Telescope Lending Library
Though most Eugene Astronomical Society members own a telescope, viewing through different scopes is interesting, eye opening, and fun. As members of the Eugene Astronomical Society, these are your scopes to check out, enjoy, and share the views with family & friends. Scopes can be checked out for a three-month period, renewable at the lending coordinator's discretion.
You must be a member of the club and must attend at least two club functions before borrowing a telescope. Scopes are not rented out — loans are free — but your membership must be active (i.e. dues paid) in order to borrow the telescope.
Contact our telescope lending coordinator, Dan Beacham for details. Use contact form on Contact page.
Variable Polarizer Moon Filter
A variable polarizer makes a great filter for dimming down a bright Moon for viewing comfort. By simply twisting the outer ring, you can dial in the exact amount of dimming you want. We have two of these filters in our lending library that we loan out separately from the telescopes. You can borrow just a filter, or you can borrow one with a telescope.
Both of our polarizing filters fit 1.25" eyepieces.
Revolution 2 Imager
The Revolution 2 Imager is a camera that goes into your telescope focuser in place of an eyepiece, and a small (7-inch) screen for viewing what the camera sees. This is called "Electronically Assisted Astronomy." The camera can build up an image over time with long exposures and it can stack up to six images on the fly, which greatly reduces noise in the image. It's great for seeing galaxies and nebulae that would otherwise be lost in the skyglow.
This system is completely self-contained. It comes with its own power supply, monitor, cabling, hand controller, and of course the camera itself. You can also save images if you hook it up to a computer.
It's our hope that people will bring this imager to star parties and show people some of the sights that can't be seen by eye, even through a telescope, in our light-polluted sky.
ATIK Infinity color CCD camera
The people who ran the Imaging the Sky Conference had some money left over, so they bought color cameras for the Salem and the Eugene astronomy clubs. Ours is an ATIK Infinity, a versatile and sensitive color camera that's relatively easy to use and takes great photos of deep sky objects. You can use this camera for electronically assisted observing (just looking at the image as it builds up on your screen over time) or for astrophotography.
The camera requires a 12-volt power supply and a laptop computer to run the software that comes with it. The club has a power supply that can be checked out with the camera if needed, but you'll need to supply the computer.
Here's an example of the Dumbbell Nebula shot with the ATIK Infinity.
Unihedron Sky Quality Meter
The EAS owns a sky quality meter for measuring the brightness/darkness of the sky at your observing site. This is the lensed version of the SQM that measures a small (~20°) area of sky and averages out the light it gathers and displays the result in magnitudes per square arc-second. Anything above 21.00 is pretty good. Our best observing sites out of town sometimes reach 21.7. Eugene's sky is about 17-18, which is pretty awful.
The sky quality meter is available on short notice and the loan period is until the next person wants to use it.
Vixen ED80 80mm (3") Refractor
Focal ratio: f/7.5 (600mm focal length)
Vixen makes top quality refractors. The ED80 is one of the best small refractors made. Its Extra-high Dispersion (ED) achromatic objective lens provides a crisp view of even the brightest objects, and its small size makes it easy to take out at a moment's notice. We've converted a sturdy equatorial mount into an alt-az mount for ease of use, so you can be set up and observing within minutes. Manual slow-motion controls let you track objects easily.
The scope's 600mm focal length gives a pleasingly wide field at low power yet can zoom in on the Moon and planets or split tight double stars at high power. The right-angle diagonal lets you look down comfortably into the eyepiece rather than strain to sight along the tube. This scope is easily portable in a trunk or back seat.
Accessories and Equipment list:
1.25" rack and pinion focuser
Red dot finder
Right-angle star diagonal
26mm Plossl eyepiece (23X)
17mm Orion Sirius Plossl eyepiece (35X)
10mm Orion Sirius Plossl (60X)
Alt-Az mount with adjustable tripod
Meade model 375 90mm (3.5") Refractor
Focal ratio: f/11 (1000mm focal length)
This nice lightweight refractor is perfect to leave set up and ready to take outside on a moment's notice. Its achromatic objective lens gives nice clean views with only a touch of color on the brightest of objects. It has a smooth alt-azimuth mount for easy aiming and easy following of objects. The scope's 1000mm focal length gives a pleasingly wide field at low power yet can zoom in on the Moon and planets or split tight double stars at high power. The right-angle diagonal lets you look down comfortably into the eyepiece rather than strain to sight along the tube. The prism diagonal provides an upright image for terrestrial viewing. This scope is easily portable in a trunk or back seat.
