Show us your Frac

[Steve Clay]

My ED80 on stellar view mc2 mount (sadly not available in the UK)on EQ5 tripod. Really solid and easy to use setup.

Edited February 4, 2020 by Steve Clay

[Nakedgun]

After looking at what was available in my price and experience range at the time I decided to buy my first Borg scope, the 76ED f/6.6 in June '01.

 

 

 

 

It has never ceased to provide pleasing views, and like all Borg scopes I have owned, its light weight means mounting options are numerous and uncomplicated.

 

I think I found this Tele Vue Up-Swing mount at a star party swap meet soon after the scope came to me and is quite convenient.

 

All but one of my Borgs have helical focusers which are robust, without creep and keep the design tidy and sprightly.

The focuser range is increased by a drawtube section to which it is attached. Chrome knobs on either side of the OTA secure the drawtube at the desired location.

The handle came from an old tripod and I made the attachment for it from a piece of scrap aluminum.

 

At ~4lbs. without diagonal/ep my Tak Sky Patrol easily carries it when I want tracking.

 

 

[Rainmaker]

Up close and personal with the Skylight AR101/15.  One of only two all brass versions sold by Richard Day, this one was made in January/February 2015 and sent to Melbourne, Australia March 2015

Edited February 10, 2020 by Rainmaker

[Stu]

Amazing set of scopes @Rainmaker, lovely!!

Here is my humble Zeiss Telementor II, the second one I've had and one I'll hopefully hang on to.

 

[Nakedgun]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

Amazing set of scopes @Rainmaker, lovely!!

Here is my humble Zeiss Telementor II, the second one I've had and one I'll hopefully hang on to.

 

 

The tripod in the night shot is unlike anything I've seen before, curious as to its make and vintage.

 

[Stu]

55 minutes ago, Nakedgun said:

 

The tripod in the night shot is unlike anything I've seen before, curious as to its make and vintage.

 

It is a recent used acquisition, trying to see whether it would improve the stability of my Vixen GP mount, which it has.

It is labelled Orion and is, I believe, called a Field tripod. I had been looking for a GP-HAL130 which I am waiting to arrive from an eBay order but have my doubts that it will appear. I'll compare the two and see which is the best balance of stability vs portability.

The only negative so far is that the top is wide, so the scope does clash in certain positions. A Vixen green half pillar would solve this I think, if i can find one.

[Fozzie]

14 minutes ago, Stu said:

 A Vixen green half pillar would solve this I think, if i can find one.

You'd laugh then cry if you knew how much mine cost me, and I'd probably end up divorced again if my wife found that  out too.... but I needed it so it was worth it as a loss leader! They don't come up often..

[Stu]

3 minutes ago, Fozzie said:

You'd laugh then cry if you knew how much mine cost me, and I'd probably end up divorced again if my wife found that  out too.... but I needed it so it was worth it as a loss leader! They don't come up often..

Oops, tee hee! Certainly can't afford another divorce either!

I do have a white Skywatcher one which may fit. Just need to find a paint match to calm the OCD.

[Fozzie]

Can t cope with the OCD either so I totally get that..

to clarify the first Divorce was not astro spend related, her reasoning was now way as plausible, or acceptable as that.. I mean he wasn't even an astronomer so I have no idea what she was thinking TBH...

Sounds like a wanted Add, but good luck with the search if you go for one of those lovely green ones..

[paulastro]

I have one of these Orion (UK) Field tripod, I effectively got it for nothing when I bought a scope and mount, sold them and kept the tripod! This was  quite a few years ago now.  It is extremely stable, and when they were new they cost over £600, a fortune at the time.

Mine now resides happily in by observatory with a half pillar and Ercole mount up top.  It's used for my SW 120ED and SW 80ED on occasions.  This would easily take a six inch refractor plus.

[mikeDnight]

On 10/02/2020 at 12:51, Stu said:

Oops, tee hee! Certainly can't afford another divorce either!

I do have a white Skywatcher one which may fit. Just need to find a paint match to calm the OCD.

You might find this in your local B&Q as I did. It's very close in colour. A very kind SGL member sent me some Vixen bits & bobs to help bring my recently acquired DX mount back to its original condition - "thanks Pete!"I've already painted a counterweight and today I painted a blue polar scope cover Vixen green ish. Looks good in the flesh but the pic is in artificial light and isn't a true representation.

Edited February 11, 2020 by mikeDnight

[mikeDnight]

On 10/02/2020 at 17:32, paulastro said:

I have one of these Orion (UK) Field tripod, I effectively got it for nothing when I bought a scope and mount, sold them and kept the tripod! This was  quite a few years ago now.  It is extremely stable, and when they were new they cost over £600, a fortune at the time.

Mine now resides happily in by observatory with a half pillar and Ercole mount up top.  It's used for my SW 120ED and SW 80ED on occasions.  This would easily take a six inch refractor plus.

So you'll be selling your Vixen pier then i presume? 

[paulastro]

Vixen pier Mike?

[mikeDnight]

11 minutes ago, paulastro said:

Vixen pier Mike?

