5/15/00
Below are
my current "favorites". I no longer own most of these, but still stand
out in my mind. While I love a number of scopes, eyepieces, and binoculars,
these came straight to the top of my list. As the list changes, I will
update.
MY FAVORITE AIRLINE PORTABLE SCOPES:
ASTROPHYSICS TRAVELER (105MM F/5.8 APO
REFRACTOR)
TELEVUE 85 (85MM F/7 APO REFRACTOR)
TAKAHASHI SKY 90 f/5.6
(Note: A/P Stowaway still too hard
to get, Teleport 7" is not out yet. Both the Traveler and the Televue 85
fit easily in overhead airline storage bins (Sky 90 too) The Traveler is
a bit heavy, and "challenging" to buy)
FAVORITE REASONABLY PRICED SCT:
9.25" FROM CELESTRON
(Great all around telescope for the
cost, does it all)
FAVORITE REFRACTORS:
5" TAKAHASHI FS128/FC125
5" F/6 ASTROPHYSICS EDF
6" ASTROPHYSICS EDF
6" TAKAHASHI FS152
6" TAKAHASHI FC150
(High contrast, great ccd scopes, and
great planetary in mediocre "seeing" conditions)
FAVORITE MID-LARGE DOB:
14.5" STARMASTER EL HYBRID (ZAMBUTO MIRROR)
(On the ground observing, all around
observing scope, breaks down easily for travel, GOTO tracking)
FAVORITE SMALL DOB
STARMASTER 7" (NO LONGER MADE, BUT AVAIL.
2ND HAND)
(DGM optics Dobs are similar
in fit and finish, and are off-axis with no obstruction, check them out)
FAVORITE LOWER COST SCOPES:
TELEVUE RANGER
MEADE ETX
ORION SHORT-TUBE 80MM
(What can I say, good for the little
bit of money spent. I especially like the Ranger)
MY MOST USED EYEPIECES
22mm Televue Panoptic
14mm Televue Radian
4mm Televue Radian
(Radians perform superbly on-axis,
have great eye relief, and a wide field, but have off-axis "color".
The 22 Panoptic matches my exit pupil in most scopes best for deep sky.
It has some pin-cushion distortion, but is otherwise sharp across the field
with high resolution and contrast, enough eye relief and a wide field)
MY FAVORITE BINOCULARS
12x50 Superior E (NIKON)
(Not perfect, but close. Easy to hand-hold,
almost sharp to the edge)
MY FAVORITE MOUNT
Astrophysics A/P 900 GTO
(Not perfect, but nearly so. A great
GOTO mount but pricey.)