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Tabletop Manifestations

Started by mattyfatz , Apr 03 2020 12:21 AM

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93 replies to this topic

#1 mattyfatz

Gemini

topic starter

Posts: 3,431
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Loc: Boise Idaho

Posted 03 April 2020 - 12:21 AM

As I reminisce about simpler times, I'm thinking about my first scope (which I still own), the Astroscan 2001. This is a tabletop scope, but can be mounted on a tripod. I made a PVC tripod for it that lasted many years, but I'd still pop it up on any picknick table when the opportunity arises. Although I've owned almost 100 telescopes since this first scope, I still have an affinity for small tabletop scopes. Here are a few I've owned, but I'd like to see what you have too, especially the weird exotic examples.

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#2 Tourneciel

Mariner 2

Posts: 237
Joined: 24 Mar 2013
Loc: Vannes - France

Posted 03 April 2020 - 03:24 AM

Here are those I own:

- Vixen Halley 70/400 since 1990

- Towa 80/800 since 2013 (but was released on the market in the mid 80's)

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#3 walter a

Viking 1

Posts: 717
Joined: 04 Aug 2014
Loc: Prawda Manitoba Canada

Posted 03 April 2020 - 05:25 AM

Nothing exotic just swift and tasco.

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#4 Rick-T137

Gemini

Posts: 3,086
Joined: 28 Feb 2015
Loc: Canada

Posted 03 April 2020 - 06:11 AM

I had a Jason Comet Chaser 480 for a few years...

Rick

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#5 houndsbourgh

Mariner 2

Posts: 252
Joined: 26 Dec 2017
Loc: Hailey, ID or Estes Park, CO

Posted 03 April 2020 - 07:02 AM

C90 Astro in black. Not orange or weird but fun.

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Edited by houndsbourgh, 03 April 2020 - 07:03 AM.

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#6 CharlieB

Fly Me to the Moon

Posts: 5,727
Joined: 11 Dec 2007
Loc: Southern NH

Posted 03 April 2020 - 07:21 AM

A pair if excellent RAO R-41s. 40x500mm. One labeled Daiwa Optical and the other, Royal.

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#7 CharlieB

Fly Me to the Moon

Posts: 5,727
Joined: 11 Dec 2007
Loc: Southern NH

Posted 03 April 2020 - 07:24 AM

Bushnell SkyRover 50x500.

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#8 CharlieB

Fly Me to the Moon

Posts: 5,727
Joined: 11 Dec 2007
Loc: Southern NH

Posted 03 April 2020 - 07:27 AM

Bushnell Observer. 40mm 30x. Not many of these around.

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#9 CharlieB

Fly Me to the Moon

Posts: 5,727
Joined: 11 Dec 2007
Loc: Southern NH

Posted 03 April 2020 - 07:31 AM

Asahi Jupiter and Pentax 50x600.

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#10 CharlieB

Fly Me to the Moon

Posts: 5,727
Joined: 11 Dec 2007
Loc: Southern NH

Posted 03 April 2020 - 07:39 AM

LN3-E. 84x760mm.

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#11 davidc135

Soyuz

Posts: 3,816
Joined: 28 May 2014
Loc: Wales, UK

Posted 03 April 2020 - 08:16 AM

My Dynamax 8 David

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#12 Terra Nova

ISS

Posts: 32,925
Joined: 29 May 2012
Loc: Kentucky, just south of the Ohio River

Posted 03 April 2020 - 09:30 AM

My only table top scope, tho I have never used Astronomically with it sitting on a table.

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#13 mattyfatz

Gemini

topic starter

Posts: 3,431
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Loc: Boise Idaho

Posted 03 April 2020 - 09:55 AM

My only table top scope, tho I have never used Astronomically with it sitting on a table.

Right! We rarely do. I have seen some innovative "field tables" though

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#14 Eric P

Apollo

Posts: 1,061
Joined: 04 Apr 2005
Loc: PA

Posted 03 April 2020 - 09:58 AM

I've since sold the mount but here was my JSO with a ~~Vixen~~ Kenko KDS

Edited by Eric P, 03 April 2020 - 11:25 AM.

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#15 mattyfatz

Gemini

topic starter

Posts: 3,431
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Loc: Boise Idaho

Posted 03 April 2020 - 09:58 AM

LN3-E. 84x760mm.

