Show us your Vixen Scope or mount

[Zhao]

On ‎2018‎年‎1‎月‎18‎日 at 22:17, Froeng said:

I love that SXP! I never used one but If I ever retire my old SP-DX, this will be high on my wishlist. The finish is excellent, the starbook seems outstanding and I am convinced the mechanics must be worth every penny. I also like your neat yellow case for it....

You can't go wrong with SXP. Get one now, or you will regret one day not having it earlier. The yellow case is Nanuk 950, which is perfect for storing GEM of this size. The original removable cube foam is too soft to support/protect the mount, so I bought three very thick EPE foams and cut them into proper size.

Edited January 20, 2018 by Zhao

[Froeng]

Hi Zhao,

my case is similar, the pluck-out foam is also a little too soft. I might follow your example and buy some EPE foam. Any good source for this?

Thanks

Frank

[RT65CB-SWL]

@Froeng link here ---> https://www.efoam.co.uk/pick-n-pluck-foam.php

Edited January 20, 2018 by Philip R

[Froeng]

Brilliant! Thanks Philip

[cotterless45]

Wonderful to see these scopes appreciated and loved . The  optics are sweet. Old school here. Rescued and fettled. Old Nick.

Vixen 90 on az and 102 on SP mount.

[Stu]

Just now, cotterless45 said:

Wonderful to see these scopes appreciated and loved . The  optics are sweet. Old school here. Rescued and fettled. Old Nick.

Vixen 90 on az and 102 on SP mount.

Still envious of your long dangly remote control cables Nick  

Lovely scope.

[Froeng]

... and while we are talking about packaging. I recently bought the Vixen refractor bag for my 60l f/15.

its a perfect fit for my secondary scope and has some room for the original accessories:

unfortunately the tube is slightly dented from the guidescope tube rings. :-(

 

Edited January 20, 2018 by Froeng

[Froeng]

 

24 minutes ago, cotterless45 said:

Wonderful to see these scopes appreciated and loved . The  optics are sweet. Old school here. Rescued and fettled. Old Nick.

Vixen 90 on az and 102 on SP mount.

Hi Old Nick,

that must be an SP90m? A very nice achromat on a perfect match mount!

Hope you can enjoy it for a long time! The good thing about Vixen equipment is that it hardly ever breaks! The only thing that gave up on me was the DMD-1 handset - after 22 years!But I believe that was my user error (wrong polarity).

Frank

Edited January 20, 2018 by Froeng

[PurpleFringe]

Joining the fray:)

Here is my Vixen GP2 mount. I am pretty fond of it, even though the tripod isn't very tall.

[Froeng]

5 minutes ago, PurpleFringe said:

Joining the fray:)

Here is my Vixen GP2 mount. I am pretty fond of it, even though the tripod isn't very tall.

Very nice setup! I didn’t know Vixen made the recent (white) mounts with wooden tripods! Looks beautiful. I generally found the wooden ones better than the aluminium legs..

[Froeng]

... and more Vixen “vintage” stuff. The 45mm Plössl is (I believe) now a rarity. But it’s excellent on my 60l refractor. I recently bought a GA-4 in 24.5mm (left over stock from a UK dealer). This is an extremely well made piece of kit! It almost has the feel of professional medical equipment (not that I am an expert). It makes guiding with the refractor very easy and keeps eye straining down to a minimum.

Edited January 20, 2018 by Froeng

[25585]

Found this while browsing https://www.tringastro.co.uk/vixen-ax103s-telescope---ex-display-8651-p.asp

Triplet ex-display with focal reducer sale price 1999.00. A Tak rival.

[dweller25]

My FPL53 scope  on a Vixen GP mount

[Stu]

1 minute ago, dweller25 said:

My FPL53 scope  on a Vixen GP mount

Only FPL-53? Must be rubbish!

Lovely setup, those GP mounts are perfect for that type of scope, they looked like they were made for each other.

