410 replies to this topic

[Bomber Bob]

Did this get posted or is it hush-hush?  Unitron Equatorial Mount #128 W/ Motor Drive For Telescopes  on SGW. 

Ole BB the Seer predicts... ludicrous closing auction price...

[Lemmon714]

Ole BB the Seer predicts... ludicrous closing auction price...

Edit- Sim Sala Bim

[SandyHouTex]

Here's one you won't see, EVER.

Clyde Tombaugh's telescope!

 

https://tinyurl.com/2dn5wxsr

$60,000 opening bid.  

[deSitter]

$60,000 opening bid.  

Must be the helical focuser. Amazingly rough construction.

 

-drl

[rcwolpert]

Must be the helical focuser. Amazingly rough construction.

 

-drl

It’s the old Coke can that’s driving up the price! Clyde drank out of that can!

Edited by rcwolpert, 23 June 2022 - 04:15 PM.

[bill7342]

Selsi 60mm with the unitron style mount. Listed on bonanza.

 

$125 + shipping

[bob midiri]

As much as this tempts me, I own a fantastic C102F so I cant justify me purchasing this very amazing package. Check it out a Complete minty Brandon Baby Blue 94mm w mount and accessories. https://philadelphia...7491002459.html

[ccwemyss]

Did this get posted or is it hush-hush?  Unitron Equatorial Mount #128 W/ Motor Drive For Telescopes  on SGW. 

 

Since nobody responded to my ask for pictures of the 128 drive's bracket that clamps onto the base of the mount, and holds the platform that the motor sits on, I was very excited to see a good picture of exactly that in the ad. So I consider myself a winner on this auction, without even bidding!

 

It would still be nice to get a picture with dimensions, but I think I can fabricate something workable and similar in appearance just from this. 

 

Chip W. 

[brian dewelles]

Here's one you won't see, EVER.

Clyde Tombaugh's telescope!

 

https://tinyurl.com/2dn5wxsr

Thats amazing! It looks beautiful to me. Its a piece of American history and the history of the hobby at the same time.

Edited by brian dewelles, 23 June 2022 - 05:47 PM.

[rcwolpert]

Thats amazing! It looks beautiful to me. Its a piece of American history and the history of the hobby at the same time.

I talked to Clyde and his wife one year at Stellafane. I wish I had said, “You know Clyde, the day is coming when your telescope is going to sell for $60K.” If I had unlimited resources I’d buy it.

[deSitter]

Thats amazing! It looks beautiful to me. Its a piece of American history and the history of the hobby at the same time.

The rough construction is fun to examine closely. That framework underneath has a simple mechanism for tweaking the polar axis angle. There is a second focuser hole - for a camera? You'd have to rotate the secondary - but how? The arc of the curved spider vane has clearly been very roughly made - nowhere near circular. The tube looks like rolled sheet metal fastened into a tube by riveted bands. The guide scope is a roll of metal with an inner tube of blackened cardboard - a mailing tube. A soda can with duct tape is the dust cover. It's amazing how junk can be turned into a fine optical instrument.

 

I have been reflexively saving coffee cans - for a possible tube - for a possible telescope I also have 5 heavy cardboard Scotch containers around here waiting to become a tube It's just the way things are in telescope world!

 

-drl

[brian dewelles]

The rough construction is fun to examine closely. That framework underneath has a simple mechanism for tweaking the polar axis angle. There is a second focuser hole - for a camera? You'd have to rotate the secondary - but how? The arc of the curved spider vane has clearly been very roughly made - nowhere near circular. The tube looks like rolled sheet metal fastened into a tube by riveted bands. The guide scope is a roll of metal with an inner tube of blackened cardboard - a mailing tube. A soda can with duct tape is the dust cover. It's amazing how junk can be turned into a fine optical instrument.

 

I have been reflexively saving coffee cans - for a possible tube - for a possible telescope I also have 5 heavy cardboard Scotch containers around here waiting to become a tube It's just the way things are in telescope world!

 

-drl

So to me its not all about the telescope but more about the guy who made it and what he became.

[mfalls]

It would have been nice if the folks that decided Pluto was not a planet were actually solar system scientists instead of the armchair IAU folks with nothing better to do. Pluto will always be my favorite planet thanks to Clyde.

[deSitter]

It would have been nice if the folks that decided Pluto was not a planet were actually solar system scientists instead of the armchair IAU folks with nothing better to do. Pluto will always be my favorite planet thanks to Clyde.

Ain't that the truth! Of all the space missions, the one that really tingles my spine is New Horizons - what a journey. There are vids on YT which just take my breath away. Alas we will not be returning in my lifetime. So far!

 

-drl

[ccwemyss]

I talked to Clyde and his wife one year at Stellafane. I wish I had said, “You know Clyde, the day is coming when your telescope is going to sell for $60K.” If I had unlimited resources I’d buy it.

I have a poster signed by him from that year. What a kind gentleman he was in person. I hope the proceeds are going to his family. 

 

Chip W.

[ErnH2O]

Ole BB the Seer predicts... ludicrous closing auction price...

It sure is purdy, though. Out of curiosity, what would be a non ludicrous, yet fair price?

[jragsdale]

4" Dynascope with original box - $75 in Fort Collins, CO

https://fortcollins....7500245988.html

[apfever]

4" Dynascope with original box - $75 in Fort Collins, CO

https://fortcollins....7500245988.html

Already mine.  Set up with seller yesterday, ad just not taken down yet.

[rcwolpert]

I have a poster signed by him from that year. What a kind gentleman he was in person. I hope the proceeds are going to his family. 

 

Chip W.

I had that same signed poster. I remember Clyde sitting in the clubhouse with his wife sitting next to him while he signed our posters. I had mine framed but somehow lost it during one of my moves when in CA.

[rcwolpert]

Already mine.  Set up with seller yesterday, ad just not taken down yet.

Nice purchase! I’ve never seen the box like that.

[norvegicus]

Already mine.  Set up with seller yesterday, ad just not taken down yet.

Are you going to show them how counterweights work?  I've never seen one on the same side of the mount as the OTA before.

Edited by norvegicus, 24 June 2022 - 06:55 AM.

[Terra Nova]

It would have been nice if the folks that decided Pluto was not a planet were actually solar system scientists instead of the armchair IAU folks with nothing better to do. Pluto will always be my favorite planet thanks to Clyde.

Repeat after me, “Pluto is a planet, Pluto is a planet, Pluto is a planet…..”

[Terra Nova]

Ain't that the truth! Of all the space missions, the one that really tingles my spine is New Horizons - what a journey. There are vids on YT which just take my breath away. Alas we will not be returning in my lifetime. So far!

 

-drl

There was a great Saturday night keynote on New Horizons at Stellafane a few years ago. BTW, it starts five weeks from today!

 

[tturtle]

The New Horizons mission was such a stunning success, incredible engineering to design the spacecraft and hit the target dead on after almost a decade of flying through space and then to arrive at the planet and discover so much geological and atmospheric activity. Getting back to the Tombaugh telescope, this thing should really be in a museum! You can see the telescope in this NASA documentary on YouTube

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=EJxwWpaGoJs

 

There was a great Saturday night keynote on New Horizons at Stellafane a few years ago. BTW, it starts five weeks from today!

 

Edited by tturtle, 24 June 2022 - 09:03 AM.

[SandyHouTex]

Repeat after me, “Pluto is a planet, Pluto is a planet, Pluto is a planet…..”