So... having started a new job recently, I had decided to upgrade my telescope. I've owned an 8" Dob for 20 years, but for several reasons didn't bring it to the Southern Hemisphere when we came last year. Being a lover of everything deep sky, I thought of going with the 12" Lightbridge, for a combination of affordability and aperture. But of course, on having the chance to go to Bintel, it was out of stock...
I'll paraphrase the subsequent conversation I had with my wife (chief brain and breadwinner in our house):
OH: "What's the next one up?" [She asked, and didn't previously know anything about the Lightbridge scopes!]
Me: "
The 16-inch, but that's too expensive, it's $2000"
OH: "Would you like it?"
Me: "
Well, ye-es, it would be a lifetime ambition to end up with a 16-inch scope." [Me being big into deep-sky astronomy]
OH: "So the 12-inch would be just a stepping-stone"
Me: "
Yes and no, it would also be a fair bit more portable too."
OH: "Seems a waste to buy the 12-inch only to change it down the line for another scope. Why don't you just get the bigger one now? We have a garden that's suitable, and you'll get a lot of use out of it."
Me:
Well, you can imagine how the day ended...
And as for my wonderful other half, simply
. But then I did marry a planetary scientist! And I'll be indebted to my other half a great deal for a fair while. I'm in awe of yesterday, and though last night was customarily cloudy, the forecast for tonight is clear. Apologies to the Melbourne crowd for last night's rain, and if clouds not present on the satellite materialise from somewhere this evening, you'll know why!
The telescope's collimated and ready to go for tonight, and I've bought a strap that I can loop round the altitude bearings and over my shoulders to make the OTA fully 1-person portable over short distances. Now to learn how to use 16" of light-gobbling joy...