39 replies to this topic

[Mcloud]

This would have been in the Celestron orange tube era and an answer to the GPC102 made for Celestron by Vixen refractors. I swear I recall Meade offering something identical but I may have just imagined it. I believe the closest thing to the C102 they offered at the time was an 80 refractor made by Mizar.

[CharLakeAstro]

See the thread here... >>>   https://www.cloudyni...tube-refractor/

[Mcloud]

Incredible! Thanks so much for the quick reply!

[CHASLX200]

Ya they did and it seems to be a rare bird. It was to compete with the C102. 

[starman876]

This would have been in the Celestron orange tube era and an answer to the GPC102 made for Celestron by Vixen refractors. I swear I recall Meade offering something identical but I may have just imagined it. I believe the closest thing to the C102 they offered at the time was an 80 refractor made by Mizar.

They sure did. I still have the lens from one and they were excellent.  

[Kasmos]

For me it brings up the question:

 

Compared with Celestron, why are there so few Blue Meade Mizars (60,80,100mm)?

[starman876]

Do not know. I ended up with the lens in a heavy metal tube. I think they were F10 or something like that. Best achromat I ever have seen

[Bomber Bob]

For me it brings up the question:

 

Compared with Celestron, why are there so few Blue Meade Mizars (60,80,100mm)?

IIRC, Meade was kinda late to the party.... and, weren't these Mizars a bit more than the Vixens??

[Kasmos]

IIRC, Meade was kinda late to the party.... and, weren't these Mizars a bit more than the Vixens??

I'd have to go back to some old ads to confirm, but I believe Meade started marketing them as early as1985 and I believe they were a bit less expensive than the Celestrons. Celestron started selling the Vixens in '83 so it doesn't seem all that late to jump in. That said, Meade was offering Towa 60mm and 80mms as lower tier models at the same time as the Mizars so they might have kind of under cut their own sales?

Edited by Kasmos, 17 February 2025 - 02:29 PM.

[Bomber Bob]

Yeah... my recollection is that Meade sold the TOWA 305 & 339 (& OTAs as guidescopes).  Then, the shorter 80 F11 Blue-Tube TOWA for a couple of years (?).  Finally, the Blue-Tube MIZARs...  Seemed that the Orion Vixens came first, then the Celestron versions...

 

I'm fuzzy about the timeline -- was moving OFTEN with the USAF, and flying (all kinds of crazy schedules).  BUT, I was still subscribing to S&T, and trying to keep up!  IOW:  Ole BB missed out on some mighty fine Japanese Imports... and, that just ain't Right!!

 

BIF:  Did Meade ever mention MIZAR in their ads / catalogs back then??

Edited by Bomber Bob, 17 February 2025 - 02:38 PM.

[Terra Nova]

I remember the blue F11 Meade 80mm and maybe a blue 90mm from the 1990s but I never saw a 100mm of that ilk.

[CHASLX200]

Yeah... my recollection is that Meade sold the TOWA 305 & 339 (& OTAs as guidescopes).  Then, the shorter 80 F11 Blue-Tube TOWA for a couple of years (?).  Finally, the Blue-Tube MIZARs...  Seemed that the Orion Vixens came first, then the Celestron versions...

 

I'm fuzzy about the timeline -- was moving OFTEN with the USAF, and flying (all kinds of crazy schedules).  BUT, I was still subscribing to S&T, and trying to keep up!  IOW:  Ole BB missed out on some mighty fine Japanese Imports... and, that just ain't Right!!

 

BIF:  Did Meade ever mention MIZAR in their ads / catalogs back then??

Meade wanted to out do the Celestron P and SP mounted scopes they sold.  They came out with that failed GEM SCT in 1987 that never sold well to compete with the SP-C8 and then the blue tube stuff like the 6" and 8" Newts on under size mounts and then the fracts. I got a new 80mm Alt- Az in 1986 and the optics were drop dead good but the mount was junk and broke a month after i got it.

[Ducky62]

I have a blue tube Meade 300 80mm f1200mm made by Towa. It came with a spindly mount with a clock drive that seems better suited to a 60mm.

Edited by Ducky62, 17 February 2025 - 10:09 PM.

[Chuck2]

 Blue (and APO White) offered in Meade’s 1992 catalog…

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Edited by Chuck2, 17 February 2025 - 11:32 PM.

[clamchip]

I owned a Meade blue tube alt/az model 310 80mm F/11 made by Mizar, a friend now owns it. I can't remember

much about it.

I noticed the Meade 290W in the above ad is very similar to my blue model 291 60mm F/15 eq and I do remember

this one I still own it. It's a Towa made telescope and one of only a few 60mm ever to resolve the perforated thingy.

 

Robert

[dave253]

Robert, I have to ask, what is ‘the perforated thingy’? 

[CHASLX200]

 Blue (and APO White) offered in Meade’s 1992 catalog…

That is the 80mm Alt Az i had. Killer optics but the slo- mo broke off.

[deSitter]

Robert, I have to ask, what is ‘the perforated thingy’? 

It is a likely a vertical reflector for (microwave) cell transmissions from his description. I used to have a clear view of a radio antenna from my attic window (gone behind trees now) and they make great telescope targets!

 

-drl

[deSitter]

I am pretty sure I have seen a blue 100mm f/9 or f/10 scope from the Mizar era. In fact it was discussed here a few years ago.

 

-drl

[Terra Nova]

I am pretty sure I have seen a blue 100mm f/9 or f/10 scope from the Mizar era. In fact it was discussed here a few years ago.

 

-drl

Do you have a link? I have no recollection.

[deSitter]

Do you have a link? I have no recollection.

Actually less than a year ago! Post #2 above by CharLakeAstro had the link.

 

https://www.cloudyni...-mizar-or-towa/

 

-drl

[Bomber Bob]

 Blue (and APO White) offered in Meade’s 1992 catalog…

Thanks!  Those are the first -- TOWAs.  The MIZARs must've come in around 1995??

 

FYI:  In my years on ZEN, I haven't seen a white or off-white MIZAR 4" F10...

Edited by Bomber Bob, 18 February 2025 - 05:12 PM.

[clamchip]

Robert, I have to ask, what is ‘the perforated thingy’? 

It's a cylindrical cover on a cell tower 2.5 miles from my house.

The cover has stamped vents or perforations so what's inside can breathe I'm guessing.

These perforations are very hard to see, you need 4 inches to see them.

Every once in a while I'll have a 80mm that will resolve the perf's, and even more rare

a 60mm that can do it. The perforations are even difficult for me to photograph.

Robert

 

Edited by clamchip, 18 February 2025 - 05:22 PM.

[Chuck2]

Meade’s 4”, 5” ED APO ‘White’ refractors from 1992 caralog…

 

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[Chuck2]

Meade’s 6” & 7” ED APO ‘White’ refractors from 1992 caralog…

 

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