Interesting refractor incoming...

[johninderby]

Where'd you find that, John (Derby)?

Ant

On an old website that hadn't been updated in quite a while. Think the dealer went out of business a while ago.

http://www.oneilphoto.on.ca/antaresscopes.htm

But better than that just found this, although the photo looks like the f/11 version.

http://www.khanscope.com/productdetails.cfm?productID=1172

John

John

[A McEwan]

Verry interestink. Funnily enough, in the original advert, the seller had this to say:

"Trying to set a price on this has been challenging, since this is such an unusual scope -- as I mentioned, I've seen only one other like it. I know Antares offered a "Vixen-Spec" scope like this a few years ago for $280, but I don't think the newer lenses ever compared to the stuff Vixen made in Japan in the 80s and early 90s. and I don't think that price included rings, finder, diagonal, or anything like that. Of course, I don't even think you can *get* an Antares scope new any longer. Plus, this scope has a fully collimatible objective cell, which is something I don't believe the Antares scopes ever had (my 105 certainly doesn't)."

I suspect the ones you found reference to, John, are the "Vixen-spec" scope from "a few years ago" (2004-05 ish) that the seller mentioned. Certainly the accoutrements on the later one are different: 2" focuser, 8x50 finder, lighter tube rings - though of course that is an Antares branded scope not a Celestron one!

I wonder when the Celestron/Vixen pairing officially ended?

Thanks for looking these up for me, all of you!

Ant

[johninderby]

Have you seen the stuff on this site? Old telescope catalogues and manuals. A disorganized mess but some interesting old stuff.

http://geogdata.csun.edu/~voltaire/classics/

Take a look at the "Southern Precision Instruments 60mm f/20 Refractor" manual. Not one I've ever heard of before.

John

[A McEwan]

WOW! Now that link could use up a few weeks of my life! Thanks! I think...

Ant

[A McEwan]

Got it set up outside today but no observing still - too cloudy and windy. Doubt it'll clear tonight either.

[philj]

Very nice Ant and looking right at home on the SP. The scope does indeed look Vixenish.

That link John gave is where I got the manual for the Swift, its a great site.

Lets hope you get 1st light soon, Jupiter will be exceptional in that scope

Phil

[spaceboy]

Sorry if this has been said already but would this use or once did use 0.965 inch EP's ? Probably a stupid question

[A McEwan]

No, but it's not a stupid question. The drawtube is 43mm with a step down adapter screwed on the end to take 1.25" eyepieces. I gather this is a common Vixen "thing".

Ant

[spaceboy]

Thanks Ant.

[John]

Many of the older Vixens did use .965" eyepieces as standard - my old SP102M did, although the small diagonal looked a bit puny on the end of that fat, long, tube

It's good that you have the 1.25" adapter with yours Ant, they can be a little difficult to find.