Poll - what is your aperture?

[Kal]

What is the aperture of your scope? If you have multiple scopes, then please use your largest telescope aperture when you vote. Round off if you are inbetween somewhere :)

Past telescopes don't count, only interested in your current telescope!

[wavelandscott]

My biggest is the 12.5 inch reflector Discovery truss dobsonian. Although it punches above its weight, I ticked 12 as it was the nearest whole number.

[tbentley]

I wonder what the results of this poll might have shown 10-15 years ago?

[Alchemy]

f you were to poll whether or not they were visual or photographic (dob or driven), i think you would find a lot of the large ones are dobs, possibly more of the smaller mounted.

[Omaroo]

Current telescope - singular? Ahh.. you mean from the current flock....

[Kal]

I put current scopes and a 60 day limit on the poll so that this can be revisited a few years down the track. Can't go back in time to take a poll, but can plan for another one a couple of years into the future ;)

I would say without a doubt that the average telescope size has increased over the last couple of decades, with John Dobson having the biggest impact!

[Screwdriverone]

I only have 5 inches, but it seems that everyone else has at least 8-12 inches.....the age old male problem.

You guys must be getting more spam emails than me.:lol:

Chris

[Rodstar]

In relation to the question about how the poll might vary 10 or 15 years ago, I have an old astronomy text which I bought in 1987 written by some Aussie amateurs (Reidy and Wallace, I think?), which discusses the equipment in use, as at that time. It was interesting to read over that section just recently and have a bit of a chuckle about how far things have come.

The biggest difference seems to be just how readily available, and reasonably priced, telescopes in the 8-12 inch range are now. It seems that perhaps 20 years ago a 6 inch scope was considered quite powerful.

[ving]

8 inch.. or to be more specific the distance from one side of the mirror to the other ;)

[dugnsuz]

10-15 years ago I had a 12.5" Dark Star dob in the UK, but I know what you're getting at. Chinese mass production has now made the 10-12" range the norm, taking over from the 8" workhorse as the serious first scope.

Today though I've regressed to an 80mm refractor!!!!!
Cheers
Doug:thumbsup:

[vash]

My largest and oldest scope is the 10" skywatcher, though it is a tiny bit bigger than that.

[leon]

Yea, I only have a 4 inch Takahashi FSQ-106, :sadeyes: Ah well I suppose we cant have everything. :lol: :lol: :P

Leon :thumbsup:

[Omaroo]

Ah yes, Leon - but it's the way that you use it.

[Ric]

From 1968 to 1976 I had my trusty Tasco 2.5"

From 1976 to 2006 it was the Celestron C8 and since 2006 it has been the Meade LX200R 12".

Who knows what the future holds but if the lotto gods smile upon me I would like to move up to a 16" RCOS.

Cheers

[Craig.a.c]

Currently using a Tasco 4.5", along with some 10x50 binoculars. Hoping to upgrade to a 10-12" Dobsonian in the near future.

[Matty P]

Only 8 inches here... ;) Can't go wrong with that. :thumbsup:

[rogerg]

12" .... wishing for 16" or 20" and upgraded mount to match :sadeyes:

[§AB]

12" dob here :D

[Terry B]

200mm here. Don't you love metric:lol:

[Karls48]

Unfortunately 200mm SCT is about biggest scope I can move. If I have money for permanent observatory I would be going for 350mm.

[space oddity]

Although I can afford bigger, my 10 inch LX 200 R is the biggest I can handle by myself without breaking my back. It also gives pretty sharp views .This can be described as getting bang for your back:whistle:. The alternative was going to be a 16 inch lightbridge, but I have been spoiled by goto.

[Gargoyle_Steve]

12" dob ... would like a 16" or so, but until I have a better place to keep it / shift home / change viewing locale/habits the 12" will be as big as I go I suspect.

[astroron]

I have had the 16" for about 7 years now, it is ideal as it is just the right hight that I don't need a ladder and it fits in my car and I can see lots of Deep Sky stuff:)
Ron

[GeoffW1]

A 300mm Bintel dob.......hmmm, I think I'll start a poll on who has a naughty mind. I do, but all the best puns are taken.

Cheers

[spearo]

9.25 for me
really hoping to upgrade to a 14" someday
but for now I'll try to get more/better performance from it by sitting it on a more capable mount, the G11 and collimating it properly.

frank

[Glenhuon]

Just recently moved to a 6" reflector, used a 2.5" refractor for years. Sure do get tempted by these 12"+ dobs, but too used to a GEM now.

Bill

[Phil]

I have the Meade 16" but can not move it so my 4" NP101mm gets used allot more then the 16". I need a bigger observatory so the 16 can sit outside without moving it.
Phil

[§AB]

I know what u mean, my 12" is b!T%H to lift so I devised an ingenious way to move it to the back door....slide it on a rug. Try it!


I never ever actually touched an EQ mount in my 10 years of astronomy so I can understand what you mean when being comfortable with one particular type of mounting, but IMO get a big dob if the funds say yes - you won't regret it!

[Stephen65]

When I answered this poll I had a 5", now I have a 10" and am planning a 20". Is that aperature fever?

[abellhunter]

Hey Astro Heads.....

Size counts!

Started out with a 3 inch Refractor, then a C-8 SCT on a GEM. Sold the C-8
and for a Meade 10" LX-5. Traded a 3" Unitron for a C-11, sold the C-11
to help pay for the C-14. Bought the Coulter Optics 17 1/2" dob, after 5 years sold it and bought a 25" Obsession, sold that and bought the 28"
Starmaster.

As some of you know allready i am looking to build
an observatory and move the ARSENAL down under!


28 inch Starmaster w/GOTO
17 1/2 inch truss dob w/DSC
C-14 w/Argo Navis
20x125 Astro Binoc's w/heavy duty fork mount

etc....

See post #354

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=65
___________________________________ _______________________

Back in the states i was a member of the Orange County
Astronomers, out of Southern California.....

http://www.ocastronomers.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County_Astronomers

http://www.ocastronomers.org/astroimages/album.asp?cat=Misc+Club+Photos\Kuhn +Telescope
___________________________________ _______________________

By the way i lived near by the OCA's Anza dark site
near Palomar Observatory for 17 years.

http://www.anzaobservatory.com

Which i wrote about in my astro-bio....

see post #2 & #3 regarding OCA etc...

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=27760
___________________________________ ___________________

Large Group Scope &/or The new OZ Observatory plan [see post #35]

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=27969
___________________________________ _____________________

Aloha, Lance aka "abellhunter"

http://www.anzaobservatory.com

...is Moving to the Southern Hemisphere any ideas, suggestions or
comments?

humphreys@greencafe.com

[Kal]

This appears to be a very aggressive form of Aperture fever!

[Rodstar]

Indeed. If the condition goes untreated, Stephen may need to apply for funding from the Federal Government to finance the purchase after the 20" scope. I wonder if large mirrors fall within the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme?

[Maverick]

Started with 4" and after little fever traded for 6".Maybe will do one more trade to 8"-10".

[Stephen65]

Yes, at the rate I am going a 40" scope seems to be the next stage of the disease...

[Rodstar]

What 20" scope do you have in mind, by the way, Stephen?

[Stephen65]

It's a joint project by Phil Watson and I - Mark Suchting is grinding us a 20" f/3.7 mirror. It'll designed to be used with a Paracorr, naturally. The idea is to build a low-riding ladderless 20" dob.

[koputai]

A 20 inch scope about the same physical size as a 16 inch Lightbridge. I'm sure a lot of people will be interested to see how such a fast big apperture scope goes.

Cheers,
Jason.