5082 replies to this topic

[Terra Nova]

Currently my favorite classic:

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[scout]

I still find it difficult considering '90s anything as classic or vintage. 

[deSitter]

I still find it difficult considering '90s anything as classic or vintage. 

Now you made my Meade 127ED and ETX90 cry! They lost their mother recently and now this.

 

 

-drl

[scout]

'90s telescopes are as good and beautiful as any others. I just feel old when someone calls something from the '90s "vintage." It still seems somewhat recent to me, even though it's been a quarter of a century.  

[jragsdale]

I still find it difficult considering '90s anything as classic or vintage. 

90s seems pretty vintage to me. 🤪

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[flyboyu777]

I still find it difficult considering '90s anything as classic or vintage. 

30 years and counting is definitely a classic/vintage.  63 and counting is geriatric.
 

[pierce]

This was my classic 90s car.   Wasn't much use at a star party (couldn't carry much gear, I had a pickup truck for that)

 

[mdowns]

Classic telescopes guys,not cars.

[flyboyu777]

My classic parts bin C-8.  Late 70's OTA with an early 80's Super C-8 fork, Byers drive and a Celestron Wedge on a MEADE Tripod!  I have the twin-tube leg tripod for it but I'm waiting for some split pins for the spreader bar that is missing a couple.  Plus I will probably use it with my little orange tube C-90 single arm fork mount.  Gonna try it out tomorrow, weather permitting. 

 

[deSitter]

Seem a little short

 

I am still adjusting to mounting a 7" Mak for the most comfortable viewing. Same problem.

 

That's a nice scope!

 

-drl

[Most2]

Here is my recently acquired and restored (minimal) Goto Model 453. Taken at the Chesapeake planetarium.

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[deSitter]

Here is my recently acquired and restored (minimal) Goto Model 453. Taken at the Chesapeake planetarium.

Wow that's HUGE!

 

-drl

[flyboyu777]

Seem a little short

 

I am still adjusting to mounting a 7" Mak for the most comfortable viewing. Same problem.

 

That's a nice scope!

 

-drl

It's actually a good height-the giant Berlebach tripod behind it makes it look short.  I got that one for my 6" AP f/9 scope. . . .

[Steve C.]

Two Q

[Bomber Bob]

Here is my recently acquired and restored (minimal) Goto Model 453. Taken at the Chesapeake planetarium.

Beautiful Classic!   I Lurv that Big Ole Yoke!!

[Kasmos]

Beautiful Classic!   I Lurv that Big Ole Yoke!!

I've been admiring the one on Facebook Marketplace for awhile.

It's a little rough but now easily worth the lowered price

 

The last listing in Jordans' post

https://www.cloudyni...ads/?p=13659498

[Most2]

Wow that's HUGE!

 

-drl

F/17. 1300mm. They had no shortage of metal back then.

[Most2]

Here is another of my favorites. SV80/9D. I believe it was designed as a beginner's scope but turned out to be a really nice achromat that feels like a high end apo. A bit of color but quite sharp. Great grab and go and nice 80mm all round. F/9 something or other. I often use it at the planetarium. This sadly was the last session as the city closed the facility after 50+ years of operation. The director had been there for almost the whole time. I often heard of three generations coming to the show.

[Most2]

I recently ran into a fine 1852 monograph by William Simms entitled " The Achromatic Telescope, and It's Variations,Mountings, Especially the Equatorial: To Which are Added Some Hint's on Private Observatories". This fine  little book is published by Leopold Classics Library and available at Amazon for very little. It has some of the best, most concise, writing I have seen on the subject of classic refractors and mounts. Even if you are familiar, as I suspect most are on this list, with the subject, this book belongs in any classic collector's library and read. Rare to see such compact, high quality and interesting writing. Good illustrations of scope systems from the mid 19th century. Much still applies today. I  enjoyed this little tome immensely. Give it a look. The title is a mouthful but the writing fine.

[Most2]

Finally tested the Goto 453 out under a good sky for an entire evening. I was very happy with the images. They were sharp lunar views and I had a chance to test the scope against some doubles that were easy to find. Very good on high brightness difference stars. I had heard due to the nature of the Airy Disc energy distribution achromats focus most of their energy in the inner rings making it good at distinguishing disparate magnitude stars in close proximity. Seemed that way. It was fun to observe in the manner of the old days of the mid 1900's. No electronics. You have to slow down but boy was it fun. Is the scope sharp? My observing partner and I were able to see the Cassini Division in the rings of Saturn at the ring apex. Wow in a three inch with the rings so closed now. The division appeared as a tiny black dot at the ring apex during good seeing moments. This was quite unexpected considering the planet orientation. I was quite happy but decided i would not do a star test as I thought it might drive me insane were it to show a misalignment. I had to collimate the cell due to tightening up the end collar screws which had come loose over time. I used a 0.965 Cheshire. Well, what did I do coming to the first bright star? Star tested it of course. Turned out fine with symmetrical rings dead center. I won't do that again as I value my sanity. I got it right once................but you never know twice.

