[SJAAboard] Loaners: "my original poor quality wide field refractor"

[Rich N]

It would be nice to have a reasonably good 80mm refractor on a good
mount.  Or, maybe two 80mm, one on an alt/az and one on an EQ mount.

We have one very nice 4" APO refractor in a GEM.  Maybe a good 4" achromat 
would be useful.  Or, maybe a good 120mm achromat?

Rich

> Rob,
> 
>  Several of us were a bit surprised (as we have said) with the
> sell-off of both the small "wide field refractors" at the auction.
> Your post of 5/20 makes it clearer why that decision was made
> (particularly if the refractors were exactly the same as the
> scope you started with as a beginner and sold in 2002).
> 
>  I believe that there have been several reviews of this  'generic'
> type of short focus acromat that have given them good reviews
> [of course review is specific to a particular OTA and design].
> The reviews I remember - talked about how the basic design
> philosophy was to 'forget about violet-far blue' correction and
> to just concentrate on the mid-visible.  This is NOT the  classical
> f/12 design goal.  It works best with a slight minus-blue filter
> (this gets rid of the annoying far blue fringe).
> 
>  The latest issue of Sky & Telescope has a cover article
> reference to a 'grab and go' scope and there is also another
> article inside mentioning the same category of scope.  I
> was wondering what Rob and Rich's take is on a 'better'
> version of this type of beginner scope. (still in beginner
> price range and small size)
> 
> Steven Nelson
> 
> 
> 
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