Travel-scope research continued

Hi Guys and Gals

In a search for the ideal set of 3 or 4 telescopes, I am now working through the issue of a travel 'scope (on this forum are several of my posts on this topic). I observe about 80x a year, and have settled on an AP 130 f/8 and a Starmaster 16 inch for home use. They're fabulous telescopes.

I observe on the road only 2 or 3 nights a year. To my mind a travel telescope should be rugged and easily replacable, if not cheaply priced; or it should be useful in more friendly observing circumstances at home, thus serving two purposes. I want fine optical quality and large aperture, of course, since one of the appeals of travel is to see DSOs that don't come above the horizon in Western Massachusetts. And a silky pony would be nice, while I'm wishing...

Right now I use a TeleVue 85 refractor for travel; I am reluctant to use the AP Traveler or Stowaway which I have auditioned for travel because they are much more costly and hard to replace. The TV85 has excellent optical quality and nice wide fields (ditto the APs; the Stowaway's clarity especially blows me away), but only 85 mm of aperture. And it needs a seperate mount, one more thing to carry around; on a recent trip, I was more limited by the Gibraltar mount than by the TV85 itself, which fit nicely into an easy-to-carry soft case. At home I use the 85 for quick peeks or fit it with a white light solar filter to observe the sun in tandem with a MaxScope, but otherwise I don't use it. The Traveler is much more useful at home, but I find it too heavy to carry about and will probably not keep it much longer.

A friend suggests I buy a Questar. How does the Questar 3.5 fit in my needs? Does the small aperture limit DSOs as much as I fear it will? It's f/13 or so, will I regret having such a narrow FOV (my other telescopes are f/8, f/4.5, f/7)? Is the tiny tripod adequate? Would I be better off for travel with this, with one of the refractors or with, say, an IntesMicro MN56 (weight 11#, $800, 5 inch aperture, f/6)? Or am I best off now, with the TV 85? Has anyone used the Q3.5, the TV85, the Stowaway, the Traveler, or the MN56 on the road?

In a word, what is the finest travel scope? And is it something I would use at home?

I am posting this question on the Questar, AP, TV and Russian Optics fora. All answers will be appreciated.

Ciao

Robert Howe

Hi Robert, I too have been searching for an airline pertable travel scope and so for have had these expieriences.
MN56- Great optics, but to long for airline carry-on. I sold it.
Intes Micro M615 (30% obstruction)- Great scope so far (I've had it 2 Months), comes with airline carry on case, 1/8 wave, and mounts well on short heavy duty tripod with UA Unistar Deluxe altaz mount. Negatives are cooldown and narrow fov, weight similar to your traveler.
TV85- still my favorite, does everything well but aperature limited.
Possible But more expensive solutions:

UTI 8, Borg 125ED, TMB 130F6 with
removable focuser.
Dream Travel scope- If Pete Smitka can make a Portaball 8 with a smaller sphere that can qualify as airline carry on.

The search continues. Ramon

One more option, sell the AP 130 and get the TMB 130F6LW with removeable focuser, also a good insurance policy on it. I am contemplating selling a Teleport 10" to do the same. The sky in NJ rarely allows the Teleport to to surpass my Nexstar 11 on planets. Ramon

Bob, you might consider the Q3.5 for travel. It is total compact system,mount scope, accessaies in easily portable case. Always available used on A-mart or ebay.Probably resell it for what you payed. Still pretty expensive for 3 times a year.No refractor with Gem, tripod as portable. Happy hunting, Joe

Have you thought of the Tak Sky 90mm. Apo, 3.5 inch apature, compact, light, wide field views at f/5, faily rugged and a relative bargin compared to the AP line.

howard

Ultimate Travel scope, I emailed Pete Smitka, the maker of the Portaball, wanting to find out if the Portaball 8"F5 can be made Airline carry-on. Here is his reply:

Ramon -

Actually, it (as well as the 10" and even the 12.5") already is a "carry on" scope. The only difference between your thought and actuality, is that you don't carry on the entire
telescope - but only the mirror in it's cell in a wood box like we ship it, and perhaps the pole tube (though in the 8" f/5 that wood easily fit in a suitcase) and the rest goes as
luggage. In the configuration it is shipped in, there is even room for a sleeping bag and some clothes in the spheres container.

Call me for additional details.
Peter Smitka

So if you are willing to do a little more work, you have The ultimate travel scope. Wide field of about 2.5 degees, Zambuto optics limited only by the atmosphere, curved spider for no diffraction spikes,and the smoothest altaz mount on the planet, I think I found my ultimate travel scope! Ramon