| Siderea |
| (Astronomess) |
| 03/07/09 08:23 PM |
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New Swift Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Not restored yet, and on a borrowed tripod, but here she is!
| David E |
| (Post Laureate) |
| 03/07/09 08:45 PM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Hey nice!
And I see you bought curtains to match.
| JamesE |
| (Pooh-Bah) |
| 03/07/09 08:58 PM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Is that a swift? I can't tell from the pic. If so, was that an Ebay purchase.
James
| Siderea |
| (Astronomess) |
| 03/07/09 09:00 PM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Quote:
Hey nice!
And I see you bought curtains to match.
That way I can keep the scopes in the living room without the wife complaining....
| Siderea |
| (Astronomess) |
| 03/07/09 09:00 PM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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oh yeah....
I am the wife!!!
| Siderea |
| (Astronomess) |
| 03/07/09 09:08 PM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Good eyes, James!
It's a Swift 838 50mm 700mm FL
Complete except tripod legs, with prism diagonal, erecting prism, EQ mount with setting circles, barlow, and 6mm and 20mm eyepieces.
It was not an Ebay purchase, but a trade-in-kind with another astronomer.
It's getting dark soon, and we're headed to the moon for first light.
The views looked spectacular this afternoon across the valley, even though I have not cleaned anything up yet. The objective is dusty,but in good shape, and even the finder objective is a coated achromat, and excellent for its size.
| MASILMW |
| (super member) |
| 03/07/09 10:25 PM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Carol, What name have you come up with for the new addition?
SF
| woodsman |
| (Pooh-Bah) |
| 03/07/09 11:37 PM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Now that's nice Carol. I was just talking with another CNer about that particular model and neither of us had ever seen one for sale. Amazingly one pops up, what a strange coincidence. Its gotta be great.. Rich
Looks like its in good shape. You're not gonna paint that one are you?
One other thing, you mentioned that the mount was borrowed, but it looks like the correct mount for that scope.
| mustgobigger |
| (Carpal Tunnel) |
| 03/08/09 03:09 AM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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looks very nice carol,
if you could put a ken doll next to it
we could get some idea of its size.
just kidding,
those swift's are very nice looking scopes
Brian
| Siderea |
| (Astronomess) |
| 03/08/09 12:07 PM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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I'd only heard of one- Don Bledsoe has the the scope without a mount. But never knew of another, or a complete one till just a few weeks ago.
Everything is here, just not the tripod legs. I'm refinishing a set, and painting the hardware to match the mount.
It was set up all afternoon, but the fog came in at 8, as soon as I'd finished up enough to get outside... so no real first light yet....
| JamesE |
| (Pooh-Bah) |
| 03/08/09 12:18 PM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Very Cool. So you just need one more Swift and you've got the complet set.........Hum..........Is there something you're not telling us?
Changing topics, Don was the first person to greet me here on Cloudy Nights. He helped me with my Mayflower. I haven't seen a post from him in a long time. Do you know if he is doing OK?
James
| Jim Rosenstock |
| (Post Laureate) |
| 03/08/09 12:55 PM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Quote:
Changing topics, Don was the first person to greet me here on Cloudy Nights. He helped me with my Mayflower. I haven't seen a post from him in a long time. Do you know if he is doing OK?
Indeed. I've wondered the same lately myself. Don is a really great guy, and I miss his posts here. Last I heard he was struggling with quitting smoking, and his posting here fell off pretty quickly around that time. I sure hope he's OK, and wish he'd drop in sometime.....
Clear skies,
Jim
| Siderea |
| (Astronomess) |
| 03/08/09 04:09 PM |
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Re: New Swift Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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James, sometimes you have to let something go to get what you wanted in the first place. My 839 is in excellent hands, and I have the 50mm of my dreams, yet unnamed
I've not heard from Don in a while either, and he has been a great help and encouragement to me in fixing up these scopes.
I hope all is well with him and his family.
| Siderea |
| (Astronomess) |
| 03/10/09 01:38 AM |
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DBledsoe says "Hi"...
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I pm'd Don Bledsoe yesterday to see how he was doing and he sent this response, to post here.
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Hello Carol,
Thank you for the inquiry. Unfortunately things have been less than good for me and the family. As I think you know I tried to save my daughter's house in Napa but that didn't work out so next thing was to get her and her family into a rental, that cost me $5k, but at least they are in and can start the road to recovery.
Two weeks ago my 84 year old mother called to let me know she was in the hospital with an undiagnosed heart condition (she lives in Lake Tahoe) so I have been trying to deal with that from a distance but now plan to go there March 21st through 29th to help her and my dad get their affairs in order (I was shocked to find the don't have wills... and they have expensive property in Tahoe, Oklahoma, and California). My son is out of work and can't land a job so am dealing with that too. Sometimes I think God is testing me and I'll be darned if I will be found wanting so am doing all I can to help all of my family. Needless to say I haven't had time for much of anything else what with watching out for my own job with the State of Idaho, who is facing major budget shortfalls and layoff of State workers (that could be me) so I have had the nose to the grindstone. But!!! I have not sold a single telescope so have all my stash in tact. Although I also have had not chance to use any of them... well I did get out once this past fall for a one night viewing session, for an hour or two.
