52 replies to this topic

[Napersky]

I have waited almost 15 years to be given this telescope. It is pristine and Foucault Knife Edge tested in Green, Blue, and Red I will upload those images later.

It is a ROYAL ASTRO. The Optics may be Horiguchi only the Japanese Telescope Museum would know. Horiguchi made optics for Takahashi before they began

making their own optics.

 

It's mount and OTA is exactly the same as my Sears 90mm 6345, which optics are second to none.

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[Napersky]

I bought it of course.

[jragsdale]

Absolutely stunning scope, looking forward to your testing photos.

[deSitter]

I have waited almost 15 years to be given this telescope. It is pristine and Foucault Knife Edge tested in Green, Blue, and Red I will upload those images later.

It is a ROYAL ASTRO. The Optics may be Horiguchi only the Japanese Telescope Museum would know. Horiguchi made optics for Takahashi before they began

making their own optics.

 

It's mount and OTA is exactly the same as my Sears 90mm 6345, which optics are second to none.

I thought the 20TE mount was the same design but quite a bit stouter. That's what Mikey Cee, another 20TE owner said.

 

The 102mm AO scope was long-lived as the R-102 - but the 90mm was a one-and-done for Sears. I've never seen another example of a 90mm AO scope.

 

-drl

[deSitter]

I have waited almost 15 years to be given this telescope. It is pristine and Foucault Knife Edge tested in Green, Blue, and Red I will upload those images later.

It is a ROYAL ASTRO. The Optics may be Horiguchi only the Japanese Telescope Museum would know. Horiguchi made optics for Takahashi before they began

making their own optics.

 

It's mount and OTA is exactly the same as my Sears 90mm 6345, which optics are second to none.

BTW without wishing to be pedantic - ROYAL was a brand. The name of the company was Astro Optical Industries. ROYAL was their "house brand". I think the ROYAL brand was not available in the US - but many came home with US military personnel stationed in the Far East.

 

They made a LOT of telescopes. I've never heard a bad optical report on ANY AO scope.

 

-drl

[GaryM]

I almost bought this one from Albert. I saw it at his home when buying another scope from him. Just didn't have the money at that time. Now I just have to settle for my lowly Sears 6345 :-)

 

https://astromart.co...efractor-427272

[deSitter]

I almost bought this one from Albert. I saw it at his home when buying another scope from him. Just didn't have the money at that time. Now I just have to settle for my lowly Sears 6345 :-)

 

https://astromart.co...efractor-427272

There is a good argument that the 90mm is preferable in a practical sense. It's not much harder to handle than a 76mm but a huge jump in performance, while 90mm to 102mm is rather less optical gain for a vastly more cumbersome mount.

 

There is a 108mm SYW in New Zealand - anyone remember the ad? $4000 also. An absolutely mint condition complete scope. I think the brand was Sportmaster. The maker is SYW like the Sears 6344.

 

-drl

Edited by deSitter, 19 December 2024 - 06:51 PM.

[CHASLX200]

I thought the 20TE mount was the same design but quite a bit stouter. That's what Mikey Cee, another 20TE owner said.

 

The 102mm AO scope was long-lived as the R-102 - but the 90mm was a one-and-done for Sears. I've never seen another example of a 90mm AO scope.

 

-drl

I don't see how that mount can hold it that steady.  Not the mass of a Unitron mount.

[deSitter]

I don't see how that mount can hold it that steady.  Not the mass of a Unitron mount.

No, surely not as good, but in practice much easier to handle, and you have clock drive and accurate slo-mos close to the focuser so dancing images shouldn't be a problem. The 90mm on the 6345 mount is on the edge of stability BTW. Works, barely.

 

-drl

[Napersky]

No, surely not as good, but in practice much easier to handle, and you have clock drive and accurate slo-mos close to the focuser so dancing images shouldn't be a problem. The 90mm on the 6345 mount is on the edge of stability BTW. Works, barely.

 

-drl

I know.. John Siple recommended putting the 6345 on a pier. I never did. But the optics are out-of-this world. So I assume the same for the New Scope from Vienna, Austria. Also I will set the 6345 up next to the Tasco 108mm for a comparison size photo. 

[Napersky]

Foucault test in 3 colors bt Darren Drake.

Scope had not adjusted temperature all the way.

 

Edited by Napersky, 20 December 2024 - 01:27 PM.

[mikey cee]

Mark let's see that comparison shot with the 6345! I'll bet there is a lot bigger difference than most of the "enlightened" ones around here believe. All I have is my 80mm and it didn't have a prayer! Remember we are only going up from the 80mm to the 90mm by just a measly 10mm. Then we go from the 90 up to 108 a whopping 18mm 

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Edited by mikey cee, 21 December 2024 - 10:50 AM.

[deSitter]

Mark let's see that comparison shot with the 6345! I'll bet there is a lot bigger difference than most of the "enlightened" ones around here believe. All I have is my 80mm and it didn't have a prayer! Remember we are only going up from the 80mm to the 90mm by just a measly 10mm. Then we go from the 90 up to 108 a whopping 18mm 

Yes the design is nearly identical but the 20TE has much longer axes and is surely much stouter than the 6345 mount. The latter was also found on the AO LN-6E Newtonian but with a crinkle finish.

 

https://www.cloudyni...ound/?p=5233878

 

-drl

[Terra Nova]

Wonderful find Mark! It really is a Holy Grail telescope! So glad you found one!

[Napersky]

Mark let's see that comparison shot with the 6345! I'll bet there is a lot bigger difference than most of the "enlightened" ones around here believe. All I have is my 80mm and it didn't have a prayer! Remember we are only going up from the 80mm to the 90mm by just a measly 10mm. Then we go from the 90 up to 108 a whopping 18mm 

I will this week sometime. 

[Napersky]

Wonderful find Mark! It really is a Holy Grail telescope! So glad you found one!

 

Thank you. It was on Facebook Classics.

[Napersky]

Thanks Terra. Waited almost 20 years.

[Darren Drake]

Here's a slightly improved pic of the Tasco.  Notice the turet on the focuser...

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Edited by Darren Drake, 26 December 2024 - 08:32 PM.

[Darren Drake]

Another pic taken when we tested the optics shows the second finder not seen in the other pics..

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[Darren Drake]

A couple more pics shows the label and the objective up close...

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[CHASLX200]

Can that mount really work at 400x without 10 secs of shakes?

[mikey cee]

Mark notice how the quality of our scopes are so close to each other in these pics. I notice you have the black plastic thread in 50mm objective cap also. Do you still have the white 30mm cap?

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[mikey cee]

Here is a very similar pose of my identical 108 mm objective. We are both so fortunate that these lenses survived in such immaculate condition.

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[mikey cee]

Now a final shot of our identical Tasco plain Jane badges. Also if you could Darren take the cover off of the clock drive and see if you can locate a date of manufacture, If I recall mine had a hand written date of 5/69. Enjoy it Mark 

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Edited by mikey cee, 27 December 2024 - 01:37 PM.

[deSitter]

Here's a slightly improved pic of the Tasco.  Notice the turet on the focuser...

How heavy are the weights? Looks like it's in good shape! Congrats!

 

-drl