Living Room Telescope
#26 
Posted 26 January 2021 - 04:56 AM
Well, I do have a 50mm MikroMak in the lounge room, wife tolerates that much. She'd also tolerate a Questar.
But... I would NOT keep a telescope with good optics in the lounge, for two reasons:
- the risks associated with curious children. Enough said.
- the air quality in the average home is not exactly clean. The optics will be contaminated with a greasy film, eventually.
So.. that means its just a display piece, which is probably appropriate for these old-timers. Questar included.
Edited by luxo II, 26 January 2021 - 04:57 AM.
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#27 bobhen
Posted 26 January 2021 - 07:49 AM
I have 3 scopes permanently setup in the house and have for at least a few decades. None are true classics, although they are getting there.
1. A LUNT 100 is setup in the living room.
2. A Takahashi TSA 120 is setup in an out of the way area at the far end of the kitchen near a back door. Most people would probably use this area for a small dinette set. To me, that idea seemed like a waist of a perfectly good space.
3. A 102 F5 achromat is setup in the same room as the Tak. Those 2 scopes bookend a small couch.
The scopes are easy to get to, look nice and/or interesting and always solicit questions from people who haven't seen them.
Bob
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Edited by bobhen, 26 January 2021 - 07:50 AM.
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#28 mustgobigger
Posted 26 January 2021 - 08:17 AM
75mm
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#29 mdowns
Posted 26 January 2021 - 09:09 AM
Before I remarried I use to keep scopes in the living room,in the bedroom and sometimes in the kit.I can only find one pic showing any of this.Here,a refractor is on the table,but the other two are fully in the living room.There were others about, but only those getting used at the moment were placed in the living room.
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#30 oldmanastro
Posted 26 January 2021 - 09:24 AM
At our house in San Diego, I have what we call the Telescope Room. It shares some space but about 75% of the area is for my telescopes. There is an outside door that leads directly to the backyard. At our place in the high desert, the entire garage is mine, about 50% is for telescopes.
I have never been interested in having a telescope in the living room, there is no direct outside access so actually using it would be hampered. If someone wants to look at my small collection of telescopes of all sizes, we just go in the scope room or garage and that keeps everyone else from getting bored.
We have never actually had a conversation about a telescope in the living room because it's not something that appeals to me.
That said, I do enjoy seeing the photos of classic scopes in the living room... And we did have one scope, a Jason Comet 480, in the kitchen for a number of years. Optically, well, I will only say the stuffed Donkey was not bothered by the poor quality of the views.
Jon
Our respective "Telescope Rooms" have a lot in common like 75% of the area for telescopes and a door that leads to our observing spots. In my case that spot is the first level roof. Here are four denizens of the Telescope Room. The door goes directly to the observing spot. My backyard would be useless due to extreme light pollution from neighbors flood lights. Easy access to the roof has been a blessing. 
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#31 Corcaroli78
Posted 26 January 2021 - 10:11 AM
Well... a nice scope is always a good topic for talks. here the scopes in the living room.... after moving to a new house, i am sill finding a place for the Zeiss, but i think i will not be allowed :-)
Clear skies!
Carlos
Edited by Corcaroli78, 26 January 2021 - 10:12 AM.
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#32 Terra Nova
Posted 26 January 2021 - 11:58 AM
I should have added that I don't display scopes in the living room but instead, in the corners of the adjacent dining room.
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#33 rathbaster
Posted 26 January 2021 - 01:46 PM
As my whole house is about 700 square feet it is inevitable that my telescopes will be set up in a living space.
I generally preposition them in the 'living room' if I'm going to take them out that night.
They then return to the bedroom where I usually leave them setup and capped/plugged as the best way to store them.
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#34 Chuck Hards
Posted 26 January 2021 - 02:06 PM
When I was young and single, the living room was a de-facto telescope showroom.
In the intervening decades, I've found that scopes set up for display tend to get knocked-over or damaged by kids, pets, the wife. Think about the leg lamp destruction incident in "A Christmas Story".
Kids are grown and gone but still have a dog and a wife, so no-go. I leave one or two set up in the garage for 7 or 8 months of the year, ready to carry outside, but put them away in late fall, when the car needs to go in there.
So no scopes are on permanent display inside anymore except my modest Moonwatch collection, which consists of very small instruments and sits on shelves, up out of reach.
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#35 RichA
Posted 26 January 2021 - 02:41 PM
Aren't 'scopes in the apartment living room' required for today's woke hipsters?
They're too busy "decluttering."
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#36 Kunama
Posted 26 January 2021 - 02:55 PM
Mine live in the dining room....
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#37 starman876
Posted 26 January 2021 - 02:58 PM
This scope from the early 1800's has been in the living room for a long time
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#38 Terra Nova
Posted 26 January 2021 - 03:19 PM
I really don't display scopes anymore since I quit collecting and don't really have many true old classics; actually just a single complete one anymore, that being the mid1950s Unitron model 114. If I do decide to put a scope on display again, that would probably be the one. For me, the only reason to keep a scope or two set up in the house is to have a smaller one ready to quickly take out the door should the situation arise. But mine are stored where I can easily and quickly access whichever one I want to use for a quick trip and assembly out on the deck, the garden observing site, or the front porch, and I keep an all-weather GEM on a pedestal under the covered portion of my deck which really makes it easy to just remove a scope from its case and carry it out. Otherwise, it makes sense to, as Chuck says, keep them out of harms way. Also, being safely stored, they are away from the influence of cooking, steam, smoke from the fireplace, or otherwise collecting dust.