Accessories and Equipment list:
1.25" rack and pinion focuser
6 x 30 optical finder
Right-angle star diagonal
Upright prism diagonal
32mm plossl (31X)
25mm Meade MA eyepiece (40X)
12.5mm plossl (80X)
6.7mm plossl (150X)
Alt-Az mount with adjustable tripod
Meade ETX 90 (3.5") Maksutov (Non Go-To)
Focal ratio: f/14 (1250mm focal length)
This is a small but powerful scope that packs a long focal length into a short, lightweight package. The optics are excellent, providing crisp views of planets, the Moon, star clusters, and more. It's motorized but not computerized, so it will track whatever object you aim it at, but you have to do the aiming yourself. It has a 90-degree diagonal for easy visual use and a straight-through port for photography. It's lightweight and its tripod is collapsible, making it easy to transport. It also can be set up on small legs for tabletop use. It's in like-new condition.
Accessories and equipment list:
Adjustable tripod
Tabletop legs
8 x 21 erect-image finder
26mm Meade Plossl eyepiece (48x)
13mm Televue Plossl eyepiece (96x)
Meade 2x Barlow (doubles the power of each eyepiece)
Meade ETX 90 (3.5") Maksutov (Computerized Go-To)
Focal ratio: f/14 (1250mm focal length)
This is a small but powerful scope that packs a long focal length into a short, lightweight package. The optics are excellent, providing crisp views of planets, the Moon, star clusters, and more. It's computerized, so it requires initial alignment, but once it's aligned it will automatically go to any object within its 30,000-target database. It has a 90-degree diagonal for easy visual use and a straight-through port for photography. It's lightweight and its tripod is collapsible, making it easy to transport. It's in like-new condition.
Accessories and equipment list:
Hand controller
Computerized Alt-Az mount and adjustable tripod
8 x 21 erect-image finder
26mm plossl eyepiece (48x)
9.7mm plossl eyepiece (129x)
12-volt power cord (to run from car or jump-start battery)
Orion Giantview 25 x 100mm Binoculars
Field of view: 2.5°
These are truly enormous binoculars. It's like having two 100mm telescopes side by side, one for each eye. The eyepieces provide 25x magnification and a 2.5-degree field of view for excellent views of open clusters like the Pleiades, the Beehive, Coma Berenices, etc. The Andromeda Galaxy is unforgettable in these binoculars.
These are way too heavy and way too much magnification to hold by hand, so they come with a Bogen Professional tripod (model 3036). This tripod is solid as a rock and adjustable in multiple ways (individual leg angle in addition to a 3-axis head). It has seen some use, but is still perfectly serviceable.
The binoculars fit into a 21" x 12" x 8" hard case for storage and transport. If you want to see the night sky in stereo, this is your chance to do it large.
Meade 102mm (4") Refractor
Focal ratio: f/9 (920mm focal length)
This is a Meade achromatic refractor, with a low-dispersion doublet lens that offers sharp views of even the brightest objects. This one isn't perfectly color corrected, so there's a little blue fringing around bright objects, but it's way better than a basic doublet. And its 4" objective gathers more light than our smaller refractors and its 920mm focal length provides more magnification. Refractors are great for splitting double stars, examining star clusters, teasing out detail on the planets, and generally admiring the crystal clear, crisp view that only high-quality glass can offer.
The 102 comes on an Orion Skyview Deluxe equatorial mount. It's not motorized, so you aim the scope yourself and track objects with the fine motion controls. It's a nice, smooth, relatively lightweight mount that makes the whole setup easy to transport. Both scope and mount will fit easily in the back seat of a car.
Accessories and equipment list:
Orion Skyview Deluxe mount
1.25" rack and pinion focuser
1.25" star diagonal
6 x 30 straight-through optical finder
25mm Celestron E-Lux Plossl eyepiece (37X)
16mm Celestron Erfle (wide-field) eyepiece (58X)
10mm Orion Sirius Plossl eyepiece (92x)
Bushnell 4.5" "Purple Planet Eater" Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/8 (900mm focal length)
This is a great small reflector for quick grab-and-go observing. If you hold the door for them, a child could take this outside in one trip (base and tube each weigh less than 10 lbs) and set it up in a minute or two.
