10058 replies to this topic

[CHASLX200]

My 703 i tried out.

[Kefka1138]

My 703 i tried out.

I really love this scope! It's pretty amazing what that extra inch of aperture can show compared to the 6".

Edited by Kefka1138, 12 March 2025 - 06:20 PM.

[CHASLX200]

I really love this scope! It's pretty amazing what that extra inch of aperture can show compared to the 6".

You can take  it to the bank when i say a scope is good.

[Kefka1138]

You can take  it to the bank when i say a scope is good.

For real! Focuser is butter smooth (makes me want to adjust the 603 again) and optics are the bees knees. Very happy I snatched it. 

[Bomber Bob]

Today, I gathered all the BORG, TAK, & Vixen rings, couplers, & adapters; then, I measured threads on each unmarked piece, and noted that info on the piece with a pencil; and, finally, got these parts sorted into Tupperware containers.  No more relying on my... what's the word?  oh yeah, my memory for what I have & where it's at...

 

In the process, I swapped parts between my broken Vixen 1.25" 4-Slot Eyepiece Turret and my "new" Turret.  Now, I can thread a working turret into my Tak FC's & TS's.  It'll probably became a permanent fixture on my FC-76.  I like having a grab & go that doesn't need an accessory case in tow.

[clamchip]

Two brothers and a cell tower.

The yellow arrow is the great "Perforated Thingy" the tower is 2.5 miles from my house.

Little brother can resolve the perforations with a little work.

Big brother, bam it's right there completely resolved.

Mind you, these two brothers have superb lenses.

The green arrow is pointing to a green wire and I don't remember what aperture is required, it's an old photo.

Red arrows, there's a black wire on a drunken course up the mast, fairly easy in both scopes.

This is what we do around here when it's raining in Seattle. The rain cleanses the atmosphere and if you time it

just right it can be beautiful.

What I'm going to do, not today, when it's not raining, I'm going to climb up there and get a good look at this tower.

Its my favorite 'know your telescope during the day' and I would like to give it a big thank you in person.

Robert

 

Edited by clamchip, 16 March 2025 - 11:24 AM.

[jragsdale]

I've been fixing up an old Coulter Odyssey Compact 10.1" f/4.5 for a local observatory. They gave me Carte Blanche to do what I want to it. The mirror needed cleaning, so I wanted to do a ronchi test on it since I'd heard these mirrors can be so-so. The test showed a very meh figure with some turned down edge. I also noticed the "mirror cell" is just duct tape, hose clamp and staples, which is probably good enough, but I worry about the hose clamp squeezing the mirror too firmly. I decided to solve both problems in one go, I 3D printed a 360° mirror clip / aperture mask in 3 segments. It masks it down to about 9.9" and provides a solid platform to hold the mirror in place without any direct pressure on the mirror. Also repainted the wooden base flat black, cleaned and collimated both mirrors. Should be improved views from this scope now!

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[Mike W]

I've been fixing up an old Coulter Odyssey Compact 10.1" f/4.5 for a local observatory. They gave me Carte Blanche to do what I want to it. The mirror needed cleaning, so I wanted to do a ronchi test on it since I'd heard these mirrors can be so-so. The test showed a very meh figure with some turned down edge. I also noticed the "mirror cell" is just duct tape, hose clamp and staples, which is probably good enough, but I worry about the hose clamp squeezing the mirror too firmly. I decided to solve both problems in one go, I 3D printed a 360° mirror clip / aperture mask in 3 segments. It masks it down to about 9.9" and provides a solid platform to hold the mirror in place without any direct pressure on the mirror. Also repainted the wooden base flat black, cleaned and collimated both mirrors. Should be improved views from this scope now!

My old observing buddy had the same scope many years ago!

[CHASLX200]

My old observing buddy had the same scope many years ago!

I got one new in 1982.