Thinking About a New Scope? Think Big!
From the Obsessed
15" UC Owners
Sam B., 15" UC owner in Tesuque, New Mexico - June 20, 2023
Hi Dave,
Last night, I was able to begin utilizing the Obsession telescope. Everything worked well. Thanks so much for the advice about Argo Navis. I enjoyed a clear view of M 13, M 92, M 57, M 27, and a number of NCG open clusters that I referenced in the Interstellum Book you recommended. Thanks so much for creating the telescope. I love the optics and ease of moving it to do different night sky objects.
Sam B
Todd C., 15" UC owner in Merritt Island, Florida - February 15, 2023
Hi Dave,
The 15”UC you built and delivered to me last August is a real treat to use. The views through the 15” optics and big TeleVue eyepieces are amazing! Finding objects is such a breeze with the Argo Navis. Almost feels like cheating compared to my years of star hopping. Thanks for the great scope.
Todd C.
Cynthia L., 15" UC owner in Los Osos, California - Dec 21, 2022
What an incredibly wonderful instrument this telescope is. After almost thirty years of Celestron 4”, 6”, 8”GPS, 8” orange tube - I never thought I would get anything else. But lifting anything bigger was just not going to work for me. This telescope is almost easy for me to move around and that is easy enough. And I am learning so much more about the sky by not being able to slew. It is so fun. A couple of weeks ago, I showed my granddaughter, age 9, Saturn for her first time. To hear her delight and awe was so moving. Thank you.
Cynthia L
Robbin C., 15" UC owner in Colorado Springs, Colorado - September 8, 2022
Hi Dave,
Well finally the clouds have cleared enough here in Colorado over the last two months to get in a handful of nice observing sessions. All I can say is wow! The lagoon glows in bright contrasty gas; the triffid shows magnificent lanes; the swan looks as though it were etched in glass with fine detail. Globulars show colors and tight stars. Planets are tack sharp and the scope is simply a joy to use. I can’t imagine better views at this aperture. Thank you!
Best,
Robbin C
Scott J., 15" UC owner in Planefield, Wisconsin - July 1, 2022
Hi Dave, Got up early yesterday and , through the UC , I saw the best visual on Jupiter and Saturn I have ever seen ! . I had to check to make sure I wasn’t in space!
I have a hard time getting up early in the morning but sometimes it’s worth every effort. Thank you so much for this and all the other thrills you have shown me over the years!
Scott J.
Mike C., 15" UC owner in Phoenix, Arizona - June 9, 2020
Dave,
Views are great! Gave me my best observing of the Lagoon, Orion, Helix, etc. With the increased aperture I can use filters without the image getting so faint that it's hard to see. Shorter focal length gives me wider views of open clusters, etc. than I was getting with my C11.
Easy to transport too! My wife watched me pack it into the SUV for a star party and remarked "wow, that really condenses down!"
Short height means I don't need a ladder either.
I'm happy!!
Mike C.
Chris Z, 15" UC owner in Madison, Wisconsin - July 28, 2019
Hi Dave,
I finally got a real night under the stars with my new UC15. The views were just great. It is such a joy to use. Jupiter had so much detail even low and somewhat swimmy. I should mention that I am madly in love with my UC15. I am hoping for some truly clear skies this week.
Chris Z
Lee N., 15" UC owner in Corpus Christi, Texas - April 12, 2018
We had clear skies for the first time in a while last night, so I wheeled the telescope out and used it for a while. I was used to my Orion XT10, so I was in for a new viewing experience. It was fantastic. Thanks for putting out such a nice product.
Lee N
Hal G., 15" UC owner in Cocoa, Florida - December 25, 2017
I bought a UC 15 a couple of years back, and have high regard for it. Materials and workmanship are excellent. And considering my very small car, the UC 15 wins my remote-site choice.
Hal G
Luanne C., 15” UC owner in Austin, Texas - September 3, 2017
So, I finally did "first light" with my 15" UC received in early July and loved it. Very easy to put up without any help, which I think chagrins my viewing partner a bit (ha ha) but this is exactly what I wanted so I can be a peer on the field. This was all in all much less daunting than expected and not only a view that is far beyond compare with my XXXXXX 8", but also the ease of use and navigation is geometrically better because I don't have to deal with the long boot-up and constant firmware crashes. No photos of me standing proudly with the scope, as I didn't want to dress nice. It's probably a girl thing. I love this thing. And best of all I can move it anywhere myself.
Luanne C.
Bill K., 15” UC owner in Aurora, Colorado - November 20, 2016
Hi Dave,
Sorry this took so long, but I'm writing to let you know that my Obsession 15UC arrived in perfect condition last April. The telescope has met or exceeded all of my expectations. It is truly a well engineered and constructed instrument.
Bill K
Steve M., 15" UC owner in Phoenix, Arizona - June 23, 2016
Hi Dave,
I've been meaning to write to let you know that the 15" UC arrived earlier this month in excellent condition. I had first light several days later in the back yard. Of course I was operating under less than optimum conditions with a mostly illuminated moon, the usual terrible Phoenix light pollution, and lots of heat waves from the daytime temperatures (it was 117-degrees at my place last weekend!). Nevertheless, the views of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars were very good and showed the quality of the mirror. Incidentally, the engineering that went into this scope -- getting a large telescope into such a small package -- was very impressive. Thanks for supplying me with a great telescope in such a timely fashion!