A red dot finder and smooth and steady motions make it easy to point to your target. Its 4.5" mirror gathers plenty of light for fine views of the moon, planets, star clusters and more. Easy to transport, this little dob will fit in most any car.
Accessories and equipment list:
Dobsonian mount
1.25" rack and pinion focuser
Red dot finder
26mm Meade Super Plossl eyepiece (35X)
13.8mm Meade Wide-field eyepiece (65X)
6.3mm Plossl eyepiece (143x)
Celestron Firstscope 4.5" Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/8 (910mm focal length)
Like the above scope, this is a great small reflector for quick grab-and-go observing. If you hold the door for them, a child could take this outside in one trip (base and tube each weigh less than 10 lbs) and set it up in a minute or two.
A red dot finder and smooth and steady motions make it easy to point to your target. Its 4.5" mirror gathers plenty of light for fine views of the moon, planets, star clusters and more. Easy to transport, this little dob will fit in most any car.
Accessories and equipment list:
Dobsonian mount
1.25" rack and pinion focuser
Orion 'Easy Finder II' red dot finder
32mm plossl (28X)
18mm Criterion ASP eyepiece (51X)
10mm plossl eyepiece (91x)
Meade 4.5" Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/8 (910mm focal length)
This is another great small reflector for quick grab-and-go observing. If you hold the door for them, a child could take this outside in one trip (base and tube each weigh less than 10 lbs) and set it up in a minute or two.
Smooth and steady motions make it easy to point to your target. Its 4.5" mirror gathers plenty of light for fine views of the moon, planets, star clusters and more. Easy to transport, this little dob will fit in most any car.
Accessories and equipment list:
Dobsonian mount
1.25" rack and pinion focuser
Optical finder
26mm plossl (35X)
9mm plossl eyepiece (100x)
Meade 127mm (5") Refractor
Focal ratio: f/9 (1140mm focal length)
When people think "Telescope," this is the image that comes to mind. A big, honkin' tube with a lens at the top and an eyepiece at the bottom. The Meade 127 ED/APO does not disappoint. This is our flagship refractor. Its 5" apochromatic doublet objective lens and f/9 focal length makes this truly a monster, and its high quality manufacturing makes it a joy to use.
Despite its size, it's a fairly lightweight scope (15 pounds), and it's mounted on a Celestron CG-4 equatorial mount, which is also relatively lightweight for an equatorial mount (31 pounds fully assembled, but breaks down to an 18-pound set of legs and a 22-pound accessory case that also includes all the eyepieces, battery, etc). The mount is good and solid, though, and provides a stable platform for the scope. The mount is motorized, so once you've polar aligned it it will track the stars accurately all night. A rechargeable NiMH battery and charger are provided.
The 2" diagonal allows the use of 2" eyepieces for wide-field views, and a 1.25" adapter allows you to use 1.25" eyepieces as well. We've provided one 2" wide-field eyepiece, one 1.25" wide-field eyepiece, and a standard 1.25" Plossl for high power.
If you want to try a BIG refractor, this is your chance. Due to the size and value of this scope, loans will be at the lending coordinator's discretion. You must demonstrate competence with this type of setup before borrowing this scope.
Accessories and equipment list:
Celestron CG-4 mount with tracking motors
NiMH battery for tracking motors
Charger for battery
AC power supply for use near house
2" rack and pinion focuser
8 x 50 optical finder
26mm 2" Meade QX wide-angle eyepiece (44x)
15.5mm Meade wide angle eyepiece (74x)
9mm Celestron Plossl eyepiece (127x)
Eyepiece rack built into mount
Orion Skyquest 6" Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/8 (1200mm focal length)
This is an excellent medium-aperture scope for both planetary and some deep sky observing. Its long focal length and high f-ratio allows for tack-sharp views of planets, star clusters, double stars, and Lunar detail; and its 6" aperture allows good views of the brighter nebulae and galaxies. It's a logical step between the 4.5" dob and the 8" scopes for someone looking to decide what they want for their own, or who just wants to borrow an easy-to-handle but powerful scope. It's lightweight, easy to transport, and easy to use. This scope is in excellent shape.
Accessories and equipment list:
1.25" rack and pinion focuser
6 x 30 optical finder
25mm plossl (48x)
9mm plossl (133x)
Moon filter
Eyepiece rack
Red penlight
Orion Skyquest 8" Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/6 (1200mm focal length)
The Orion Skyquest 8" is the scope we recommend when people ask "What scope should I buy?" Why? Because an 8-inch Dobsonian scope is an excellent choice for beginners and advanced astronomers alike. It's easy enough to use that it won't overwhelm a beginner, but its large aperture and high quality optics will satisfy even an experienced astronomer. It's not computerized, so there's less to go wrong. You have to aim it yourself, but that helps you learn your way around the sky and adds to the satisfaction of doing amateur astronomy.
