[ATMoB-discuss] Scopy Query

[Frederick Montague]

O.K. Guys heres my problem.

I presently have an 8" Optical Craftsman f/6.6 on an Equatorial head with clock drive and an 8x50 finder scope. I also have a Home made 13.1" Dobsonian which consists of a Coulter mirror 13.1" f/4.3 (Newly Aluminized) Metal parts like spider & mirror cell from Stanley Novak. Finder scope is an 8x50 from Orion. 1¼" Focuser also from Orion

My problem is I don't have a permanent location that I can leave these scopes set up so I have to drag them out of a storage shed each time I use them. At my age (80) this is no mean feat.

I would like to get a moderately large aperture telescope like Celestron's Nexstar 8se. I should state that my interest is 97% Variable star work.  I could care less about festoon on Jupiter or Mare so and so on Mars. Although I would on occasion like to try my hand at photographing so sky objects.

So my question is, can I sell my two scopes and realize enough to get that Nexstar, or am I smoking to many of those funny cigarettes.  Question 2 is where is a good place to post them since I don't want the hassle of packing and shipping them 

Fred