Questar is making a 5" scope

Prototype images and information are on Cloudynights.com Questar group. How long have people been speculating on this, 20-30 years? Apparently, the 5" was going to be the first machine in 1954, but they went with the 3.5" because it was going to be less expensive and more in-line with the audience the founder was targeting.

On Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 8:07:37 PM UTC-6, RichA wrote:
Prototype images and information are on Cloudynights.com Questar group. How
long have people been speculating on this, 20-30 years? Apparently, the 5" was
going to be the first machine in 1954, but they went with the 3.5" because it
was going to be less expensive and more in-line with the audience the founder
was targeting.

No doubt this will bring great joy to some, who seek something larger than their
original 3.5" scope, but less expensive and more compact than the later 7"
scope. Even the 3.5" one, of course, is only for those for whom money is not an
object in the search for the best possible quality, but, still, it's nice to
have choices.

John Savard

On Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 8:07:37 PM UTC-6, RichA wrote:
Prototype images and information are on Cloudynights.com Questar group. How
long have people been speculating on this, 20-30 years?

And here's a link:
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/574477-questar-5/

And in that thread there's some discussion about the fact that 5" Questar rumors
were around before. But the fact that this is basically an official, if
informal, announcement by Questar - no firm dates or pricing, but they're hoping
to have it sometime in 2018 - does seem to mean it will be real.

Apparently, the 5" was going to be the first machine in 1954, but they went with
the 3.5" because it was going to be less expensive and more in-line with the
audience the founder was targeting.

Well, Wikipedia says so, anyways.

John Savard

On Monday, 24 April 2017 02:26:36 UTC-4, Quadibloc wrote:
On Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 8:07:37 PM UTC-6, RichA wrote:
Prototype images and information are on Cloudynights.com Questar group. How
long have people been speculating on this, 20-30 years? Apparently, the 5" was
going to be the first machine in 1954, but they went with the 3.5" because it
was going to be less expensive and more in-line with the audience the founder
was targeting.

No doubt this will bring great joy to some, who seek something larger than their
original 3.5" scope, but less expensive and more compact than the later 7"
scope. Even the 3.5" one, of course, is only for those for whom money is not an
object in the search for the best possible quality, but, still, it's nice to
have choices.

John Savard

Yes, Questar tops the heap of scopes at about $2500/per inch of aperture, though a mounted Takahashi or other premium scope can come close.

Quadibloc:
Even the 3.5" one, of course, is only for those for whom money is not
an object in the search for the best possible quality, but, still, it's nice to
have choices.

Of course? Only? I beg to differ. In August, 1982, when I bought my
Duplex, there was no other telescope at any price and any quality level
that could do what the 89mm Questar Duplex could do. I was a world
traveler and I needed a telescope that would fit under an airliner seat
with its equatorial mount, ready to pull out and observe. I'm not sure
that there is another quality 'scope that can do that today, 67 years
after the Questar was introduced.

Fitting that I should mark my Questar's 35th anniversary by (I hope)
photographing the solar eclipse.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/primeval/7345488164

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm