Astro-Physics 130 mm f/6.3 “Gran Turismo” triplet apochromat refractor, on Losmandy G-11 mount.

2008 model 130 mm f/6.3 Astro-Physics “Starfire Gran Turismo” triplet refractor, imaged at Lick Observatory..

The Gran Turismo, showing the mount, a Losmandy G-11.

The anti-reflective lens coatings are very good.

The promise of the night …

(Viewing the crescent Moon over the Lick 36-inch refractor dome.)

I bought ScopeGuard’s case to hold the telescope with tube rings and Losmandy dovetail plate attached.  The case Astro-Physics ships has space for extra caps for the disassembled tube, which I do not need in the field, so this unit is smaller.  Don Holcombe (ScopeGuard) does good work.

The ScopeGuard case is 15 cm shorter than the one Astro-Physics provides, hence is much easier to handle and stow.

A Losmandy G-11 packs down surprisingly small.  Here is my complete installation, ready to be stowed for transportation.

Another view, with books for scale.

The Doskocil case holds the equatorial head.  A small duffle contains the telescoped tripod legs, the counterweight shaft (inside its own little case made of ABS plastic pipe), and a ditty bag with fasteners, cables, the polar-alignment telescope, and a few Allen wrenches.  A totebag carries the tripod head.

All loaded.  I stow the counterweight between the passenger seat and the right side door.  The orange case holds a small binocular.  My eyepiece case, battery, and briefcase of atlases and books are in the passenger seat, but there is room for the entire observing kit on the deck of my Honda Insight.

The Gran Turismo set up behind the main building at Lick Observatory.  I positioned the camera to respect my telescope’s vanity: That is an Astro-Physics 155 hidden behind its tube.