[SJAAboard] Thoughts on requirements for scopes larger than 10"

[Craig Scull]

Great progress Rob. Thanks (again) for the Lightbridge addition to the program!

I am content to continue enjoying #7, if not eventually purchase it when/if it gets booted from the program.

#41 is a great way for someone to discover what size telescope is too big for them, and so serves a valuable purpose IMHO. This is still slated for a mirror inspection TBD.

Craig



----- Original Message ----
From: Rob Hawley (SJAA) <sjaa at robhawley.net>
To: Sjaaboard <sjaaboard at sjaa.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 3:37:58 PM
Subject: [SJAAboard] Thoughts on requirements for scopes larger than 10"

When I took over the program last summer the club owned 8 scopes with
diameters larger than 10".  All except the Compustar was a homebuilt and all
except the two largest were of very poor quality and/or low usability.  We
have done well in the last year trimming the non-working scopes.  Just to
review (I have marked the ones removed with an X) 

    Scope Number    Size        Description

    x26            11"        Stucco scope

    x9            11"        Compustar 11.  Heavy 
                        Difficult to set up
                        Needed rewiring

    7            12.5 f6.2    Extremely long scope. 
                        Currently on loan    to
Craig.  At Willow 
                        Springs since 2006.
    
http://www.sjaa.net/loaners/No-7.JPG


    x27            13"        Coulter with poor quality
mirror sold
                        to Albert

    28            13"        under construction

    x8            14"        Poor mirror and woodwork
sold at auction

    39            17"        Zeider scope.  Good mirror.
Outstanding
                        Mechanicals for loaner scope

    41            18"
http://www.sjaa.net/loaners/SCOPE41A.JPG
Heavier and much larger than the Zeider
                        Scope.  Unknown mirror
quality.
                        Would not fit in my Subaru.
                        Currently on loan to Craig

We also added scope 47 (12" LightBridge). 


    I feel the program would be best served by retaining a rebuilt 28,
the LightBridge (47) and the Zeider scope (39).  Each of these scopes breaks
into easily transported pieces and requires minimal storage space. I believe
they hit the mark on the services the program needs to provide.

    A 12" scope is large enough to give "big scope views" yet both the
LightBridge and 28 will be compact enough to be used by even beginners
without a ladder.  The Zeider scope (39) will give the feel of a big scope,
yet breaks into relatively light parts and stores in 3x3 feet.  Anyone that
would like to experience what a big scope feels like can get that feeling
from 39. My use of the Zeider convinced me to buy a 15".


That leaves two other scopes

    7 is a specialty scope.  Its high F ratio requires a ladder.  Its
long single piece tube will be hard to transport and store.

    41 may be a good scope, but there is limited demand for a scope of
that size.  The last time the scope was returned we had problems
transporting it from Houge.  Its size is only incrementally larger than 39.

Craig is currently storing both 7 and 41. As long as Craig is interested in
keeping them then I have no problems with him doing so.  If we have an
auction in 2009 then he should consider whether he wants to continue doing
so.

SUMMARY

A rebuilt 28, the LightBridge, and the Zeider scope will provide a robust
program while reducing our storage risk. This would reduce our 2006
inventory of 8 mostly poor scopes to 3 excellent ones. That includes
finishing the rebuild of 28.
            



Rob Hawley 



_______________________________________________
SJAABoard mailing list
SJAABoard at sjaa.net
http://sjaa.net/mailman/listinfo/sjaaboard_sjaa.net