Re: Terrestrial/Astronomical scope?

"bolt thrower" <tucansam@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:dlb23p$34d$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Howdy folks.
>
> I am a long range shooter and have been looking for a spotting scope to
> assist me in seeing target impacts at long distances. In addition, my
> work takes me into the deserts of Arizona at night, and I am finding my
> childhood interest in astronomy is coming back to life. Thus, I am
> seeking an optic that I can use at the shooting range during the day and
> in the desert at night.
>
> I need something that is portable, ideally moderately rugged (as it will
> be thrown in a padded case into the back of a service truck under
> various conditions of weather), and performs well.
>
> I had been looking at the Celestron Ultima 100 (or the ED but I've seen
> that at nearly twice the price), C5 Spotter, and C130 MAK. In addition,
> and after seeing some of the pricing, I began looking at the Weaver (or
> Meade) ETX-125.
>
> Really I guess it boils down to me not knowing too much about optics in
> general, these days anyhow. Of course I want as much magnification as I
> can afford, but I also want image clarity, particulary with terrestrial
> viewing on hot summer days looking across 500 meters of hot Arizona
> desert sand. I would also like to be able to find and view some of the
> objects in the night sky that I haven't seen since I was a kid, with a
> more advanced scope than the $50 refractor my folks bought me from the
> LaBelle's catalog twenty years ago :)
>
> So... looking for some sage advice from anyone willing to give it.
>
>
> Thanks!

I live in the low desert of Arizona, northwest of Phoenix...

I do a lot of long range shooting, out to, and in excess of, 1000 yards,
with big bore centerfires.

And I do a lot of astronomical observing, too...

I make no effort to do both with the same scope... You can DO some
astronomical observing with spotter scopes, and you can do SOME spotting
with astronomical scopes, but, by and large, it is probably best to try to
keep them separated by type...

You didn't say much about what you are doing out in the desert at night
where you might want an astronomical scope; or was that a scope that could
have DUAL purpose use out there... Surveillance, AND perhaps a little
looking at other stuff??? If you tell us what your REAL needs are, we can
do a better job of recommending something more well suited for your
specific needs...

Maybe something like the ED80 from Orion might meet your needs in both
cases...

But I would still probably recommend separate scopes for each interest...

--
Jan Owen

To reach me directly, remove the Z, if one appears in my e-mail address...
Latitude: 33.6
Longitude: -112.3


.

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