What's your favourite scope of all time?

[gregbradley]

I thought it may be an interesting thread to find out what has been your favourite scope of all time?

Perhaps it needs 2 categories, one for imaging and one for visual.

Greg.

[MortonH]

Televue TV-85. Optically the best scope I've owned. Small aperture, but so sharp and contrasty. Sold it years ago but still miss it!

[dannat]

Probably either the ed100 skywatcher I had or a WO 66 (little gem)

[Omaroo]

You're kidding ain't ya Greg? LOL!! :lol:

I don't buy scopes I don't like, so they're all my favourite. If I had to pick a favourite favourite I'd say my FS-102. I do miss it so.

[leon]

Definitely my Takahashi FSQ-106, awesome optics, and spot on for imaging.

Leon

[barx1963]

Usually the one I am looking through at the time! Especially if it is bigger than mine;)

[Max Vondel]

Well like I told my girlfriend (current wife) at the time ................

"Love me, Love my telscopes,....We come together!"

This usually extends to 6 to 10 telescopes at any point in time

My current favourite over the last year or so has been the Takahashi TOA 130S. Takes great images but more importantly for me, it's a great visual scope being a mainly visual astronomer. ( but heavy and a ***** to lug out at 4AM ) Fantastic colour correction and great contrast: Very Sexy optics if it could be described as such ...............

;)

[supernova1965]

It would have to be the one I own at the time I think about it because I consider myself lucky to have one.

[SkySearcher]

I always enjoyed the lovely crisp view through my Dads 4" unitron. Lovely old scope.

[Terry B]

I don't change scopes much. I've only sold one and still have the relpacement- a VC200L. Still very happy with it.

[casstony]

C11 for combination of aperture and portability. At some point my favourite scope may have a larger aperture though.

[Merlin66]

I've already been measured for the box... to ensure the TV Genesis, serial #1007 goes with me.

[Poita]

Honestly it would be my stupid little PST. It has given me so many hours of enjoyment, and unlike just about every other object in the sky, the sun is constantly changing so every viewing is a totally new experience.
I must get onto replacing the black box section though...

[marcheenek]

The one I made ;)
Or someone else's dob 25" of aperture and up :D

[mldee]

The 5.1m (200 inch) f3.3 Hale Cassegrain at Mount Palomar, Southern California: http://www.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/hale.html and especially http://www.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/history.html

Solid Pyrex 5.1m reflector built pre WWII, dragged across the country by train then up the 5,600ft mountain on what is still a very narrow, windy road that has ice in the winter. They ground it to final shape there over 4 years, while building the observatory, which in itself is a thing of beauty. (See my avatar).

It was the world's largest telescope until 1993.

Even today you can wander in and take a look at it without a sign of a guard or a question. I've been fascinated with it since I was a young boy.

It was on my bucket list and has now been ticked on numerous occasions.

[gbeal]

Since you asked, my Zeiss ED80/840.
One of about a dozen lenses made evidently, with about half actually getting into a tube. Mine in tube, with finder, and oak case. Wonderful, and I'll find a piece and post.
Gary

[LightningNZ]

The 6" F/18 Cooke refractor that once belonged to the late Peter Reed. When Peter died in 1981 I was 2 years old, but when comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 was to crash into Jupiter in July 1994 I got to operate this amazing telescope during the public viewing sessions at Carter Observatory (it became the first scope I ever learnt to use).

Back then it was painted in an ugly coat of beige paint, but the old clock drive still worked perfectly. It has since been restored back to it's original brass and black paint by Gordon Hudson.

There is still enough false colour even at F/18 that Alberio can look blue and pink to me. It is a superb instrument for observing the planets and while it weighs an ungodly amount, and is bulky and cumbersome by modern standards, it is a truly beautiful instrument to both look at and use. I feel truly honoured to have had so many wonderful occasions both using the scope and showing the public through it.

Cam

[Astroman]

The HST has to be my favourite all time scope.

[ballaratdragons]

I really should be saying my favourite is the 4" Reflector I made back in 1984 because it was my first scope and gave me all my first breathtaking views and because I built it myself,

or my 12" Dob Autographed by John Dobson because it finally allowed me to see all those faint little fuzzies with ease,

but I do honestly prefer my ED80.

Not so much for visual as I don't believe it is a great visual scope, but for it's fantastic astrophotography potential.
Toucam, DSLR, and now AstroVideo, it does it all well. And they are cheap :thumbsup:

[Tom Davis]

AP155, for sure.

-Tom

[gregbradley]

My TEC180FL would have to be my favourite. Its a versatile instrument, large aperture for an APO yet still "portable". Views are very good and for imaging it'll do both widefield and the larger galaxies.

AP140 would be my 2nd choice. Unbelievably sharp views visually. Even though I'd had several excellent scopes, visually it took me by surprise at how pinpoint stars can look.

Greg.

[HCR32]

12 inch newtonian at the Melbourne observatory, dont know if the seeing on the night was excellent but that scope imprinted something that says this is what planetary visual should look like. :eyepop:

almost left it out C14. Good all rounder. Minus the norrow field.

[Kevnool]

The gear on my signature that says it all.

Cheers

[bert]

2 Months ago I would have said my vixen fl102. Colour free images, sharp optics etc...

Now I would say my Astro Physics 130. I didnt know stars could be so small.

Brett

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Toss-up.
AP155 or IM815D
The AP gave spectacular star fields, the 815 spectacular lunar and planetary & DSOs.
Mind you, if I could have gotten my 12" dob to stop shaking and twirling.....

[Kal]

Of all the scopes I've owned or currently own (10" LX200R/C11/AP130GT/SV90TBV/ETX90) I would say my C11 - a nice compromise for visual/portability and a solid performer for planetary imaging.

[Gem]

On my 4th scope, and it is my favourite so far: CGEM 925. HOWEVER... there are negatives to it (cooling time, lack of aperture) so I think my real favourite is yet to come!!

[Peter Ward]

My AP130.

I suspect even Roland thought it was special as he gave me the test data: strehl of 0.99

[h0ughy]

I must say it isn't the top shelf of scopes but i do like my 127ED meade knockoff, then the ED80 still yet to really use my C11 and meade 14". I can always dream of a TOA 150.....