This scope is in like-new condition and provides excellent images. The tube easily fits in the back seat of a car, and the rocker box fits in the trunk or the passenger seat.
Accessories and equipment list:
2" Crayford focuser with 1.25" adapter
Red-dot finder
32mm plossl eyepiece (38x)
20mm plossl eyepiece (60x)
10mm Orion eyepiece (120x)
Orion Skyglow Ultrablock filter (1.25" dia.)
Orion color filter set (blue, yellow, red, green) (1.25" dia.)
Hardin Deep Space Hunter 8" Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/6 (1200mm focal length)
Updated with a new wood base (Early 2011), this mid-size dob looks good and moves good. Ergonomic handles make moving scope easy; a good finder and fine optics make for satisfying viewing. The tube easily fits in the back seat of a car, and the rocker box fits in the trunk or the passenger seat.
Accessories and equipment list:
2" rack and pinion focuser with 1.25" adapter
8 x 50 optical finder (straight through, reverse image to match scope view)
32mm 2" 70-degree Eyepiece (38X)
25mm Astrola eyepiece (48x)
17mm Orion eyepiece (71x)
9mm Astrola eyepiece (133x)
Generic Barlow lens
Moon filter
Eyepiece rack
8" Classic Hippie Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/6 (1200mm focal length)
In the late 1960s, John Dobson started a revolution. With his simple altitude-azimuth mount, large aperture telescopes finally became portable. Amateur astronomy took off, and now the Dobsonian telescope is without a doubt the most popular design in the world. There have been many design enhancements since Dobson's first plywood and cardboard models, but the original design still works like a charm.
The club's classic Dobsonian was built in the 1990s during a telescope-making class taught by Dobson himself. Refurbished in 2019, it continues to provide excellent views and it moves as smoothly as any more modern scope. The tube is a cardboard concrete form. The altitude bearings are pipe fittings. The azimuth bearing is a phonograph record. The secondary spider is made with cedar shingles. The focuser is a simple cardboard tube you push and pull by hand. Yet this scope outperforms many brand new factory-built scopes.
At f/6 and with a well-parabolized mirror, the view through this scope will knock your socks off. And the view of this scope never fails to bring a smile at a star party.
Check out a piece of history! You'll love it.
Accessories and equipment list:
Push-pull cardboard tube focuser
Peep-sight finder
25mm Celestron SMA eyepiece (48x)
15mm eyepiece taken from binoculars (80x)
10mm Celestron SMA eyepiece (120x)
Eyepiece rack
8" "FrankenDob" Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/5 (1010mm focal length)
FrankenDob is a completely rebuilt telescope. It started with a donated tube and mirror, but the mirror needed refiguring, so we did that and had it recoated. Then we received a donated base from someone who had used their optical tube assembly for a different project. We built our own Crayford focuser for it, bought a new secondary mirror, gathered some eyepieces and a finder, and set it all out under the light of a full Moon. And thus FrankenDob was born!
FrankenDob is a great scope, with diffraction-limited optics, smooth motion in both axes, a smooth focuser, a good finder, and decent eyepieces. It has handles for easy carrying. The tube fits easily in the back seat of a car, and the rocker box fits in the trunk or the passenger seat.
Accessories and equipment list:
2" homemade Crayford focuser with 1.25" adapter
9 x 50 optical finder (straight through, reverse image to match scope view)
25mm plossl eyepiece (40x)
10mm plossl eyepiece (101x)
6mm Huygens eyepiece (168x)
Eyepiece rack
8" Sky Blue Dobsonian
Focal ratio: F/6 (1250mm focal length)
This scope came to us as just the optical tube assembly, which was fitted out for an equatorial mount. Large Newtonian scopes on equatorial mounts are a pain in the patootie to use, so we built a Dobsonian base for it and now it's as easy as pie. It comes with a Telrad finder, which is also easy to use.
The optics on this scope are nearly perfect. It provides crisp stars and perfect Airy disks at high magnification. If you're into splitting tight double stars or just want the highest contrast view you can get of the planets or star clusters or galaxies, this is a good choice.
