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What was the most expensive line of scopes offered to amateurs?

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#51 CHASLX200

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 04:05 PM

It's an interesting phenomenon that AP scopes are sold new at below-market price. You can always tell when they release a new run because ads start showing up on AM for new-in-box samples at around a 25% premium. Actually used versions of current models run 15% to 20% above list price. So, in that sense, they are not among the most expensive as offered to amateurs. 

 

The Planewaves are sold in amateur-oriented sizes, along with sizes that are meant for institutions. There are plenty of amateur astrophotos on Astrobin from Planewave scopes. A 20" is currently for sale on AM for about $30K. I sometimes think of them as the modern day Boller and Chivens, although I don't know of any amateurs who bought B&C scopes new. 

 

I remember being told, when I was at Kitt Peak, that there was an observatory for sale on the mountain for $1M that had built by a wealthy tech exec who decided he wanted to get a PhD in astronomy, but couldn't be bothered with trying to apply for time on an institutional scope. Technically, he bought it as an amateur. I don't think they mentioned the brand though. 

 

Chip W. 

That is why i say AP's cost the most. I never go by new prices since i never buy new.



#52 oldmanastro

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 07:18 PM

I guess that before AP appeared on the market, Unitrons and Questars were the most expensive amateur telescopes available in the most common sizes found in amateur hands. In the 60s and 70s most amateur telescopes were in the range of 3" refractors to 6" reflectors. An 8" or larger telescope was considered a "serious instrument". It was also a time when a 3" refractor was declared almost the equivalent of a 6" reflector regarding definition. Tell that to my RV6. Most of us from that time had the Unitron and Questar catalogs just to look at them until they were worn out. We did pretty well with our 2.4 and 3" Sears, JC Penney's, Monolux, Swift, Lafayette, Manon, Tasco ....etc refractors or an RV6. Lucky those who could afford the Unitrons and Questars.


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#53 clamchip

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 08:14 PM

A Unitron 4 inch Photographic Equatorial was the most expensive telescope on my personal list.

I thought it was the most beautiful telescope in the world.

I was 10 years old the price was $1175.

If only I'd known about charge cards and payment plans I think I would have gone for it.

 

Robert


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#54 oldmanastro

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 09:54 PM

A Unitron 4 inch Photographic Equatorial was the most expensive telescope on my personal list.

I thought it was the most beautiful telescope in the world.

I was 10 years old the price was $1175.

If only I'd known about charge cards and payment plans I think I would have gone for it.

 

Robert

I agree with you 100%. Among the impossible telescopes to have at that time it was one of my favorites especially with pedestal mount and mechanical drive. What a beauty.


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#55 Bomber Bob

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 10:20 PM

Well... First:  Telescope Line to me would be 3+ models in a Series with increasing apertures.

 

- Unitron 

- Takahashi

- Swift (maybe?)  I got "sticker shock" browsing these scopes back then, compared with Dept Stores.

- Cave

- Tinsley (maybe?)

 

I don't know enough about GOTO, Nikon, Pentax, etc. from the 1960s to 1990s to know if those offered Series.


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#56 rob1986

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Posted 26 January 2025 - 02:19 AM

In line with what i wrote above, the 1.5m planewave costs 1.5 ×10^6

#57 photiost

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Posted 26 January 2025 - 09:34 PM

...the most expensive line of scopes offered to amateurs  ...

 

I would have to say APM-LZOS  is an expensive line ... their prices are also in Euros


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#58 bjkaras

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 12:43 AM

I knew very early that the biggest Newt I'd ever want to handle was 10". As a kid f/6 would have been a breeze. Today the f/4.5 is getting challenging smile.gif I may someday indulge in a 12" compact Dob, although I really don't like Dobs. EQ Mounting a 12" would be nearly twice the hassle. I'd need an LXD750 smile.gif

 

-drl

Back in my youth I lusted after the large scopes in the Cave catalog, but they were far past what I made flipping burgers at $1.65 an hour. So I ended up with a 6” f/8, which I used for 14 years. As soon as I could afford it I sprang for an EQ mounted 10” f/5, which I still use. Price is a relative thing, but IMO it’s the largest EQ scope one person can easily handle alone. I know we’re talking about what’s expensive, but when I was 16 and shopping for a good instrument, 10” scopes were way beyond my reach. Cave advertised some really large scopes; I think up to 24”, but those were aimed at schools and other professional institutions.


Edited by bjkaras, 27 January 2025 - 12:57 AM.


#59 ccwemyss

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 09:19 AM

I guess that before AP appeared on the market, Unitrons and Questars were the most expensive amateur telescopes available in the most common sizes found in amateur hands. 

The AP scopes started appearing in 1984. Takahashi, Nikon, and Pentax were selling lines of high priced scopes in the 1970's as Unitron faded. Nikon withdrew after a time, while Pentax continued to market expensive scopes that were mainly astrographs for a bit longer, and Takahashi was able to persist, possibly because they were contracting the optics out, rather than making them in-house.

 

AP sold some objectives a bit before 1984. but it took a few more years for them to adopt ED glass, then improve their optical tube, focuser, and mounts to the point where they were really considered premium. The early models were quite affordable. Today they describe themselves as mainly a mount company, with a side line of telescopes. 

 

Chip W. 


