1238 replies to this topic

[AZStarGuy]

Ok, I'll play along.  APitis took hold after I was weakened by Takitis.  Here's one of each.  Couldn't be happier.  

 

Never planned on the Mach1GTO but after my name came up on the AP list for the 130GTX, I couldn't resist.  

 

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[Paul G]

Ok, I'll play along.  APitis took hold after I was weakened by Takitis.  Here's one of each.  Couldn't be happier.  

 

Never planned on the Mach1GTO but after my name came up on the AP list for the 130GTX, I couldn't resist.  

Nice back yard! My brother lives in Scottsdale, wonderful blue skies!

[Traveler]

Here my little A-P refractor pictured in 2010. Back then she was12 years old. Now she is 22 years and still my bestie…

 

Edited by Traveler, 05 May 2020 - 10:29 PM.

[gjanke]

Here my little A-P refractor pictured in 2010. Back then she was12 years old. Now she is 22 years and still my bestie…

 

post-30359-14073056323041.jpg

 

What’s the scope you having riding side saddle?

[Jeronimo Cruz]

Those Travelers still have the best anti reflective coatings I've ever seen. 

Edited by Jeronimo Cruz, 06 May 2020 - 12:52 AM.

[Jeronimo Cruz]

I have also had the pleasure of using an AP 7"+AP900 mount atop Kitt Peak. 

 

People really do have access to observatory grade gear...

Edited by Jeronimo Cruz, 06 May 2020 - 01:12 AM.

[Traveler]

What’s the scope you having riding side saddle?

Tak FS-60CB

[Paul G]

Paying homage to the extremely rare 206 f7.7 EDF on Company 7's showroom floor. Another customer placed a silk pillow with a plastic rose on it at the base of the scope one day.

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[Moondust]

 

 

Ok, truth is I no longer own this scope, but I wanted to feel like a big shot here for 3 to 4 seconds. Downsized to much more grab and go but beautifully made 92mm Stowaway for my retirement years.  

 

[turtle86]

 

My 130mm GT on a DM6.  I have since replaced the Berlebach tripod with a Losmandy HD.

Edited by turtle86, 06 May 2020 - 08:21 PM.

[gjanke]

Paying homage to the extremely rare 206 f7.7 EDF on Company 7's showroom floor. Another customer placed a silk pillow with a plastic rose on it at the base of the scope one day.

Yep, that's where it all started. Great picture!

 

Since Bruce passed away I haven't been to the shop in ages. It a fantastic location tucked away in laurel Maryland.

 

If you live on Maryland to there about and you love Astro-Physics telescopes you must make the trek to the showroom if you haven't already.

[Doug D.]

My Traveler with original focuser now replaced with upgraded focuser a few years back.  Mark V and Zao II's on a Half Hitch and Berlebach UNI-24.  Mount and tripod gone but scope and optics chain still here and, hopefully, always will be!

 

[fmasa]

My AP scopes:

 

1) Original Stowaway f5

 

Of the true AP’s, the little Stowaway was my first and is still my favorite.

757F129B-4FF9-4DE6-B8DC-C1F21FE9CE0F.jpeg

 

If I remember correctly the Stowaway was sold at a Japanese auction. At that time I thought about bidding, but I gave up because seemed to be bad condition. It's a pity that I missed the golden opportunity.

Edited by fmasa, 07 May 2020 - 02:00 AM.

[Esso2112]

If I remember correctly the Stowaway was sold at a Japanese auction. At that time I thought about bidding, but I gave up because seemed to be bad condition. It's a pity that I missed the golden opportunity.

Yes, mine is the one that came from Japan.  I took a chance, but it paid off. The objective was dusty, but that was all. No mold or fungus.  The paint has no chips or scratches, but it is yellowed a little. There is a weird rectangle of red anodizing on the focuser.   But, for less than $3k with the shipping I thought it was worth it for a rare scope and it paid off.  Fantastic little scope. 

[Paul G]

Yep, that's where it all started. Great picture!

 

Since Bruce passed away I haven't been to the shop in ages. It a fantastic location tucked away in laurel Maryland.

 

If you live on Maryland to there about and you love Astro-Physics telescopes you must make the trek to the showroom if you haven't already.

Yeah, I miss seeing Bruce. I have most of his meteorite and tektite collection, with fond memories every time I go through them remembering the stories he had for each specimen. 

 

When my Traveler came in, back in the 90's when there wasn't a waiting list but production runs were small and infrequent, I drove up to Company 7 to pick it up. It was the last day they were open before their Christmas/NewYear break, and a Saturday. It's about a 3 1/2-4 hr drive depending on traffic for me, but that day I got caught in a monster multivehicle traffic accident on I95 when a bean sprout truck flipped, spread bean sprouts all over the road rendering it slippery as ice. I called Bruce to let him know I would be delayed and when the end of business came for him to just leave, I'd come back to pick it up after the New Year. He said he didn't mind waiting. He called me back about thirty minutes later, said he thought I was joking about the cause of the accident but had just heard about it on the news, said he'd wait for me no matter how long it took because he didn't want me to go through the holidays without the scope. I finally arrived over 3 hours after after they had closed, he went over the scope with me, then took the time to install some encoders I was picking up for my Gibraltar mount, we didn't get out until after 11PM. Marty told me later that Bruce missed his astronomy club's Christmas party waiting for me.

