174 replies to this topic

[deSitter]

 

 

Here's the scope it was from. A 10" Cave Cass.

Just a magnificent beast - hope it performed/performs!

 

-drl

 

It was going to be my main planetary scope but it needed some work....The Royce touch would have perfected it.

 

Yup, that deserves his work! And it could happen!

 

-drl

[Chuck Hards]

 

Astro Physics Model 8002 DA drive corrector with Model 7002 Autoguider.   Original owner.

 

AP 001.jpg

 

 

A couple of Accutracks, I bought the one on the left around 75, 76.

 

Accutrak 001.jpg

 

 

This Sidereal Electronics unit came with my Cave 10" Custom Super Deluxe.  

 

Sidereal Electronics 001.jpg  Sidereal Electronics 002.jpg

 

 

All of these still get used.

you are getting older which each picture

 

 

The Sidereal Electronics unit is RA only.  The Cave has a Byers 8" gear drive installed and it tracks like butter.  It was installed by the original owner, another long-time member of my local club and he used it for astrophotography.  I have the original drive components to restore it to a factory condition. 

 

I always thought it odd that it had a 120VAC reversible DEC gearmotor.  It has it's own control box.  Seems that most of the rest of the industry went with 12VDC DEC gearmotors.

 

[Keith Parizek]

Hi Chuck-  I got a kick out of your mention of the AstroPhysics 7002 guider and head.  Evered Kreimer and I used these for guiding on my stuff at Alpine. If I can ever figure out how to post photos one of the next things to talk about is our travails of making these work with my scopes.  It is a whole story in itself.  I will talk about this on the tread of John Mallas 4 inch Unitron.

Regards

Keith Parizek

 

 

[Chuck Hards]

Keith, I've used it on an EQ-2 with modified 12VDC DEC drive.  It's been decades but I remember that it liked red and yellow stars for guide stars, didn't seem very blue sensitive at all.  But it worked pretty well once aligned and the mount balanced.  I never pushed the image scale much, 500mm was about it, and usually for guiding telephoto shots with the SLR.

[Kasmos]

I still have a Sidereal Electronics drive corrector that I bought new for my Jaegers 4" on a Cave mount.

 

I can't remember if I bought it at Cave or at a cool little telescope shop that use to be in Monterey Park, CA.

Anyone remember that shop?

What's the story of Sidereal Electronics? After all, how many companies are up on Mt. Wilson?

This photo appeared in the '77 and '78 Celestron catalogs.

It certainly appears theirs were sourced from Sidereal.

This unit differers as it has the plug in and dial for a illuminated recticle.

[rolo]

Nice one! I assume you bought it new in the 70's? It would be nice to date some of these. I's like to see some of the first models made available to amatures. 

[Terra Nova]

Just don’t connect any of it to the Internet! I got hacked AGAIN! Woke up this morning and somebody set the clocks ahead one hour on my phone, iPad, and computer! It think it must have been the Russians!

 

[rolo]

Shhhh!

 

 

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[tim53]

Just don’t connect any of it to the Internet! I got hacked AGAIN! Woke up this morning and somebody set the clocks ahead one hour on my phone, iPad, and computer! It think it must have been the Russians!

 

Oh, so THAT's why I woke up sleepy to find that my Sunday Morning news show was almost over already!

 

Bring back Daylight Wasting's Time!

[rolo]

This one is one of my favorites. Possibly the best looking!

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Edited by rolo, 11 March 2018 - 10:37 AM.

[DMala]

This one came with my sandcast C8. I have no idea if it works and exactly how to use it, as I could not find a manual online. It anyone can point me to a source for instructions for a similar unit, or can briefly explain, I would appreciate it. I also have the cable with the alligator clips for a battery. However at the location where I could possibly use this corrector it would be much simpler to be able to use just regular household 110V AC, since I do not have a 12V battery. Can I?

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[rolo]

Yes, plug the scope to the rear plug and then the corrector to 110v outlet.

[Kasmos]

Nice one! I assume you bought it new in the 70's? It would be nice to date some of these. I's like to see some of the first models made available to amatures. 

Thanks.

