Poll - what is your aperture?

[Kal (Andrew)]

What is the aperture of your scope? If you have multiple scopes, then please use your largest telescope aperture when you vote. Round off if you are inbetween somewhere

Past telescopes don't count, only interested in your current telescope!

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

My biggest is the 12.5 inch reflector Discovery truss dobsonian. Although it punches above its weight, I ticked 12 as it was the nearest whole number.

[tbentley]

I wonder what the results of this poll might have shown 10-15 years ago?

[Alchemy (Clive)]

f you were to poll whether or not they were visual or photographic (dob or driven), i think you would find a lot of the large ones are dobs, possibly more of the smaller mounted.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by Kal

Past telescopes don't count, only interested in your current telescope!

Current telescope - singular? Ahh.. you mean from the current flock....

[Kal (Andrew)]

I put current scopes and a 60 day limit on the poll so that this can be revisited a few years down the track. Can't go back in time to take a poll, but can plan for another one a couple of years into the future

I would say without a doubt that the average telescope size has increased over the last couple of decades, with John Dobson having the biggest impact!

[Screwdriverone (Chris)]

I only have 5 inches, but it seems that everyone else has at least 8-12 inches.....the age old male problem.

You guys must be getting more spam emails than me.

Chris

[Rodstar (Rod)]

In relation to the question about how the poll might vary 10 or 15 years ago, I have an old astronomy text which I bought in 1987 written by some Aussie amateurs (Reidy and Wallace, I think?), which discusses the equipment in use, as at that time. It was interesting to read over that section just recently and have a bit of a chuckle about how far things have come.

The biggest difference seems to be just how readily available, and reasonably priced, telescopes in the 8-12 inch range are now. It seems that perhaps 20 years ago a 6 inch scope was considered quite powerful.

[ving (David)]

Originally Posted by Kal

What is the aperture of your scope?

8 inch.. or to be more specific the distance from one side of the mirror to the other

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Originally Posted by tbentley

I wonder what the results of this poll might have shown 10-15 years ago?

10-15 years ago I had a 12.5" Dark Star dob in the UK, but I know what you're getting at. Chinese mass production has now made the 10-12" range the norm, taking over from the 8" workhorse as the serious first scope.

Today though I've regressed to an 80mm refractor!!!!!
Cheers
Doug

[vash (Ashley)]

My largest and oldest scope is the 10" skywatcher, though it is a tiny bit bigger than that.

[leon]

Yea, I only have a 4 inch Takahashi FSQ-106, Ah well I suppose we cant have everything.

Leon

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by leon

Yea, I only have a 4 inch Takahashi FSQ-106, Ah well I suppose we cant have everything.

Leon

Ah yes, Leon - but it's the way that you use it.

[Ric]

From 1968 to 1976 I had my trusty Tasco 2.5"

From 1976 to 2006 it was the Celestron C8 and since 2006 it has been the Meade LX200R 12".

Who knows what the future holds but if the lotto gods smile upon me I would like to move up to a 16" RCOS.

Cheers

[Craig.a.c (Craig)]

Currently using a Tasco 4.5", along with some 10x50 binoculars. Hoping to upgrade to a 10-12" Dobsonian in the near future.

[Matty P (Matt)]

Only 8 inches here... Can't go wrong with that.

[rogerg (Roger)]

12" .... wishing for 16" or 20" and upgraded mount to match

[§AB]

12" dob here

[Terry B]

200mm here. Don't you love metric

[Karls48 (Karl)]

Unfortunately 200mm SCT is about biggest scope I can move. If I have money for permanent observatory I would be going for 350mm.