Questar

[pragmatist]

Finally after a 10 week wait I received a scope I have been dying to obtain for a long time. Price wise yes I could have bought another amazing heavy to lug all singing all dancing set up but I’ve been there and done that and now just like to have a quick look at the moon, planets and some double stars and be back indoors in time for a JD & coke and bed. This thing is just beautiful to look at and the views are stunning for such a small aperture. Will do a full equipment review later.

Matty

 

 

[niallk]

Congrats + Enjoy

[xtreemchaos]

a work of Art. well done mate, heres wishing you clear skys. charl.

[Alfian]

A stunning piece of equipment and a thing of beauty and, depending on what it cost you, maybe a shrewd investment.

[Merlin]

As much an American icon as the Coke bottle.

[Dave1]

Congratulations, what a wonderful telescope, with a long illustrious history. I look forward to reading your first light report?! 

[Paz]

Oooooooooooh that looks.good!

[Paul M]

A long time ago a family acquaintance used to lend me an odd old copy or two of Sky and Telescope (which was very rare in the UK in the 70's). I was stunned by the adverts for Questar. 

Still just as out of reach now as they were in my childhood and still a joy to behold

[Ruud]

Congratulations Matty, it looks so pretty!

I tried to find a manual because I'm interested in the finder function and the hand controller. No luck so far, but I found a nice pdf from the Chester County Astronomical  Society that describes the Questar 3.5 on p. 3 and 8-9: CCAS-2015-03.pdf

It explains there's a finder mirror below the tube and I wonder: is there a lens in the side of the tube that acts like an objective for the finder? I'm also interested to know everything about the hand controller.

Looking forward to your next post on the Questar 3.5.

Happy observing!

[timwetherell]

Still remember these from drooling over them in magazines as a kid! looked through a friend's Questar once and it was a very nice instrument! I always thought the alt/az to equatorial conversion with the little legs and the clockwork drive were such a neat idea. Great to have the whole observing package in one unit like that.

[RT65CB-SWL]

I am still drooling over them, (the pictures that is, not the 'scopes). ? ?

[pragmatist]

5 hours ago, Dave1 said:

Congratulations, what a wonderful telescope, with a long illustrious history. I look forward to reading your first light report?! 

Shouldn’t be too long Dave, the new scope curse has struck.

[pragmatist]

3 hours ago, Ruud said:

Congratulations Matty, it looks so pretty!

I tried to find a manual because I'm interested in the finder function and the hand controller. No luck so far, but I found a nice pdf from the Chester County Astronomical  Society that describes the Questar 3.5 on p. 3 and 8-9: CCAS-2015-03.pdf

It explains there's a finder mirror below the tube and I wonder: is there a lens in the side of the tube that acts like an objective for the finder? I'm also interested to know everything about the hand controller.

Looking forward to your next post on the Questar 3.5.

Happy observing!

Hi Ruud,

yes it’s an incredible concept. You flick a switch and hey presto a Finder. The control box near the eyepiece has a lens which looks down onto a mirror at the base of the scope. I’ll send a photo showing how it works but it can all be done without taking your eyes from the eyepiece. Truly amazing.

 

[Ruud]

1 minute ago, pragmatist said:

I’ll send a photo

I'd love that! Thanks.

[Alien 13]

A truly beautiful scope, still on my bucket list as an example of how scopes should be made.

Alan

[pragmatist]

3 hours ago, Ruud said:

I'd love that! Thanks.

 

[F15Rules]

Lovely scope, lovely engineering, lovely looks, lovely overall..did I say that your new scope is lovely??

Congratulations!

Dave

[Ibbo!]

Remember looking at theadverts for these in S&T all those years ago and lusted after one.

 

looking forward to a review.

[pragmatist]

3 hours ago, F15Rules said:

Lovely scope, lovely engineering, lovely looks, lovely overall..did I say that your new scope is lovely??

Congratulations!

Dave

You are right about the engineering Dave. The optics are pretty damn sharp too. Many thanks.

[pragmatist]

1 hour ago, Ibbo! said:

Remember looking at theadverts for these in S&T all those years ago and lusted after one.

 

looking forward to a review.

Ibbo, the review is on its way.

[RT65CB-SWL]

10 hours ago, Ibbo! said:

Remember looking at theadverts for these in S&T all those years ago and lusted after one.

 

looking forward to a review.

I did too! ...and the TeleVue Ranger.

[DirkSteele]

There is no scope more worthy of inclusion in an art gallery than the Questar. Fortunately, having looked through a couple, the views are pretty good too.

[HAsun]

Quote

 

HI Pragmatist,

I have in my collection of scopes a Questar 3.5" with a quartz mirror dating to 1964 according to Questar. I remember speaking with David Nagler at Astrofest in 2017 and telling him I had a 1964 vintage one, and he replied that he and Al also had ones of the same vintage. They very nice scopes to look at as well as to look through,, and the engineering is wonderful.

[JamesF]

It's ok, I guess.

Seriously though, it looks a beautifully put together piece of kit.  I hope the views are equally impressive.

James

[Peter Drew]

Very nice all round, I've had a few pass through my hands long ago. I ended up making similar items professionally, they became known as "A poor man's Questar" in some circles. The optics were good but nowhere near the fit and finish. Or the price! ? . I have a 90mm ETX which can give a Questar a run for its money, not an "objet d'art" though.