Show us your Frac

[philj]

My Meade 5000 127edt a bosting scope if ever there was one. Pictured on portable rig, heq5 and berlebach

[laservet]

Gorgeous! Bet the views are amazing

They are indeed.

[laservet]

AP 175 ED..that's not a frac, it's an anti-aircraft missile launcher!./and I'm not in the least bit envious!

Dave

When I was observing with my 155 at a local soccer field a police car rolled up next to me at 2 AM. He told me someone at one of the neighboring houses reported me setting up a missile launcher. He scared the fool out of me, I was sitting in my observing chair and had dozed off and didn't hear or see the police car pull up next to me on the field, and when he hit his lights and siren I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I showed him Saturn and the moon through the scope and after that when he saw me out in the field at night he'd cut off his lights and drive up to observe for a few minutes with me.

I now make a habit of calling the local police, telling them where I'm going to be set up, and inviting them to stop by and observe. One officer during the summer brings her children to observe for a bit after her shift ends at midnight. One night I was observing at a local golf resort, on a bluff overlooking the James River giving me a clear unobstructed view to the south over the water. Before I left that evening I told my wife I had a great hobby, I could leave at 8 PM, get back at 8 AM, no spousal questions asked. She laughed, said she wasn't worried, and told me to look in the mirror. I did, and laughed at my reflection in my layered winter observing clothes, all different colors, a black eye patch, and a headband holding a red flashlight. So I was observing, needed something from my car, and walked out of the woods to the parking lot where there were a couple dozen young women in formal gowns, some sort of debutante thing at the resort I guess. I smiled, said, "Good evening, ladies," got what I needed out of the car and went back to observe. I checked my watch and four minutes later an officer (same woman who brings her kids) came up behind me and said, "Oh, it's you! We had the strangest 911 call about a crazy man." The next time I went to my car I found the debutantes had moved their cars so they wouldn't even be parked near me. :-)

Another time I was observing in the soccer field and a dozen teenage boys came up out of the dark. I'm used to crowds at the scope since our NASA-Langley astronomy club is all about outreach, but I could tell this time was different and something ugly was afoot. I didn't pick up my phone, just reached down and touched the redial button and about 60 seconds later a police car rolled up (they were my last call) and the teenagers scattered. Not sure what their plans were but I was relieved that the police interfered.

[laservet]

Paul, I think you've just played an Ace card, what a frac! 

I've just got to ask so please forgive me, what is that on your avatar??

It's the face of a Mexican axolotl, a patient of mine brought to the clinic because it was having difficulty swallowing.

[Stu]

Some great stories there laservet, plus a reminder to us all to be careful. Always best to observe with someone else if you are somewhere remote but it's not always possible I know.

This was my rocket launcher today, no visits from the police as yet [emoji6]

[Chris]

It's the face of a Mexican axolotl, a patient of mine brought to the clinic because it was having difficulty swallowing.

Thanks, I've just Googled it for a closer look

[Chris]

lol I enjoyed reading that Paul, the last bit was a bit sobering though! I'm glad the police responded so quickly. 

Maybe astronomers should start carrying Mace!?

[Chris]

I think you've cracked it with that setup Stu, looks just right.

I do like a bit of Vixen, or a lot in your case

[Stu]

I think you've cracked it with that setup Stu, looks just right.

I do like a bit of Vixen, or a lot in your case

Thanks Chris. I do think I'm there now. Just picked up a nice custom counterbalance system from Mark at Moonraker so I have my finders back on too as they mount on the rear ring. Will post on this separately.

Mark tweaked the collimation at the same time, it's still a tiny bit off but much better than before. Fingers crossed for next time out.

[Chris]

Excellent, it's been Moonrakered!

[davedownsouth]

My new(ish) one, the Skywatcher Esprit 120ED APO Triplet

[Chris]

Mighty fine Dave, nice CEM60 on Berlebach as well.

[F15Rules]

Some of you know I once had (and it hurts to recall this....) a Polarex Unitron 4" folded F15 refractor, back in the early 90s. I bought it from a shop in Liverpool called Scope City - anyone remember it? I was in Liverpool for work and just saw the shop as I drove out of Liverpool for home: in the window was what looked like a 6" SCT or Mak on a beautiful wooden tripod and mount. I went in an asked about it. 

I was told it was bankrupt stock (it was probably around the time that Unitron started to wind down their scope sales, around 1990 I think). It came with two hefty wooden crates for storage and was priced at £500, which was a goodly sum then. My late father had left me some money specifically telling me to buy a "nice scope", so I took the plunge and bought it. I knew nothing then of Unitron or Polarex, no internet remember, but I'd heard that Unitron scopes were a good US make. And I knew a beautifully engineered mount when I saw one.

