18 replies to this topic

[Tom Duncan]

Got this dewshield with a vintage Celestron orange tube C8 outfit, wondering if it's original Celestron or aftermarket. 

 

Appears to be made from Sonotube like material, definitely not metal. Has the easy spiral lines inside. Paint looks right. The two little pieces of angle metal that limit how far on the tube it will go are likely not original, probably put on there by a previous owner, look like a hardware store solution. 

 

Anyone know for sure? 

 

Thanks

 

Tom Duncan 

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Edited by Tom Duncan, 15 July 2019 - 08:07 PM.

[Augustus]

Those metal brackets are original. I sold one of these to defenderslideguitar and it was identical to this. They're not cardboard but a phenolic resin like the Criterion scope tubes.

[Don W]

I'm pretty sure they are aftermarket.

[photoracer18]

I think its aftermarket also. I had an orange tube sand cast C8 is those early days and there was no dewshield available from Celestron at the time. Maybe early JMI or something.

[John Higbee]

My dewshield is identical to yours (down to the L-brackets for positioning the shield).

 

These are "rare birds" - got mine when my astronomy club sold off some of the "no longer used" equipment in the club storage shed. 

 

Have seen very few of these for sale anywhere (maybe two in ten years)...have seen one C14 orange dewshield for sale during the same time period.

 

Will look on Piekel's "Celestron - the Early Years" CD to see if Celestron ever sold it.  It's not in the 1976 catalog that came with my C8 when I purchased it.

 

John

[Littlegreenman]

It might be a Tuthill item. Just speculating out loud. I know Celestron made orange metal dew shields.

[Tom Duncan]

Thanks all for your input. I too have the "Celestron-The Early Years" CD, I'll take a look. 

 

But if it was Tuthill wouldn't in be red? 

 

Tom

[davidmcgo]

Tuthill’s No Du shields were grey sheet PVC rolled and glued with dymo label tape ends, lined with black fuzzy contact sheet and a nichrome wire near mid tube where it worked magically well to keep dew off by radiation as opposed to every current product trying to heat laterally by conduction through the cell.

 

Tuthill made some crude looking stuff but he really understood the physics!  Best dew shield I ever had.

 

Dave

Edited by davidmcgo, 16 July 2019 - 08:42 PM.

[toolman]

I can definitely provide at least one source for this dew shield. I have this exact one from a C8 bundle I bought from Orion Telescopes back in June of 1982. I would bet they had it manufactured to their specs by some 3rd party outfit.

I just sold that C8 OTA last week and the buyer did not want this dew shield . It is in VG condition,pm me for details.

Tim

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Edited by mdowns, 11 May 2022 - 07:12 PM.

[Littlegreenman]

I actually ended up with one of these orange dew shields a couple of years ago. I bought it and at locked triangle tripod from someone local. I needed the tripod as I had bought a and orange C8, wedge, and tripod before, but the tripod had a cracked leg. The dew shield was just cool to acquire. I agree, 99% not an official Celestron item.

[ETXer]

I can definitely provide at least one source for this dew shield. I have this exact one from a C8 bundle I bought from Orion Telescopes back in June of 1982. I would bet they had it manufactured to their specs by some 3rd party outfit.

I just sold that C8 OTA last week and the buyer did not want this dew shield . It is in VG condition,pm me for details.

Tim

PM sent!
 

Cheers,

Allan

[John Higbee]

Picture of my C8 Orange tube (with orange dewshield) at the 2018 NEAF:

 

[Defenderslideguitar]

Augustus is correct       it is phenolic resin    well made     and they are rare and sought after because it functions very well but I was worried about it when I sold it   and shipped it after I     sold the C 8  i could just see it being manhandled and tossed about in shipping

    so I double boxed it   

[Littlegreenman]

An ad for Orion in Astronomy Magazine, 1979, shows this. Confirming some points made above.

 

 

 

[Kasmos]

I don't remember seeing Celestron themselves ever offing one. I wonder why not? Seems like a no brainer.

[Littlegreenman]

Celestron sold a black plastic one.

[Bill Griffith]

The black plastic is a two piece that snaps together. I'll dig in the herd for a P/N.  

I'm not certain that these were available originally for sand cast or die cast orange tubes. 

 

This was purchased with a black tube Super 8. 

 

Works on No. 31 and on a 75 sand cast although counter weight is desirable.

 

Bill

[Kasmos]

Checked the 82 accessory catalog and it has this

Note it's metal and only for post 77 C8's

Looks like one piece.

 

I'm not sure they offered one much earlier than this.

I'll check some of my old accessory price lists to see if they are on it 

 

I forget more than I ever knew. 

Edited by Kasmos, 15 September 2022 - 02:50 PM.

[PJRutledge]

I know this is an old thread, but it looks like it was never definitively answered.  I have one of these orange dew caps for my C8 and I have the original instruction sheet for it, which clearly shows it was sold by Orion.

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