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Pluto's Discoverer's Backyard Telescope For Sale

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the secondhand-bragging-rights dept.

Schart writes "My dad, an amateur astronomer/astrophotographer, sent me this link detailing the potential selling of Clyde Tombaugh (the man who discovered Pluto)'s backyard telescope. It features a 16 inch f/10 mirror which was hand-ground by the astronomer himself as well as a massive superstructure and 1-ton tube."

4 of 151 comments (clear)

  1. Not the pluto 'scope by dtl · · Score: 5, Informative

    This isn't the telescope used to discover pluto. Pluto was discovered in 1930, this telescope wasn't even finished until 1960.

    Probably a nice telescope, but it doesn't come with discovery bragging rights.

  2. More About Tombaugh and Pluto by amigoro · · Score: 5, Informative
    Here are some interesting links (and my attempt at KW)
    Clyde W. Tombaugh 1906-1997
    An Interview with Dr. Tombaugh
    Status of Pluto
    Image s of Pluto
    The New Planet(oid)

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    Nothing to see here
  3. Re:Pluto and Sedna as planets by Agent+Orange · · Score: 5, Informative

    This will NOT happen. The International Astronomical Union has Press Release in their FAQ section confirming pluto's status as a planet.

  4. There are better large amateur scopes available by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you're interested in the historical significance of its previous owner, then this might be the telescope for you. For the rest of us, there are far better options.

    First, this is a huge contraption. The f/10 focal ratio means the focal length is 160 inches so your actual field of view is going to be quite narrow; on the order of 1/2 degree or less. That makes this a good planetary scope but rules out alot of extended deep space objects. For example, though you can't see all of it with your naked eye, the Andromeda galaxy is actually more than 3 degrees (that's 6 full moons).

    Second, portability. The steel truss tube alone for this scope weighs 2000 pounds. Not going to be able to take that to many dark locations in your trunk.

    One can buy a quality 16-inch truss-type Dobsonian telescope for $4000. You can find 20-inch or larger Dobsonian telescopes for under $6000 (a gentleman 20 miles from me is currently selling his 22-inch Starmaster dob with a premium mirror for $8000). Equatorial platforms can be built/bought for these scopes to allow adequate tracking for long-exposure astrophotography. These are generally faster f-ratio scopes (usually between f/5 and f/4) so they offer much wider fields of views than an f/10 scope. And here's the kicker: they're portable. They can be broken down in minutes and transported in an SUV or minivan.

    So, for collectors, this is an interesting telescope. For the rest of us, there are better options if you're looking for afforable large apertures.