Unearthed from the 1980s

[Basementboy]

On a recent visit back to Toronto to see my parents, I finally cornered my Dad about his old telescope – bought in the 1980s, shown to me once as a kid for about seven minutes, then packed away in the basement again: far too expensive and complicated and cool to ever actually, like, use!

 But after getting into astronomy during lockdown, suddenly I needed to see what this old scope was all about.

And it's a beauty, in my opinion – a Meade 2080 8" SCT. Probably top of the line in the early 80s, though I know it wouldn't command anywhere near the same value now (any guesses?) – but it really is a lovely piece of equipment.

The tracking action is smooth (with little tension adjusters and slow-mo dials), the focuser is good, the views are great. I think the coating on the front lens has worn away somewhat, but I didn't notice it when actually looking through the scope (though admittedly all I had time to observe was Jupiter and Saturn – my Mom has Parkinson's and we spent a long time trying to help her see the planets). It even comes with a little compass.

The whole thing is solid as hell (and pretty heavy, obviously). It also sits on a tracking drive that I couldn't be bothered to test out on this trip: I'm only interested in visual astronomy and it seemed like too much of a pain to learn to use. But assuming that still works (and why wouldn't it, if it's been simply sitting in a box for 40 years) then I reckon Dad has himself a pretty nice setup. We just got a family cabin in the woods so I'm going to drive it up there and set it up where he might actually use it for a change.

And the cherry on the sundae – it comes with instructions on ... drum roll ... cassette. 

Pictured here with Dad in his lair:

Edited October 7, 2021 by Basementboy

[Skyline]

It's a wonderful scope, the mirrors 1st class of that era when Meade were making high quality mirrors. It's definitely a keeper just like my old Meade LX10 was.

[ollypenrice]

It's a Meade LX10 which was the entry level version of this instrument, but there's nothing wrong with that. Indeed it has advantages for visual use.

You set the base to level with the bubble level, point the wedge towards north, set the altitude scale to your latitude and switch on the tracking. You then use the finder to locate your objects. 

With a long focal length like this you have a small field of view, so the earth's rotation will drive targets out of view pretty quickly without the motor drive.

This was my first 'proper' telescope nearly thirty years ago.

Olly

[Basementboy]

13 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

This was my first 'proper' telescope nearly thirty years ago.

 

No kidding? Wow, what are the odds. Yep, that's the system – set latitude, level with the bubble, aim the forks at Polaris and go ... I haven't tried switching on the tracking but that's the next thing. As you say, it was a bit of a pain to keep Jupiter and friends in view, particularly for my parents who are telescope illiterate (though quite nice people nevertheless).

Any guesses what something like this would be worth today? Not that I have any intention of ever selling it.

[ollypenrice]

21 hours ago, Basementboy said:

No kidding? Wow, what are the odds. Yep, that's the system – set latitude, level with the bubble, aim the forks at Polaris and go ... I haven't tried switching on the tracking but that's the next thing. As you say, it was a bit of a pain to keep Jupiter and friends in view, particularly for my parents who are telescope illiterate (though quite nice people nevertheless).

Any guesses what something like this would be worth today? Not that I have any intention of ever selling it.

Because these scopes are not suited to deep sky imaging they don't command high prices. (People get started then become interested in DS imaging and look for something better adapted.) I still have a big SCT though, indeed a Meade.

Olly

[Peter Drew]

I became a vendor for the Meade 2080 shortly after their introduction.  I was attracted by the overall look and colour compared to the Celestron C8 at the time.       🙂 

[Louis D]

On 07/10/2021 at 16:13, Basementboy said:

Any guesses what something like this would be worth today?

Pre-pandemic, they were fetching between $400 and $500 in good condition with everything included on CN classifieds.  I haven't seen too many come up for sale during the pandemic, though.  You could probably add $100 or so today thanks to inflation and lack of new SCT stock.  You could probably take those dollar signs and convert them straight into pound signs since everything US made seems higher in the UK.

About 6 years ago, I was tempted to buy a local 10" Meade LX200 for $400 off of Craigslist.  However, it being driven by ancient electronics put me off of it.  That, and it's sheer weight and bulk.  Your model uses a much simpler motor drive, so there is less to go wrong with it over the years.  They were packaged with pretty nice mounts by today's standards back in those days.

[mareman48]

I actually bought the same or similar model a few weeks back, my second scope.

 

Always wanted this model so my children can use it, mine was actually brand new boxed, belonged to an old boy who kept it in storage and never used it.

The exact model is Meade LX10 EMC 8" 

[Peter_D]

I have a de-forked Meade 2080 dating from the mid 1990s. SCT prices are be a lot higher in Germany than the UK or especially the US!

One improvement that transformed the scope was buying an SCT Crayford focuser. Before, it had quite a bit of image shift when focusing. For medium / low powers, it would have been ok but I use it mostly for planetary and high magnification lunar so it needed addressing.

[Louis D]

4 hours ago, Peter_D said:

I have a de-forked Meade 2080 dating from the mid 1990s. SCT prices are be a lot higher in Germany than the UK or especially the US!

Probably because the market here was saturated with them during the 1980s and 1990s in particular.  8" SCT OTAs from that era regularly go for about $300.  I think it's a perception that they're old and not worth as much as something shiny and new.

