travel scope

What's the biggest refractor that can still be successfully carried on an airplane?
I've been looking at 4 and 5" refractors. I guess there's no chance of an FS128 being carried on, but is there any problem with a fairly fast (f6ish)4"?
I want to go somewhere where Mars will be higher this summer...but the scope needs to be able to show some detail? Am I wanting the impossible?
Mary

Mary,

Where are you at and where do you plan on travelling to? I ask only because if I had a N11 and was really interested in getting to lower latitudes for the mars opposition, I would seriously consider taking my N11 on a road trip down to arizona/new mexico.

Of course, this may not be possible based on your location.

Steve

One think you might check out is to stop thinking about carry-on luggage and start thinking about buying your scope a ticket. That's what professional cello players do, and I think the airlines might cooperate.

I asked Southwest about this not too long ago, and the person I was talking to on the phone said it would be OK. The problem of course is knowing whether everybody down the line will get the memo.

You might even be able to call your scope your baby and get a child discount or something!

Steve

Hi Mary. Last weekend I took a C8 in a duffel bag on Air France as carry-on luggage. It just fit. If there's an airport near you, you could go and measure the rack they use for determining the size of carry-on luggage, then compare to the published size specifications of the scopes you are considering.