Edited by Terra Nova, 26 January 2021 - 03:26 PM.
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#39 Garyth64
Posted 26 January 2021 - 04:59 PM
I had this scope in the living room once:
I also had this scope in the living room . . . once:
But I have my own little "telescope" room where most of my stuff is stored, and where I do my mock ups.
So currently, I have this one set up in my room, just waiting for clear night:
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#40 Stevegeo
Posted 26 January 2021 - 05:47 PM
My house being a Geodesic dome I have room for all my goodies.. the wife doesnt mind as she knows how I am, an eccentric individual . And this shows mainly in the great room of my dome, you folks would call the living room.
Only some of my scopes are on display, a few upstairs on the balcony, and two more in the observatory.
there are four there , and two here
Stevegeo
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#41 Bomber Bob
Posted 26 January 2021 - 05:59 PM
MyMogey 3 is the 1st & Only scope on display in the living room:
(I like how the camera / angle make it look LONG.)
MyQuestar is on display, but in a guest room...
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#42 rogue river art
Posted 26 January 2021 - 06:40 PM
I used to have my 4" Edmunds refractor in my house where my desk was but then we had a bigger house with higher ceilings but now in a smaller house it won't fit anywhere due to it being big on the tripod. I have in my bedroom now on a stainless steel pedestal. It is for show only since it sits only 4' tall and up close to the wall out of the way. It is the same one in my profile picture.
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#43 Rick-T137
Posted 26 January 2021 - 08:07 PM
My house being a Geodesic dome I have room for all my goodies.. the wife doesnt mind as she knows how I am, an eccentric individual . And this shows mainly in the great room of my dome, you folks would call the living room.
Only some of my scopes are on display, a few upstairs on the balcony, and two more in the observatory.
IMG_20210126_170315.jpg there are four there , and two here
Stevegeo
Is that a BMW Isetta I see??? That just made my day! Thank you!
Clear skies
Rick
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#44 Stevegeo
Posted 26 January 2021 - 08:29 PM
Yes Rick, a 1957 BMW ISETTA , repurposed into a loveseat.. now holding my astro parts, camera stuff, books, and grab n go scopes... a 90mm Meade mak, and C90. ( silver case and black tool bag) and my binos...3 pair
This was first owned by a dear friend of mine who had many. This one was the last and was used to keep garbage at the curb for 20 yrs. When I got it , I had 3 myself and kept this in my garage for 10 yrs on a shelf until I got antsy and redid it.
Now it serves many needs . Notice my scopes , Meade SN 10, Dynamax 8, C8, and the smallest NEWTONIAN REFLECTOR ,40 MM 
Glad to make your day . Stevegeo
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#45 Rick-T137
Posted 26 January 2021 - 08:44 PM
Yes Rick, a 1957 BMW ISETTA , repurposed into a loveseat.. now holding my astro parts, camera stuff, books, and grab n go scopes... a 90mm Meade mak, and C90. ( silver case and black tool bag) and my binos...3 pair
This was first owned by a dear friend of mine who had many. This one was the last and was used to keep garbage at the curb for 20 yrs. When I got it , I had 3 myself and kept this in my garage for 10 yrs on a shelf until I got antsy and redid it.
Now it serves many needs . Notice my scopes , Meade SN 10, Dynamax 8, C8, and the smallest NEWTONIAN REFLECTOR ,40 MM
Glad to make your day . Stevegeo
WOW!
I missed the 40mm reflector. My first scope was a Sears "100 Power" 40mm reflector. So much goodness in your place! Thanks again for sharing!
Rick
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#46 VNA
Posted 26 January 2021 - 09:01 PM
Hello:
Most likely. single, divorced or widow but for sure no little kids around?
But if you have a better half, she or he is incredibly better.
I have to say refractors are very sculptural or deceptive, but,. . .
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#47 Defenderslideguitar
Posted 26 January 2021 - 09:09 PM
The telescope that is featured in the living room is the 1959 Unitron 140 now riding in style on the late 50's 142 mount. Diane likes this one in her living room. It is proudly displayed but it does come outside at night, albeit infrequently, and it rides well on several mounts...Great to look at or look through
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Edited by Defenderslideguitar, 26 January 2021 - 09:57 PM.
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#48 DouglasPaul
Posted 27 January 2021 - 03:58 AM
Clear Skies.
Doesn't there have to be some furniture there to qualify as a living room?
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#49 DouglasPaul
Posted 27 January 2021 - 04:00 AM
I can only keep a telescope in the living room when one particularly rambunctious grand child isn't going to be around.
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#50 Senex Bibax
Posted 27 January 2021 - 12:31 PM
Telescope in the living room = cat tree
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Source: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/752767-telescopes-in-the-living-room/page-2
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