58 replies to this topic

[schiefspiegler]

What a wonderful 6" Unitron homage setup. Reminds me of the time I spent looking at the Unitron brochures and just dreaming during my youth. The Skyview Pro mount is quite capable of handling all that gear. I had the same mount with the tripod extension, I think it was 16". The telescope was a Celestron C6-R f/8 achromat. With the extension the mount transforms into a pedestal and a very steady one. It allowed my C6-R to be used for observations near the zenith. Never had any issues with vibrations. 

Not all "CG-5" class mounts are equal. The Skyview Pro is the best of the breed in my opinion. There's also a world of difference in stability when the half pier extension is employed with the tripod fully collapsed. Initially it was disappointing, but I managed to trace flexure to the machined aluminum coupling at the bottom of the steel column -- tolerances between its OD and the ID of the column were too loose. Since there's never a need to separate the two, I simply epoxied it in place.  

Edited by schiefspiegler, 03 September 2024 - 03:34 PM.

[schiefspiegler]

What a wonderful 6" Unitron homage setup. Reminds me of the time I spent looking at the Unitron brochures and just dreaming during my youth. The Skyview Pro mount is quite capable of handling all that gear. I had the same mount with the tripod extension, I think it was 16". The telescope was a Celestron C6-R f/8 achromat. With the extension the mount transforms into a pedestal and a very steady one. It allowed my C6-R to be used for observations near the zenith. Never had any issues with vibrations. 

I'm a big fan of pedestals and mystified that they have become expensive rareties. 

 

Please see: https://www.cloudyni...-for-pedestals/

[azure1961p]

Oh gosh I remember that scope. Wildly seductive .  My astro buddies envied this when I was in Jr. High.    The thing I recall - even back then was the UNITEON 4" Photo model was all gangbusters to look at but a simple C8 would blow it out of the water on everything.  Memories though of that Battlestar Galactica Scope.  We lost something when Unitron ended and APOS began, the mounts, the controls, the rings, the velvet everything.

 

Pete

[Bomber Bob]

The old Tasco 20TE was also downright arousing back in the day...

 

... and, it still is!  No offense to all the Uni Fans, but I'd rather have the Tasco 20TE on display - opposite my Tinsley Saturn.

[CHASLX200]

The old Tasco 20TE was also downright arousing back in the day...

 

... and, it still is!  No offense to all the Uni Fans, but I'd rather have the Tasco 20TE on display - opposite my Tinsley Saturn.

I just don't see how that mount worked worth a hoot for that big OTA. At least with the U it was rock solid on my M152 AND 160.

[Bomber Bob]

I'd leave my 20TE's original EQ & pier in the house, and slap that OTA on my Tall Meade StarFinder -- same as I do now for my Mogey 3 / Dakin 4.

[oldmanastro]

Not all "CG-5" class mounts are equal. The Skyview Pro is the best of the breed in my opinion. There's also a world of difference in stability when the half pier extension is employed with the tripod fully collapsed. Initially it was disappointing, but I managed to trace flexure to the machined aluminum coupling at the bottom of the steel column -- tolerances between its OD and the ID of the column were too loose. Since there's never a need to separate the two, I simply epoxied it in place.  

My old Skyview Pro was great. The moment I installed the 16" extension to that tripod and retracted the tripod legs I had a vey stable mount in my hands for the C6-R. I sold the whole setup s few ago because it was becoming a bit heavy for me to handle. Many times I have regretted it except when my back hurts. The C6-R on that mount looked impressive and would have been much nicer if the OTA color had been white.

 

I'm a big fan of pedestals and mystified that they have become expensive rareties. 

 

Please see: https://www.cloudyni...-for-pedestals/

 I am also a fan of pedestals. I remember drooling over the Unitron 4" pedestal mounted equatorial telescope with the mechanical clock drive as it appeared in the brochures that Unitron used to send for free. My other dream telescope back in the 60s was the pedestal mounted Sears (RAO) model 6336 76mm f/16 equatorial refractor. It was a dream that, after many years, became reality when I was able to acquire one in 2020 thanks to a member of this forum. Wonderful people here.

[deSitter]

Oh gosh I remember that scope. Wildly seductive .  My astro buddies envied this when I was in Jr. High.    The thing I recall - even back then was the UNITEON 4" Photo model was all gangbusters to look at but a simple C8 would blow it out of the water on everything.  Memories though of that Battlestar Galactica Scope.  We lost something when Unitron ended and APOS began, the mounts, the controls, the rings, the velvet everything.

 

Pete

That's what classics are all about! I've got 4 or 5 classic refractors with superb aesthetics and performance. Every time I use one it is the Time Tunnel, only instead of tumbling onto the Titanic, I land in my front yard in 1970 with my classic Sears SYW 76/1200mm.

 

-drl

[deSitter]

I have never liked pedestals for portable scopes. The only exception would be a really short and squat one, DX-16 short, for my 10" f/4.5 scope. To me a pedestal introduces another mode of vibration, side to side. Also difficult to level. I put levelers on my RV-6 and they would always catch my pants cuffs in the dark.

 

-drl