Yes purchased new. I ordered the Jaegers parts and Cave mount in the summer of '78. I remember It took really long to get delivery of both (especially the Cave), and was working on putting it all together towards the end of '78. The scope was up and working before the year was out, so I'm very sure the drive corrector was bought in '78 too.

[tim53]

Thanks.

Yes purchased new. I ordered the Jaegers parts and Cave mount in the summer of '78. I remember It took really long to get delivery of both (especially the Cave), and was working on putting it all together towards the end of '78. The scope was up and working before the year was out, so I'm very sure the drive corrector was bought in '78 too.

I've got one of those too.  It came with the 1976 Sandcast C-8 that I bought in Vegas some years ago.  It was still sealed in the plastic bags it came in.  I use it pretty often for my older scopes, so it's not NOS anymore, but it works well and it's simple and straightforward.

 

-Tim.

[John Rogers]

I still have a Sidereal Electronics drive corrector that I bought new for my Jaegers 4" on a Cave mount.

 

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What's the story of Sidereal Electronics? After all, how many companies are up on Mt. Wilson?

 

Anyone know the history of Sidereal Electronics?  I did a quick Internet search and there does not appear to be a whole lot of information available.

[photoracer18]

Anyone still using one of these? I stil use mine with C8 forks, Unitron 152, and the old Dynamax 8. Use to use one with my old Cave and Parks Superior Mounts.  I'm holding on to this one cause they're getting harder to find. 
 
Post a picture of yours!

I still have one of the those mdl 300 Digitrak II's also. Plus a pair of single axis ones. I got Bob to give me a set of his schematics after he retired so I could fix them. That was while I was working for Gary Hand. I tried to get Orion to give me copies of the Accutracks also but they declined even though they were no longer repairing them also. I am holding onto mine in case I ever get ambitious enough to tackle that early Cave observatory mount that came with the 12.5" convertible Cass/Newt. Been trying to find an original C8 fork + the DC DEC drive as a test bed but nothing in the right price range has popped up. I do have a spare hand control for one of the dual drive controllers like the D II but have not tested it.

[John Rogers]

Anyone know the history of Sidereal Electronics?  I did a quick Internet search and there does not appear to be a whole lot of information available.

I found a reference that shows an address for Sidereal Electronics being 2836 baseline Rd., LaVerne, CA 91750.  A Google search reveals that this is a residential home.  Was this before or after their Mount Wilson days?

[Mr Magoo]

I have 3. I also have an AP model like Chuck. Mine is missing the hand paddle unfortunately. Tried in vain to find one. I got it with my Quantum 4 at an estate sale. The legs for the scope were in the case with the corrector and they would not separate them so I had to buy the whole thing. Probably will sell this one if I ever get around to it.

 

[Mr Magoo]

This is the unit that came with my Meade 1060 RG. It is also made by Sidereal Electronics. 

 

[Mr Magoo]

Last one. It is a Davionix. Very nice unit.

 

 

[John Rogers]

This is the unit that came with my Meade 1060 RG. It is also made by Sidereal Electronics. 

 

IMG_2056.JPG

What is the address of Sidereal Electronics shown on the bottom of your unit?

[KentTolley]

Yup, that deserves his work! And it could happen!

 

-drl

Bob Royce told me he was "shutting down the business and retiring."   Then he is going to make me a 6" f8 mirror.  It will complete a wooden Dob I've been working on.  

Edited by KentTolley, 30 April 2018 - 11:29 AM.

[rolo]

Last one. It is a Davionix. Very nice unit.

 

IMG_2057.JPG

 

IMG_2058.JPG

Nice! Never seen that one before.

[Mr Magoo]

What is the address of Sidereal Electronics shown on the bottom of your unit?

2836 baseline Rd., LaVerne, CA 91750 is what is on mine. 

[John Rogers]

2836 baseline Rd., LaVerne, CA 91750 is what is on mine. 

Thanks Ken.  The one on mine is Mount Wilson.  I am trying to put a timeline together to better understand the history of Sidereal Electronics.  It appears that they made a lot of different boxes, but there does not seem to be a whole lot of information about their history on the web.  If I can determine when they were located at Mount Wilson, it will help me date the manufacture date of a used Meade telescope that I recently picked up.

 

For what its worth, the Baseline Road address comes up as a private residence on Google.