[dweller25]

6 minutes ago, Stu said:

Only FPL-53? Must be rubbish!

Apparently

[dweller25]

Some really nice Vixen kit on this thread

I have never owned a Vixen refractor but I got close, I was considering a 102mm FL from the 1986 Astro Systems (Luton) catalogue.

I ended up with one of their 8.5 inch Newts instead.

 

 

[John]

Yay ! - I've still got that brochure somewhere

I ended up with one of their 6" F/6 newts instead

1st "proper" scope and a huge upgrade over my Tasco 60mm frac.

[Stu]

Almost forgot about this one. Didn't have it for that long, very nice scope though.

[25585]

20 minutes ago, dweller25 said:

Some really nice Vixen kit on this thread

I have never owned a Vixen refractor but I got close, I was considering a 102mm FL from the 1986 Astro Systems (Luton) catalogue.

I ended up with one of their 8.5 inch Newts instead.

 

 

FL102S was the one I turned down. Bought my TV Genesis instead.

[Stu]

4 minutes ago, 25585 said:

FL102S was the one I turned down. Bought my TV Genesis instead.

Very different scopes, hard to compare really.

[25585]

Just now, Stu said:

Very different scopes, hard to compare really.

I was new to scope buying then

The Vixen was much lighter, but its tube seemed very thin. Mr Fuller was more nervous of it being handled than a Genesis as well. I still have the Genesis, but would probably have sold a FL - though considering a Japanese lightweight refractor now!

[JOC]

I bought the one advertised in this thread:

It's a really cute little telescope.  What I didn't appreciate before I bought it is that the 3 little legs actually store inside the vertical bit of the stand which is a rather neat system.  What I really like is the action of the movement - it is just so absolutely smooth with just the correct degree of sticktion - it stays exactly where it is put when the movement stops.  The only problem is that I haven't really used it yet - I thought I'd have it in my room and look through the windows (perhaps with it on a camera tripod), but I can't get them open wide enough and if I take it outside I tend to have the Dob out too and then I use the Dob.  I also envisaged that I might take it camping, but when I went last year I couldn't fit it in.  I've got a lovely Revelation diagonal for it (it has an adaptor to take 1.25") and all those lovely EP's I bought that would work in it.  I really should make use of it - it's such a lovely well made instrument

Edited January 21, 2018 by JOC

[Stu]

8 minutes ago, JOC said:

I bought the one advertised in this thread:

It's a really cute little telescope.  What I didn't appreciate before I bought it is that the 3 little legs actually store inside the vertical bit of the stand which is a rather neat system.  What I really like is the action of the movement - it is just so absolutely smooth with just the correct degree of sticktion - it stays exactly where it is put when the movement stops.  The only problem is that I haven't really used it yet - I thought I'd have it in my room and look through the windows (perhaps with it on a camera tripod), but I can't get them open wide enough and if I take it outside I tend to have the Dob out too and then I use the Dob.  I also envisaged that I might take it camping, but when I went last year I couldn't fit it in.  I've got a lovely Revelation diagonal for it (it has an adaptor to take 1.25" and all those lovely EP's I bought that would work in it.  I really should make use of it - it's such a lovely well made instrument

I remember that one, they look really nice. Would be good to know what the optics are like. I assume still quite a lot of CA as it is a fast achro but probably quite well figured.

[JOC]

5 minutes ago, Stu said:

I assume still quite a lot of CA as it is a fast achro but probably quite well figured.

As and when I finally get it outside hopefully I'll report back on this.  Not that I know much about such things, but I was under the impression that such scopes had some sort of correcting lens system built in?  I guess something like the moon would show it if it was present, since the view of said moon  would probably go from one side of the FOV to the other?

[John]

I think it's a standard F/5 achromat. Similar performance to the Skywatcher ST80 probably (which are not too bad for CA) but a more individual looking scope.

Vixen also produced some small refractors for Tasco during that era. Good Tasco's to watch out for