How many scopes are too many?

[LX200]

Sweet

Originally Posted by KenGee

I have just put together what I'm hoping will be an excellent imaging setup. A Williams 132 triplet with a 80mm guide scope on a Losmandy G11. .....

Lets see now

Permanent pier mounted LX200GPS-12"/ZS80 guide in ROR OBS +
for portable get up and go use a GPDX-SS2K/ED80 +
tinkering with LX5-8" peir/Argo-Navis

All Good

[§AB]

got 2 scopes but have this constant urge to buy more and more eyepieces. Everytime my bank account gets some juice in it I can't help myself. Think I need to see a therapist.

Like to get a 5 or 6" Mak on a decent GEM for those times when I can't be stuffed carrying the dob outside or if it looks like it might cloud over (nothing worse than hauling a 10" outside only for it to cloud over!), and for fitting into a car full of holiday gear to a dark sky site.

Maks are cool I want one!

[huckabuck]

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/a...1&d=1171785558

check out the background. enough said????

contributed by unipol @ http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...764#post194764

[snowyskiesau]

I have three scopes, an ED80 and two Celestron C8's, one on a fork mount and one on a SP mount.
I should get rid of the fork mount C8 as I rarely use it these days, perhaps replace it with a small dob that would get some use - when the rain stops.
Now I have a decent mount for them, the binoculars get the most use these days.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

N + 1 ( N being the current number of scopes you've got )

There's always an excuse\reason\desire\need\etc for another scope to do something else.

[MortonH]

The question should be re-framed as how many scopes are too few?

[castor]

My first scope was a 70mm f/5 Synta short-tube (sold it)
Currently-
Skywatcher 8'' f/5 Dob, Synta 4'' f/5 ST, Orion ED80, Takahashi FS-60C and 5'' Celestron Goto SCT

Celestron Skymaster 15x70 binos and generic Chinese 20x80 binos

Canon 15x50IS binos.... need a lower power pair that's high quality, suggestions?

I'm almost glad I'm terminally single. Optical equipment is notoriously divorce-genic.

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

Well, I am now up to 7!!
20" Dob
8" Dob
130mm Newt on an EQ2
6" GSO RC
SWED80
80mm Guidescope
60mm Lunt Solar Scope

Not sure if that counts as too many!!

Malcolm

[ariefm71 (Arief)]

I have a 2-in-1 scope!

[astroboof (Steve McN)]

God this old thread!

well managed to cull it down to 3 at home, 4 if you include an st80 demountable atop an ed100. The 8"f5, ed100 and vixen 130 are all modified prime scopes that are a joy for sheer usability. A scope ain't much good if its to much of a hassle to set up.

The rest are loaned out at present, and I am happy with that.

[g__day (Matthew)]

One - if it's big enough and you know how to use it!

[rally]

Since this old thread is still going I thought I would add my original thoughts since I didnt want to bias the orginal poll !

I have to say - The Poll was flawed from the start !
The OP had already biased the poll because the options listed presumed that 4 is a lot and that one needs help with 4 or more.

Its pretty obvious that you need multiple scopes for multiple purposes !
The longer you enjoy astronomy the more purposes you realise you need to satisfy

In particular for astrophotography where you need to create an appropriate image scale for whatever type of specific imaging you are doing and the cameras you may have.

Every one needs - for example :
At least one of the following

Solar scope
Polar Alignment scopes
Finder scopes (on each main OTA)
Guide scopes (if not using OAG)
Travel visual scope (compact)
Main large aperture visual scope (probably Dob)
Primary visual refractor or smaller aperture scope
AP scope - long focal length
AP scope - medium focal length
AP scope - short focal length
AP scope - compact travel scope
The remote observatory scope
NEO/Comet spotting scope

Then we need to consider the collectables - first scope, brass antique scopes, the one you built yourself, all Takahashi refractors, All AP scopes etc etc !!
Pus a few toy scopes - eg Galileoscope, desk dobs or mini Alt/Az scopes.

So really you dont have a problem until your collection exceeds say 15 to 20 except if you are collector and then its surely got to be up in the 30-40's . . . or more !

Need to stop writing - I am running late for my OCD therapy appointment !!

But seriously - this is like socks - you really do need lots of different socks for different things - long wollen socks for winter, short cotton socks for summer, tennis socks, running socks, gardening socks, bushwalking socks, black socks for the suit and at least a few changes of each of these for avoiding any antisocial interation with people within smelling distance. Plus you absolutely must have some odd socks for when you locate that missing sock in the filter of the washing machine, the dogs basket or under the wardrobe !

I rest my case.

Rally

[astroboof (Steve McN)]

I am glad you rest your case Rally, because most of us don't even need half the crap you listed to do functional, even scientific astronomy.

Cheers for the humor, gotta love that! 10/10 fun.

[stefang (Stefan)]

There is a mathematical model that proves the number of telescopes any astronomer requires.

The theorem is

(n +1)

where
n = the number of telescopes owned
+1

[croweater (Richard)]

Stefang in your case maybe n could also mean number of eyepieces owned. Impressive signiture list mate! Cheers

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

17

<sigh...> and only one pair of eyes...

Poll is rather inadequate for me, eh...


OK, I've unzipped my fly... Who's got more?...

[LewisM]

I have 1 scope, if you don't count the finder and the finder-guider. It's all I need, and it's one of the best.

I am happy.

[glend (Glen)]

It might be interesting to explore the difference if the question was asking about imaging or visual scopes. A visual scope can be an imaging scope (in many, but not all, cases) but an imaging scope (ie astrograph) is usually optimised for imaging. Visual people may have more scopes than imaging people, but the 'rule of three' may apply both ways: one widefield short FL, one medium FL, and one long FL. A break down in optics type would also be interesting, as would a look at the relationship between time in astronomy with scope numbers and type. I guess I am suggesting that a simple poll really doesn't tell us much, but a IIS Scope Census could give a great insight.

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by glend

...but a IIS Scope Census could give a great insight.

Yes, that we're a compulsive lot....

[rally]

Awwhh c'mon Lewis we need to include all scopes in the last 24 months

Originally Posted by LewisM

I have 1 scope, if you don't count the finder and the finder-guider. It's all I need, and it's one of the best.

I am happy.