Charlie B,

All great examples! I like this LN3-E. Who made it? Is it a draw rube focuser? That alt-Az mount is pretty slick!

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#16 mattyfatz

Gemini

topic starter

Posts: 3,431
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Loc: Boise Idaho

Posted 03 April 2020 - 09:59 AM

I've since sold the mount but here was my JSO with a Vixen KDS

I always loved that one. Those mounts were great.

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#17 Terra Nova

ISS

Posts: 32,925
Joined: 29 May 2012
Loc: Kentucky, just south of the Ohio River

Posted 03 April 2020 - 10:05 AM

Right! We rarely do. I have seen some innovative "field tables" though

If I had a heavy concrete table in my backyard, I definitely would. At one point I had thought about building a collapsable observation table for my Q, (there is a thread on such in the Questar forum). Then I decided that it was just as easy if not easier to use it on a dedicated tripod, so I adapter two just for the Q, a heavy steel-reinforced wooden surveyor’s tripod with a Celestron wedge and adapter plate for use in equatorial-tracking mode, and a lightweight wooden tripod for use in alt-az mode. Here is a photo of the Q on the latter:

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#18 Tourneciel

Mariner 2

Posts: 237
Joined: 24 Mar 2013
Loc: Vannes - France

Posted 03 April 2020 - 10:08 AM

I've since sold the mount but here was my JSO with a Vixen KDS

Vixen KDS? I have never seen one in Europe. Pretty interesting tripod and mount.

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#19 clamchip

Hubble

Posts: 13,903
Joined: 09 Aug 2008
Loc: Seattle

Posted 03 April 2020 - 10:08 AM

Here's a fairly recent purchase for me, so recent I haven't done my 'sky trials' as of yet.

The image is erect and as expected much like looking thru a Dick's drive-in soda straw.

The box says 'Deluxe' and again Dick's pops to mind, I'm dying for a Deluxe burger.

My wife thinks I've got a real problem with food and she's right ! I wouldn't have it any

other way !

30 power 40mm objective.

Robert

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#20 tim53

James Webb Space Telescope

Posts: 17,341
Joined: 17 Dec 2004
Loc: Highland Park, CA

Posted 03 April 2020 - 10:23 AM

My favorite: Watkins and Smith 3.5" Gregorian, circa ~1770.

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#21 Eric P

Apollo

Posts: 1,061
Joined: 04 Apr 2005
Loc: PA

Posted 03 April 2020 - 10:35 AM

Vixen KDS? I have never seen one in Europe. Pretty interesting tripod and mount.

Sorry Kenko KDS. Not sure why I had Vixen on my mind

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#22 CharlieB

Fly Me to the Moon

Posts: 5,727
Joined: 11 Dec 2007
Loc: Southern NH

Posted 03 April 2020 - 11:41 AM

Charlie B,

All great examples! I like this LN3-E. Who made it? Is it a draw rube focuser? That alt-Az mount is pretty slick!

It's an Astro Optical product with a Montgomery Wards/Adams label. It has a R&P focuser and the mount is actually an EQ, but the non-rotating OTA makes it tough to use in that mode. It works fine in alt-az.

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#23 CharlieB

Fly Me to the Moon

Posts: 5,727
Joined: 11 Dec 2007
Loc: Southern NH

Posted 03 April 2020 - 11:43 AM

Here's another Jupiter (Asahi) 40mm. Excellent optics for a spotter.

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#24 CharlieB

Fly Me to the Moon

Posts: 5,727
Joined: 11 Dec 2007
Loc: Southern NH

Posted 03 April 2020 - 11:47 AM

Another Tasco Deluxe. OK optics - nothing special.

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#25 PawPaw

Apollo

Posts: 1,099
Joined: 05 Jan 2013
Loc: West Central Missouri

Posted 03 April 2020 - 12:20 PM

Mattyfatz....Thank you for this post. If it wasn't for you I would not have realized I have such a flexible tabletop tripod. I started looking at my small lightweight Edmund tripod that came with a 3 inch reflector in the 80's when it dawned on me...............Remove the fixed equitorial and in its place install a Uniclamp camera bracket. Just so happens that Edmund designed the top of the mount to accept a standard camera bolt. Unitron saved my Edmund and I owe it to you!

So thanks to you look how many tabletop scopes I now have.