19 replies to this topic

[RichA]

Like most of you, I've viewed through thousands of telescopes.  But not all of them, obviously.  So, from all I've gleaned from personal experience and reading about the experience of others, my opinion is that the best scopes of their type of all time seem to be:

-GOOD 4 inch Unitrons and other long focal ratio achromats..

-Aries 10 inch Maksutovs

-Takahashi TOA 130 refractors.

-Obsession Newtonians.  

-Leitz 1980s Trinovid binoculars

-Zeiss APQ 4 inch f10 telescopes

-Celestron / Vixen 4 inch fluorites

-AP 160 175 apos

-Ceravolo 8 inch Mak-Newts

 

 

 

[gnabgib]

For me it has to be my first telescope, a 50mm Tasco refractor with a tabletop tripod.  I independently discovered Saturn with it.  That started a lifetime of astronomy and telescope making.  I was in 5th grade and my path down the dark-side still continues over 60 years later!  What a ride!!

 

Kevin

[rachnoman]

For me it has to be my first telescope, a 3" Tasco Newtonian with a stand-up tripod. Found Saturn with it for the very first time. That was it for me.

[deSitter]

I have looked through maybe dozens of telescopes, not thousands But your list seems good to me!

 

I cannot imagine a classic refractor being better than the 90/1400mm AO scope. And that one is in a small category, 90mm. It is an oddball for sure.

 

-drl

[luxo II]

1. Thomas Cooke 1880 4.5" f/16 achromat, clock drive with governor; totally exquisite optically and mechanically.

2. Intes MK66 Deluxe.

3. Intes-Micro MN65, 165mm f/5.

4. Santel MK91 Rumak (built by Intes).

5. APM/Matthias Wirth 10" f/12 Rumak (Intes Micro glass)

6. Suchting 16" f/7 newtonian

 

 

It's all about the glass. OTA's can be rebuilt, focusers and mounts can be upgraded/replaced.

Edited by luxo II, 06 January 2025 - 01:46 AM.

[mikey cee]

Let me open your eyes. How on Earth did you overlook the ultimate drool machine of all time.      Now please edit your list accordingly!

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Edited by mikey cee, 06 January 2025 - 04:30 PM.

[bobhen]

Like most of you, I've viewed through thousands of telescopes.  But not all of them, obviously.  So, from all I've gleaned from personal experience and reading about the experience of others, my opinion is that the best scopes of their type of all time seem to be:

-GOOD 4 inch Unitrons and other long focal ratio achromats..

-Aries 10 inch Maksutovs

-Takahashi TOA 130 refractors.

-Obsession Newtonians.  

-Leitz 1980s Trinovid binoculars

-Zeiss APQ 4 inch f10 telescopes

-Celestron / Vixen 4 inch fluorites

-AP 160 175 apos

-Ceravolo 8 inch Mak-Newts

Off the top of my head, I would suggest adding the following...

 

1) I would suggest that the Carton F13 achromat would generally be consider better than the Unitron.
2) I would suggest that the first AP 10" Mak would be considered as good or a touch better than the Aries. Roland did refigure the Aries mirrors he used in his Maks. Maybe that was just Roland's OCD kicking in.
3) My F5 15" Tectron Dobsonian with a near perfect Galaxy mirror (best mirror I ever owned/saw) was better optically than my 15" Obsession with a Nova mirror. Obsession had the better mechanicals. Any Dobsonian with a Zambuto mirror or one of those early Galaxy mirrors would generally be considered the best optically
4) I would suggest adding the Takahashi FCT-100 and the LZOS 100mm F8 triplets to the best 4-inch class of apo refractors.
5) I would suggest that the Nikon 100mm F12 doublet would be considered better than the Celestron/Vixen 102mm Fluorite doublets.

 

Generally, any apo from Astro-Physics, Zeiss APQ and LZOS from 30 years ago would be considered gold standard. Ed Ting rated the AP 155 ahead of the Tak FCT 150 but those Tak FCTs would be considered gold standard as well. The more recent Tak TOAs would be considered the best as well.

 

The TEC Maksutov "Cassegrains" would be considered gold standard Maks, especially the F20 versions with the smaller CO.

 

Bob

[jragsdale]

This is a very broad and subjective question. You're going to get a million answers. 

 

I'll take any decent scope in perfect seeing over a 20" Zambuto in average seeing.

[ErnH2O]

I have looked through maybe dozens of telescopes, not thousands But your list seems good to me!

 

I cannot imagine a classic refractor being better than the 90/1400mm AO scope. And that one is in a small category, 90mm. It is an oddball for sure.

 

-drl

Preach! I have never seen through one better, either.

[CHASLX200]

This here when i got it in 1986 for 300 smacks. Still say nothing beats the looks of a U.

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[luxo II]

That little dob on the right will beat the Unitron any night.

 

I bet you are the generation raised on Bugs Bunny v Marvin the Martian. But what you see through it is what counts, Hence John Dobson and the Sidewalk Astronomers.

Edited by luxo II, 06 January 2025 - 08:30 PM.

[Airship]

Among the classics that I have used (which isn't a huge list) my tippy top suggestion would be...

 

 

...the 5" f/16 Unitron 510.

 

Lots of contenders out there.

 

Fun to ponder.

 

Enjoy!

 

[ccwemyss]

Pentax 65/85/100 should also be on the list (says the guy who used to sell them). Perfect star tests. Easily take 75X per inch on planets and moon. Very little color. 

 

Chip W. 

[Airship]

We are fortunate that so many classics that have stood the test of time deserve to be included in this conversation. Depending on your definition of 'finest' I would suggest that many of the Unitrons are candidates for the list, and no list would be complete without the incredibly long-lived Questar 3.5.

 

 

1969 Standard, refurbed at Questar in 2023. 55 years young and doesn't look a day over 40.

 

[starman876]

I would say the AP scopes are on the top of the list.  The early scopes in the 80's are still excellent scopes that put many newer scopes to shame.

[Wildetelescope]

I would say the AP scopes are on the top of the list.  The early scopes in the 80's are still excellent scopes that put many newer scopes to shame.

 

1989 vintage 152 and 127 starfires!   Could not agree more!  Had the 6 inch up to 300x on Jupiter the other night.  Sublime.

 

JMD

[luxo II]

This... 9" f/16 Grubb refractor circa 1890, with weight-driven clockwork drive... photo from late '70s.

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Edited by luxo II, 08 January 2025 - 08:41 PM.

[Wildetelescope]

This... 9" f/16 Grubb refractor circa 1890, with weight-driven clockwork drive...

where is that?  In Australia?   that is a beauty!  

 

JMD
 

[luxo II]

Yes it was at Mt Stromlo observatory until it was destroyed by fire in 2003. It has a quarter-plate camera with an aerial camera lens, and a few times I piggybacked an 8” Newtonian on it as a camera, using the refractor as a guide scope.

[Defenderslideguitar]

AP 6 inch    F 12 Starfire  1991

 Tak FS -128

 

 

p.s. we needed a step ladder to put the dew shield on the Starfire at the Neaf show

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Edited by Defenderslideguitar, 08 January 2025 - 10:18 PM.