7 replies to this topic

[djgoody]

Looking to identify the vintage and model of this scope I picked up a few months ago off CL. I assumed it was a vixen by color and it looked pretty decent and even though nothing else was included with it I figured for fifty bucks I would take a shot and get it. No sticker on it and not sure of it's age or model. it's 60x900 or1000 I think. I tried researching it but couldn't find any pictures of the same thing. Any ideas? APO? Flourite? Is there a dew shield missing? I am really not familiar with these type of scopes as I only have sct's.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated

 

Mike

 

[djgoody]

[Astrojensen]

Vixen 60L 60/910mm, classic fraunhofer achromat. The dew cap is not missing, they looked like that. They made them for many years, well into the 1990'ies. The optics are usually extremely good. 

 

For $50, it's a steal, in my opinion, because of the excellent 1.25" focuser and the usually superb optics. I know of at least one highly experienced German observer, who pitted his against a Takahashi FS-60 fluorite and subsequently sold the Tak, because the Vixen mopped the floor with it on the planets.  

 

 

Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark

Edited by Astrojensen, 17 January 2019 - 01:44 PM.

[Kasmos]

Nice find.

Surely a Vixen.

It looks like it says Vixen on the objective retaining ring. I believe some just have a 'V'.

Not to mention it has the circle 'V' on the focuser's visual back cap.

 

I never noticed one with the raised block where the finder goes. Perhaps a camera mount?

I think it means it was a guide scope, hence no label/badging.

Check out the guide scopes on this 1985 Vixen catalog cover.

They look like they both have that block.

http://yumarin7.saku...n/Vixen1985.pdf

 

I have the same Vixen as sold by Celestron.

I believe this one is from 1984 but I'm sure Vixen made them well into the '90s.

Edited by Kasmos, 17 January 2019 - 02:58 PM.

[djgoody]

Thanks guys!

[Littlegreenman]

All the Vixen fluorite scopes I have seen or seen pics have the word "Fluorite" on the rim around the front of the objective, usually with the diameter and focal length.

It's nice to have hope, though.

[Stephen Kennedy]

The Japanese writing on the picture of the cover says when viewing the Sun with a Sun filter, remove the cap in the center of the cover to reduce the intensity of the light.  This is a potentially dangerous thing to do with the Sun filters supplied with telescopes from the 1980s. 

[BillShakes]

Yes, it’s a Vixen mid 90s 60 x 900. I have the same older orange tube version Kasmos posted. By far the best 60mm in my experience. Great find.