life. I feel like cutting back to eight telescopes has been a huge achievement from where I was ten years ago, and I’m good with that. And in the process, I’m down from many to just two classics, one of which is the 4” Vixen.


Edited by Terra Nova, 18 November 2024 - 01:31 PM.

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#80 Jay_Reynolds_Freeman

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Posted 19 January 2025 - 07:44 AM

If 25 years old is the criterion for being a classic, then ...

 

1) Early 1980s Celestron 14 (generally mounted on a mid-1990s Losmandy G-11).

2) 1987 Astro-Physics 6-inch f/8 pre-EDT Christen triplet (generally mounted on the same G-11).

3) Late 1990s Vixen 102 mm fluorite doublet (often mounted on the G-11, but sometimes on -- whisper it -- a newer altazimuth mounting).

 

Remember, death is nature's way of telling you to stop buying telescopes ...

 

Clear sky ...


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#81 Defenderslideguitar

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Posted 19 January 2025 - 09:30 AM

Late to the thread......

 

which 3 of the classic's we already have?   This is hard. How about a  3 Inch ...4 inch ....and 5 inch

 

  1.  Old green trim  Tak FC-100 sweet and in original wooden box with shoe lace ties

   2.1989 AP 5 inch F-12  

    3. Vixen 80mmFL

 

 

Yeah the C-102FL is admittedly a keeper and somewhat magical  but having once sold the FC  -100   and regretting it and lucky to sell it to one of us here in the classics  I goi it back ... so never sell again and 4 inch is the Goldilocks zone for refractors as I age

Okay   What about Rolo's Tak FS -128? Hard to sell cuz we never get it back    but we have the 5 inch slot filled at F 12  

Yes the 1991    6 inch Starfire F-12? from the original owner. Admittedly, too big for just me   so not a forever scope .. for now it is         this is hard.

The old green trim FC-76  Red  "F " lens    just plain awesome and punches way above its weight class   but it is almost too nice   too clean    love the Vixen 80mmFL  as comparable in quality but already broken in and okay to leave set up as everyday Fluorite grab and go,,,,,

 

 

those are my three           but obviously,  I need six


Edited by Defenderslideguitar, 19 January 2025 - 07:19 PM.

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#82 Terra Nova

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Posted 19 January 2025 - 08:02 PM

If I could only keep eight telescopes, I’d keep the eight that I have! lol.gif

 

PS, I plan get no more, but I don’t plan to get rid of any others either!*

*(I only have TWO classics now.)


Edited by Terra Nova, 20 January 2025 - 08:58 AM.

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#83 combatdad

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Posted 21 January 2025 - 12:26 PM

I did some serious downsizing the past two years and am now down to three classics: two Unitron's I purchased new (Model 114 and Model 152) and a Brandon 94 on the alt-az mount.  I never was a serious collector; I get out and observe on most clear nights using mostly the SVX127D or the Brandon 94.

 

Dave


Edited by combatdad, 22 January 2025 - 08:07 AM.

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#84 Terra Nova

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Posted 21 January 2025 - 12:33 PM

I did some serious downsizing the past two years and am now down to three classics: two Unitron's I purchased new (Model 114 and Model 152) and a Brandon 94 on the alt-az mount.  I never was a serious collector; I get out an observe on most clear nights using mostly the SVX127D or the Brandon 94.

 

Dave

Seems like a lot of us have done some serious downsizing. My two remaining classics are my nearly 60 y.o.1965 Mayflower 814 (APL) ota, and my approximately 20 y.o. Vixen ED102SS ota, both Japanese.


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#85 deSitter

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Posted 22 January 2025 - 05:54 AM

Seems like a lot of us have done some serious downsizing. My two remaining classics are my nearly 60 y.o.1965 Mayflower 814 (APL) ota, and my approximately 20 y.o. Vixen ED102SS ota, both Japanese.

I never did much buying - I think I have 8 or so classics ranging from 50mm to 90mm. Also 2 ETXes, 90mm and 105mm. A 114mm Newtonian. The only scope I ever sold was an SN10, and I gave a few away to beginners. My main constraint is space - THIS space here.

 

Nothing joins the family unless it has superior optics. So they are all keepers.

 

-drl


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#86 bjkaras

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 01:19 AM

Since I only have three it’s easy:

 

1) 10” f/5

2) 6” f/8

3) 6” f/12 refractor



#87 Terra Nova

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Posted 28 January 2025 - 10:07 AM

Seems like a lot of us have done some serious downsizing. My two remaining classics are my nearly 60 y.o.1965 Mayflower 814 (APL) ota, and my approximately 20 y.o. Vixen ED102SS ota, both Japanese.

Correction, the ED102SS is circa 2000CE so it’s approximately 25 years ols and just meets the classics criteria.


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#88 BillinBallard

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Posted 30 January 2025 - 11:32 AM

So many scopes have come and gone, but the ones I would find most difficult to part with are;

 

Televue Pronto: it is unquestionably the most used scope I have. It has been in the corner of the living room on a Polaris mount for over 20 years. It has been a great terrestrial scope, and always willing to go for a quick trip out onto the deck. It gets used everyday, and has shown us  pods of Orcas in the sound, more comets and Messier objects than I can remember,  and a total solar eclipse.  
 

Televue Genesis F5 non sdf; Another 20+ year veteran. It too has been well used and has made many trips to TMSP, Oregon Star Party, and countless trips out onto the deck.  What a great 4” deep(ish) sky scope. 
 

1985 6” F9 AP NASA triplet: As a strictly visual observer, all I can say is this is still the best refractor I have ever looked through…period. The reality is at 70 this and the G11 don’t see the use they once did.  I know at some point they will need to go. 


Edited by BillinBallard, 30 January 2025 - 11:40 AM.

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