 

Here's an AP 175.

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Edited by Paul G, 07 May 2020 - 12:13 PM.

[Jeff B]

Now some of the ones I used to own.

 

First, the 6" scopes starting with a really good 6" F9 pre-ED "Blue Tube" triplet.  Then two 6" F9 pre-ED triplets, but they are airspaced.  I wish I would have kept the one with the white cell.

 

Jeff

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[stevenwav]

I got Apitis in spades. A chronic affliction for me, off and mostly on for about 10 years now. I have it so bad, I buy some, sell some, then buy more of the same scopes I sold before. 

 

Let's see, the AP's I can remember having owned...

AP 178 f/9

AP 152 f/12

AP 130 f/12

Stowaways 6.6 (3x)

Travelers (3x)

AP130GT's (2x)

AP130 f/8

AP180 f/9

 

Current symptoms include:

Stowaway f/5

Traveler

AP 180 Mak/Newt Fastmax f/4.5

and a new Stowaway on its way this month supposedly. 

 

It'll get better, I can beat this thing. 

[Jeff B]

I got Apitis in spades. A chronic affliction for me, off and mostly on for about 10 years now. I have it so bad, I buy some, sell some, then buy more of the same scopes I sold before. 

 

Let's see, the AP's I can remember having owned...

AP 178 f/9

AP 152 f/12

AP 130 f/12

Stowaways 6.6 (3x)

Travelers (3x)

AP130GT's (2x)

AP130 f/8

AP180 f/9

 

Current symptoms include:

Stowaway f/5

Traveler

AP 180 Mak/Newt Fastmax f/4.5

and a new Stowaway on its way this month supposedly. 

 

It'll get better, I can beat this thing. 

I suggest social distancing and a face mask.  

 

I too have owned many an AP and I was one of Roland's "early adopters" in the early 80's.

 

But I'll just show the stuff I have pictures for, at least digital pictures as I've plenty of that quaint old medium called "film" too.

 

Here is a 5" F8 "standard Christen Triplet", as well the early 5" F6, both pre-ED (actually, I don't think I've ever owned one of his EDT/EDF scopes...I may have to correct that).  The later is another scope that I should have kept as it was great with bino-viewers.

 

Jeff

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[25585]

The two that I have left.

 

A 178 F9 pre-ED Starfire and a pre-ED 127 F8 Starfire.

 

Both are optically and mechanically excellent.

 

Jeff

It was a 127 or 125 pre-ED Starfire I turned down in the early 1990s for a TV Genesis. As with the Tak TOA 130 now, I could not afford a larger mount. The Genesis & Panoramic mount was & still is the right choice, but I always wondered what that Starfire was like.   

[donadani]

Here a view of both of the AP-130EDT´s - left the last run 8.35 (4x SN) - right one of the earlier (18x SN). Nice to see is the different coating - both are great. At a first comparison I could not see much of a difference - with a tiny edge to the 8.35 maybe...

 

 

 

One of my earlier 130 EDT´s is gone as well as a 130 EDF-GT... all of them were great scopes wether personally I prefere longer f-ratios.

Edited by donadani, 07 May 2020 - 11:48 PM.

[gjanke]

Yeah, I miss seeing Bruce. 

 

 

Here's an AP 175.

Paul,

 

When I first met Bruce at Company 7 he invited me to the Harford County Astronomical Society Star-b-Que back in 1999.

There on a warm August summer night, after an awesome cook out, Bruce took me around and introduced me to all of his friends. Two memorable moments have stuck with me from that evening.

 

First, Bruce introduced me to a gentlemen named Larry Hubble who was the proud owner of an eleven inch SCT and he keep advertising to every observer looking through it that "they were looking through the Hubble telescope."

 

Second. It was my first look the through an Astro-physics telescope. The scope was trained on Jupiter and it provided me with a view that has been etched into my memory to this very day. Shortly there after I got on the list for both the 5" and 6" AP scopes. 

 

Bruce was always the reason for my visits to Company 7, and well the APs.

 

So my APitis I directly attribute to this kind, big hearted, friendly man and every time I look through my APs I think of him.

 

- Gerald

[Joe Bergeron]

I hope Larry Hubble is a Dad, because that's some real Dad Humor right there.

[gillmj24]

A whole WEEK of this thread and the UNOFFICIAL ASTRO-PHYSICS SERIAL NUMBER POLICE aren't DEMANDING every scope's SERIAL NUMBER yet?!?!?

 

Times HAVE changed

Edited by gillmj24, 09 May 2020 - 10:40 AM.

[gjanke]

We do live in strange times,

 

I will tell you I was most certainly tempted by your ad. I've never owned and F/8 AP before. Always curious what the views would be like especially with the planet making their evening appearances this summer..I did restrain myself but it wasn't before some consideration first. 

 

Just for the record 92665-2-199 and my GT.... I have know idea.

[gjanke]

I so what to buy this scope:

 

https://astromart.co...s-155edf-479862

 

But even I have my limits,  $12,000 for alike new AP 155, just can’t do it. Clearly this a collectors item. 

How many AP owners out there just buy and store? I couldn’t possible imagine doing that but there seems to be a segment of the population doing so. What’s the story?