The focuser is a combination rack-and-pinion and helical design. The drawtube racks in and out like a normal focuser, but you can also twist it for extremely fine focus. Given the mirror's high quality, this is a distinctly useful feature. Also, unlike most rack-and-pinion focusers, there's virtually no image shift when changing directions.
The scope comes with two eyepieces (25mm and 10mm) and an eyepiece rack.
The scope is 51" tall. The base is 26.5" tall with 18" diameter ground boards. The scope weighs 20 pounds and the base weighs 18 pounds. Both have convenient carry handles, so you can carry the entire setup in two hands and you're well balanced.
Accessories and equipment list:
Telrad finder
1.25" rack-and-pinion focuser with helical focuser built in
25mm plossl eyepiece (50x)
10mm plossl eyepiece (125x)
Eyepiece rack
8" Orion Skyquest XT8 Intelliscope
Focal ratio: F/5.9 (1200mm focal length)
This is a computerized Dobsonian telescope. The scope isn't motorized, so you nudge it along to track objects just like any Dobsonian, but once you align it on the stars the hand controller will help you find any object in its database. You select the object, then watch arrows on the controller as you push the scope into position. If you're just starting out in amateur astronomy, this is a good option for helping to learn where things are in the sky. Once you learn your way around, it can be used without the controller like a traditional Dob.
The optics are excellent, and the motions are smooth. The scope fits into the back seat of a car and the base fits into the trunk or passenger seat.
Accessories and equipment list:
Hand controller
9 x 50 right angle finder
2" rack-and-pinion focuser with 1.25" adapter
25mm plossl eyepiece (48x)
10mm plossl eyepiece (120x)
5.2mm Orion Lanthanum eyepiece (231x)
Color filter set
Starry Night software
PC adapter cable
8" Orange Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain
The classic orange Celestron is the scope that started the Schmidt-Cassegrain revolution, with good optics and decent aperture in a small package is easy to set up and easy to use. A long focal length allows easy high magnification for great views of planets, tight double stars, and detail within nebulae and clusters. An equatorial wedge and motor drive give precise tracking, holding objects in the field of view for observing. The drive system runs on 12 volts or 110, so you can plug it into an extension cord if you're near home, or a car battery if you're out in the field. Precise controls for both right ascension and declination allow for guided astrophotography.
Fits easily into any car for transport. Light enough to leave set up and carry out into the back yard for quick peeks. If you've ever wanted to try a Schmidt-Cassegrain, this is an excellent opportunity.
Accessories and equipment list:
Smooth internal focuser
8 x 50 optical finder (w/focuser)
32mm plossl eyepiece (63X)
20mm plossl eyepiece (100X)
10mm plossl eyepiece (200X)
Motor drive for tracking (not go-to)
Power cords
Dew shield
The 10" Trackball
Focal ratio: f/4.7 (1200mm focal length)
This is a new design developed by the EAS's own Jerry Oltion. It puts standard Newtonian optics in a ball-shaped mount, which rests in a cradle that allows free motion in any direction. You can even rotate the scope to provide a convenient eyepiece angle for any target. The mount has a motorized axle that provides tracking. Just point the scope at your target, let go, and it's tracking. This is the ultimate in grab-and-go scopes: setup takes about 30 seconds. The scope fits easily in the back seat of a car and the mount fits in the trunk or passenger seat. The motor runs on 6 AA batteries (provided) or an external 12v battery.
The optics on this scope are excellent. You can see the E and F stars in the trapezium with it, and split the double-double in Lyra with ease.If you've never used a ball scope before, prepare to be amazed. They're light-years beyond dobs and equatorial mounts in comfort and ease of use. If you bring a stool or chair, you can observe sitting down.
Accessories and equipment list:
Motorized mount for tracking
"Quick mount" for holding scope when off main mount
1.25" rack and pinion focuser
Innovative glow-in-the-dark finder
25mm GSO Super plossl eyepiece (48x)
12.5mm Series 500 plossl eyepiece (96x)
6.3mm Orion Sirius plossl eyepiece (190x)
Moon filter
External power cord for 12-volt battery
User's manual
The "Little 10" -- 10" Folding Truss Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/4.5 (1150mm focal length)
In 2008, this scope was transformed from a 75 lb light bucket to this modern, 41 lb folding truss tube dob. Easy to carry, easy to transport, this short 10" can really go low-power for bright, wide field views. Finding targets is easy with Quickfinder bulls eye sight and upright 6 x 30 finder. Will fit in any car, easy to take camping, or to that dark sky site. The pictured box stores the secondary cage, eyepieces, and finders; can also be used as platform to raise telescope-viewing height.