Steve M.
Roland David, 15" UC owner in Montreal, Canada - January 18, 2016
Compared to my past four telescopes, this one is a real piece of engineering, precision and a beauty to look at. It was love at first sight!
Roland
Eric N., 15" UC owner in Santa Clara, California - September 8, 2015
Dear Dave:
My 15" UC arrived Friday, I spent the weekend assembling it, and had first light a few minutes ago.
I am astonished by this telescope! It's not just the amazing design, and the way it folds up so small, but the little details: the foam-covered steering handle; the slight backward/upward angle of the eyepiece holder; the elegant cable mirror support; and the ingenious kydex baffles that mount in seconds using only velcro. Best of all, it sat in the ATA case in my living room between work sessions, and made me grin as it takes up only a little more room than my Celestron 6 inch in its case!
Well done, and thanks!
Eric N
Amir Abramovich, 15" UC owner in HaSolelim Israel - June 20, 2015
Hi Dave,
Just to let you know that my scope is a joy to use. Simple and quick setup and great views.
Amir Abramovich
Eugene F., 15" UC owner in Calgary, Alberta - April 20, 2015
AWESOME!!!!!!!
I am completely blown away. Leo, Virgo, Coma, Canes galaxies were leaping at me like never before. I am too exhausted now to do the full report but I will. Jupiter was fantastic as well. Thank you so much!
Eugene F.
John Lynch, 15" UC owner (#391) in San Diego, California
October 27, 2014
Hi Dave, just got back from the "Nightfall" Star party in Borrego Springs, California. A lot of people were very interested in that 15"u/c scope. Many comments on how beautiful it is and how well constructed. I lost track of how many times people would look in the eye piece and say "Wow" I've never seen it look quite like that before or that's the best I've ever seen that object. One of my personal favorites was looking at the veil nebula. Quite amazing! Thanks for building such a great piece of equipment for me and everyone else you build them for.
Thank you, John Lynch - 15" UC #391
Claudio Elicer, 15" UC owner in Santiago, Chile - Jan. 24, 2013
Hi Dave, glad to speak with you again. Just to show you the last Moon / Jupiter meeting, 01.22.2013, with my excellent 15" UC, I have been learning about astrophotography, but I'm still a beginner.
Keep in touch.
Claudio E.
Ron W., 15" UC owner in Cummington, Massachusetts
May 11, 2012
Hi Dave, It stopped raining, the skies cleared, and I didn't have a commitment... Therefore FIRST LIGHT! The 15 inch UC is absolutely amazing! After a bit of playing around, primarily with the Argo Navis, everything worked perfectly. Going through the setup a couple of times inside made it so easy under the stars. Using a barlowed collimator made collimation a breeze; I had never tried it before but would never collimate any other way. Stars with the Paracorr and my Nagler Type 2 16mm were perfect to the edge and deep sky images were bright... almost as bright as my homemade 17.5 inch with conventional coatings.
Again, thanks so much for everything,
Ron
Ron W., 15" UC owner in Cummington, Massachusetts
March 26, 2012
Hi Dave, I finally got a break when I could set up my scope, inside alas. Your instructions are very clear and the scope went together very easily... I took your advice and proceeded very slowly and deliberately. What a beautiful instrument! I'll send you photos of me and the scope when I get the chance. I can't wait to get it under the stars!
My very best... and again, thanks so much,
Ron
Claudio E., 15" UC owner in Santiago, Chile - May 23, 2011
Hi Dave, Just to let you know that everything is OK with the scope. It has fully matched my expectations, in excess. Very clear and defined imagery, even with the cheap eyepieces I have. I could take a glimpse of Saturn, and I saw details I had never seen before. Also, I just saw the M104 galaxy, which I'd never been able to see. Thank you very much.
Claudio E.
Jerry C., 15" UC owner in Rumson, New Jersey - January 4, 2010
Hi Dave..... Received my 15" U.C. on New Years eve day. Let me say this... YOU OUGHT TO BE PROUD OF WHAT YOU MAKE! What a work of art.... EVEN my wife is impressed! It's a HOME RUN! Thanks.... JERRY C.
Scott M., 15" UC owner in Sunnyvale, California - July 22, 2009
Dave, Just a followup email to say thank you very much for an excellent instrument, I've taken it out a couple times for its shakedown, and it performs very well. I look forward in re-discovering the sky with this much larger aperture. The easy setup and break down of the 15" UC is surprisingly simple and quick. My other scopes seem like a chore to deal with compared to the UC -- and they are smaller!
Happy observer, Scott M.
Phil C., 15" UC owner in Toronto, Canada - May 4, 2009
I wanted to tell you that my new 15" UC saw first light last night from my back yard near Toronto. WOW! I only had it pointed at Saturn and the Moon (the skies around home are not conducive to DSOs) but had the power cranked up to 263x with a 7mm Nagler and Paracorr. During moments of good seeing (it was a bit windy last night), the views were amazing and sharp.
Cheryl Blum, 15" UC owner - March 24, 2009
Hi Dave,
Just want to let you know that I am having a blast observing with the 15 inch ultra compact. What a beautiful scope it is. Thanks for all the wonderful features you designed into it! I have hauled it around with me to quite a few places (far, far away from my suburban Chicago skies) but I will forever be grateful for the beauty of the first views that I enjoyed with it under those beautiful Oklahoma skies at Okie-Tex.
Cheryl Blum
