Hehe, I suppose it does look really strange, someone owning a 150mm and suddenly dumping it for a 70mm. But there's actually a method to the madness (believe it or not) though I'm sure the dob owners will come over, chain me to a wall and try to smack some sense into me to go out and buy a dob
The story (in a short, condensed form) revolves around my old Optisan 150mm newtonian reflector that my parents bought (I can't really blame them, they didn't know what they were talking about) as a Christmas gift from a camera store staffed by a charasmatic shark for $600(!). The same telescope, albeit with slightly different branding (Optrons or something) went on eBay for $100. There were a lot of problems with the scope, it having a spherical mirror and incorporating a corrector lense, as well as a thick spider for the secondary mirror (which incidentally had a large and noticable chip in it), and the less said about the mount (which I've since broken and partially salvaged) and the finderscope (one word: plastic) the better. It frustrated me to no end, and then my Dad got the brilliant idea to clean the mirror with metho(?!) or something, turning it a coppery tinge. Interesting effect but after that (and arguing with the guy at the shop, who claimed that ONE company made the mirrors for ALL telescopes, even implicating Meade in this worldwide conspiracy) and asking for help on these forums (which were, and still remain the mose helpful place so far) I surrendered and fell back on my 10x50 binoculars for a while, which I was happy with since I didn't have a lot of time for observing at that point.
Further information? Want to read the entire epic saga?
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...4&page=1&pp=20
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ead.php?t=6291
The Optisan EQ part of the mount is lying rusting, like it should after proving that four bits of string and couple of washers would be more use. The tripod is serving as a binocular mount, but when I find it I'm going to use it as a mount for the ETX (since the tripod is still relatively sturdy, but the EQ controls were very, very poor). The optical tube is... um... actually I have no idea where it is. It's still complete, I haven't actually removed anything from it and I never really BROKE anything (unless you count the primary mirror turning a shade of copper as "broken") but I have no use for it. I think I might have broken the finderscope... though you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference anyway, considering how incredibly bad it was (it actually IMPARIED vision).
Anyway I've always liked the ETX line of telescopes (I think there's an article on this site about a certain charm watching the "cutest telescope" slewing around finding objects... it's true ya'know) and recently an ETX-70AT as new came up cheap... and since I made a bundle from a tax return I decided I'd get one. Since I already knew exactly what to expect from it (being only 70mm and short tube and all) I wasn't disappointed by it, and I just had a great time (though very, very cold time) outside tonight playing around with it, since the clouds stayed away.
And uh yeah... that's why Cheese is usually yellow. Or more specifically why I've come from a 150mm to a 70mm with a tiny bit of method to the madness