Accessories and Equipment list:
2" rack and pinion focuser with 1.25" adapter
6 x 30 RACI Finder
32mm plossl (36X)
15mm plossl (77X)
7.5mm Orion Epic (153X)
Collimation laser
Storage bag for folding trusses
Assembly & collimation instructions
Big Orange 10" Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/6 (1500mm focal length)
Originally built in early '80s by Club members, this scope was refurbished in late 2008 with a new solid base, secondary mirror, and other upgrades. Optically excellent, Big Orange is great for high power views of the moon, planets and double stars. With 10" of aperture, it also gives good views of deep sky nebulae, galaxies, and clusters.
A sizable telescope (68" long, ~72 lbs), it requires a small pick-up, van, or station wagon (it just fits in a Subaru Outback) to transport. Wheels allow easy movement on smooth ground (garage to driveway).
Accessories and Equipment list:
2" rack and pinion focuser with 1.25" adapter
6 x 30 Finder
32mm 2" Wide field Erfle eyepiece (47x)
14mm Epic eyepiece (109X)
7.5mm Plossl eyepiece (203X)
Telrad
Moon filter
Accessory bag
Collimation tools
10" Cosmos Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/4.5 (1150mm focal length)
A fine, veteran scope, the White Ten has been around. It's shown kids the moon & planets at star parties, and for one club member every Messier object (82 in one marathon back in 2002). Recent upgrades include handles on telescope tube and base for ease of carrying, and new coating on primary mirror. This scope features a curved spider (no diffraction spikes) and an open tube for quick cooling. The 15" x 15" x 37" base will fit in most trunks; the 45" tube in most back seats. Total weight ~ 55 lbs.
Accessories and Equipment list:
1.25" rack and pinion focuser
Meade 2X barlow - giving 92X, 135X w/above EPs
25mm Meade MA eyepiece (44X)
17mm Explorer eyepiece (68X)
6.4mm plossl (181X)
Telrad finder
10" Meade LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Focal ratio: f/6.3 (1600mm focal length)
This is a computerized, go-to, ten-inch Schmidt Cassegrain. You align it on the sky at the beginning of the night and from then on it will go to whatever object you tell it to and track that object for as long as you like. It's in like-new condition and provides excellent images. It would make a great scope for photography or just visual use. The high-quality eyepieces provide a nice wide field of view, and at f/6.3 its focal length is actually quite short for a Schmidt-Cassegrain of this size. It's near the upper limit for what a single person can set up and take down; it's much easier with two people. The scope comes in a hard case, the accessories in another, and the tripod in a bag.
Accessories and Equipment list:
Internal focuser
JMI Motofocuser
Telrad finder
8 x 50 straight through Finder
2" diagonal with 1.25" adapter
32mm plossl eyepiece (50x)
26mm Meade super plossl (61x)
18mm Meade super wide angle (89x)
9mm Orion plossl (178x)
2" Televue "Big Barlow"
12mm Meade illum. reticle eypiece (133x)
18-volt power supply (requires 110-volt AC)
Assorted filters
Dew shield
12" Meade Lightbridge
Focal ratio: f/5 (1524mm length)
A 12-inch telescope is a big step up from an 8", and even the difference between this and a 10" is readily apparent. Its extra light-gathering ability pulls in more faint galaxies and nebulae, and makes even the brighter ones more pleasing to look at. It will split tighter double stars, and offers jaw-dropping high-magnification views of the Moon and planets.
Meade's Lightbridge series of scopes are designed to provide serious aperture in an easily portable package. This scope comes apart into four separate pieces: the base, the mirror box, the trusses, and the secondary cage. Each piece fits easily in a car seat or all together in the trunk or the back of a station wagon or SUV.
Assembly and disassembly is relatively simple, and the scope is easy to use. It glides smoothly on roller bearings in the azimuth direction and on Teflon pads in altitude, so it takes very little effort to slew and track objects. It comes with a simple red-dot finder and a smooth 2" 2-speed Crayford focuser.