[jgraham]

A collection of Classics at the Cincinnati Observatory ScopeOut event this past weekend. That's the dome of the 1904 16" Alvan Clark & Sons in the background, a 5" f/16 Unitron 510 in the foreground along with me and the missus. Behind the photographer is a similar building housing the 1845 11" Merz und Mahler telescope. All 3 telescopes are in beautiful condition and still catching starlight!

 

 

I have not looked through the 16" yet, but I did sneak a quick peek through the 11" at M13 and I was impressed. The image was sharp with good contrast and no hint of CA. The light pollution at the Observatory wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting and the entire facility is just gorgeous, A true ntional treasure. Oh, and the view through the Unitron was pretty good too.

 

 

We had a long line all night long waiting to take a peek through the 510, and it got even longer when Saturn cleared the trees. The 510 did not disappoint. The reactions to people seeing the moon and Saturn was priceless. While waiting for dusk we also showed Venus in daylight and that was pretty nice as well and always a novelty.

 

A good time was had by all.

 

 

 

[Most2]

A collection of Classics at the Cincinnati Observatory ScopeOut event this past weekend. That's the dome of the 1904 16" Alvan Clark & Sons in the background, a 5" f/16 Unitron 510 in the foreground along with me and the missus. Behind the photographer is a similar building housing the 1845 11" Merz und Mahler telescope. All 3 telescopes are in beautiful condition and still catching starlight!

 

ScopeOut (9-7-2024)-3.jpg

 

I have not looked through the 16" yet, but I did sneak a quick peek through the 11" at M13 and I was impressed. The image was sharp with good contrast and no hint of CA. The light pollution at the Observatory wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting and the entire facility is just gorgeous, A true ntional treasure. Oh, and the view through the Unitron was pretty good too.

 

ScopeOut (9-7-2024)-2.jpg

 

We had a long line all night long waiting to take a peek through the 510, and it got even longer when Saturn cleared the trees. The 510 did not disappoint. The reactions to people seeing the moon and Saturn was priceless. While waiting for dusk we also showed Venus in daylight and that was pretty nice as well and always a novelty.

 

A good time was had by all.

Magnificent scope. So glad there are people who curate these and share them.

[jgraham]

Our 4" f/15 Unitron 155 all set up and ready to welcome guests at last night's International Observe the Moon Night...

 

 

Just like it's larger sibling (the Unitron 510), the 155 performed brilliantly and did not disappoint. I was able to align the setting circles in daylight and we enjoyed sharing a view of Arcturus while waiting to it to get dark. We were nervous for a bit, but the moon cleared the trees as sunset gave way to dusk. We put out an all-hands-on-deck request for help and our members responded wonderfully. Good thing to as we had several hundred guests show up. We had the 155 on the moon for about an hour-ish, and then swung over to Saturn as it cleared the trees. Even with the shallowing rings people just loved seeing it and its moon Titan. Even the moon put on a good sow. We had a _very_ long line all night long...

 

 

...and you never get tired of the 'Oh wows!' from all 3 targets. The focus of the 155 was very forgiving and I never had to adjust it, even for glasses on/off. Tracking was spot-on all night despite aligning the polar axis in daylight, and the mount was very kid-tolerant, even when one little one pulled the eyepiece out and handed it to me. No harm, no foul.

 

A good time was had by all!

 

[LDW47]

 

My late 1959 60mm Tasco Model 308. I had it registered in the data base. I didn't need it but I rescued it from maybe a fate of falling into the hands of a non caring, non astronomer. It was advertised for quite a while with no takers. I got it in mint condition for $150 shipped complete in its wooden case. The views are great !  PS:  I converted it to use 1.25" eps when I wanted to.

 

 

Edited by LDW47, 17 September 2024 - 08:44 PM.

[LDW47]

 

My almost mint 60mm Polaroscope, got it complete incl. wood case for $100 C. I drove 400 mi. to pick it up, I wanted to save it as well from an uncertain fate as no one seemed to want it.