[Wavytone]

Hi Bill,

Fundamentally there is no real standard - it's all up to the seller as to what they're offering, and its fair to assume only what's listed is offered. If there's something you'd like but it's not clearly listed you had better ask - the seller might make a deal.

You should also try to find out what condition it is in, and frankly I wouldn't buy a used scope unless I've had the chance to look at a star at high power through it first, or perhaps someone I trust has. Likewise I'd want to try a mount and make sure the drives and handset are working properly.

There are a few reasons:

- first-surface telescope mirrors degrade with time and may need cleaning or stripping and re-coating which adds to the cost.

- some antireflection coatings on lenses (SCT, Maks, refractors and eyepieces) are permanently damaged by some spray-on insect repellants.

- some types of glass and especially fluorite objectives are easily damaged by well-intentioned but ignorant noobs trying to clean them. A fluorite objective can be completely wrecked by someone "cleaning" it who has no idea what they're doing.

- equipment that has been dropped or dismantled by a well-intentioned noob, but the result is a damaged item. For example eyepieces that have been dropped or have gunk inside them. Note all eyepieces under 12mm should NEVER be dismantled, but some have been by curious types.

Likewise refractor objectives that have been disassembled and reassembled carelessly, mounts with stuffed worm drives, stripped or crossed threads, worm wheels with the teeth worn or sheared off or a damaged worm, or clutches damaged as a result of excessive force applied.