The one that stood in the corner of your observatory?

[paulastro]

It did indeed 'once stood' in the corner of the observatory.  This just shows you how long it is since you've been in my observatory Mike.   It's not been there for so long I can't even remember when it left!  In fact, if you leave it long enough, I dare say those bits I have put aside for you may not be here either!  Indeed, leave it even longer  and I won't be here either 🤣.

[Rainmaker]

Still waiting for clear skies here in Canberra...... first it was smoke for two month, now its rain every day......

The TMB152 has a new hiding place under the seats of the motorhome..... waiting.... waiting  for a decent night....... here's a couple of pics from clearer skies before the summer fires started...

[John]

1 hour ago, Rainmaker said:

Still waiting for clear skies here in Canberra...... first it was smoke for two month, now its rain every day......

The TMB152 has a new hiding place under the seats of the motorhome..... waiting.... waiting  for a decent night....... here's a couple of pics from clearer skies before the summer fires started...

Your 152 / F/8 must be a similar age to my 130 / F9.2 LZOS Matt - it has the TMB APO logo on the sticker

[Rainmaker]

9 hours ago, John said:

Your 152 / F/8 must be a similar age to my 130 / F9.2 LZOS Matt - it has the TMB APO logo on the sticker

John, this was built in late 2007 it is number #245 🔭

[John]

9 minutes ago, Rainmaker said:

John, this was built in late 2007 it is number #245 🔭

Mine dates from April 2006 and is #20. Not so many of the 130 F/9.2s have been made. Markus Ludes reckons the total run will be less than 150 units.

 

[Rainmaker]

2 hours ago, John said:

Mine dates from April 2006 and is #20. Not so many of the 130 F/9.2s have been made. Markus Ludes reckons the total run will be less than 150 units.

 

I was going to order the 130/F9 as my friend had no intention of selling this 152/1200 at the time.... then I thought I would just wait a while, turns out my friend had a 28" mirror on order from Normand Fullum and needed to sell this...

It was then a case of begging for some money from my wife ..... 🥰

[mikeDnight]

Wives can be wonderful can't they!?

[Chris]

Matt, I'm in love with your brass Skylight! As well as the great views I'm sure it makes you feel like a Victorian gent too  

[Nakedgun]

I'm going backwards in aperture with this post as this scope just came back into my possession. It is the same 60 f/11.7 achromat as the road find I posted elsewhere, and though a different mfr. it is the same, optically and mechanically, as that other. 

This was a birthday present given to my younger brother by my folks during the mid-70s, and it had the same wibbly-wobbly mount that was common, and frustrating to use, like most of that period. When my brother went to his reward some time back I took this and passed in on to a neighbor woman, in her 70s, to whom I introduced observing the Moon and planets.

Vixen U.S. is blowing out their 70mm alt-az package currently, so I bought one and gave it to her this week. Using the Vixen is much easier than the old scope so the classic comes back to me.

 

 

 

[Stu]

I am supposed to be selling kit off, but couldn't resist this when I saw it. A rather lovely 34 year old Vixen FL102s f8.8. I now have three 4" classics in my possession; Televue Genesis, Tak FC100 and Vixen Fluorite at f5, f7.4 and f8.8. Quite fun  the Genesis and Vixen side by side will be quite a combo.

It is in lovely condition and I've had some excellent views so far, splitting 32 Orionis the other night, more to come. I want to spend some time with it side by side with the FC100 to see how it does. I've been using it with the original Vixen prism, but if it stays with me it may gain a Moonlite so I can have dual speed and use my other diagonal. Time will tell.

I am certainly looking forward to some lovely views of Jupiter, Saturn and Mars through it later this year. Venus has already been pretty impressive.

[mikeDnight]

33 minutes ago, Stu said:

I am supposed to be selling kit off, but couldn't resist this when I saw it. A rather lovely 34 year old Vixen FL102s f8.8. I now have three 4" classics in my possession; Televue Genesis, Tak FC100 and Vixen Fluorite at f5, f7.4 and f8.8. Quite fun  the Genesis and Vixen side by side will be quite a combo.

It is in lovely condition and I've had some excellent views so far, splitting 32 Orionis the other night, more to come. I want to spend some time with it side by side with the FC100 to see how it does. I've been using it with the original Vixen prism, but if it stays with me it may gain a Moonlite so I can have dual speed and use my other diagonal. Time will tell.

I am certainly looking forward to some lovely views of Jupiter, Saturn and Mars through it later this year. Venus has already been pretty impressive.

Fantastic scope Stu. I'm truly envious! After saving for a FL 102 in 2003 OO failed to deliver. Televue had just started importing them into the US and drained the UK market. Vixen offered a great package back then with their world class fluorite FL 102 on a GP with RA drive, aluminium tripod and two LV eyepieces for just £2,200.00. I never did get the Vixen I longed for, and I ain't forgiving America or Orion Optics, or Televue for that matter. Beautiful scope!!

 

Edited February 16, 2020 by mikeDnight