"Simple Traveler" wrote in message
Roland's right, you're wrong.

That's funny! They were talking about two different uses.

Refractors are a better instrument for their size than newts or dobs.
they're better for photography, deployment, contrast, and ease of use.

"for their size" ie, to simply say refractors are better instruments is
like saying a top fuel dragster is the best car because it goes the fastest.
(and some here would agree! vbg)

At the same time, I don't want to bring the groceries home (or haul a
telescope to a dark site) in a dragster. A pickup will haul a lot more than
a dragster, even if it isn't as fast. In the same way, scopes have different
advantages.

Big dobs/newts are a drag to move around, the tracking is cumbersome,
and they require ladders/stools/etc to have on hand to cover the zenith,
or anywhere near it.

Yes, but if you want to haul out to a dark site and hunt for the faintest
DSOs, nothing beats a big dob.

Refractor images are excellent, they are portable, they are outstanding
visually AND photographically.

True, providing you aren't chasing something that takes 14" of aperture to
see.

In a nutshell, the refractor is the perfect ALL around scope.

Ah, now I get it. You're just a TROLL!

Clear Skies

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
And the Lunar Picture of the Day http://www.lpod.org/
************************************

That ability to go deeper either visually or photographically is not up
for debate, everybody on SAA agrees (or should) that big newts and dobs
go deeper(in less time photograpically, and all the time visually)

But that doesn't make them (for most users) appropriate, considering all
of their downsides.

The refractor is the perfect telescope, and people who buy expensive
ones usually have come to that observation on their own, with no
counseling from this group, or any other.

Nobody is going to spend three grand on a refractor (or not) based on
anything anybody in SAA has said, they're already way beyond that and
making up their own minds based on experience.

What happens at star parties indicates trends of a very, very small
percentage of star party attendees.

And you're wrong to boot.....the largest refractors, the newest
refractors, and the coolest refractors are always at big star parties,
so I don't know what you're talking about.
The fact that there is ten times as many scopes at a star party that
cost five times less than a big refractor isn't indicative of anything
beyond the fact that there's always less of the most expensive/desirable
item at any hobby gathering.