[Basementboy]

On 09/10/2021 at 09:23, mareman48 said:

The exact model is Meade LX10 EMC 8" 

Wow - yep, that's nearly identical

[Basementboy]

On 09/10/2021 at 16:11, Peter_D said:

One improvement that transformed the scope was buying an SCT Crayford focuser. Before, it had quite a bit of image shift when focusing. For medium / low powers, it would have been ok but I use it mostly for planetary and high magnification lunar so it needed addressing.

Good tip, thanks

[Basementboy]

On 09/10/2021 at 21:04, Louis D said:

I think it's a perception that they're old and not worth as much as something shiny and new.

Shame. I find it to be much nicer in many ways – smoother action, more reassuringly solid, generally high levels of attention to detail – than some of the newer scopes I've seen!

[mareman48]

On 09/10/2021 at 16:11, Peter_D said:

I have a de-forked Meade 2080 dating from the mid 1990s. SCT prices are be a lot higher in Germany than the UK or especially the US!

One improvement that transformed the scope was buying an SCT Crayford focuser. Before, it had quite a bit of image shift when focusing. For medium / low powers, it would have been ok but I use it mostly for planetary and high magnification lunar so it needed addressing.

Nice tip, thanks for that 🙂

[Louis D]

39 minutes ago, Basementboy said:

Shame. I find it to be much nicer in many ways – smoother action, more reassuringly solid, generally high levels of attention to detail – than some of the newer scopes I've seen!

Preaching to the choir you are.  You're comparing classic American manufacturing to modern Chinese manufacturing.

[Louis D]

On 09/10/2021 at 03:23, mareman48 said:

I actually bought the same or similar model a few weeks back, my second scope.

 

Always wanted this model so my children can use it, mine was actually brand new boxed, belonged to an old boy who kept it in storage and never used it.

The exact model is Meade LX10 EMC 8" 

What a gorgeous conversation piece.  Those lines were classic.

[Basementboy]

Any idea what the glass would be on this scope? 

[Louis D]

4 minutes ago, Basementboy said:

Any idea what the glass would be on this scope? 

I would think well annealed "float" glass.  At their original price point, you weren't going to be getting Pyrex, Quartz, or Sitall glass.

Some deluxe SCTs intended for imaging may have come with Crown glass correctors.

[Concordia000]

On 09/10/2021 at 16:11, Peter_D said:

I have a de-forked Meade 2080 dating from the mid 1990s. SCT prices are be a lot higher in Germany than the UK or especially the US!

One improvement that transformed the scope was buying an SCT Crayford focuser. Before, it had quite a bit of image shift when focusing. For medium / low powers, it would have been ok but I use it mostly for planetary and high magnification lunar so it needed addressing.

> SCT prices are be a lot higher in Germany

May I ask if you know why that is the case? Before the UK left the EU, both countries should have the same import/export rules towards the USA and China, the two leading SCT makers.

Or is it because people in Germany are more attracted towards refractors or Newtonians?

[Peter_D]

2 hours ago, Concordia000 said:

> SCT prices are be a lot higher in Germany

May I ask if you know why that is the case? Before the UK left the EU, both countries should have the same import/export rules towards the USA and China, the two leading SCT makers.

Or is it because people in Germany are more attracted towards refractors or Newtonians?

I'm not sure if Germans prefer refractors or Newts - it's a very good question!

Re. prices, perhaps it was the case that because Germany is physically a large country, you only had one or two local dealers that sold telescopes and the lack of local competition kept prices high. I'm not saying that's a bad thing - high prices allowed for shops to survive and qualified staff to provide after sales service. Now, it's a different reality with more online sales but with even fewer domestic dealers and so new prices stay comparatively high. This high new price sets the price for the used market and so used telescopes tend to cost more too.

[Louis D]

I would think vintage American made SCTs from Celestron and Meade would both be higher priced in all of Europe than in the US during the first sale in the same way Tele Vue eyepieces are consistently more expensive in Europe than the US.  This initially higher price then continues over to the used market.  I'm also going to guess that SCTs didn't sell in as high a numbers over there as they did here, so the used market isn't so flooded as here, driving up used prices in Europe as a whole.

[Sunshine]

Nice! if pop's ever wants to sell it PM me, I live just minutes outside of Toronto!

On second thought, considering my latest scope expenditures I don't think your father would want me living with him.

Edited October 13, 2021 by Sunshine

[Nigella Bryant]

Brilliant, I had that in 1989 but with a simple push button controls, no goto. I used the setting circles to find objects and consistently guided visually for 45mins using an off axis guider and ectachrome 1600asa slide film. Caught some DSO's back then..Well done, don't let it sit another 40yrs doing nothing. 

[CCD-Freak]

Judging by the 8x50 polar finder and what I can see of the drive base it looks to be a 2080 LX3.  I had one of those back in the 80s and it was a great scope.  Do you have the hand paddle?

 

 

[Basementboy]

On 13/10/2021 at 01:11, Sunshine said:

On second thought, considering my latest scope expenditures I don't think your father would want me living with him.

Haha – uh ... why would you be LIVING with him?