Is this telescope any good? ITS HUGE!?

Question

My neighbors said they will pay me 500 dollars for this! This is a HUGE telescope that was my brother-in-laws before he passed away. Im guessing it's worth a few hundred dollers since he was a wealthy man. I have no idea on earth what telescope prices are. I even thought 500 dollars was too much please help. here are some of the specs i read from the manuel.

It is a Houghton-Cassegrain flat-field design with a f10, 15-inch clear aperture. The focal length is 150-inches. The total field of view is 2 degrees wide. The maximum image diameter at the focus point is 4.5 inches.

The rear camera attachment tube is 3.75 inches in diameter, extends 0.75 inch, with a 32-thread-per-inch outer surface.

The overall length, including 10-inch dew cap and 6.5-inch extension tube is 61.5 inches. The height including base plate is 20.5 inches. The width is 19 inches. The total weight of the lens and adapters is 347 pounds.

Answer 1

There are 2 of these listed on eBAY at the moment for close to $30,000.  Yup I said Thirty Thousand dollars.

Take a look and see if it's the same thing, have included the link below.  If it is, its worth ALOT more than $500.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll...

BTW, I'd keep an eye on your neighbor...

Answer 2

Having a nice troll, are we?

Answer 3

It really depends on if you want it, what kind of shape it's in etc.  One guy is trying to sell his for $30,000 on Ebay and a few other places, but no bids.  I'm guessing you could probably sell it for $10,000.  If you ask for more, you will have to be more patient.  Even at $10,000 you may get few offers especially with the down turned market.

Answer 4

A Houghton-Cassegrain 15 inch is worth way more than $500.  Your neighbors may as well try and rob your house during the day!  They surely are not friends!

BTW, Perkin Elmer is the company that made the mirror for the Hubble although it was screwed up initially and needed a repair. What you have is not an ordinary amateur telescope.

Answer 5

From your description this would go for at least a few thousand, maybe a lot more.  What is name of the maker and the details of the mount?

Sounds like it could be a professional grade scope, it could go into the 10s of thousands.

Answer 6

Before you decide to sell this scope for $500, check this eBay for a Perkin Elmer 15-Inch Houghton-Cassegrain.

Answer 7

Anything with a 15-inch aperture is going to be worth a lot more than $500. My hey-I-want-a-telescope that I bought from Wal-Mart is 4.5" aperture, and it was $300. You have a very high-dollar piece of equipment on your hands.

Of course on the other hand, you have someone willing to hand you $500 cash for something you don't want, so as long as you know what the deal is, then $500 might be just fine for you. Your call.

Answer 8

NO DEAL! $500? thats pocket change compared to what those are worth. i looked them up on ebay, and they were selling for about $30,000! which is a very good price considering the quality of the scope. you are a smart man for not selling it first! keep it! its a great scope! i could only imagine the shots you'd get of jupiter and saturn, and the moon. your a lucky person to have one in your garage. but if you want to sell it, make them up their price, or use ebay my friend.