Accessories and Equipment list:
2-speed Crayford focuser
Red dot finder
30mm 2" Olivon widefield eyepiece (51x)
15mm Gary Russell Super-Wide eyepiece (102x)
Scopestuff laser collimator
Eyepiece rack
12" Zhumell Dob
Focal ratio: f4.9 (1500mm length)
This is a BIG dob. It's a serious light bucket, gathering over twice as much light as an 8-inch scope, yet it's surprisingly portable. One person can carry the tube and set it into the base. This scope will give excellent views of galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, and many other objects that are too faint for smaller scopes. If you're interested in going deep, this is your chance to try it out. It's as simple to set up and use as any dob, just bigger. The tube takes up the entire back seat of a full-sized car, and may need to go lengthwise with the seat down. A mini-van, SUV, or station-wagon would carry it easily.
Accessories and Equipment list:
2-speed Crayford focuser
9 x 50 right-angle finder
30mm 2" widefield eyepiece (50x)
17mm plossl eyepiece (88x)
9mm plossl eyepiece (167x)
Eyepiece rack
"Big Blue" 12.5" Dodecagon Split-tube Dobsonian
Focal ratio: f/6 (1910mm focal length)
Another club member built scope, this 12-sided (dodecagon) split tube is a marvel of woodworking -- and houses a powerful telescope. 12.5" of aperture brings the "wow!" to deep sky observing, and fine optics (and stable motions) can deliver serious magnification for lunar, planetary, and double star enjoyment.
Refurbished in late 2011 with wheels, new mirror coatings, and a new paint job, this 20-year veteran is ready to roll though more decades delivering great views of the universe.
A short stepladder is needed for the 78" eyepiece height at zenith. A van (minivan with rear seats out) or pick-up is needed for transport. Backyard use only requires ability to roll from garage to observing spot.
Accessories and Equipment list:
1.25" rack and pinion focuser
Telrad finder
8 X 50 straight through Finder
32mm Orion plossl eyepiece (60X)
17mm Orion Explorer eyepiece (112X)
10mm Plossl eyepiece (191X)
Accessory bag
14.7" Truss Tube Dobsonian
Focal ratio: 4.7 (1760mm focal length)
The scope was built as a group project in early 2016 around a mirror started by Sam Pitts and finished by Optic Wave Labs for Jim Jackson, who then donated the mirror to the club. 8-10 club members joined forces to build the rest of the scope, and they did a great job. This scope is easy to set up and it moves smooth as butter. The optics are excellent, giving tack-sharp views at any magnification. This is a real light bucket, giving our larger 18" scope strong competition for the best scope in our inventory.
We call this scope "Orion" because of Bill Basham's gorgeous photo of the Orion Nebula that adorns the dust cover, and for the Orion-shaped pattern of knots in the secondary cage. When taken apart, Orion fits snugly in the back seat of a medium-large car or easily into the back of a station wagon or SUV.
This scope can be used with an equatorial platform (provided upon request) to track the stars while you're observing. The platform adds about 6" to its height, which may require a stool to reach the eyepiece near the zenith, but no ladder should be required even so.
Accessories and equipment list:
Equatorial platform
Light shroud
2" 2-speed Crayford focuser
Telrad finder
2" Televue 32mm Wide Field eyepiece
2" Televue 16mm Nagler eyepiece
2" 9mm Nagler 2" or 1.25" eyepiece
5mm generic 1.25" eyepiece
Zhumell laser collimator
2" focuser plug collimator
The Big 18" Dob
Focal ratio: f/5.5 (2500 mm focal length)
This 18-inch Dobsonian is the club's flagship scope. Purchased from Frank Szczepanski in 2008 and rebuilt by Tony Dandurand in 2009, this is big glass of the finest quality. It's easy to assemble, easy to use, and it provides WOW views of pretty much everything. It fits into a station wagon or a van or SUV, and it has wheels and handles so it can be rolled short distances while set up (i.e. from garage to driveway). This is a serious telescope and requires some knowledge and skill to use, but if you're familiar with medium-sized Dobsonians and you want to try a large aperture, this is the scope to borrow.
Borrowers must be active club members for at least one year, and loans are made at the discretion of the telescope lending coordinator. Borrower must make an effort to take the scope to star parties.
Accessories and Equipment list:
2" Crayford focuser with 1.25" adapter
9 x 50 right angle optical finder
Telrad finder
2" Televue 35mm panoptic (71)
1.25" Televue 19mm Panoptic (132x)
1.25" Orion 13mm Stratus 68-degree (192x)
1.25" Burgess 9mm Planetary (278x)
Step ladder