As soon as I can work through some of these things I will be back on the forum. I miss all of you on the Cloudy Nights Classics Forum and can't wait until I have more free time to join back in. Feel free to post this on the forum to let everyone know I miss them and the camaraderie of the Forum and hope to be back soon, and that I especially miss being out under the night sky with a classic telescope.
And congratulations on the 838! That is indeed a find!
God Bless you and your family,
Don... hanging in there
~~~~~
| mustgobigger |
| (Carpal Tunnel) |
| 03/10/09 02:15 AM |
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Re: DBledsoe says "Hi"...
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hurry back don as we all miss your wit and expertise
in the classic forum.
i think we are all being tested to some degree
even if its only stress about what the future holds
for our jobs and family members.
i do not know anyone that's not worried.
godspeed and clear skies.
Brian
| JamesE |
| (Pooh-Bah) |
| 03/11/09 06:29 PM |
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Re: DBledsoe says "Hi"...
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Hi Carol,
Thanks for taking the time to do this. Very thoughtful and much appreciated. If you speak to him again wish him well and to stay strong.
With much regards,
james
| desertrefugee |
| (Pooh-Bah) |
| 03/12/09 01:57 PM |
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Re: New Swift Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Hey Carol, I thought I'd replied on this thread, but I see now that it somehow didn't get posted.
I just wanted to comment on your taste in older refractors. We all have our "plan" and tendencies, but yours seems more specific and purposeful. Clint has his Cave's and Unitrons, Rich his Sears collection, Brian G. the Unitron/Tasco ensemble. Then there's Preston and ... well, there's Preston. My stash has no purpose at all, just whatever is available and affordable - when it's available.
But, we all have in common a sort of eclectic mix of instruments.
But, I like your more organized, systematic approach.
...unless there're things you're not telling us.
| Siderea |
| (Astronomess) |
| 03/12/09 09:21 PM |
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Re: New Swift Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Hi Darrell
A compliment that someone thinks I am organized! Some of it is just finding what suits my taste in viewing over the past few years.
It is almost as much fun to restore and optimize as it is to observe. If my better knack for tinkering than teaching sets a decent scope in a kid's hands so he can learn for himself the wonders of the skies, than I am happy with that.
All scopes have found a purpose, most in other hands, and a few favorites will stay here in the Treehouse, as this one will!
| Siderea |
| (Astronomess) |
| 06/30/09 09:37 PM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Quote:
Carol, What name have you come up with for the new addition?
SF
Finally, yes.
Her name is "Nokomis"
| droid |
| (rocketman) |
| 07/01/09 11:06 AM |
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Re: New Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Quote:
Finally, yes.
Her name is "Nokomis"
Hmmmm "daughter of the moon".
you read longfellow? cooool
| Patricko |
| (Carpal Tunnel) |
| 07/01/09 11:37 PM |
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WHOOOHOOO! That 50mm is BEAUTIFUL Carol!
I bet it is a real performer under the stars! Do you have any info as yet about who made the objective, etc, etc? I know almost nothing about the Swift scopes. Of course I'm looking forward to your first good nights report with the scope.
| Siderea |
| (Astronomess) |
| 07/01/09 11:42 PM |
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First light will be this weekend. High time I took her out and did some observing!
| Astrojensen |
| (sage) |
| 07/02/09 04:02 AM |
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Do you have any info as yet about who made the objective, etc, etc?
Takahashi, from what I've been able to glean from various sources on the internet.
Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark
| Patricko |
| (Carpal Tunnel) |
| 07/02/09 08:57 AM |
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Re: New Swift Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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Thanks Thomas for the info. If Takahashi made the objective then it most likely is a good one.
| Doug76 |
| (Postmaster) |
| 07/02/09 11:51 AM |
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Re: New Swift Baby in the Treehouse Observatory
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A very good one indeed. Congrats Carol.
Banana Pudding & Clear Skies!
| Siderea |
| (Astronomess) |
| 07/02/09 10:24 PM |
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Takahashi is what I have gleaned from others also. I'm going to do a comparison with the Widefield Jaegers 60mm and the Swift 818 makeover scope(the formerly pink one) Haven't been out under the stars since May, so its about time.
Gotta meeting tonight, but tomorrow the coast is clear !
A plum and blueberry tart for the 4th, Doug!
| desertrefugee |
| (Pooh-Bah) |
| 07/03/09 02:04 PM |
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Gotta meeting tonight, but tomorrow the coast is clear !
Looking forward to hearing about it - and how it stacks up against others in the fold.
I have a new (surprising) appreciation for a 50mm objective - and an alt-az mounted one.
Observing distilled down to the absolute lowest common denominator.
Please report on your session with Nokomis.
| Preston Smith |
| (Military Observer) |
| 07/03/09 02:34 PM |
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First light will be this weekend. High time I took her out and did some observing!
We want a comparison to your Tasco and Pentax!
BTW: The extra focal length (700mm) is the same as the Unitron 50mm...