2 Scope Solution - Choosing a telescope is harder than choosing a wife

[overlord]

One thing i've noticed over the years is that there is a law of compensation with all telescopes. Here is the firmest law: 'No telescope is good for everything'. This basically requires all serious amateurs to have at least two scopes... a planetary and a deep-sky.

So if you're in the city you have to make a decision.

Personally I got the deep sky thing sorted permanetly, and forever, with the 8" dobsonian, and am going to go for a mak 8" for the planets. (Thanks for the recomendation :D ) Damn I am sick and tired of the fuzzy objects in the dobsonian so mak is the only credible alternative for me.

That's my recommendation... make ur pic... if you're in the city go for planets with a Mak/Cas and in the county get a huge dob which is not too bad for planets either. (Small dobs aren't too good for planets IMO). Cheers.


One more thing.... telescope choice is a lifetime philosophy and defines character... i think it's the reason everyone likes to list their scopes... it's a way of interpreting life-philosophy... zen and tao and all that.

Best of luck beginners! : ) :D

[Merlin66]

Fortunately, or unfortunately It's a different part of the brain that's involved in choosing life partners!!!!

[overlord]

ah yeah. It's all a game of chance. I think it's better not to chose but to just go with the flow and let fate decide on a partner

[cookie8]

I reckon you need 3..may be 4..... scopes
1. One for DSO
2 One for planetary
3 One for rich field
4 One for grab & go
5 One for astrophotography
6 One for................ the dome etc :)

[adman]

Maybe a few wives are warranted also...

You need this one because she's good at....
Then another who is better at...

I'll let you fill in the blanks :lol:

Oh and another for grab and go....:rofl:

[RobF]

LOL. And fortunately for most of us our wives never go near IIS - especially in your case Adam :lol:

[GrampianStars]

You can't be serious really ?
8" dob / mak will 4eva have small n' fuzzy DS no matter what! :rolleyes:

As 4 wife's they come n' they go as often as changing scopes ;)
cost the same as well :lol:

[steve000]

so sad but so true, mine doesnt even come outside observing.. its either 2 dark or 2 cold or whatever else. it sucks :(

[graham.hobart]

I have a wide field set up (80mm APO) plus my planetary SCT- do this mean I need a Dob?! (already answered this myself but Bintel 10" lightbridges not in till May) Philosophically speaking does this yin my yang?
Does marriage end your colli-mating days?

[overlord]

:eyepop: That is quite nice!

: )

Well........ As per my two scope solution proposition...

My 8" f/5 saxon dobby which i used for years is gonna be my grab and go for the countryside... back seat of the sedan. I will set up a MAK to be my planetary computer controlled scope in a backyard dome or something, for precision views of just planets, astrophotography and visual drawing. :D I want to map Uranus/Neptune and strange shadings on northern hemisphere of Saturn and try and see something on Titan, and Jupiter Moons. I caught glimpses of strange shadings in the dob on several of these objects so i'm gonna pursue this.

And that's it for me, a two scope solution. hehehehe :P

[overlord]

My ex was good at both those fill in the blank things except for one defect... she was a nut. :eyepop:

[overlord]

:sadeyes:

well..... i think 8" is massive! i got a 80s book and it say that 6 inch reflector is enough for a lifetime of enjoyment. and i got better hehehehehehehehehhehe

[mental4astro]

Two scopes?! Really!

This is how I do it:

1: 2" refractor

2: 5" SCT

3: 8" SCT

4: 8" dobbie

5: 10" dobbie

6: 17.5" dobbie

They all get used in the big smoke, and they all get used out bush too.

The wife, the missus, SWMBO!! One is enough. Really. How much pain do you want on top of all this cloud? :screwy:

Scopes are EEEAAAASSSSSYYYYY incomparison.

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Gotta second your descision on the Mak for planets.
As they say: Once you go Mak, you'll never go back!:D

As for life partners:
My wife got me through mail-order. She thought she was signing up for a for a club selling foreign spices.
Live and learn.

[Suzy]

Get an observing buddy that looks like a model, she'll be out there in a second. ;) :lol:

On the flipside Steve, and nothing against my hubby but I actually enjoy the peace and quiet- it helps me observe better without distractions.
Plus I don't get nagged :question:. And I don't get asked silly stuff like where did I put this and that and is dinner ready and how do I make this work and control the cats and why is the kitchen a disaster zone.. and..and.. :rolleyes: And let's not even talk about sharing the eye piece while I just sit there and freeze my butt off, frozen fingers tapping against the wet grass.. looking interested in what he's interested in can only take one so far :shrug: :rolleyes: :lol:
No surprise, I "allow" perhaps 2 sessions every 6 months with him, yep he should feel special. :question: I allow that, yep, yep. I just make sure I have my emery board handy.... :rolleyes: :lol:
I'm paying out on him, so don't tell him okay?!




:lol:
So she got you very cheap then Peter? :lol: :rofl:

[astroron]

I'm paying out on him, so don't tell him okay?!


Mmmmmm :P;):lol:

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Boxing Day, factory seconds special I assume.

One minute I was trying to choose between the grilled Icelandic Turbot and roast Guinea Fowl at Wilton's, the next I'm in a crate on plane headed for Australia with nothing but some stale Cheezles and shredded newspaper.
Most disconcerting.