[SJAAboard] plain text - Some Thoughts on Scope Types

[Nelsonastro at aol.com]

Some Thoughts on Scopes Types
 
Steven Nelson
 
Here is my personal take on how to think about the hoard of SJAA Loaner  
Scopes. Most of the categories come from descriptions by member Jay Freeman  
(Recommendations for Beginning Astronomers). A # may appear more than once. The  
on-line HTML version has many picture links embedded.
 
Beginners
B1 Most optical performance for a beginner’s  budget
Small to medium Dobson (Dob) [Newtonian reflector on  Alt-Az mount]
4.5” Dob kid or starter sized #43, #44   
6” Dob #11, #13, #32, #32 history!, #46  digital
8” Dob #12, #14, #36
 
  B2 Most optical performance for a given car to carry (or closet to  store)
Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope style on Fork Mount  (SCT)
4.5” SCT 1 motor drive #3
8” SCT 1 motor  drive #6, #34, #40
8” SCT Alt-Az Cyberscope #48
 
  B3 Moon/Planet, general back yard scopes [reflector or f/10 SCT with  
drives]
SCT 1 motor drive w/ wedge #3, #6,  #34
4.5”  reflector on GEM hand drive #44
6” reflector on 1 drive GEM  #23
8” reflector on 1 drive GEM  #35
8” SCT  Alt-Az Cyberscope #48
 
  B4 Binoculars
11 power x 80 mm lenses with tripod  #42
 
  B5 Cyberscopes (GO TO)
8” SCT 2 motor drives,  computer, slow motions #48
 
  B6 Quick Look Scopes
B7 Solar Telescopes
 
Intermediate
 
  I1 Most optical performance for a given size aperture
High  Quality Refractor on German Equatorial Mount
4” Flourite  refractor 1 drive GEM  #37
4”  Jagaers refractor (needs driven GEM, OTA in storage)
 
  I2 Most optical performance for an intermediate  budget
Medium Dobson (Dob) [Newtonian reflector on Alt-Az  mount]
10” Dob f/4- f/5 #28, #33,  #45
12”  Dob f/7 #7 [replaced]
13-14” Dob f/4 –f/5 truss disassembly [#28  rebuild]
 
  I3 Big Iron (Biggest scope you can fit in  car/van)
17-18” Dob truss disassembly #39, #41
 
  I5 AstroImaging
SCT style on  Fork Mount w/ wedge and PEC or precision worm  gears
8” SCT 2 motor drives, slow motions #29,  #40
11”  SCT Cyberscope #9
 
  I6 Cyberscopes (GO TO)
11” SCT, C11 Compustar  #9
 
  I7 Solar Scopes
H-Alpha 60 cm refractor w/ T-Star  #16
 
====
Public Star Party Scopes (from inventory, just  examples)
4.5” Dob kid size  #43
4.5”  reflector on GEM hand drive  #44
6” Dob  with a history #32
SCT 1 motor drive #34, #40
8”  SCT computer controlled Alt-Az #40
 
Here is my personal take on what might be missing or added.  Contact  the 
Board if you are interested in suggestions or donations to this  program.
 
B4 Binoculars: 8 power x 50 mm lenses with binocular charts
B6 Quick  Look Scopes: 90-150 mm SCT or short refractor with tripod
B7 Solar  Telescopes, Bader filters for some scopes, H-Alpha 30 mm refractor 
(PST) on  tripod
I5 Astrophoto: Refractor (short focus) on 2 drive GEM w PEC and CCD  guider 
input, SCT w/ focal reducer, CCD guider.
Reflector on 2 drive GEM w  PEC and CCD guider input.
I7 Solar Scopes: H-Alpha Coronado 60 mm refractor  on driven GEM 




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