Anyway, I always preferred fracs to be with long tubes, and this one was very short due to the folded light path inside the tube, hence the appearance of an SCT or Mak. At the time it seemed a good idea to have the tube re-made into a traditional long tube (I now know it was incredibly stupid      , as probably less than 20 of these folded Unitrons were sold, maybe much less, I have never seen another one, only a couple of 3" versions). So I called Orion Optics who were in Crewe then, and they made a long tube for me at F15, and even put Unitron Decals on the tube for me (although it was actually branded Polarex). The scope was a good performer, but at the time my children were very young, money was short, time to observe was even shorter, and I sold it to pay for a carpet we badly needed for the house! It went for £400 (the tube mods cost me £150), and the guy who bought it almost ran out of the house with it...it had a unihex eyepiece holder, 5 0.965" eps (nice ones) and a "large" 40mm 1.25" barrel Erfle I think it was. 

I recently came across the only two pictures I have of the scope, and they are not great, as two of my kids were posing in front of it - but at least it proves I did actually have the scope.

I still have the smaller of the two crates it came in, I keep accessories etc in it, and I am ashamed to say that although Orion Optics returned the original short tube and rings etc to me I threw them away long ago, before I knew better. I understand that the scope in it's original set up and tube would now be worth between £3k and £4k, so rare was it. You live and learn!       ..

I also attach some shots of a lovely old (1960s I think) Polarex 60mm F15 I used to have, and very like the one Derek (DRT) has a thread on at the moment..mine was very early and had just the one, right hand side focuser wheel - it actually worked very well in practice, and the scope put up lovely images for it's size. The little altaz mount was an engineering marvel.

hope you like the shots

Dave

[DRT]

Thanks for sharing the story and the pics, Dave. I can fully understand why some of it is painful to remember!

I wish I could reach into the screen and pinch that R25mm from the green box

...and I can't agree more about the little alt-az mount on the 60mm - a little marvel indeed.

[DirkSteele]

Given the scopes that are listed in my signature, it was only a matter of time till I joined this thread.  As a refractor nut, I might have been known to say mirrors are for shaving! 

The APM TMB 105/650

The TMB 115/800

The Takahashi FS-60 and FC-76 objective upgrade

The big one, the APM LZOS 180/1260 with the APM 105 for scale (and me at 5 foot 11 inches).

 

Not shown is the Takahashi FS-60Q, a quadruplet f/10 60mm refractor.

I might have a bit of a problem.  Is there a refractors anonymous meeting I can attend?  "Hello my name is Matthew and I am like refractors.....A lot"

[John]

Breathtaking selection of scopes Matthew

[LukeSkywatcher]

I bet the finderscope on that big boy is even bigger than my 70mm frac. 

[DirkSteele]

I bet the finderscope on that big boy is even bigger than my 70mm frac. 

Ha, actually you are right.  I now have an 80mm finder for it!

[Chris]

Remarkable collection of fracs Matthew!

You kind of have a look on your face which says 'how much money have a spent   ' Please try and describe what the views are like through the APM LZOS 180? I imagine it to be magical.

[DirkSteele]

Remarkable collection of fracs Matthew!

You kind of have a look on your face which says 'how much money have a spent   ' Please try and describe what the views are like through the APM LZOS 180? I imagine it to be magical.

I try not to think about quite how much money has been spent on that lot.  However, they bring me great enjoyment and will hopefully last me a lifetime.

Without too much effort I imagine I could write thousands of words about the APM 180, and one day I probably will in a review.  In an attempt to be a little more succinct I would offer up the following.  Imagine the most wonderful views you have had through a first class four inch apo, the classic pin point jewels on black velvet, with a purity of image not rivaled by other telescopes designs, and wonderful contrast that allows the finest details to be seen, and then scale that up several times over.  It really is just like using a big 4" Apo, that just goes deeper and reveals even more of the heavens.  The planetary views on nights of great seeing are extraordinary.  And I believe the extremely good contrast allows details to be seen that slightly larger scopes fail to show on DSOs, though the image is not as bright due to the smaller aperture, if that makes sense.

[Chris]

Sounds absolutely wonderful Matthew, thanks for sharing that summary

[F15Rules]

Beautiful collection Matthew. As you have clearly spent as much on scopes as most people do on a house, do you live in a tent,LOL???

Seriously, just a lovely collection and absolutely these could last you a lifetime as you say:-).

Dave

[Seafury]

I think I will just throw my lot in the bin after seeing that monster

[Marki]

Without too much effort I imagine I could write thousands of words about the APM 180, and one day I probably will in a review.  In an attempt to be a little more succinct I would offer up the following.  Imagine the most wonderful views you have had through a first class four inch apo, the classic pin point jewels on black velvet, with a purity of image not rivaled by other telescopes designs, and wonderful contrast that allows the finest details to be seen, and then scale that up several times over.  It really is just like using a big 4" Apo, that just goes deeper and reveals even more of the heavens.  The planetary views on nights of great seeing are extraordinary.  And I believe the extremely good contrast allows details to be seen that slightly larger scopes fail to show on DSOs, though the image is not as bright due to the smaller aperture, if that makes sense.

I can't wait to read your full review, Matthew. That sounds absolutely wonderous!

[recceranger]

My super duper fantastic SW ED80 Pro with Baader 2" Crayford.  The clearest and sharpest views bar none.  FRAC's ROCK!!!!!!!