Telescope transportation

[Thiink]

A little while ago I recieved an email from someone who was browsing the forums asking me how/if my 10" fits into my car. So I thought it might be an interesting thread for prospective buyers to find out what sort of telescope people have, and what sort of car they transport it in, and how it all fits into the car. Here is my entry.

Telescope: GSO GS-880 10" Dob
Car: 2001 Holden Commodore SS
How I transport it:
OTA - Across the back seat
Rocker box - Front seat fully assembled
Other options: there doesnt appear to be many

Notes: the OTA wont fit into the boot easily, and due to its length wont fit in the boot through the "ski chute" (ie. perpendicular to the back seats) due to the length of the OTA/angle of entry.

If people are interested I can also add pictures.

edit: can this be moved to the Beginner forum please, I posted it in the wrong area!

[ballaratdragons]

Good thread Simon!!!

Telescope: GS 12" Dob.
Car: 1991 Ford EB 'S' Pack
How I transport it:
OTA across the back seat (yep, it fits)
Rocker Box - Front Seat fully assembled
EQ Mount - in the boot (partially dissassembled) (need a Mick Pinner wedge trolley)

Other options: there doesnt appear to be any except a trailer or make a 'Roof Boot'.

Notes: the OTA won't fit in through the boot "ski chute" (ie. perpendicular to the back seats) due to the OTA Diameter being 1/2" larger than the Ski Chute.

[davidpretorius]

Telescope: GSO GS-880 10" Dob
Car(s): Acclaim wagon & Honda CRV
How I transport it: OTA - Across the back or lengthways with a seat folded down
Rocker box - Back fully assembled

[Orion]

Good thread.
Well, I have an 18" trusstube telescope and it all fits in the back of a 4cyl station wagon. Needless to say that every part of the telescope has it's place in the car.
I also put the two ramps (for wheeling the telescope in) and the observing platform in there as well!

[ballaratdragons]

Bird says: I get tables, chairs, laptops, 3m long OTA, 1.25 tonne EQ mount, Power Station, 47km of cables, camera equipment, colour wheels, more cables, EP case, extra cables, clothing, bedding and more cables into a tiny 2 door sports car!

And he does too!!!! :scared:

[Starkler]

Steve ( Janoskiss) did alright too :lol:

[ballaratdragons]

Yep! I think Steve was only missing the 598km of cables :lol: But he did have to also fit in the ED80 and Education Dept tripod as well as the Dob & Base, the Small Refractor & it's Tripod etc etc!! :rofl:

[ballaratdragons]

Actually I'm suprised Darren fit his 38 telescopes and pooters and tent and tables and chairs and everything else into his trailer. He bought a whole telescope shop with him :lol:

Onya Wombat!!! Always prepared for the sky :thumbsup:

[RAJAH235]

Well it all fits neatly really. Tube,(only 45" long), across the back seat & base in rear of '78 Datsun wagon. Leaves heaps of room in front/back, for chair, charts, eats & thermos etc etc :D L.

[cahullian]

My 8" dob fits into my boot so does the base. All other extras go in the back seat.

[acropolite]

My Lx90 OTA just sits on the back seat of my Toyota 4 Runner (short trips only), takes up about half the seat and the tripod sits on the floor. The lx90 8 inch would fit in almost anything.

[frogman]

My 12" girl on a holiday...

[Argonavis]

My previous Mitsubishi Magna station wagon was almost home to (at various times) a 12in f7 and a 16in f4.5. No, not at the same time. By the time the camping equipment got in, it was very comfoy...trailers make life much easier.

The academy award for scope transport goes to Norman Pappas of Toowoomba, who transports a 25inch in the back of a Mitsubishi Nimbus each year to Qld Astrofest. Really.

[rmcpb]

My scope just lays across the back seat of the Falcon, with seat belts of course to keep it legal. The base has to be transported in the front passenger seat and the rest of the goodies just go in the boot.

In the Puslar hatchback, half the back seat is put down and the tube lies lengthwise in there with the base and rest of goodies in the boot section. Don't know why all cars aren't hatchbacks??

The base is the problem and that is part of the project I am working on now, the prototype base has to be collapsible.

[ving]

scope: 8" GSO dob
car: 01 astra 3dr hatch.
method: I have 60/40 split fold seat in the back, I lay down the 60 and put the ota in then the rest just goes in the back (rocker, card table, seat, briefcase with EPs, clothes, food). it gives me 3 seats for bums :)

[lateralus]

i have a toyota hilux dual-cab and a 12" dob. while it may seem practicable to put the dob in the tray, it wont fit. so i put the front passenger seat back rest as far back as it can go, and slide the scope in through the back passenger door. the rocker goes into the tray. everything else just goes on the back seat.