51 replies to this topic

[RRavneberg]

Celestar Six advertisement

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[Lew Chilton]

I just created an Excel spread sheet with the 5 known Celestars mentioned on this thread. Any more out there?

Click on "attachment" to see the Fecker Celestar Telescope Registry.

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•  1782334-FECKER CELESTAR REGISTRY.xls   14.5KB   97 downloads

[Jim Rosenstock]

I just created an Excel spread sheet with the 5 known Celestars mentioned on this thread. Any more out there?

Lew,

I think one of the guys on the yahoo oldscope group has a Fecker list going already (perhaps Peter Abrams?)...obviously, we should combine data.

I'm trying to build a file of ads, stories, information, speculation, etc. regarding Fecker's brief but notable Celestar project. There's something very iconic, very '50s, about those scopes.

Here's the automotive equivalent of our blue-and-white Feckers:

http://tinyurl.com/2t9kpy

Jim

[RRavneberg]

Actually, Bill Burton and I are the ones on the Oldscope with the list. I believe his copy may be more current than mine. I can check.

[naglertized]

We will have to have Feckerfest in Jacksonville Florida in about two years, my astronomy club NEFAS (NorthEast Florida Astronomical Society) is acquiring the 28.5" classsical cassegrain and 15" siderostat refractor from the old Flower and Cook observatory formerly operated by the University Pennsylvania. Both are Fecker insturments.

[RRavneberg]

We also have a Fecker at the Perkins Observatory in Delaware, Ohio (where the Columbus Astronomical Society meets). It's a 32-in scope that was installed when the original 69-inch scope was moved to Arizona many years ago. That 69-inch was also a Fecker and was the third largest telescope in the world when it was built in 1923. The original primary was J.W. Fecker's first large mirror and is still at the observatory where it can be examined.

Here's the 32-inch.

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[RRavneberg]

And the original primary for the 69-inch.

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[sarastro]

I just created an Excel spread sheet with the 5 known Celestars mentioned on this thread. Any more out there?

I have a C-4
I didn't know where the serial number was located. I'll check on it tonight.

Roger

[Jim Rosenstock]

Nice, big scope, Ron....but they hadn't gotten into the blue speckleware paint yet!

[sarastro]

My Celestar-4 has the red logo name plate with serial no. 472
My Dad purchased it new, but I don't know exactly when, it's been around for as long as I can remember.

Roger

[Jim Rosenstock]

My Celestar-4 has the red logo name plate with serial no. 472
My Dad purchased it new, but I don't know exactly when, it's been around for as long as I can remember.

Roger

Roger,

Very nice that the scope has stayed in your family. Do you get out with it much?

Can you post a photo?

Do you have any of the original paperwork, catalogs, packaging etc??

Thanks for posting!

Jim

[Jim Rosenstock]

Actually, Bill Burton and I are the ones on the Oldscope with the list. I believe his copy may be more current than mine. I can check.

Great! (Looks like there are a few more numbers to add to the list )

Jim

[Lew Chilton]

CELESTAR REGISTRY UPDATE!!! CELESTAR REGISTRY UPDATE!!! CLICK ON "ATTACHMENT" ABOVE TO VIEW THE LATEST EXCEL SPREADSHEET!!!

Thanks, Roger, for providing the info. on your Celestar-4. Yours has the highest serial number thus far. I have amended the Registry to include you and your scope, but it would be helpful to have your surname.

The first SKY & TELESCOPE magazine advertisement for the Celestar-4 appeared in the December 1956 issue.

The first Sky & Tel ad for the Celestar-6 appeared in the March 1958 issue. Price was $495 but had increased to $595 by the July 1958 issue. The Celestar-4's price remained at $198.50 throughout its production run.

The last ad for either Celestar to appear in SKY & TELESCOPE magazine was December 1958.

If we employ S&T advertisements to gauge Celestar production benchmarks, then the C-6 was only on the market from March to December 1958. And if we factor in the C-6's high cost (in 1958 dollars), then their numbers must indeed be small.

If you know of anyone who currently owns a Fecker Celestar, please encourage that owner to participate in this registry by supplying his/her telescope's size, serial number, date acquired and history (if known), and the owner's name/location.

Thanks for looking,

Lew Chilton

Attached Files

•  1786815-FECKER CELESTAR REGISTRY.xls   58KB   77 downloads

[RRavneberg]

Lew,

Just sent you a private message.

[Larry Geary]

Before this thread goes away, could someone tell me when and where Fecker advertised? I was looking through some Sky & Telescopes from 1962 and 1965 last night, looking for Fecker, and could not find them.

[Glassthrower]

Hi Larry,

Late 1950's.

Regards,

MikeG

[Lew Chilton]

Larry,

Read my comments 3 or 4 posts above for exact dates - December 1956 to December 1958 in Sky & Telescope. The ads appeared in the inside front cover of each issue.

[Larry Geary]

Thanks. I missed that one.

[Dan /schechter]

What can you guys tell me about this J.W.Frcker eyepiece? I figure 0.5 P stands for the focal length, but I do not know what "P" stands for.

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[Jim Rosenstock]

What can you guys tell me about this J.W.Frcker eyepiece? I figure 0.5 P stands for the focal length, but I do not know what "P" stands for.

The few Fecker eyepieces I've seen had their focal lengths listed in fractions of an inch (not millimeters). 0.5" is about 12.75mm, which seems about right.

Perhaps the "P" is for Plossl? Just guessing....

Jim

[Dan /schechter]

Thanks Jim for the information. Dan

[mikey cee]

P stands for power?? :confused:Mike

[Lew Chilton]

Ron Ravneberg emailed a spreadsheet to me this morning that contains a Fecker Celestar Registry that he previously created with the help of other Celestar aficionados.

I have merged Ron's data into mine and have benefited from the additional information he provided that I had not thought of.

I think the Fecker Celestar Registry deserves its own thread so that current and future Fecker researchers can find it more easily.

I will use the new thread to add future additions and changes as they become available.

So if you're interested in this topic, go to the "Fecker Celestar Registry" thread.

Thanks,

Lew Chilton

[DAVIDG]

The P stands for Positive were the image is formed outside the eyepiece and the 0.5 is 1/2 inch focal length.

- Dave

[Dan /schechter]

Thanks for the explanation Dave. I would have never figured it out. Dan