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#60 deSitter

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 11:51 AM

Back in my youth I lusted after the large scopes in the Cave catalog, but they were far past what I made flipping burgers at $1.65 an hour. So I ended up with a 6” f/8, which I used for 14 years. As soon as I could afford it I sprang for an EQ mounted 10” f/5, which I still use. Price is a relative thing, but IMO it’s the largest EQ scope one person can easily handle alone. I know we’re talking about what’s expensive, but when I was 16 and shopping for a good instrument, 10” scopes were way beyond my reach. Cave advertised some really large scopes; I think up to 24”, but those were aimed at schools and other professional institutions.

Exactly! My big project on my 10" last year was to put it on a 8" shorter tripod. Even a 10" f/4.5 needs a squat tripod to allow a seated observing position (on the highest step of the observing chair). I'm pretty sure that entered the considerations back in the day. What OTA will fit in the back seat was another.

 

As for expensive scopes - Astro-Optical in the 60s had some very high end telescopes in their consumer catalog - the flagship was a 10" Newtonian which is said to have spectacular optics. I think that only came on a short cast iron pier. A couple of our members have one - LN-10E or the like. They also had a tricked out 6" f/15 refractor. I once saw the yen cost for these and it was eye-watering.

 

-drl


Edited by deSitter, 27 January 2025 - 11:51 AM.


#61 Lappe Lad

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 01:13 PM

I've never seen even an estimated price for the 12" Questar. Anyone has one? 

 

The 3.5" and 7" were certainly very expensive. The Zeiss Meniscas 150, and later 180, were also eye-wateringly expensive. In Denmark, the Meniscas 150 cost as much as a new VW Beetle in the mid-60'ies. That was for a fully equipped scope, though, with pier, mount and eyepiece turret with five eyepieces. 

 

 

Clear skies!

Thomas, Denmark

A 1989 issue of Astronomy Magazine buyer's guide listed the Questar 12 at $53,000 with equatorial mount. :o

 

 

Robert


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#62 CHASLX200

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 07:14 PM

All them fancy Japan made Newts that RVR sold with 1 ton mounts were past pricey in the 80's.


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#63 starman876

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 07:32 PM

A 1989 issue of Astronomy Magazine buyer's guide listed the Questar 12 at $53,000 with equatorial mount. :o

 

 

Robert

$53,000 seems like a reasonable amount.


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#64 CHASLX200

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 07:53 PM

$53,000 seems like a reasonable amount.

Way too much then and now.



#65 starman876

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 08:02 PM

Way too much then and now.

Depends on your prospective of the value of an item.   Rare scopes always demand a premium


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#66 RichA

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 10:04 PM

I think Tak was proud of how expensive the FCTs were in the 80’s and 90’s.  They considered them a showcase of their “art” and craftsmanship in a functional optical tube.  And the FCT 200 that is in the Tak museum (?) in Japan is my dream scope…well, right behind the equally unobtainable Pentax SDP150. 

Pentax made a 10 inch apo which is likely very rare.  And huge.



#67 RichA

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 10:05 PM

It is stretching it a bit -- well, maybe more than a bit -- but we might remember that George Ellery Hale got his start as a teen-age observer and telescope builder, and though he did study science later in life, he never finished his Ph.D. program. Thus particularly snobbish astrophysicists might choose to consider him a non-professional. So the Yerkes 40-inch refractor, the 60- and 100-inch reflectors at Mount Wilson, and the 200-inch reflector at Palomar Mountain might possibly be considered as having been procured by an amateur.

 

Just saying ...

Hale worked as hard to get those scopes built as any PhD earner, he had two nervous breakdowns in the process.



#68 Don W

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Posted 27 January 2025 - 11:39 PM

The question is very vague. I have know amateur astronomers that bought Several J.W. Fecker scopes and installed them in professional level domes.

Very expensive for that time.

 

Another had a 30” Cassegraine installed in a huge dome east of Green Bay, Wisc. 
 

So expensive is a general, and vague term.

 

DonW



#69 Jay_Reynolds_Freeman

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Posted 28 January 2025 - 06:38 PM

It could be argued that this takes the prize ...


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#70 CHASLX200

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Posted 28 January 2025 - 07:16 PM

It could be argued that this takes the prize ...

Bad blank frank.



#71 deSitter

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Posted 28 January 2025 - 07:42 PM

Bad blank frank.

Hint - It went from ultimate mush dog to freakiest sharp ever.

 

-drl



#72 CHASLX200

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Posted 28 January 2025 - 08:06 PM

Hint - It went from ultimate mush dog to freakiest sharp ever.

 

-drl

But the blank is still bad.



#73 Dwight J

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Posted 28 January 2025 - 08:51 PM

There is an 8.5” Cerevolo for sale on Astromart for $17,000 USD sans mount.  He made less than 20 of them.  The 5.7” are more numerous and new went for about $2500 for the OTA.  I couldn’t find one for sale currently.  


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#74 deSitter

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Posted 28 January 2025 - 10:40 PM

There is an 8.5” Cerevolo for sale on Astromart for $17,000 USD sans mount.  He made less than 20 of them.  The 5.7” are more numerous and new went for about $2500 for the OTA.  I couldn’t find one for sale currently.  

Sold at cost for $10,500. What a beauty!

 

-drl



#75 CHASLX200

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Posted 29 January 2025 - 06:53 AM

There is an 8.5” Cerevolo for sale on Astromart for $17,000 USD sans mount.  He made less than 20 of them.  The 5.7” are more numerous and new went for about $2500 for the OTA.  I couldn’t find one for sale currently.  

OUCH!  It is really 17k better than my 826?




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