22 replies to this topic

[Glassthrower]

Item #130044687019

It's a weird-looking little scope. I emailed the seller asking some questions, twice in two days, and never received any response. It's amazing to me how many sellers never answer their emails.

So, what is this thing?

MikeG

[Don W]

Odd looking thing. It only has an altitude pivot?

[ngc6475]

The scope looks as though it has a very short focal length, too. It must have a specific application, although I can't imagine what it is. It would have been helpful if the seller mentioned the name of the manufacturer and/or the country of origin in his ad.

[tbourg]

Hello,

It looks like something that I should know what it is, but I don't.

I wonder if it has or ever had crosshairs. Could it be some sort of sighting scope? Military or surveying comes to mind, but I'm not basing that on anything and like most of the stuff that comes to my mind, I'm sure that is completely wrong.

Nice case!

I believe I will fight the temptation to bid on that one.

Good luck and clear skies.

Tom B.

[Glassthrower]

I emailed the seller asking some questions such as : are there any markings or labels on the scope, can you provide some photos from another angle? Etc.

Frankly, the auction seems a bit fishy. Why go through the trouble to take nice clear photo of the carrying bag, but not the scope itself? No shots of lenses. Very suspect. if the seller would simply answer my questions, they might get another bidder. But I am not bidding on such a mystery item that the seller will not provide additional details on.

But yes, I am still very curious as to what it is. It seems a little Questar-like. Like some mad hobo put together a Questar clone from parts in the dumpster outside a camera store.

Clear dark skies...

MikeG

[davidmcgo]

The overall profile and size of the front cell and focuser looks vaguely like the "Ad-Astra" 70mm Mak that Max Bray sold way back late 70's. The mount isnot something I recall seeing in the small S&T ads. If the auction stays cheap, it might be worth the experiment!

Dave

[Richard B. Drumm]

Seller appears to be Ted Cappell of Mesa AZ.
See elephanthunter for his phone number: 480-838-4114...
He seems to like elephants, so maybe this scope is a white elephant?
I kill me!
He mostly seems to sell high shool yearbooks, so maybe this item is out of his usual area of expertiese...
Rich

[Glassthrower]

If somebody here buys the mystery scope, I would be keenly interested to see some more pics and here some details about it.

Clear dark skies...

MikeG

[FAB]

The aperture appears excessive, but other than that it looks like one of the scopes we used right after the USSR launched the first Sputnik to identify and track artificial satellites for Project Moonwatch. Could be?
FAB

[Don W]

That's what I was thinking, Floie.

[Glassthrower]

The gambler part of me wants to take the risk, buy it, hope it's worth much more, and re-sell it for a profit.

The common-sense part of me is scared away by all the red flags : unknowledgeable seller outside his/her expertise, unresponsive seller unable/unwilling to answer questions from potential bidders, and a woefully-incomplete description with insufficient photos.

Bidding on this item would truly be a gamble, and even though it's my b-day, I don't feel that lucky today. I'll let someone else be the guinea pig.

Now, watch the guinea pig win it for $50 and it turns out to be some highly-rarified prototype from some famous scope maker and it's worth thousands!

Clear dark skies...

MikeG

[tbourg]

Hello,

That mount would make sense if the scope were used to follow rocket launches or something else vertical, like to inspect towers. Once again, I am probably completely incorrect. Maybe the mount is just an el cheapo way of making an alt-azimuth for a simple camera tripod.

See you and clear skies.

Tom B.

[camvan]

when you take a look at the seller's history, over 12 thousand items and 99.3% rating, the only thing I'd worry about is the guy being out of his league selling something optical, rather than worried that they're trying to bag you as a sucker.

[Glassthrower]

I didn't mean to imply that the seller sounded shady. The seller was simply unresponsive to my questions. And I agree, the rest of the seller's history is non-astronomy items, so he/she was selling something outside their area of expertise. That's a risky situation for the buyer. But, on a more positive note, it is exciting to win such an auction. It's like getting a "mystery box" or unknown gift. You just wait until the mailman brings it to your doorstep, cross your fingers and cut the packing tape. I have one of those on the way right now. A vintage Japanese 30x35mm table-top telescope. I got it so cheap that I could afford to take the risk. But, this mystery scope (the one that started the thread) just closed for $38.00 plus shipping. That's about $50, and that's just too much for me to gamble on at this point in my rise to gearhead-dom.

I hope it was somebody from CN that won it. I'd like to hear and see more about it. I'm still curious.

Clear dark skies...

MikeG

[Wayne Parrish]

The very fact that the "seller" wouldn't return questions can't do anything but hurt his chances of selling for much ! I intend to contact E-bay about his VERY poor salesmanship character. Wayne

[trainsktg]

I wonder why there wasn't a shot of the OTA in front of the mount instead of hidden the way it was? It almost looks like a modified Mak like David said. The bag looks cool, though.

Keith

[Strgazr27]

Well I'll post pictures as soon as it arrives I figured it was a cool little conversation piece at the least and will look cool sitting on a shelf in my upcoming SkyShed. If it's anything special I got myself a heck of a deal Lol.

CS's

[Glassthrower]

Cool. I'm glad "one of us" got it, so now the mystery will be eventually solved. I think it reminds me of the Meade ETX-60AT. And the carry bag looked pretty nifty too. If the bag is leather, then that's worth the price of the auction alone.

Clear dark skies...

MikeG

BTW - I did manage a good score on eBay yesterday : 250046660879

[Richard B. Drumm]

When it comes in, Bobby, post some better pix of it on this thread so we can "scope it out" so-to-speak!

Rich

[BSeward]

That pun was so bad it gave me a toothache!

[Richard B. Drumm]

I'm a sick, sick man!

Floie:
Since you mentioned Project Moonwatch earlier....
This was forwarded to all my club's membership by our secretary, it had come to the attention of the Night Sky Network:

SPECIAL REQUEST RECEIVED IN THE NSN MAILBOX:
Name: Zoe King
email: zking203(at)gmail.com
I am doing research for a documentary film on Sputnik, and am trying
to find early footage or still photos of the Moonwatch clubs that
were started in reaction to its launch and that of Vanguard in 1958.
If you know of any of your affiliate clubs that have been around that
long and might have such footage, kindly let me know.
Thank you,
Zoe King

Do you or any one else here know much about Project Moonwatch? If so email Zoe (after changing the (at) to the @ symbol) and fill her in!
Thanks,
Rich

[Clive Gibbons]

The overall profile and size of the front cell and focuser looks vaguely like the "Ad-Astra" 70mm Mak that Max Bray sold way back late 70's. The mount isnot something I recall seeing in the small S&T ads. If the auction stays cheap, it might be worth the experiment!

Dave

Hi Dave.
When I saw the profile of that scope in the eBay listing, I thought about the "Ad Astra" Maksutov, too.
The tapered shape of the objective lens end is similar.

Wouldn't be surprised if it's one of those, or a similar scope.

[Glassthrower]

Hi Bobby,

Did you ever receive and identify this strange little scope?

I'm still curious....


Clear dark skies...

MikeG