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I agree with John, Flagstaff is a great place to stay. The Lowell Observatory is an excellent visit, we used the refractor to observe Mars back in 2003 near closest approach.. stunning! Wife and I booked a session with a graduate assistant to operate the scope, I think it cost about $100 all in back then, fantastic sense of history, no canals though! Day trips to meteor crater, the petrified forest, Grand Canyon and then a long drive over to Mount Wilson and Mount Palomar. Tour of Mount Wilson was excellent with access into all domes and great guides. Mount Palomar a little more limited but I had wanted to see the 200” since a young boy, even through a viewing window it was stunning. Mirror was out being cleaned so had a good sight of it. Walking towards the dome you gradually realise how huge it is! Fingers crossed if things get back to normal we would certainly go back, ran out of time to see everything. Linton

Some great photos! Steve I didn’t know you had purchased a Vixen, it looks very smart on the new mount with Andromeda. Looking forward to some viewing with you in the Autumn. All the Best Linton

Hi John, Could you post a photo of your 102SS if you have one to hand ( you probably have already done so in another thread), I’ve not seen one but have read they perform very well. All the best Linton

Hi Dave, All good here thank you. I’ve not had the chance to compare my Vixen ED (which is the 102S f9 version) with a fluorite model, hopefully may get the chance at some stage. My ED has a 2” focuser and I added a vixen reduction unit for fine focus which is an improvement. Views through the ED are very good with minimal false colour either side of focus. I agree with your thoughts on the various Vixen mounts, I have my original SP with a modification by Peter Drew which corrected the poor design of the latitude adjustment. I also have a very smart black version of the GP which Celestron marketed. Both have stainless steel counterweight shafts that Phil made for me. I was lucky enough to find a heavily reduced Berlebach tripod for sale in a camera shop that was closing down, the Vixens sit very solid on it. Picture of the ED in action early evening in the Spring with Yvette enjoying some Lunar views. Stu : maybe we will get the two scopes together sometime, your fluorite looks very fine, same tripod I think? Best wishes all, Linton

Hi Dave, I purchased my first Vixen new from Phil Stone (Superscopes) in 1988.A 102M on a driven Superpolaris mount. It had the old style stickers and the lens cell was green, I think it cost around £750 back then which, as a young teacher, was more than a months wages! I still have the mount going strong, but I now have the 102ED version OTA which doesn’t seem to have been sold in any quantity. Photo shows the school 102M on the left and my 102ED on the right in action for the recent eclipse. I enjoyed reading of your restoration etc and delighted Es could sort out the optics. Hope you are keeping well, All the Best, Linton

Many thanks to all for your suggestions, including those that are off the original topic may prove very useful. Linton

A friend has been given a pair of 1940s Kershaw binos. He wants to service them and has asked me to recommend a grease for the focusing mechanism and inter pupil adjustment. This is not something I have done so I said I would ask the SGL forum for any thoughts. Any info on Kershaw binos also appreciated. Many thanks, Linton

An excellent eyepiece. I had one with a Peter Drew made adapter that I sold recently with a vintage Astrosystems scope. I still gave a second one! it threads into a Vixen diagonal so it lives in that. Hope your adapter arrives, I’m sure you will enjoy the view. Best wishes, Linton

I’ve also seen it listed at a plastics supplier in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. Will try and find a link. ...... it’s an eBay store put a search in for gardencityplastics make sure you get the place in Biggleswade not Australia. They have all sorts of useful plastic sheet, when I spoke to them a couple of years back they had Kydex and alternatives, they supply small quantities. I used some to make a lower primary shroud on an UC Dob. Linton

Tray arrived, cut and in place. Landed straight on the centre stud first time and 3 out of 3 to check! Brilliant idea, hated sliding it around in the dark to locate the centre. I would highly recommend this to anyone using a CPC in altaz mode. Many thanks to TJExcaliibur for posting all those years ago!

Now that looks a great idea! Sadly the trays have gone up over the years now £7.00 in 2021, but still a bargain. Hope I can cut it as neat as you have!

Justin, A skyshed pod for a 12” Dob will not be very useful, just not enough room and limited horizon. Why not just buy a cheap plastic Keter shed and lift the Dob out when you want to use it. I’ve kept a couple of dobs in one of these for years. No leaks or maintenance on the shed and telescopes are well protected and down to temperature. All the Best, Linton

Thanks very much for the info. I saw a chaps Pulsar dome recently that had been sanded right back and then painted with two pack and it did look a very good job once finished, but quite an amount of work. I was hoping for a short cut! Linton

Steve, Can I ask why the single coat you applied in February needed to be removed? Had it deteriorated in some way? Having seen the various before and after photos from those that used the product I had thought I would give it a try. Many thanks, Linton

Looks very smart! I'm sure you will enjoy getting all the kit installed and in use.

Excellent, many thanks for the suggestions. In following them up I have just found a plastics firm in Biggleswade that seem to have every material under the sun in all sorts of colours and finishes. They also do a cutting service and are only about 6 miles away. Hopefully they will be able to sort me out Best wishes, Linton

John, Many thanks for the link, I will give them a try. Best wishes, Linton

Hi, Can anyone point me towards a U.K. supplier of ‘Kydex’ or something similar. I think I have the name of the material right, it’s the black plastic used by Obsession and other makers to line upper tube assemblies etc. Basically any thin (ish) black plastic material would do but preferably with a Matt finish, ( I suppose I could cover it with flocking but would prefer not to) . Many thanks if you can point me in the right direction. Best wishes, Linton

A Keter shed should suit you well, they come with an internal thick plastic floor and are pretty warm. I use mine to store a couple of dobsonian, been up for 6 years just free standing on slabs. No leaks or problems. Double doors on mine so easy to get kit in and out. Took about 2 hours to erect, mostly just working out where everything went. Linton

Saw a 9’x9’ roll off by Home Observatory UK the other day. It was 4 years old and in great condition very solid. Roof rolled very easily, several well thought through points about the structure and it had the look of something that was put up with pride. It certainly made me think I could go with them in the future at some stage. Linton

A great way to start your day, but rather early at the moment! Best wishes, Linton

Great information chaps, many thanks for taking the time to reply. best wishes, Linton

Many thanks both, it does look just like the Columbus From 365 just with a silver barrel. John that’s interesting that you mention best used in a slow scope. I was using it in a Vixen ED 102 S at f9 so middle f ratio, did you used to have this same scope? I will have to try it in some others. just using these beautiful mild evenings to go through my eyepiece collection Which has grown rather large over the years! Best wishes, Linton

Hi, I have an 16mm, 80 degree 1.25” eyepiece with no makers name that I would like to identify, see photo. It has a look very similar to a Moonfish but as far as I know these are labelled with the brand name. It performs very well and certainly has a wide field with good eye relief. Any help in identifying it appreciated. Many thanks , Linton

Many thanks gents, you put me on the right track. Once I saw the picture of the turret with the eyepiece holder removed I remembered I had an old Vixen diagonal, the holder end unscrewed and the 40mm screwed straight in! Looking forward to trying Some low power views in the next few days best wishes, Linton