Bay Area Big Scopes

[Mark Wagner]

Posting a question.

I'm aware of two and perhaps three permanent big telescopes aside from what's up at Kick, in the bay:

Fremont Peak 

Chanot

Sugarloaf Ridge

Wondering what people make of their ease of use and optical quality.  Obviously ease of use is not applicable at Chanot, and I'm not sure about Sugarloaf.

Mark in the Dark

[Mark Wagner]

Chabot

[Tan usa1]

The FPOA scope requires one training session. And atleast two trained people are a good idea due to the checklist and stuff like opening roof etc. come join us on August 16 and see for yourself :) 

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[Mark Wagner]

ImTanveer, I've been trained in and the the 30" there.  The last time in a birthday as I remember.  I just don't recall the optical quality of it.  I do recall I think a three focuser setup on it?

[Tan usa1]

The focuser for the eyepiece? Yes that’s easy to use. The only issue is there are no electronic aids. So you need to know star hopping. It’s well balanced but has quite a bit of inertia so requires some force to move 

Two person combo works well as one person can be down there on the telrad and the finder scope and one person can be on the ladder.

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[Mark Wagner]

I remember it was rather a beast to push around.  Comment on the image sharpness?

Mark in the Dark

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[Mark Wagner]

I also recall the FPOA 30 connected to a planetarium program.  No?

[Tan usa1]

Not sure about the program

But sharpness has been pretty good for Saturn and Jupiter 

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[Vishal Kasliwal]

I've looked through the 30" at FPOA once, so it might just have been collimation, but I wasn't impressed by the overall image quality. 

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[Jeff Shapiro]

That’s correct.  Also note that August 16 is a public program night at FPOA so there will be lots of members of the public attending.  We can’t guarantee training on a public program night.

Please keep in mind that if you’re interested in receiving training and reserving the Challenger for private use, you do need to be an observer member of FPOA and complete a service requirement.  All TAC members are welcome!

@Mark I know you’ve been a member of FPOA and just rejoined, welcome back!  This is for the benefit of all TAC members who may be interested :)

Thanks, Jeff

On Aug 9, 2025, at 5:58 PM, Tan usa1 <tanveer...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Jamie Dillon, DDK]

The 30" scope on the Peak has excellent optics, and they get assiduous care.

And the scope has a push-to system, if you set it up.

[Ted Hauter]

The Lick Refractor has been a tough meeting place. Emails for a Saturn Opposition night go unanswered with nights around the date not saying what they will observe. 

A Saturn night seems ideal. 

The Lick seems the right tool for the job, a somewhat dimmed planet.

Are the other Telescopes mentioned having a Saturn night around the 20th?

Thanks for any info.

On Sat, Aug 9, 2025, 9:45 PM Jamie Dillon, DDK <ngc1...@gmail.com> wrote:

The 30" scope on the Peak has excellent optics, and they get assiduous care.

And the scope has a push-to system, if you set it up.

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[Richard Ozer]

Ease of use is important, even at Chabot.

The optical quality of the 8" Clark is near perfect.  The 20", stepped down is very very good; but at full aperture, some violet.. it is a achromat after all.  The 36" is computer controlled, but through a rather byzantine combination of historical (hysterical) operating systems, software versions, and circuitry.  Nice scope with a good mirror though.

The Clark and the 20" Brashear require significant training to use properly.  But once the operator is properly trained, they're usually a piece of cake to use.  The dome controls on the other hand ....

Rich

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[James Webster]

I found the scope at Sugarloaf to be of poor optical quality. Collimation was ridiculous with too many collimation points. It seemed like a committee decided scope instead of a properly engineered one.

James Webster 

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[Raymond Wong]

Is this an open invitation?  I would like to attend, what time?  

Cheers, 73s, Clear Skies and Clear Blocks,

Ray

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[Tan usa1]

FPOA scope is open to public on the 2-3 public nights a month. August 16 is the next public night. I am volunteering on 16th. If you wanna come go ahead. Usually its not crowded at all.

you will need to park inthe state park parking lot and pay 6$ state park fee.

check fpoa.net

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[Raymond Wong]

Thanks, I will check it out.  

Cheers, 73s, Clear Skies and Clear Blocks,

Ray

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[David Kirjassoff]

I’ll plan to be there on the 16th.  Just signed up for an observer’s membership too!

David

Sent from my iPad

On Aug 9, 2025, at 9:38 PM, Jeff Shapiro <jeffcs...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Jeff Crilly]

FPOA on the 16th might be doable for me.  (Schedule this summer has been tough.)

Short night tho.. which might be good for a change.  

I thought Rob got some DSCs going with the 30”.  (Maybe that was something else. )

FYI Lick 36” is no good for Saturn at the moment (afaik).   Due to the floor issue there’s a limit on how “low” on the horizon they can go.  Saturn seem not nearly high enough.  

However , when I volunteered up there on July NM weekend we had a great Saturn at 2am.  325x in the 12” SCT no problemo.  

-jeff

[John Pierce]

On Mon, Aug 11, 2025 at 5:45 PM Jeff Crilly <jeffc...@gmail.com> wrote:

FYI Lick 36” is no good for Saturn at the moment (afaik).   Due to the floor issue there’s a limit on how “low” on the horizon they can go.  Saturn seem not nearly high enough.  

However , when I volunteered up there on July NM weekend we had a great Saturn at 2am.  325x in the 12” SCT no problemo.  

the best Saturn I've *EVER* seen was in a 20" f/5 Obsesssion Classic, on Chews Ridge, at 565X via a ES 4.5mm 82 deg. eyepiece, some years back, near an opposition.    keeping it centered required a nudge every 10 seconds or something, but was totally worth it.

[Ted Hauter]

Jeff thank you. I surely do.

Seems Saturn never higher at our latitude.

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