TeleVue-85: The Perfect Small 'Scope

Started by rKGMzvFT5gL3s9, 04/04/2009 02:48AM
Posted 04/04/2009 02:48AM Opening Post
A new review of the TV-85:

http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1952


Michael Aaron McNeely
TeleVue Forum Moderator
Astromart.com
Posted 04/10/2009 12:59PM #1
Michael- I couldn't agree more with your article. The TV 85 is the scope I use the most due to it's quick setup time, color correction, and quality optics! Yes, it's small but, the older I get, the more I look for the ease in using a scope without sacrificing quality. It's also great to call TeleVue & feel you're talking to one of the technicians only to learn at the end of the conversation you've been talking to "Uncle Al" Nagler himself!!
Posted 04/10/2009 05:35PM #2
I'll agree that the TV85 is a great scope but my vote for the perfect small scope would have to go to the TV76. (Admittedly, the TV85 is by far the most popular, according to the TeleVue Yahoo Group Poll.)

My reasons are:

- It's 2 lbs. lighter and 4.5" shorter than the TV85.

- It has a field of view 1.1° wider and is brighter than the TV85.

- It is $425 (1-1/2 Naglers) cheaper than the TV85.

While participating in a public "100 Hours of Astronomy" event last weekend, I had my 6 year old (Nagler equipped) TV76 set up among a group of much larger scopes, including a 10" Dob, 8" SCT and a 6" (Achromat) Refractor, giving people views of the Moon and Saturn. People tended to gravitate toward the larger scopes, but when they finally got around to looking through my little TV76, most of them were shocked. The most common responses were "Wow!", "What kind of scope is this?" and "Why is the view better than the big scopes?". (I have no doubt that a TV85 would have generated the same responses.)

I guess it all boils down to personal viewing preferences.