Found Old Telescope...

[quantumpanda]

Hello SGL,

I aquired an old refractor off my University. I want to keep it, because I feel like there is a lot of history behind it. It's dented, scratched and generally looking very poor - so I was going to spruce it up. The optics appear fine.

However, it is only 2.5" and uses the old eyepeice system 0.965 inch. The tube length is around 60cm. This made me suspicious, as I thought this design was found in, for example, Toys 'R' Us. However, it feels solid, and the only eyepiece supplied with it (6x30mm) has a glass lens. Wiki seems to suggest that there was a time that high quality scopes of this configuration were made. The problem is, I cannot find any markings to suggest the brand / make.

I'd like to be able to mount it on my HEQ-5, but I cannot find any suitable tube rings. Also, where does one purchase quality eyepeices of this size, or do you convert?

Is there anything that I have said that suggests this is destined for the tip>

Thank you.

[ronin]

Suggest that you get it operating as best you can without spending anything on it, or at least the minimum. Then see how it performs, if the performance is decent then you can look to adding items. A conversion to 1.25" eyepieces would be useful simply because of the greater selection of eyepieces available these days and thye better performance of them.

Not long back I was reading a site that advertised a selection of 0.965" eyepieces, unfortunately not a clue who it was and the normal culprits I have bookmarked don't list any.

[rowan46]

Put up a pic and lets have a look. A lot of older scopes were small as it was much more expensive to make lenses back then. Back in the day they used to make some for the time fairly decent small scopes for lunar viewing. You can still get some .965 eye pieces especially on ebay but you will be better off with plossls and an adaptor. At that apparture and focal length I doubt it will be any good for anything but the moon. But hey if its a good old scope its worthy of a bit of respect and tlc

[quantumpanda]

The obvious benefit of an adaptor to me is that I already possess a few eyepeices of normal size. I really need the tube rings to mount it on anything though!

[quantumpanda]

The obvious benefit of an adaptor to me is that I already possess a few eyepeices of normal size. I really need the tube rings to mount it on anything though!

[quantumpanda]

[Stargazer33]

Astroboot at Scopes 'n' Skies sometimes has adaptors. I just had a quick look and they don't seem to have anything at the moment but a daily check can bring up something useful. Select 0.965" fit from the drop down menu in the 'Search For' box.

HTH

[rowan46]

http://www.skysthelimit.org.uk/page38.html

http://www.skysthelimit.org.uk/telescope%20adapters.html

[quantumpanda]

Ok, this is good so far, thanks guys: Check astroboot for eyepeices and skysthelimit for the adaptor.

But I need tube rings... and any thoughts on the scope itself?

[rowan46]

Looks like an old tasco to me. I was hoping it would be white

[quantumpanda]

Looks like an old tasco to me.

Oh dear.

I was hoping it would be white

Why so?

[rowan46]

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/152519-skylight-60mm-a-few-thoughts/

look at merlins post for rings

[rowan46]

Oh dear.

Why so?

the better zeiss and japanese ones were often white

having said that my first view though a telescope was through a mates tasco, we looked at the moon and I loved it.

[Stu]

I have a cheap plastic clamshell off Astroboot which I no longer use. If it is the right size, you are welcome to have it if it allows you to check out how good the scope is without major spend. You could buy something more substantial later if you decide to keep it.

What is the external diameter of the tube?

Cheers,

Stu

[Astrobits]

Looks like a pretty basic telescope to me. That focusser looks very low end.

I doubt that any of it's history ( if you ever find anything ) will be interesting.

I would get it working, make a simple mount for it and give it to the local Scout group. It's not suitable for a finderscope, too narrow a field of view.

If you want a 0.965" SR 4mm or H6mm then you can have mine. They will be horrible, so don't expect much!!

Nigel