The Nagler family has been an institution for the astronomy community since 1977 providing world class optics through their Tele Vue brand. Their eyepieces and telescopes deliver outstanding views and are reference standards in the field. Tom Trusock loved Tele Vue. He loved their performance. He loved their craftsmanship. Most importantly he loved the family behind the product and their dedication to providing quality and service second to none.
Well, Al, David, Judy, and Sandy want to honor Tom for his contributions to astronomy by auctioning off the prototype Apollo 11 eyepiece serial number 1 and donating all the proceeds to Tom’s family. The winner won’t have to wait for the release of the limited-edition production eyepieces to enjoy the stunning views. This one is ready to go and is on hand at Tele Vue headquarters.
So, how is this auction going to work? Interested bidders will have to send me a PM with their bid in the Message Subject of the PM through the CloudyNights.com messaging system. I will update this thread with the highest bid amount when it comes through every day. As they are sent via PM it may take me until the next morning to update the price, so hang tight. The auction will run until Sept. 23, 2019 Midnight Central Standard Time. Starting bid is $500. At the end of the auction, if there are multiple high bids for the same amount, I will contact the final bidders and give everyone a chance to place their final high bid. This process will repeat until there is only one bidder left. It is a lengthy process, but the site isn’t really set up for an auction so this is the only way. Payment will be made to the GoFundMe page we set up for Tom. Once we see payment has been finalized, we will get all the shipping information and give Tele Vue the okay to ship. The Buyer will be responsible for any shipping/duty that may be involved from TeleVue. In the end this is for a great cause and the winner will have a piece of Tele Vue history.
There is a private reserve on the auction so the high bid might not get the eyepiece if it isn’t in the ballpark. If we don’t hit the reserve, we have a backup plan so Tom’s family still is a beneficiary of this auction. So, bid away and keep your fingers crossed.
Focal Length.: 11mm
Apparent Field of View: 85°
Eye Relief: 19mm
Field Stop diam. (effective): 16.2mm
Coatings: Glass matched multi-coatings on all surfaces
Barrel diam.: 1¼” with 2” thread-on adapter
Filter Threads: 1.¼” and 2”
Length: 4.8”
Width: 2.13”
Weight: 21.6 oz. (1.35 lbs.)
Total Production: Less than 300
Thank you for bidding, and thank you Nagler family for coming up with this idea to help the out the Trusock family.
Clear Skies,
Mike/astronomics
